Viana

Late night thought that should not be forgotten; Schar fucking hated Bruce. A big plus for me.

Love him, but tonight was not it. I sometimes wonder if his role for big games is LW where he’s just shuttling up and down.

I thought he offered a lot. I still think his only issue is what position he slots in. I don’t think he’s shown enough previously at CM to start, while Almiron’s pace and Gordon’s price make them more of a lock on the wings.

Passers need runners. Miggy is the only one that consistently does that for him. It’s also two games into the season meaning we have nothing to really take from his performances. Give it 10 games. @Yorkie great post. I also think we have to factor in game state. He’s gone from facing teams where we were underdogs to now supreme favorites.

Bloke is aging like a fine wine. I also think he brings the best out of Botman. Sven is lovely, but he’s a big rampaging bloke that is physical and aggresssive. Schar is more of a pickpocket. It works so well and is why I think Haaland didn’t score tonight.

He had one golden chance the whole game and lacked conviction to just hit it. That is the margin at the top level. We basically played what could be a Champions League knockout game tonight. I think against lesser opposition he’ll be decisive in games.

Botman is basically what people think Van Dijk is.

I know everyone adores James Richardson, but I feel like I've noticed a more pronounced snideness to him lately. It sounded like he wanted nothing to do with the women's World Cup chat, and was constantly interrupting while also making a passive aggressive remark about Duncan Alexander's jokes. I know to a degree that's his style, but I do wonder if he's just bored of the whole carry on. I think I need to refresh my football podcasts tbh. Even the tactics one with Michael Cox feels like eavesdropping a group of lads from Oxbridge discuss football.

Miggy's consistency rests in his industry and hustle. His inconsistency in output is what stops him being truly elite.

I'm choosing to hold onto the positives here. We bloodied their nose, caused them problems, we just didn't have the quality or composure in the moments that mattered. If that's how close we can run the treble winners then we're doing something right. I think the team still picks itself largely, but yeah, I'm not going to cry over a narrow loss to Man City. They're the bar, we'll get there. I liked what most of the subs brought. The only one I couldn't quite see a positive with was Longstaff. I worry the lack of regular football may harm him and exacerbate his shortcomings on the ball.

It's just a quality issue today. We've been more than good enough for a point. Lots of positives to take from the fact we've pushed the treble winners this close.

Edward, double sub please.

Burn not offside and a penalty appeal waved away

It's also worth noting that Pep has had six or seven years to essentially build the best club side going. His system has been built and tweaked to the point of perfection. I don't think it's quality of individuals killing us here, it's just brilliant spacing and momentum with 11 players (9 of who were in this team last year) knowing exactly where and how to play the ball. Their strategy is to create little fires across the final third.

Another game where I'm quite proud of how we've equipped ourselves. You move that quality dial up a bit and we cause this lot problems.

Shades of Man Utd in the 90s here, they are brilliant, relentless, but they also get any decision they ask for.

I'm hopeful Adidas lean in more to the simple designs they've done of late. I do also wonder if the owners are tempted to try and strike a deal with Heineken for Brown Ale to be on the training kit. It feels like a license to print money.

Looks like the club have had to just go with it and confirm the deal. Proper buzzing for the new kits. It's one thing to be with Adidas anyway, but it's another thing to be with Adidas and be a valued partner (big club/seller basically) as it means they'll put some time and effort in.

iFollow if you're abroad.

Impressive from Bournemouth to gain a man and become more shit.

I don't like to attach the people running a club with the institution itself, because in cases like this you can easily tar fans with the same brush. That said, them leaking a story about consulting the female players was fucking vile. A total dog whistle to every little incel in their bedroom that cares more about Fifa points than anything in the real world. I also hate the way it's being framed that he wasn't convicted so what's the issue. The whole situation is a giant fucking mess and highlights both how little people understand of the criminal justice system, and how the people at the top of football fail to install any kind of checks or balances to stop people like Greenwood becoming so entitled and detached from reality that they do things like this.

Always find it odd people don't get the point of competition.

No longer friends with degenerate gambler, now best friends with drunk driver.

Had blue panda pop all owa his Sunderland shirt.

I'm also grading the window against the fact that we've had summers in the last decade that included - just one player, and Jeff Hendrick/Ryan Fraser double.