Checko

No lie, I switched back from typing that to the programme and it was a photo of a McDonalds burger with a horrifically processed cheese slice centre screen.

When we boot it long we always lose it. When we play out from the back we struggle to get out of our own half. We have all our top passers on the field. This is not an isolated thing, there is a problem with our system in posession. We're only dangerous on the counter. We always play like an away team. Also, to be fair, they haven't really created any gilt-edge chances. Most of the time it's us being sloppy that lets them into the game, though we're really not putting any pressure on with our press. They're not even pressing hard yet we seem to struggle. Also, Tonali oozes class like any American food oozes cheese.

'Double pivot' is simply quicker to say than 'playing with two 6/8 hybrids who alternatively push forward or sit deep depending on the success of their torso deception' Honestly though, I hope we do set up like that, at least in passy passy situations. The 433/451 we set up in really doesn't work for posession football though it works well at other times of the game. No reason why both systems can't be incorporated. Just rotate the middle triangle round a bit. I mean, we went to that system against Bournemouth when willock came on and suddenly Big Joe had someone near him to pass to (Bruno) and stopped losing the ball all the time. Bruno had a lot more licence to get forward because he knew Big Joe was back and would cover. And given Bruno is our best midfield playmaker, allowing him more freedom to get forward is probably a good thing.

Positions are for all you 1960's stans, still obessed with the WM formation, wingless diamonds and outside rights. Cruyft changed all that shit in the 70s. Now you're either a baller or you ain't

Might be an idea though - he loses some loyalty bonus, we agree a contract and then that we'll pay his lost loyalty bonus on top of that. Palace save some money from loyalty bonus recoup. The extra money Palace get isn't a transfer fee so Chelsea don't get their cut. Would seem a sensible way of getting Palace a tiny bit more cash at the expense of Chelsea. Probably a pretty tiny amount relatively speaking but still... fuck you Chelsea.

Wonder if Hall's going to be used for home games and Kelly for away games. Also, I said a few days ago, but I reckon he could be a terrific inverted right wing. What do we want in that position? A left footer with great technique who can shoot and pick a pass. A good athlete who can dribble and is two-footed enough to go down the outside and who'll get stuck in on the defensive side of the game. That is basically Lewis Hall.

Tactical thoughts: We are crap at passy passy when the opposition is set up. The 433 doesn't work with it. Bruno comes deep, has no-one to pass it forward to so goes back to the CBs, they pass along the line to the fullback who passes it up to a winger who is under pressure and loses it. And repeat. This was an issue most of last year as well, so I'm not putting it down to just rustiness. We rely on turnovers in a high press or from deeper counters. Howe needs to sort the posession bit out. Looked better after the subs when we went to a 4231 with Big Joe and Bruno sitting deep & Willock further forward. A second deeper CM meant Bruno had a lot more freedom to get forward as there was cover, and the AM means Isak isn't so isolated. I'd like us to use 4231 in posession. That said it was also getting later in the game so there was more reason for them to sit back a bit with a lead. Didn't really do much high pressing, when we set up high from goalkicks they just booted it up the field and seemed to win the second balls pretty easily. Krafth, Longstaff and Murphy trying to pass the ball out down the right. Sweet Jeebus.

Anyway, my summary of the game for some reason: 1. Started well for the first, what 15 mins or so? Isak looked dangerous. Gordon pushed higher up initially with Big Joe looking to cover on the LW though Gordon wasn't really on it. We were on the front foot for the most part. 2. Once they got in to the game they were on top for probably the next 50 minutes or so. Nobody was really playing well, we kept giving the ball away. Almost everyone on the team wanted to take 3 or 4 touches. Dilly Dally quotient way too high. When the game turns against us, our inability to just pass it about easily quickly and take the sting out of games just invites pressure on ourselves. Don't think we had a shot in this time. 3. I liked Howe's subs and they gave us a lot more attacking impetus for the last 20/25. Probably a case that some of the subs should have started. Harvey Barnes did some really good stuff. Barnes Isak and Gordon score a lot of goals as a three. Might be an idea to play our best players. 4. Last 10 could have gone either way, we had a couple of chances, they had a couple. Got a bit lucky with the handball [though it was correct decision as far as I can see]. Overall it's hard to say we deserved a point from that.

I didn't see the Big Joe incident so can't comment on that. Seen a lot of people here say it should have been a red though. From what I saw of the disallowed goal he scored straight off his arm, which is handball. Doesn't seem controversial to me. It was fairly high up the arm admittedly, but from replays it looked to hit him flush on the arm badge, which is certainly low enough down to be handball IMO.

Same problem as all of last season: we cannot do any passy passy through a team. We're completely reliant on making chances from the press or hitting on the counter. A team gets on top, we can't pass out to relieve the pressure so we whack it long and lose it. If Howe fails here it's going to be this inability to get the team to just pass and move quickly from the back, but right now everyone want to take 3 or 4 touches every time they get the ball.

Wonder if the move drags on to next week whether Palace will play him in the cup on Tuesday.

Personally I like Ally McCoist as comentator of colour, not because he has any particularly great tactical insight, but because he seems to actually enjoy watching football and looks to say something positive about the game. Nothing sucks the enjoyment out of a game more than having a Danny Murphy or Lee Dixon type constantly moaning about everything while you watch.

mɑːk ɡeɪ-iː

Yeah, a pacy RCB and I think our players would be pretty well suited for a 3-4-3

I always find the shitter another team is the more Pep seems to big them up.

So he's discussed it with his lawyers and they're like: Still, rather he'd go down the therapy route than the 'I'VE BEEN CANCELLED OMG' route.

It's here about 8 seconds in, and I've been saying 'Eye-zak' every since. Very confusing. Fuck the transfer market, resolving this is now the main issue of the summer as far as I'm concerned.

Fuck's sake I was going to say Armenia.

So what do we reckon, does he go apologetic and humble, or get a job on GB News?

Malta, Gibraltar, Andorra, Angola, Albania, Mackemland, Kosovo, Montenagro, Cyprus? And yes I know Angola is in southern Africa but it came into my head after Andorra and I'm sticking with it.

Not going to lie, if I was made of chocolate I think I'd have a hard time resisting.

J7 seems to be free!

Just imagine if that's the purchase that gives us the financial wiggle room to make the deal happen!

Actually book cunts for simulation? That's said we'd only have Gordon for half a season if they started doing that.

I'd say realistically we know Tino's the future and at some point he's got to be given his shot. With Trips back late due to England it's a good excuse to play the young'un. Now it's up to Tino to play well enough to keep his place. Still think Trips could be used on the RW mind. Think his passing and technique could be very useful there. If Trips does play though, whether he's captain or not he'll still be a leader. Could see that in the England games in the Summer.