Sibierski

Genuinely can’t call this game. On paper, they should beat us with their pace on counter and us likely going to be more open due to it being at home. But then they’re also not really a good team, like a solid mid table side across the season where those sides we should be beating at home. But then we’ve lost to Brighton, West Ham and Bournemouth at home all to different styles. At this stage of season, I just want wins. Performances are in the dirt now, just about grinding out the results.

They dropped out as soon as they signed Gonzalez. More natural transfer for him now would be Barcelona / Real because they’re crying out for a CDM who can progress the ball long term. Him tracking back has never been his good point, we all know this for the past 24 months. Guy has little pace but also not the awareness to sniff out danger before it happens so can be one step ahead to make up the pace which true CDMs have. He’s more of an advanced CM that’s over time ended up playing deeper, and as a result will be exposed to weaknesses more in a side that has no pace at the back to deal with transitions. Giving him a faster defence and with two more players (CM/RW) that can receive the ball in tight spaces, he’ll become a better player.

He’s reached Trippier levels for me. On giving day he’s still immense, but being rolled out each game, limitations are more on show and more bad games are coming on average. If he wanted to stay on a one year deal, I’d still keep him as the backup RCB otherwise this is his last season and I bloody hope he ends with a cup because he has been the best CB in my lifetime (like 97 onwards).

This is the part I regularly get annoyed with when it comes to our midfield set up. 30 seconds into the game, already Foden is in so much space and the pass is easily played to him as there’s no pressure. If there’s no pressure, we can’t be having a flat midfield.

Agree. He deserves to be giving like 3 new first team players (GK/CB/RW) with 2 squad players that can be useful (RB/CM) and be told to deliver a step forward. As annoying as our league form has been this season, he’s doing as much as you can expect from same personal with us still being up there and in a cup final. He needs to be giving some more top players (like Tonali level) and then we can expect Howe to evolve and improve. If he doesn’t, then I feel things can be 100% questioned with no push back.

Think the writing is on the wall for him if there’s interest around £20m mark. You’d like to think at that price point, you back ourselves to sign a squad player that has a higher ceiling, with Miley / Joelinton the LCMs.

Start of season if you said Man Utd and Spurs would be bottom half, and us top half with 13 to go, you’d think we would be a banker for Europe. Yet here we are Miss out on Europe last season because Man City turned up to the final pissed, going to miss out this season to Forest and Bournemouth

Yea, it’s time he’s giving a run. He’s the future so give him game time.

Frustrating day. All on the cups, please deliver one Howe or that’s it I feel

Christ we need a response next week now.

So annoyed. Probably the worst Man City side we will face away, and we’ve turned up and again gifted goals. Yet again this season, we’ve lost, and lost comfortably from us being proper shit and not the opposition needing to bring their A game. Not going to get Europe via league with this. UCL we can forget about for now.

We somehow look worse this season when we have longer rests

This is shit. No point in league cup final at this rate.

Got to get at that right side of Lewis and that shit CB who can’t even speak English. Just constant attacks there with Gordon / Isak / Willock.

Get Riyadh Season all around the ground for £80m

Think they would follow a similar strategy to what Burnley and Ipswich have done. Spend all the money, but on the younger players where at worse you are getting money back/very good player in Championship, at best a big profit sale. Best strategy for a newly promoted side in modern game IMO. Enough young talent in English game and enough finances to sign them from abroad too over established named sides in European leagues.

Very tasty goal by Kubo

That was a really good header. Literally looked like he wouldn’t get near it, and then guided it with perfect pace and placement.

Comparing Beto to what Isak done. Fuck off

These are fucking shit let’s be honest. Dangerous on attack with KDB / Foden / Haaland, but they literally have no legs in CM, CBs made out of tissue and a two GKs that are either erratic / shit. We can’t go into the game treating them with respect like they’re going for title. They’re a wounded animal, on a downward spiral and we must smell blood. Edit: Sort of game where it will be a test for me to see if our mentality has improved and if we feel we can win these games, and win it comfortably. Because it’ll help for cup final.

They’ll be having that 1930 tie pinned up on the wall and likes of Mitoma will be fired up.

Winnable and that’s all we could ask for. And not a side that will kick lumps so it’s more about being sharp rather than avoid injuries before league cup final.

If he's got an automatic contract extension which we can trigger, unless he breaks down again by end of season, we are surely 99% triggering that? 3rd choice striker next season, or at worse sell for like £5m in summer. Feels we would only let him go in that scenario if the club were fully confident on Osula being the 2nd striker and him stepping up, and we have an eye on someone young from abroad for the <£5m price point, where it's a gamble on very low wages but someone we can see if progresses over 12+ months, knowing they shouldn't really be needed for too many minutes.

Would love Man Utd at home. That’s the dream tie for me. A good one would be anyone else at home. An annoying one would be Man City / Villa / Brighton / Bournemouth away. A shit one would be Palace / Forest / Wolves away. Games where we should be winning but 5% levels down with eye on league cup final following week, it’s an easy defeat.