Sibierski

Bruno playing against Bradford was and still is an absolute joke. 90 tonight and 90 Saturday (unless both games wrapped up early), then flies off to South America, before coming back and needing to start and play 90 away to Brighton, then Benfica at home and so on.

It’s not 22-23 season anymore though Teams exploited him that following season and been a theme ever since when he’s been LB.

Hall for Burn and that’s our strongest without Tino in theory. Big game git many to justify future inclusions.

Pope: Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Hall: Tonali, Bruno: Barnes, Woltemade, Elanga

Feels Burnley at home should be targeted date for his start. With spurs off the bench midweek before it. Wouldn’t want to push it earlier as the guy needs a break after being non-stop for ages. Murphy RB should be back up to Trips, and give people reassurance he can be a back up RB next season.

Jury still out if Wissa will be back any time soon though and not suffer same fate as Botman though

Unless he’s got ambition of going to Real Madrid / Barcelona (in which you’d think he’d put in a release clause this time if he does have that ambition), I do believe he won’t give a shit if he’s spell at Liverpool is crap as long as he wins the trophies he joined them for. He could be there for 4 years, be back up for majority of that and return average figures, and he’ll most likely walk away with a prem title and maybe UCL. That’s the gamble he pushed for by leaving us, increased chance of winning those two things.

He had a headloss last season when pressure was on after they wobbled, but Arsenal then imploded so we never got to see the consequences if it was sustained. Need Chelsea to win this weekend, so pressure is proper on going into their game against Man Utd. Could then be an almighty meltdown if they dropped points to Amorim

Pafos so shit.

Marseille away going to be a very tough game.

Panicked when I saw this bumped and thought title meant next as in after November internationals as Howe said something in his press conference

We have to win really so the next two home games isn’t immense pressure. Going into November internationals with 9 points would be massive.

I think if we got Etitike early on in the window, our 2nd signing would’ve been so much more different to what we’ve ended with. Like we wouldn’t have been pushed into signing Wissa for £50m. We will never know of course, but Woltemade and Wissa combo would’ve been something that was never ever considered until late August so that’s months of planning based on April onwards scrapped and something new required as the season is underway. Uphill task which we need to hope clicks soon, and potentially shifts the future direction. As what was planned team wise moving forward may now be completely different with Woltemade here.

These lot are like a Brighton lite. If we’re not at 100%, we’ll be embarrassed. Do think Ramsdale starting would help us build up more and retain possession away: Ramsdale: Trippier, Thaiw, Botman, Hall: Tonali, Bruno, Miley: Gordon, Woltemade, Elanga We have to get Hall and Gordon together at all times, but I suspect it will be Barnes as Gordon started last two.

I was thinking yesterday, there must be a good chance he’s not called up to England this next break? And if that’s the case, it hopefully acts as a catalyst for him to sort his performances and form out to get back in.

The short term worry I have now with Elanga, he arrived with huge confidence, feeling he’s ready to step up and the recent games of being thrown on off the bench when the games are bit of a mess and we’re just smashing it aimlessly long to him as an outlet, will knock his confidence and he ends up doubting himself. Why I’d prefer he just got a run of 5 starts, which coincides with playing with a striker.

Yea. None are the stand out superstar that every top side has that’s a difference maker. We’ve got a collection of good wingers, useful in a certain way and a massive reliance on Gordon and Elanga becoming one. Gordon I think won’t now, his limitations are still there from 24 months ago. It’s all on Elanga.

I think far too much is pinned on Wissa right now for our deficiencies in attack. There’s no doubt he’s better quality than Osula, and him and Wolte sharing minutes would help, but don’t think our general play in making chances changes really. Many think him and Wolte will play together, but I can’t see that happening any time soon unless we’re desperately chasing a game. Had some reservations about our summer business and think as the season goes on, they will be solidified. Likely only one of our summer signings is in Howe starting XI if all fit and ready to play, which is damning. Usually want the signings to be lifting XI quality and bench therefore increases by previous players in XI moving onto it. Never a sign of good business when your signings are on bench. Hopefully I'm proven wrong as the season goes on.

Krafth can be dependable if rare one off situations, but it’s not ideal if he’s needed regularly. He looked the worse player against Bradford, and that was facing no attacking threat.

We really need a lucky break here with Tino, hopefully it’s a case of slight twinge and giving his past he didn’t feel comfortable to risk it. Swelling down and he’s good to go after international break (and a nice rest for him as he’s not called up). Can ride out next two games with Trippier starting, with Hall back, but if we have to go up to mid January (before we can buy) with Trippier starting every game or Krafth coming in rotation, we’re so unbelievable fucked.

Elanga can be that. Rather have the striker be Willock in this situation, at least he can drop and get ball into feet. Osula just comes on and makes loads of fouls, as he plays like a fan. Offers no control to our game at all, and can only make it here as a winger, and even that’s a long shot.

The aimless knocks long to him are grating me. It’s clear he’s not that type of striker, yet we keep doing it. He obviously needs to improve that side as it’s an outlet needed at times, but we need to help things by not keep doing it.

Not sure we can use ‘ease him in’ when Elanga is probably the fittest player we have in the squad alongside Gordon. Him pressing like he did against Barcelona, with Wolte through middle and Gordon LW would’ve been great today. Our best two pressing games have been against Barcelona and Liverpool, and Elanga started both and should’ve had assists in both if we had a striker starting.

This is where I disagree with many who share this viewpoint. Our performances have been poor all season bar Liverpool and first 30 against Barcelona. Defensively we’ve been good for vast majority bar today, but attacking we’ve been nothing but a disgrace. Just lost all idea of how to construct attacks, and the attack is what made us a successful team as it then helped us defensively. We’ve seemingly gone more pragmatic to become defensive, and it’s costing us in attack. Maybe that’s because Howe feels/knows Woltdemade can’t play long so 1-0 wins is our best bet right now, but it goes against everything we’ve done under Howe up to this season.

They got down that side a few times first 20, and in general it contributed to the first half. We had some desperate blocks, a fortunate VAR that sided with us to stop a pen, wood work and a number of good Pope saves before we scored. Nothing in that first half pointed to “Tactics were spot on”.