thunderball

Kodjia not making the most of his opportunity to shine

Ref needs to get a grip, a Leeds player needs to go, they are a cynical bunch of whingers who are going to break a leg at this rate

Love the way mings always intervened against anyone fouling

Guaranteed we will be next in the book, this ref is a joke

What an ugly team Leeds are.

Wow, these commentators are so pro Leeds

No, I agree on the Randy vs NSWE issue, but we were close to being a top 4 club before the drawbridge dropped and big money poured in, two years earlier with cash we could’ve competed with Spurs and Liverpool at that point in time (and it would have predated Man City 2.0)

All FFP does is keep the PL top 6, and already wealthy clubs, in the top 6 in perpetuity. While they lived by one rule, they pull down the drawbridge and prevent others acquiring wealth in order to challenge their money go round of prize money and European cup appearance money aswell as the biggest dip into the Sky pot. The top 6 already have an unassailable advantage and FFP only maintains this by preventing disruption, its perverse because the league reward and distribution system just widens the gap year on year, guaranteeing the top 6 move further away. We were bought for circa £60m, but most of the top 6 are valued around £1B and even up to £2B. With the combined wealth of our owners we won’t get into financial trouble and they could quite conceivably ‘invest’ (say £150m/year) over the next 5 years to challenge the top 6 if they were allowed and still make a profit over their investment. But they can’t because the rules have established the big boys into a status quo. Just look at money spent on squad and correlation to league position: money buys success. Also note Spurs building a £1B stadium and still making a £100m profit. Now take a hypothetical, but plausible example close to our own hearts: we fail to get promoted, Grealish leaves for Spurs for £35m at age 23. Spends 2 seasons with Spurs and gets in the England team because the same talent is vetoed access while at our club; Spurs have him in the Champions League window which we don’t have access to because the top 6 (ok, top 4 in this case) is a monopoly, and at 25 he is worth £100-150m netting a nice £65-115m profit for Spurs. We can’t leverage like that so are kept under the glass ceiling in perpetuity. It is poorly conceived. Clubs defaulting and going into liquidation should be rightly punished but this can happen without FFP. And the FA also have a terrible reputation for assessing new owners - just look at Xia and now Bolton. If only Randy had bought us 2-3 years earlier the story could be so different....

He is worth it as a squad player, similar to Green on the right, they give us options to stretch the play and occupy defenders. Pace and a trick always finds a place, but maybe not all game and every game. I think he has the ability with a decent run to improve, I don’t see what’s not to like at this price in this day and age.

I think the pressure is getting to Leeds, another slip-up in their run-in, interesting what gamesmanship will be at play next week. I hope we rest McGinn next match, he was notably in second gear today having been so influential recently, can’t risk bookings at this stage and a point should see us over the line. Amazing how the league points tally vs position is very similar for the top 6 as last season, 75 points was good enough for 6th then and we are on 75 now with two in hand. I don’t fear anyone now only injuries, bring it on!

Thought Kodjia did well, should’ve scored another maybe. Like the look of Davis, if only he could add goals. MOTM was Mings for me, but not outstanding, just a figure of confidence, putting his body on the line and striding out starting attacks from defence, although got a bit over confident at times which betters players may exploit. All good though, onwards and upwards. Anything less than promotion will be a real punch in the stomach now. Looking forward to results later today....

No complacency. Assure ourselves of playoffs then look at rotating squad. Actually excited to see Davis and/or Kodjia upfront, we may need them this season yet. What will be will be in the playoffs, the semi is equally as tough as Wembley.

It will be tight, both deserve to go up, and without any bias, I think we are now a better team. We are best playing at high tempo and this fixture will demand it, we also have a strong team ethic and desire, as long as Dean has them fired up we have a very good chance, but Leeds and Villa have match winners in the first 11, so it’s on a knife edge. I know Leeds won’t want to face us.

Booo

Plus we will be looking for someone else next year, cause he’s on the wane at 35. Let’s start team building with younger long term players. I’ve had enough of MON, Steve Bruce ‘of the moment’ teams

[if we go up] TBH we could do a lot worse than offering Whelan and Albert another year as squad players. I don’t want us to blow the bank with a load of ‘new’ faces like Fulham, but due to players values at PL level it’s easy to spend £75-£100m going up. If we can convert Haus, Mings, El Ghazi and Tammy (or Maupay, but would like to buy him ASWELL as Tammy to replace Hogan) in permanents, secure Axel for another years loan (and try and buy him next year), add Lolley and another wide man, that’s a huge amount of positive business, but only adding two or three new faces, only one or two that would alter the current starting 11. I would keep Lansbury, Birkir, Kodjia and Green, and bring home o’Hare. That’s a very decent squad if you include Bree and Guilbert, despite all the deadwood/oldies departures, certainly good enough to consolidate and build a platform which our young core provide us.

Urgh, no thanks

Does Joe Lolley play out wide or centrally? Seems like we were very keen in Jan

I think he just needs a good run but not sure we can afford to offer that sadly. Same age as Tammy, but Tammy has three full season loans where he delivered at a decent level (well maybe not at Swansea). Would love him and Tammy at the club as our striker options next season.

I honestly think we are as good as anyone at the moment, I watched Leeds yesterday and they are still very competitive, but I think we would give them a game and I reckon we would win at a neutral ground, don’t forget while not at our best we went 2-0 up against them before our defensive frailties emerged, but we have addressed that now. Sheff. Utd are the best team I have seen against us this season, and Leeds a close second, but I honestly think we have raised our game to where we have 4-5 players that can score, we do score a lot, we have a terrific team spirit and belief, the defence is massively improved, we have a huge self belief and momentum is with us. There isn’t a single team in the division that would fancy their chances against us now, we have the psychology of 8 wins in a row behind us too. However as a word of caution, Derby or Bristol could still both pip us if we lose and draw another match and they keep up their own tempo.....

Nice to see El Ghazi stepping up. Looked the real deal today. The whole team stepped up today, despite the nail biter we should have won 5-1 (at least) Special mention for Davis when he came on he was unplayable, an absolute monster

Not our day today!

Elmohamady and Axel need to manage that winger, his crosses will cost today

Yes, one match

Voted Jack MOM tonight because I feel bad voting McGinn MOM every week to date. Absolutely awesome again second half. When Milner left it was like we played with ten men thereafter, Johnny Mac is hewn from the same cloth, he is like having an extra midfielder. Genuinely loving him, and that’s saying something with the characters we now have in this side. Keep these together and we are onto something.