Delphinho123

Yeh, it’s mad. I actually want both Bournemouth and Saints to stay up because if they do, it’ll mean one/two of the big boys dropping.

At this point, there seems to be a new link daily…

I’m fairly confident that it won’t be anywhere near that tight towards the end of the season. Unless Bournemouth and Southampton can go on some sort of run, I think they’ll both drop and be cut adrift by the time the last day of the season comes around. It will be super interesting if Saints and Bournemouth win a couple, but I just can’t see it.

Ramsey and McGinn were playing the most bizarre roles under Gerrard. Playing as a hybrid fullback almost at times. They both struggled. In fact, it could be argued that both struggle to play in a central midfield role where they are expected to come deep and receive the ball under pressure from defenders. Luiz and Kamara can play it excellently. Ramsey and McGinn are better in wider/more advanced positions because it suits their skillset more. Emery has obviously noticed this and although McGinn is playing centrally now, I fully expect him to move back to the slightly wider position on the right when Kamara is back fit. Just good management really.

Think you could be right.

No surprise he’s doing well in the championship. He’s made for that level. Likeable, if not limited player.

I go into every game thinking we’ve got a chance of winning. The last time I felt like that in the PL was when O’Neill was here. We have a plan. We have a system and we tailor it/tweak it for every team we play. Emery has been an outstanding appointment.

If we could get Tammy at a reasonable price, great. By reasonable, I mean around £25-30m but we really need to strengthen other positions first given we have Duran and Archer. If the plan is to send Duran and Archer out on loan next season again, fine, but still, I’d prefer to spend big on the support striker and a wide player.

I think our best team is: Martinez Cash Mings Konsa Moreno Kamara Luiz McGinn Ramsey Coutinho/Buendia Watkins It would be great to see Carlos come back in but Konsa not doing a lot wrong at the minute.

Whoa. That kind of common sense approach to his performance is going to get you labelled a ‘hater’. Buendia was poor yesterday, probably our worst player, but I think overall he’s been much better lately. I’ve said it since pretty much the start of the season. You replace Bailey and Buendia in this line up with Karama (and even Luiz) level quality and we’ll be much higher in the table. They’re our weak links in my book.

One game at a time. If we beat Chelsea, I’ll start to believe.

This. A couple of better attacking options and this team is challenging for Europe next season as mad as it sounds.

Yep. I think those 3 will go, which is annoying because I’d love to see one/two of West Ham, Everton, Leeds or Wolves drop. Unless Southampton or Bournemouth can put a run together, I don’t think it will be as interesting as people are making out towards the end. I think those two may get cut adrift.

I’ve been saying it for a couple of years (as I’m sure you all have) but if you take Kane and Son out of that Spurs team it is really, really average. Son has been disappointing this season and look at how much it’s affected them. Without Kane they’ll be, well, fighting it out with us for a top half finish. I remember losing to them 4-0 a couple of years back at VP and we were the better side (as mad as that sounds). Kane and Son were phenomenal that day and they are and always have been the difference. If they sell Kane, they’re going to need to reinvest that money very carefully.

Not really, he’s a player we can improve on and people are just discussing that. It’s a forum.

He’s clearly not.

I hope Kamara is back so we can drop Bailey.

I heard he’s more dangerous than sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads.

Too bloody right. Honestly, I think we could finish in the top 8 with a better support striker and a better wide player. If we get those two right, we're flying.

Thing is, Bowen isn’t even that quick/good. It surely can’t be that hard to find somebody like him?

You’re probably right. I don’t think Coutinho has the legs or the same drive as Buendia does. That said, he’s a much better footballer, without question. Coutinho is a sublime player with regards to technical ability.

He’s so much better in that position behind Watkins than he is as one of the wide players. He doesn’t have the pace to get in behind players and the strength to hold players off. Where he excels is receiving the ball on the half turn and moving towards the opposition penalty area because he has the quality to unlock the opposition defence. The pass to Watkins against Crystal Palace was sublime. He still gives the ball away in dangerous areas and often gets bullied off the ball but right now, he’s a better option than Bailey, Ramsey and Coutinho (albeit I think Coutinho is the better player). If he keeps improving and putting in performances like yesterday, he’s worth his place in the side, no question.

It’s an interesting thought. The club, Emery in particular, will know his ability and potential and they’ll make a call on whether they think he’s likely to improve. His stock is high at the moment still. With Gordon selling for £45m, the club may think if they can get something similar, they can invest in the team and find a better player for less on the continent.

Is Rice better than him? He's probably stronger and a better tackler but overall? If he is, there isn't much in it. My concern is whether that new contract contained some sort of agreement he could leave if an offer amounting to X arrives this summer. He's improved SO much under Emery. Way more than I'd have imagined.