King Kante

Cannot see it. Club apprantly want more wingers.

Yep. The only issue with him is fitness. That however it is a major problem as he cannot seem to stay fit. For me, next season is vital. If he can't do 70%+ of a season (including cups) I cannot see how he will be anything other than perma crocked.

This is where Enzo really fucked up imo. Prior to the Forest game at home Palmer was getting rotated with Felix and Nkunku. Then those two fluffed good chances and then he got played into the ground. Now I am not saying Felix and Nkunku where world beaters. However, as back-ups to rotate with Palmer for the last 10-25 minutes and the dross cup games they were serviceable. Instead Enzo threw the baby out with the Bath water and Palmer got told to do it all my himself, thus alienating Nkunku and Felix and ruining Palmer's conditioning.

VO will go to Saudi for the dollar.

When he actually plays we have such a better balance in midfield. Against Everton it was pretty much the first time we have had real control in the CM area without being wide open for counter attacks constantly since he last played. Well we were until he went off, as once he went off and Caicedo moved to midfield Everton started playing through us again. My hope is that he can just stay fit. If he does he would solve a lot of our defensive issues as the protection he provides also eases the burden on defense. In addition, Caicedo can then solve the RB issue as his engine and knowledge midfield means he inverts really well - although he isn't as great at the late back post runs. However, I always perfer my FB's to defend first and anything offensive wise is a bonus.

At best Maresca has realised his system isn't working and threw it to the wind. At worst the players had enough of it and they went direct, e.g. what the players in 07-08 did to Avram. Either way, that second half wasn't proof of the players backing him. In fact, the last twenty mins in particular looked very unlike anything we've seen since October, with early shots and the ball being moved between the lines with some semblance of zip.

I actually pinpoint it to the Forest game at home. Up to that point, he was rotating the squad quite nicely and making changes early. Essentially, we were wearing teams out then putting on fresh legs to try and finish them off. However, in that game Felix and Nkunku fluffed two good chances, at which point he stopes the subs until last knockings, made the tactics more conservative and essentially went to the policy of defend and keep possession at all costs and hope Palmer bails us out. The wheels fell off about 1 month after. Essentially, it appears he got cold feet about that more expansive style - lost trust in the squad members outside the core and reverted to type.

Diet Pep strikes again.

Honestly take Ange over this guy, at least when Spurs are losing they actually attack and try and get a goal back. Enzo on the otherhamd asks for a doubling down on sideways and backwards passing.

Will be sold out but will be 70%+ Polish crowd.

No one gets it. I kid you not, my 5 year old nephew was with me yesterday and absolutely fuming that we only pass it sideways and backwards. He kept asking me why we are so boring.

Players are running too much and not passing the ball sideways enough.

The manager is at fault here. We're bad but we're not so bad we should only be getting 1 point from 6 against Ipswich. That is totally down to poor tactics and preparation. I honestly would take FSW, Grant, Potter or AVB back over this cnut.

I question how much we actually need to win this. Fact of the matter is with the way the manager sets us up and our fixtures, we aren't finishing in the top 5 anyway - especially with our run of fixtures. For me, we will be around 7-8th. Villa, City and Newcastle will all finish above us. Forest will likely do so as well, but may wobble enough to allow us 6th. Either way, it will be Ropey League next year, but that will be via the Conference League. Beating Ipswich doesn't change any of the above, as we're still going to bend over for Liverpool, Utd and Newcastle anyway and will likely get 3-5 points against Everton, Fulham and Forest as well.

Absolutely no chance he goes. He will ride out his contract. At the very most he gets shipped to Strasborg whilst collecting his coin.

There are two rumours: 1) He loves the Colombian marching powder. 2) He is a womaniser who banged one of the players partner. Anyway, as for today if Enzo actually picked that side without direction from the board to pull something like that for whatever 4D chess the board think they are playing. He should be sacked.

Absolute joke of a line up.

We shouldn't be buying any attacker from Germany full stop. It is so hard to evaluate them owing to the style played there. If anything a defender may be undervalued because of this so personally I would look there if anything. Either way, Gittens is an absolute no, no for me along with Sesko for that very reason. VO on the other hand will go to the highest bidder which screams Saudi. For me, Huijsen and Delap are possibilities because of their clauses the issue will be wages as other teams will offer them more money. Murillo imo isn't happening, he will command premium wages and fee, while if Forest get CL they will try everything to keep him for at least one more season.

Aren't the next set of fixtures just the reverse of the fixtures people where saying we were likely to win over Dec/Jan and that was the reason people where talking about a title chance? IMO, to get top 5 we need to win all of them. However, I am not confident at all about the away fixtures - Brentford and Fulham. Everton will likely also cause us problems playing Moyesball. After that it is the top teams and we have proven consistently this season we love nothing more than going out to play for a draw against and bending over at the very first opportunity.

It is mad we have Fofana, Lavia and James who all seem to suffer from constant break downs. They are all good players but they aren't even unreliable, they are unusable.

Worryingly it looks like he will.

Tbh, my issues with him is that he isn't my type of player. He had a good game yesterday but my issues with him stem from his positional play - as he leaves his position too often to chase the ball, which is one of the reasons teams run through the midfield - his tackling style (although he admittedly does have a good success rate) as I am firmly of the Maldini belief that you only need to dive in if you've already done something wrong (this goes back to positional play/reading of the game) and his passing of the ball which doesn't ever really go above 6-7/10 with the odd exception. For me, when I want a defensively minded CM/DM I want a Lavia (forgetting about fitness and just focusing on play style), Camavinga or a Tchouaméni type player. Caicedo's style I find too chaotic and feel that people get a bit carried away with his engine and diving in. As I said, he isn't my style of player and his flaws I think cause issues that aren't always recognised. In a similar way, it is why I defend Jackson a lot. I do recognise his weakness which are widely meme'd but equally he doesn't get the credit anywhere near enough for how important his off the ball work and running is - although some people seemed to realise that a bit more with his injury recently and the lack of threat we had as a consequence. That said, I would rather Jackson be a rotational player long term - unless he sorts out his finishing, but currently he has to start as the No.9 as we function nowhere near as well without him.

Kellerhar (not sure is spelt correct) is overrated imo. He gets the praise because he plays for Liverpool whose players are always hyped. I mean just read any article on Liverpool when they're doing well. Always framed as them being the best team ever.

Sound like our types of guys. Suspect we are in for both and are offering Milan £20m to take Felix back.

We will finish 6-8th. Haven't got to worry about 4-5th.