Sibierski

Glad he’s got a new deal. Needs to improve his end product to go next level, but I would rather keep him than lose him as his drive and work rate is something you can’t coach into a player. Hopefully it’s a start of positive stuff to come from the club moving forward now.

Also, feels Wood needs playing consistently to get these numbers. Him in and out getting scrap minutes, would see him be rusty and people moaning about him.

I feel either can play on right comfortably, more Barnes, where his natural instinct to get into the far post for crosses in would suit him. Whereas Gordon still hasn’t improved that side of his game enough yet.

BDB was good yesterday. One of his critics (more for the long term) but he was good yesterday. Activating his extension though just for me makes the Kelly signing even more pointless. So we’ve now got a silly high expensive wages back up LB. As Botman / Burn are confirmed LCB options next season. RCB is now the key. Does Schar sign a short deal, knowing full well he will become a back up RCB? Or do we sign him to new deal, buy a young RCB, and go into next season with the main 3 CBs the same as what we had start of 22/23 season

Is our system built around Bruno? I’d argue it’s not, but it should be. He’s the one who primary takes it off the CBs, but he’s part in the midfield 3 is no different to the other two, and that’s what hurts us now IMO. Either keep him deep in a two / as the single one, or have him the furthest forward.

Tosin won't be starting no more Prem games. So shit this game.

Would just play him in a flat 3 and do a bit of everything.

Tosin is a nervous wreck

Man City are not a good team defensively.

Have no confidence for this game. Palmer will have an absolute field day with the space we will leave centrally in front of the defence. 3-1 Chelsea.

Because we need to make money on players, and Trippier over Tino isn’t going to lift us that greatly, whilst knocking a year off Tino development and missing out on funds. Position we’re in, you have to play the younger players, accept there will be some down moments, as it’s the longer term gain we’ll get from it.

Huh? Bournemouth were a good footballing side for their sum of their quality. All went wrong last season as they were shipping goals by playing naive football and not scoring as much.

I think we’re just a very poorly coached side with the ball. Which I don’t understand as Bournemouth under Howe were great for the quality they had, so with Bruno and Tonali, you’d expect to be able to boss midfield with someone competent with them. It’s a part of our game that’s been crap since start of last season, and just never looks like changing/improving. And to challenge the top boys, you’ve got to be good with the ball. We could bring in Foden / KDB, and I’d expect us to still be awful with the ball as the style wouldn’t change.

Not cut adrift, but will be quickly. It’s been a favourable start to season, with 3 of the 7 teams we’ve faced who are above us, have been at home too. Only going to get tougher the games now and feels we’ve not taken advantage. Need to pluck some results that are unexpected to stay on top 6 contention going into new year IMO. Since Staveley left, things have been way off. PSR mess, no signings, new set up above, now new CEO needed, all with manager struggling the most in his time during this turmoil, with no-one really any wise to what the plan is long term.

Not sure what his long term future is if he can’t start after an international break where he has been with side training, and playing at home against a side where he would get joy. Just play him and Gordon together, or go 3-5-2 and have the three of those two with Isak rotating as the striker options.

Said it start of season, but finishing is the part he needs to improve if he’s to take the step up. So far this season, he hasn’t done that so we’re at best no better off. Training with Barnes, would think his finishing would improve but it’s really not.

Today was more down to poor finishing, but I’m really getting sick of the tedious flat 3 CMs. It worked at our peak, but just feels a set up teams are more wise to.

League Cup game will be huge, if we’re to have a weak season (which is looking very likely) we must be winning a cup. Not sure how Howe stays otherwise, unless club are content with being a top 10 side and don’t need to push.

Don’t know how Barnes didn’t start that game after training all week, then Gordon wasted two glaring chances. Barnes will rightly be questioning his long term future.

Poor result that. Chelsea x2 and Arsenal next now.

Could be a dire outlook come next international break, especially since Villa is the club we should be close too.

Get Barnes on ffs. Need someone who can score.

Been good. Feels Barnes on, a scorer, and the win is still there as Brighton been woeful. Bit annoying we are not winning but plenty of the game left.

You’d want Schar in the middle IMO, to play the balls, so would be Burn LCB and Krafth RCB if going that approach this season IMO.

Belongs in a different thread, but giving we didn’t spend in summer, wonder if there’s scope for the team to evolve into a 3-5-2 giving what we’ve got as a base moving forward? Tino and Hall feel like effective wing backs long term, midfield we have numbers and can add another top one, CBs need adding, then in attack, it’s really only Barnes long term who’s a winger, but he strikes me as someone who can play through middle like we’ve seen Bowen do. Solidity through middle, bodies packing it out when defending, width in wing backs, and then you’ve still got Isak as the striker who can be deadly but someone always alongside him who can run beyond to stretch defences in Gordon/Barnes. Would mean a different approach to summer attacking signings.