Tomo

It's not based on three minutes though, the skeptism towards Rom's fit for this system is near a decades worth of sample size.

Yes which is kind of the point I was making. As much as one attacker has a "goal" breakthrough all of a sudden we can enjoy what the others bring more than stressing about their goal stats. For context Kai's goal record for us is better than Robben's? (13 in 66 vs 19 in 106) Did we ever get worked up about the latters goal record? No, guess why? I'd like to think the players I named are too talented for atleast one not to have a breakthrough period goal wise sooner rather than later, like I said hopefully Mount's recent burst is such.

While I do get the cost argument I genuinely couldn't give a shit about his stat padding aspect if the team becomes successful with him at F9 (which I believe it can). Watching him for Bayer I instantly said he'll be a perfect Firmino succesor for Liverpool, if he becomes that for us I won't be complaining.

I think the thing with our forwards is they are contributing to us in many ways (Kai aiding a more fluid system, Werner's pace and movement causing issues even when he's struggling, Mount's pressing and combination play, Callum's creativity). It kind of hit me the other day that with all of those above I've said at various times (paraphrasing) "I don't care (about the fact they ain't yet scoring machines) because they give a lot to the team" but ofcourse it becomes an issue when it's all of them. So basically if we had a Salah/Lampard in this side we probably wouldn't be batting an eyelid about the statistics side (Duff and Robben weren't exactly elite goalscorer for us but we raved over them regardless, in this team they would probably be scrutinised more as they won't have Lampard picking up the slack for them). It sounds simple and obvious but we need one to evolve into a reliable scorer, hopefully the last few games is a sign Mount is turning into said player.

No but two weeks ago we looked like Champions, a lot can change. The key is to get to the point our players return still in touch by hook or by crook and go from there. Regarding the opponents in our good run it's easy to say in hindsight but at the time many were pissing their pants at going to our "bogey ground", having a post international break early kick off at Leicester and facing Juve's double decker. The latter two especially could and probably would have tripped us up if we weren't on it.

Yeah but we've battered many teams iin recent times and dropped points, we were long overdue a few reversals and buys us time to come out the other side.

Takes some players longer than others. Anyway even if he was fully fit bringing on a shit presser when we were already getting ripped apart is tactical suicide.

For all the talk of missing Chilwell and Kante the one we miss the most atm is arguably Chalobah.

Disagree. If Conte and Sarri got the season he will too bar a complete collapse.

Because we're struggling enough defensively as it is without bringing on a non existent presser who's not fully matchfit.

The injuries aren't helping, but neither is dropping our best attacker from when things were going well. The first time I've been really annoyed with Tuchel.

I wondered how long that was going to take

City done a similar demolition job at Anfield a week later and were very unlucky to only draw. Unfortunently that's the reality of facing a Pep side, when they're on it even the next best has to resort to extreme underdog tactics to even have hope of getting a result. We were largely fantastic between Malmo and Juventus. Yes people may point to the opponents but that's too easy in hindsight, many were wetting their pants over playing at our "bogey ground", having an early kick off at Leicester and also thought we'd struggle badly to break down a stubborn Juve playing for a point.

I guess if you base things so strongly on current form you were expecting the quadruple a two weeks ago?

Based on a Big Sam side smashing in 5 at Stamford Bridge we could never possibly win the UCL less than two months later. Oh wait......

Oh come on, surely last season has taught us a lot can change in weeks let alone months.

I mean, he surely deserves credit in the bank after the year he has had no?

We never here about Costa, Kante, Silva, Hazard etc being board signings do we? Enough said

I love how you are at pains to mention how we were lucky to beat Brentford but fail to mention that Burnley would have been a cricket score if it wasn't for Pope.

Eventually I will get to the point of turning off when Lukaku is playing.

Dare i say Saul is looking something resembling a footballer at LWB.

Every players a board signing once they start struggling.

It may not be FIFA but there's nothing stopping us relegating him to a squad role price tag or no price tag. Grealish (£100m) is in and out of the City team and often subbed off when he does start while Pepe (£72m) is now firmly a squad player at Arsenal. There's nothing to stop us doing likewise for Lukaku if it benefits the team, to which point he will hopefully have his trademark sulk and force his way out, if he doesn't okay we have a different option in the squad all be it an expensive different option. Maybe there is an element of trying to convince myself a bit because ,frankly, the thought of this teams potential being squandered because Lukaku is untouchable makes me want to throw up.

Zenit are probably going to rotate/not go full pelt in this themselves now they've got nothing to play for (EL for them regardless of the result). Like with the Seville game last year we need to take some calculated gambles, top vs second isn't the deal breaker it use to be, ever since the new system of putting league/EL/UCL winners into pot A the winners and runners up list for the RO16 has been a lot closer in quality.

I'd like to think so but after Torres and too an extent Kepa i ain't underestimating just what sort of strange power expensive underperforming players can have on a section of our fanbase. You just know that stadium tour when he was a teenager will be rolled out as emotional blackmail.