Vaj

I get the tactic but we are too far the other way!

Yeah this is where I’m at…in theory 😂

Gordon has a higher ceiling to Barnes for me and has started to improve. Really need to build on that and get him consistently at his best. Agree it’s harsh on Barnes though but I get it

You would imagine there full backs will really press the wingers so having the two paciest ones who could turn them and get in behind if they are slightly off the press at any moment seems like a good option to me. As mentioned by others, if/when the game settles more in the second half having Murphy and/or Barnes on the pitch who are more precise could then become an option. We have better players man for man so as long as we are well drilled we stand a good chance of winning.

If Miley is starting, I am delighted with that. Needs to become our first choice third centre mid now, a huge career ahead of him! Wouldn't personally go with Elanga but fingers crossed this is the day it clicks for him. Could be a bad game for Murphy with how much they will press us as he is so poor in possession when under pressure.

Obviously a huge game because it is Sunerland but even bigger because victory today pushes us right up the table ahead of Sunderland, Brighton and Everton for definite and within a point of Liverpool and maybe Palace. The next eight league games are huge, all of them winnable but some tricky ones that could go either way.

Anyone who thinks that Tino wouldn't leave for City is being naive. More money, more chance of trophies, better players than us and their main right back is a centre mid so he would fancy himself to be first choice. For him it is a no brainer and we have to accept that, at least for the short to medium term, some players will leave for 'bigger' clubs. Ask yourself this - if you were playing for Aston Villa for £80k a week and Man City came and offered you double your money, would you go?

Chelsea 2-0 Everton Liverpool 1-1 Brighton Burnley 1-1 Fulham Arsenal 3-0 Wolves Palace 1-1 Man City Forest 2-1 Spurs Sunderland 1-3 Newcastle West Ham 1-2 Villa Brentford 2-0 Leeds Man United 1-0 Bournemouth

Goals from midfield are huge for us now since the rat left and we haven’t had enough of them until recently. Miley has potential to score a decent amount each season as well as being better on the ball and physically improving. Must start whenever fit for me!

Very good second half but we are in a rut with late goals being conceded. Concerning and difficult to turn around

Miley on for Joelinton could be a start but I don’t know if it will change much. Murphy for Gordon as well

We have been outclassed. They beat our press with one pass and then they are in, Howe has been outsmarted so far. Hopefully he can change something to alter this game but I fear they’ll score early and it’ll be game over.

Joelinton should not be starting these days.

Look poor at the back here except Thiaw. All very last ditch. Think Howe has got it wrong with Tonali and Bruno. Should be the other way round. Deserve that for me!

Must have really hurt his face that

Wow 😂

Wolves have been horrendous so far, painful to watch

Lammens looks decent I think. The rest is very average

Real win win last night. Two goals for Ekitike to push him ahead of the rat in the pecking order and two more dropped points, happy days!

He’s not being ‘targeted’. This is how a lot of teams do set pieces and yes it is a worry because he isn’t great at it. We have finally started to do it ourselves and look ten times more threatening

Villa 1-1 Arsenal Bournemouth 2-2 Chelsea Everton 1-1 Forest Man City 2-0 Sunderland Newcastle 3-0 Burnley Spurs 2-1 Brentford Leeds 1-1 Liverpool Brighton 2-0 West Ham Fulham 1-1 Palace Wolves 0-2 Man United

Oggy that. Going well wide

I think he shows promise when he does play and you can see his strengths. Strange he hasn’t been given more opportunities but Burnley at home feels like a great time to give him a PL start

I hope you’re right and still believe he can. But just because people are annoyed that a player who cost almost £60m looks like he can’t do the basics, let alone have a real impact in pretty much every game he plays doesn’t make them ‘boo-boys’ and are more than entitled to share concerns on a forum.

As mentioned. Good defensively and poor offensively. In games like that where the opposition is offering nothing the midfield should be three of Tonali, Bruno, Miley and Ramsey to try and get control of the game. If Tonali is out I would like to see Ramsey, Miley and Bruno on Saturday to give us that control