Sibierski

This guy would get a muscle injury from sitting too long on a plane.

Can you get involved loads when the RCM in our set up? I’d say no as our set up doesn’t allow it. Think long term, Tonali as the CM and Bruno RCM who can be further forward could be the way to go. Allows us an understudy to Tonali (Miley ideally) and Longstaff to continue as back up RCM till he’s moved on.

Suggested his name last season for this summer gone. Don’t think he’s going to be some top tier goalkeeper, but if operating in the £20m market, rather have him than Trafford. Steady goalkeeper for future seasons. Unless you are able to entice Magnain, we’re not going to get a legit top goalkeeper, so it’s going to be the likes of Kelleher who are viable long term options.

Think Man City have a £45m buy back, so around that mark at least.

He’s routinely a poor player, but comes up with something. A man you can see at Man Utd in years to come, moments player.

That little pop and go in area. Guy so suited to possession football.

LB sorted till early 2030s

Yes Hall you beautiful man.

Flip side to the above comments too in same post, we didn’t lose Bruno in that period though who was/is instrumental to us. As for Guehi, there’s little reason to go back in Jan and for Palace now to sell. Summer is the next opportunity, where the figure will be a lot lower anyway.

Is there really a striker market for big sums? When you are talking £80m+, you are straight away reducing it to a handful of clubs. In Spain, the big two either don’t need a striker or won’t spend it for that figure. Italy, can’t see anyone dropping that figure. Bayern only side in Germany, and they’ve got Kane for future years. Then PSG will always be the go to for Europe, but no-one really knows what their future strategy will be. Then it’s down to English sides, and you are likely looking at three, Arsenal / Chelsea and Man City. The latter, only if Haaland moved to one of the aforementioned European clubs (unlikely so far). Chelsea, as they always want a striker, but most likely go elsewhere in Europe for one. Then it’s Arsenal, and giving they probably need a winger / CM to freshen things up, the big outlay on a striker may not be top priority. 100% no market IMO for 2025, and by 2026 comes you’d expect a new deal signed if he keeps up same form. If not, then we can start to think a sale may happen. IMO, he’s the purple that’s least likely to move in 2025.

Joelinton to add another position to his catalogue of better there than as a striker.

Bit annoying. Means can’t even rotate Tino in league cup unless Trippier is back. But assume he’s going to end up being missing for weeks and weeks on end.

Guy gives us such a different dynamic in attack, which is so needed. Helps mask over lack of RW loads, but if we can get team balanced as it’s starting to look, where Tino is the RW outlet, then we could be onto something for the season till we finally address RW. Really hope he stays fit for rest of season. In form, I think he’s a player Tuchel would really like too for England as an option.

Also forgot it’s MNF. That’s a blessing for us, as it means Bruno won’t come back and be shagged by needing to play on the Saturday. Should have all fit and firing, with some time on training ground.

West Ham are probably one of the worse sides in league. Them alongside Wolves and Palace probably been consistently the poorest sides. Current points over inflates them. If we play like we did 2nd half against Forest, we’ll be 3/4 up by HT. Then it’s a case of how many do we want second half if we keep the tempo up. 5-1 win.

That West Ham game is one where I fancy us to win by 5+ and we start to get back towards the GD we’ve seen under Howe. Think as long as we keep getting say on average 8 points from 15 at worse (2 wins 2 draws 1 defeat or 3 wins 2 defeats) we’ll get top 6. Not many sides are looking capable of going on sustained runs, so an above average run can see us get top 6, which with no Europe should be achievable.

Back to his self where he was bombing forward from RB. What Howe said / changed at HT, saw us use him more with his forward runs and overlap on top of other stuff from the team.

Bends in finishes like today, yet get him up top and plant a cross on his head / foot from 5 yards out, he misses

Yep. Only iffy moment we had was when we equalised, then had the mindset of ‘let’s keep pushing people forward’ and we lost the ball with men forward, played wide where Burn was never recovering, but thankfully it was a weak full back who was the one running through on goal, not an Elanga / MGW. After that, we got a bit more tighter, and pummelled Forest without giving up the space again.

He seriously needs to improve his striking. Only part of his game that hasn’t improved since we signed him. Has the occasional good effort, but by large it’s still rushed efforts or poor technique. Hopefully it’s something he can improve because rest of his game is great, and his energy gets him into good areas.

Great win that. First half, mixed bags, 2nd half, whatever Howe said, put a rocket up them and we were unplayable for vast majority of it. Gordon only player who had a less than 7/10 game. Guy needs to find his form in final third.

That free kick was criminal. We are so shit at set pieces and just not learning / improving. Same issues as we’ve seen for past 18 months when away. Mistakes, and no idea on how to break down a side who are men behind ball. Willock only bright spark. Edit: And Hall who’s been immense again.

Gone over this many times, we shouldn’t be keeping fringe players who are limited, offer little, on high wages, because of the threat of an injury crisis It means we miss the boat to sell them, stick with their wages, and need to move others on to make up any sort of money. Just never going to learn. If Almiron is getting 100 minutes this side of Christmas, it’s minutes that a youth prospect can have.

It’s not even just Rodri being out, it’s the other CMs being very average (resigned an aging Gundogan ffs ), on top of them having just one natural full back who’s in his final days, then wingers who literally offer fuck all goal threat. So, with KDB / Foden not firing to mask the lack of creativity, no Rodri is exemplified. It’s a very average squad for the resources invested in it. Tailored perfectly to Pep and will grind out wins, but wouldn’t be shocked if they end season with 78-82 points, so it’s wide open for someone to win Premier League without needing to be at a clinical best.

Reminds me of how bad they were in Pep’s first season defensively, just constant mistakes and being wide open. Feels the end season under Pep.