wict01

I like the way you think we must be owed some seriously good times now after the last 13 years or so

Feels remarkable that even a draw tomorrow would equal last season's points tally with 8 still to play, after the drudgery of the first 11 games.

I'll never get over people getting giddy about 35 mins of half-decent football against Spurs at home, in a game we lost 4-0. The guy won fewer trophies than St Johnstone while in Scotland, and apart from being "Stevie G", never had the qualifications to manage at this level. The year we wasted with him just makes me sad, if we'd sacked Dean for Emery at that time I'd have understood the decision and backed it as a proper upgrade but Dean to Gerrard was a hard, hard downgrade.

Yeah I agree, **** these guys and blues too. Hope they both rot.

Wonder if there's a deal to be struck there which would help us get Kudus in.....

Had a quick gander at their forum, and since Rodgers' departure was announced they're far more confident and quite a few think they'll "slap" us

I'm feeling nervous for this one for two reasons. 1) after they turned us over at home (albeit I think offensively we played quite well and could easily have at least drawn the game) and 2) we're on the crest of a wave and I'm just so used to this club bringing me back down to earth with a bump. I don't know what to expect but I do feel comforted knowing that Unai has put 110% into coming up with a plan to get the 3 points and that we won't be relying on "individuals" or "moments" to do the job.

That Sky interview is brilliant, he really is the real deal

Bought it on my lunch this afternoon. The original was my favourite game for a long, long time (many hours sunk into my ps2 when I should've been revising for my GCSEs) so I am absolutely buzzing for this!

I have a horrible feeling they will try

Handled the dangerous Ouattara quite well IMO, recovery pace was excellent. Always exciting when he approaches the box as well, far more dynamism than Digne.

Take all the points re Benrahma, perfectly valid. I know we tend to play with Moreno pushing up and Cash a little more reserved at the moment but I do think we've lacked a property right-footed left-sided player since He Who Shall Not Be Named left us for the bright lights and dollar signs of Manchester.

Recency bias perhaps after yesterday but I've always loved Benrahma as a player since our championship days, I wish we'd gone for him in the summer after promotion too so I'd try to prise him out of West Ham whether they stay up or not. Would fit the wide left space for us perfectly I think, he has more quality than he has been able to show in a Moyes setup.

Pathetic from the BBC

I would like them to do a Sunderland

Antony is a great shout. My mate's barber describes him as "all fart, no shit"

I hope that goal lets him kick on. I'm not massively hopeful, but there is still undoubted technical ability there that we can utilise until the end of the season. I do think we'll see a parting of ways in the summer though.

I like Moreno so far. He has a bit of dynamism and the things he does, he tries to do quickly.

"Better" players is always a weird one to me, as 99% of players in the prem will be decent at something at least. I think it's all about bringing out their strongest, most effective attributes in the right team and set up. Are Luiz and Buendia effective in our system, for example? Ish, I would say. Are Palhinha and Pereira effective in Fulham's? They've certainly proven themselves to be so far this season, but then would they replicate that level of form playing for us? Probably not, and that's an issue I think we've always kind of had in a way, certainly as far as back as my brain really dares to go with DOL and MON.

Two basket case clubs to be fair to him, I think it's a decent appointment.

He's not wrong. I'm quite fortunate in that the area round by me in the Holte tends to be vocal for 90% of every game, on the whole, but there are so many who are silent as the grave unless they see something to moan about or have a dig at. Re Cash though I thought he was alright on Saturday. I do think we need to upgrade him long term, but he was quite versatile at Forest from memory and I'd always have somebody who can graft and show a bit of dynamism around the squad. I think he'll still be here come September, just maybe not our first choice RB

I like Luiz, I think we'd be hard pressed to replace him with better without European football to offer. A Guendouzi/Pellegrini (dream) type player in there with him and Kamara could be superb IMO.

Georgi Mamardashvili might be a shout for GK, especially if Valencia go down. He seems to be highly rated and is quite young with room to improve.

Agreed. We can be comfortably the better side every week if we like, but if we also continue to gift 3 or 4 goals to the opposition each time then we won’t win many games at all.

Defend like we have the last 3 weeks and Dycheball will have a field day.