Tomo

We are a young team and unfortunately this will happen. You all happily signed up to this in the summer, now time to put the vow of patience into practice.

Deep defenses is Bats weakness. It makes us easier to defend against because he can't control the ball properly and doesn't move well. The best situations for him are say the Southampton game.

That's the last thing we should do. Low percentage shooting is massive no no when chasing a match.

This is a different one.

Some of the comments here makes me wonder if people base their opinions on how we're playing solely on the scoreboard. Frustrating in parts but we've moved the ball well especially in transitions, need a bit more desisiveness in the final third though.

So you're playing down the results we got against big teams due to luck but not counting the bad luck we got in the games we lost?

And?

We didnt get outplayed, nor did we against Liverpool.

Sarri got his preferred goalkeeper and heartbeat of his Napoli system at what were our first and third biggest outlays ever. Should Frank go in like a bull in a china shop and demand 6 world class player at the cost of a small country (that would see us fall foul of FFP) then he will be told where to go and rightly so, however Frank and Marina seem to have a better working relationship than his predecessors it isn't hard to imagine them striking up a compromise. Frank: I really want Mbappe, we have to go all out I think he can be the one that really pushes us to domination. Marina: I've checked the fiances Frank, we can do it but that will mean we have to abandon our pursuit of Chilwell and you'd have to promote Maatsen instead, atleast until next year. Frank: Deal Obviously it's not as simplistic as that and I've also used the most extreme example imaginable but I do believe if Frank puts his mind on one particular player to move the team up a level he will ultimately get the backing that Sarri did with Kepa and Jorginho.

I am slightly curious to how well their friendship survives if/when Declan goes to one of our competitive rivals. I remember Rio and Lampard touched up on the fact they use to be inseperable but naturally drifted apart once they were fighting for the same trophies.

The Valencia match has demonstrated how crucial he is already especially while Rudigers out. He's the only one that can play on the left hand side competently, Christensen and Zouma have been good while partnering Fik on the right but a disaster together.

I felt the same after the City post match.

I think if Frank is adamant he wants him or any expensive player he'd be backed with the transfer fee under the conditions he comprises elsewhere, ie if he really wants Sancho he can have him but he has to promote a youth player or get a cheaper option at LB. I feel if the club do find issues it will instead be wage structure, while i feel we will pay upto 300k a week i think we will be very reluctant to go into Alexis territortry unless it's for a guarantee'd hit like Mbappe. Regarding Sancho it's a bit of a head vs heart battle for me. The romantic in me's saying absolutely yes but my head feels we have far too many players at a young age that we need a more experienced option to properly take the next step.

I can, especially if/when the time comes we only need one player as opposed to a few.

Not sure about alcoholic. I think he may be a similar situation to what I was in a couple of years back. I wasn't an alcoholic but if there was a party I was invited too or my mates were going on a night out I couldn't physically say no. However on a day to day basis I was fine without a drop of alcohol, didn't (and still don't) even have a beer after a working day or if I go out for a meal.

He's improved a lot on his discipline this season (think only 2 yellows all season) and is delievering in Europe aswell. May not be the best league (understatement) but he's outperforming Dembele's efforts at Celtic who's now being courted by top clubs. Every Rangers fan I've either asked or read an opinion online about him are convinced he's destined for the top. I feel with Tammy's emergence we've been given enough scope to take more of a left field gamble in the forward department, compared to left back and possibly centre back where there is serious pressure to get our next signing right which means a lot of our budget may need to go there.

Tbf I was thinking more idealistic more than logistic, from what I've seen and heard of him he's got obscene potential that if realised could make Arsenal a serious threat by himself, ala Brendan's Liverpool and Suarez. I'm sort of set with who I personally want as our new striker signing (out of realistic options) and that's Morelos, then sign a more experienced winger for balanced sake.

I would actually choose Martineli if we were going to pick one.

It's a shame Tierney is off the market as he would be ideal for our system. I'm sort of rooting for Arsenal so Emery gets a stay of execution, what a shame.

That's the thing, i don't think present day versions of Vertonghen and Alderwierld are very good atall, they look like caricatures of their best selves. Rose reliable? His fall from grace has been even worse, he's relegation fighting material at most these days. Furthermore it wasn't Tottenham's defense that got them to the final, it was being clinical and getting the right breaks at the right time. Liverpool a year back got to the final with Karius in goal (granted they lost it because of him). On our best days i honestly believe we can beat any side, if we get past Lillie then two performances like Istanbul and Amsterdam could be all it takes to make the semi.

It's about the team balance, if our 4 CB's were the most inform players would you try and shoehorn all 4 in? Mason may not be at his best right now but he offers an extra dimension to not only our attack but off the ball pressing that those 3 simply don't (consistently). We were attacking with one less threat in Valencia and it showed, we were relying on Pulisic to counjuer up magic the way we were Hazard last season (when those 3 played).

The problems with that midfield three won't go away just because Sarri's gone, they're's simply not enough threat in the final 3rd with them all on. I agree Kovacic has to play against West Ham but it shouldn't be Mason making way.

Real, Atletico and Inter will probably be just as hard as any of the group winners on current form. Either way the odds of dodging a killer last 16 tie ain't great.

They had about a 15 minute spell in and around their equaliser where they really turned it on and we couldn't live with them but beyond that we were more than a match.

It depends on the night. I feel it's a little harsh to say if we play like we did tonight or at home Vs Ajax we would get hammered, while that's technically true I can flip that round and say if we play like we did in Amsterdam and Istanbul we have a chance against almost anyone, which is also true. The reality is we're an inconsistent team right now and we won't be troubling Liverpool and City in the title race for that reason, however if our 'on' nights can fall on CL ties you just never know, if Tottenham's stagnant side can make the final it's certainly not completely beyond our reach.