Sibierski

Double edged sword. If Villa sit back, Murphy needs to come off. Villa push up as half goes on, he need to stay on.

Murphy absolutely fucked us there. Easy pass outwide, somehow loses it. So bad when he’s not running into space.

Some poor stuff in final third so far, but it’s there.

I’m hoping he goes off for Carlos, because Isak will have joy against him.

Quick start to 2nd half and kill this off please. Some maturity in our display 2nd half is what I want to see now, controlled attacks and not let it turn into a feisty game that the first half was going.

Any danger of getting hold of the ball? Doing some silly fouls because we're chasing that much.

That's more like it Gordon. Love it.

Be interesting to see if we go back to Trippier taking all set pieces, or keep it mixed with Gordon / Tonali.

HUGE game for Trippier IMO. Reason to keep him is for the experience and dependable when called upon. So needs to show that today.

Doku wouldn’t look out of place at Southampton.

Nothing decent about it, not even good transitions on counter. Just creates a ‘maybe they could nick it’ feeling, but overall viewing is shite.

Just looked, 2 defeats in last 12 which feels good. But then its only wins against Palace, Wolves and Ipswich literally bare minimum to scrape by. Going to stay up by virtue of playing Ipswich / Southampton at home in run in and with like 33 points int they?

Dyche such a painful manager. Feels the last one of the era of “Go long, fuck the passing”. Must be so dull being an Everton fan.

Depends on his defensive / danger reading ability, but I do feel if he’s naturally got that which can be tapped into, then the deep CM where everything goes through him is his long term position for club and country. Very comfortable receiving ball with his back to play which is key in that role. But at his age, he’s got plenty of time to grow into that with his technical ability.

No way as in he wouldn’t have progressed and excelled under Howe? Or No way he wouldn’t have been ahead of Willock in pecking order if he hadn’t got injured and sold this summer?

An early cup final this game. Need to win to move ahead of Villa because they’re a side we have to be finishing above if we want Europe. Can’t really afford to stay 2 behind before 2 away games, especially can’t afford to slip 5 behind.

Anderson would’ve excelled here at us. Just he got an injury at a time when he was starting to click, even back end of season he was looking bright. Easily forgotten how many minutes he was getting last season. Think if he didn’t get sold, he would’ve easily been ahead of Willock in the pecking order.

Gomes I love a lot and think he will be a top player for many sides. But the way we play under Howe, I can’t see him being good unfortunately because we aren’t a side that will cycle the ball loads and retain possession. May well in seasons to come, but like 90% of our team, if not more is more about fast transitions and needing CM that have legs. Ederson from Atalanta is the dream CM for the LCM. Him and Joelinton are some units to compliment Tonali / Bruno / Miley.

£10m isn’t peanuts for someone who’s only scored in L1 either. Could’ve signed Jay Stansfield for that who has quite a bit of potential.

I don’t agree with the Hall comparisons. Main shouts with Hall last season were he’s good enough to start, and should be starting over who was ahead of him and the weaknesses being exposed. With Osula, he’s not going to be ahead of Isak so needs minutes at his age to improve. If he’s not likely to get them this 2nd half of season, may as well loan him out. Because at the moment, he’s neither contributing to the side or increasing value for a sale. It’s just a declining asset. Be a bit different if he was 2 years younger IMO. I’d say with Osula, there’s valid arguments it’s unknown if he’s even prem level as he’s only scored in L1. Basically could’ve spent £15m on a Nile Ranger without the baggage.

Think it’s more the bigger picture and if it meant a long term star and we suck it up short term with what we’ve got, I’m for that. We rolled the dice last winter by keeping players when the sales should’ve happened, and it didn’t help us. So there’s little reason to roll the dice again.

How many sides over the past decade have played 3 at the back in the Prem and done well? Conte is only one in 16-17 I can think of, but he was inheriting a side that had just won the league 12 months earlier and even that came with a one season high only. So playing likes of Moses at RWB was caveated with multiple title winners, elite players in their positions such as Hazard / Kante. Feels Premier League is such in depth with sides that have good wide players, good level of coaches, midfielder runners, that a 3-4-3 is going to be exploited more often than not Amorim has ever experienced. Bar is that low for Man Utd, their fans are already happy to write off a season so can just keep talking smoothly to avoid early criticism.

You only loan players who are young, if you either 1) need to see if they can perform at a certain level and 2) with a view to coming back or to be sold. Miley we already know is good enough so never going out on loan.

Dibling is that good, I'd be happy for us to sign him and loan back to end of season to get a better deal if needed.

I can say with confidence, if Ugarte is a mainstay CM for Man Utd under Amorim, they're fucked and won't be closing on top 4. He's not the CM to play in a middle 2, even more so with 3 CBs. Need someone who can actually progress the ball and more break the lines with the ball, not just do a limited aspect of one part of the game. There's not a CM in Man Utd collection that can do that.