Pizy

Lavia & Cucu both being out for this one could hurt us if Everton setup to counter attack, I guess. But tbh if there’s any opponent that you could hand pick to be missing a few defensive players against it’s this current Everton side who can’t score goals. I think I heard that they had like 25% possession against Arse the other day. We know they can’t score to save their lives but are also very solid defensively at times.

Sounds like Lavia is out again this weekend. It’s starting to get super frustrating now. He picks up an injury seemingly every 2 matches and misses time. He’s such a talent and makes everyone’s life easier but just cannot stay fit. And he’s only 20 years old! How is someone so young so injury prone?

I really, genuinely thought KDH would be a PL regular for us when we signed him. And a great option as a rotational starter or someone who comes on often in PL matches when we are winning and want to keep hold of the ball to see out a result. In fact, I still think he could be that. He hasn’t just become a terrible player overnight after moving to Chelsea. I do actually wonder what has gone on with him. How does he go from being Maresca’s main man, the heartbeat and player of the season on his title winning side just a few months ago, to someone this same manager doesn’t even use outside of the throwaway Conference League? Watching his Leicester highlights from last season you can see he has all the tools. Great touch, great carrying the ball, relentless work rate. Chipped in with goals and assists. I feel like in our current setup he could play the same role Enzo is currently as that advanced #8.

Yeah, firing him is one thing. I’m talking about us not being on the hook when it comes to our books.

Kinda crazy that clubs don’t have some sort of right to immediately terminate a contract if a player does this and have the financial hit not count against them. I realize that the the club you buy the banned player from should still get their money, but the club with the banned player shouldn’t be punished for the actions of said player.

Murillo is also a left footed, left sided CB isn’t he? Might not really make sense to target that profile anymore since Levi has that spot locked down. Playing a left footer on the right side may be awkward. Maybe not, idk. I’d rather have someone 100% comfortable and who has always played on the right naturally.

I’ve always liked him but he looks SO slow when it comes to lateral movement. I feel like the pace and aggression of the PL would cause him issues. If we went for him I wouldn’t complain but I’m skeptical. With Forest flying WAY above anything they could’ve dreamed of this season there’s no chance they’d sell Murillo midseason. And in the summer he’ll probably have an £85m price tag in his head. Think we missed our chance with him when we decided not to push for him last summer.

Can you imagine this current team with the Thiago Silva of a couple of years ago next to Colwill? The title challenge would be real. For me, that’s still something we need to at least consider in January. An experienced, high quality, on-pitch general type CB. Someone with a personality like Thiago Silva, VVD etc who you see barking orders and organizing the entire team from the back. We get that and I think it masks the potential for many of those sketchy Sanchez blunders. Who’s out there that fits the bill and would they be possible in January, I have no clue.

We’ll probably play with Malo inverting like Cucu has been with Veiga being the more defensive fullback against Everton.

Game was stone dead and should’ve been comfortably seen out at 2-0. Their goal was out of absolutely nothing. This defensive frailty is why we aren’t quite there yet as legit title contenders.

And that’s why Nico is still not a top striker. You HAVE to bury that. It’s a tricky finish with the ball bobbling but Haaland or Salah finish those.

Could already see several Brentford defenders breathing heavily in that half. Need to keep up this relentless pressure. Especially in the wide areas. Really wish Neto was available off the bench here because this match is tailor made for him to run them ragged after they’re tired in the second half.

Thought we looked excellent nearly everywhere that half. Just need Sancho and Nico to be sharper in attack. Brentford still look plenty dangerous on the quick turnover, though. We miss Lavia in there as expected.

Mbeumo is the one I’m most worried about. The kind of forward that always worries me. Someone who is physical, aggressive, and never gives up. Throws his weight around well and can force defenders into stupid mistakes. This is why I was hoping Lavia was fit for this for the extra protection.

So that’s now 3 incredible results for us in the same weekend. Maybe 4 if you still consider Brighton a top 4 threat. What a GIGANTIC 3 points it would be if we take care of business. Would allow us to have a pretty nice cushion in case this young team goes off form a bit and slips up a couple of times. Please just win, lads!!! Any way necessary, just fucking WIN!

Lavia is indeed injured again, ffs. 😫😫😫 Much more nervous about this now.

This United XI looks absolutely dreadful. But City are in such poor form that who knows what’ll happen. Draw or United win is best for us so maybe they’ll do us a favor.

Yep, I’m expecting them to try to get super aggressive and physical with us to unsettle our players from minute one. Their tactic will be to press our CB’s and keeper and try to force us into mistakes like Spuds did in that opening 15-20 minutes last weekend. We clearly struggle with that when Sanchez & Badiashile are back there. Really, really hope Lavia is good to play. Without him I worry against a side like Brentford with Caicedo basically on his own in midfield as Enzo doesn’t provide much defensive help and Gusto gets panicky sometimes.

Think we’ll 100% be at the races tomorrow now. Not that we wouldn’t have been already, but these results today will energize us even more. But I also think Brentford will be hell to play against so hopefully no underestimating them from our players.

Brentford I think will be more difficult than Spuds were. They are tactically sound, intelligent, and work their asses off as a unit. This is the sort of opponent that can absolutely beat us or any of the big boys if we aren’t fully up for it.

I don’t care for him either but I could at least envision him looking better after leaving United. Needs a change of scenery and that pressure/spotlight of being that hyped up future superstar for his boyhood club lifted off him. That’s why I think journalists will link him with us. They’ll say he could be just like Sancho.

How much you wanna bet that we’ll be heavily linked with Rashford soon enough? Briefing went out from a few journalists this morning that United will listen to offers for him and are willing to sell him.

Why would we sell our best player back to a team we’re trying to surpass? And why would he want to return to the club that tossed him aside?

Brentford, Fulham, and Bournemouth are all very tough matches. Those are sides that would take great pride in getting super physical with us and clipping our wings. Everton and Wolves are so hot and cold you can never predict what those matches could be like. In era’s past this run of games we have coming up would be light work for a machine-like Chelsea team. But all these small clubs are much more competitive this season. What could go a LONG way in making me super confident in every one of these is if Maresca drops Sanchez.

That right there is Neto’s only real issue. He’s awesome in the open field and at getting in dangerous positions but his end product is lacking. Madueke probably scores there and kills the game.