Fabrice29

He's already gone elsewhere.

This is complete tosh. A) We've kept 1 clean sheet all season and it wasn't when ABK and Salisu were playing together so no, they were not fine. Good individually yes, will improve yes, our best two maybe, but fine as a two? Obviously wasn't fine. B) DCC has looked far from comfortable, apart from on the bench. Maybe it's because he's not been trusted enough but he's far too tentative and slow on the ball, he's clearly slow off the ball as well (in fairness, he also clearly knows that and hides it well) and not paticulary dominant in the air either. There was a few games when he started and he looked okay (above) and maybe in a slightly less high pressing side he would be more comfortable, but two managers now haven't fancied him, 3 if you include Croatia's who dumped him as soon as a young emerging talent came through. C) Lavia was way off the pace yesterday. You'll come back with something about the tactics by passing the midfield but he was second to almost everything yesterday and sloppy on the ball. I don't think asking him to protect a fragile back four is particularly wise for anyone just yet. D) Two managers now have referenced the height in our team being an issue. We're weak at set pieces anyway, so playing only 2 CB's doesn't make much sense. 3 at the back is absolutely fine if you have the quality in midfield to be dynamic, quick and inventive. We don't and that continues to be our biggest issue. Ralph may have hid it better by being a reactive side but we need to give this manager his players to do it his way. The system isn't the issue, systems don't win or lose you games, the quality (or lack of) in your side does. On a side note, you need to take some time off this board pal. You've gone from being a poster people enjoyed reading from, interested in your behind the scenes knowledge, to being unable to scroll through 5 posts on any thread without seeing you moaning and being well over the top. When the fun stops, stop.

DCC is nowhere near a front footed enough defender as Lyanco. If we're play 3 at the back then Lyanco's desire to push up and win the ball high is an asset, and before his laughable mistake yesterday, he was actually pretty good imo.

Played well and can see the implementation of tactics from the manager. Thought our play looked quicker than before, playing off Adams and good interchange between the attackers. BUT the biggest problem remains the lack of match winners all over the pitch, we need either a leader at the back to organise and sort out things like the 2 set plays today, a worldie of a keeper or an attacker or two who has the ability to be ruthless when we're on top. We've got none of those. That needs to change before any manager does (I include both the last and current one in that).

Is Jackson the lad who drifted past our whole team with ease in a friendly last season?

And if you ever needed proof this article was a load of guff that was sent out in a desperate attempt to hit a deadline rather than offer any insight, just 4 days later the writer is back tracking on his own article that stated we will be only looking at loans.

Actually, I think it's the lack of a club leak, combined with The Athletic wanting to put out a January window special article for every club that has led to such a shit article. You know it's shit when the opening paragraphs are about last years January loan signing who is nothing to do with us now. The writer hasn't got anything interesting to say but the app wants content. So much fluff it's ridiculous. Club leaks are obvious because all the typical outlets post it, but I doubt you'll find Adam Blackmore talking about Minamino much today.

Wouldn't have thought so. The title of this thread needs changing because under no circumstances was Butterfield the academy manager or anything like it. He was the loan manager, keeping on top of, in touch with and organising players who were on loan. It was an admin/man management role and he'd have played little/to no role in recruitment or on the pitch development of players.

The clip before shows a simple square pass and it not being a goal tbf. Absolute cluster fuck of a few minutes.

Literally showed you he had a plan B last night and it worked. Don't mind the 3 at the back, that wasn't the issue last night but it's the easy go to thing to point out. The detail of the game showed a lack of imagination and incisiveness. That's a long standing problem and isn't solved by 3 at the back or 4. Doesn't matter what formation we have, you need good players up front and you need to move the ball quickly. The idea of sticking more players up front who aren't good enough seems counter intuitive to me so until personnel changes I'm still thinking 3 at the back is our best option to start the game, we just need to do it better. Edozie is suited to playing wide only and is suited to playing at the end of the game so for me, so allowing our wing backs to be our more proactive players is still the best way forward. I think having Stuart Armstrong in the middle really helped as he moves the ball quickly and incisively, otherwise we're a little one paced centrally.

Our best attacking wide players are our full backs. Encouraging them to be further up the field by playing 3 at the back is sensible.

If it is the Spurs kid then that probably explains why it took a little longer than expected after it was leaked. Also think that kid was pretty much a done deal to City before they snoozed/messed up and we swooped in, so the lad has probably had a stressful summer.

Experience is neither a skill nor a future indicator of success. Ralph Hassenhuttl has just become available and he ticks the majority of those boxes you want though.

Jones fits the philosophy of the new owners. Recruiting talent before it’s emerged. It’s risky, but no riskier than signing Lavia, Tino, Edozie etc. If we want the Thomas Franks etc we have to get them before they emerge. Think these owners have shown themselves to be good at recruitment so far and we should back them here. As for Jones specifically I’d urge you to ignore the toxicity of the internet and actually research him, his interviews etc as he actually comes across really well. His coaches voice segment is good, his record with Luton is incredible and as good if not better than Frank’s with Brentford. There’s not much not to like imho.

Lavia and AMN off at half time.

No. 4-0 Mara hat trick. Not sure who but someone is going off injured also.

Truth is more likely to be a combination of some of the better youngsters had to go down to the U18's to ensure they started picking up some results and with a League Cup tie next week, the staff have seen an opportunity to get some minutes into fringe players who might get a run out. AMN and Diallo to get 45 minutes each I suspect.

FM23 question, cba to create a new thread, why is Ollie Lancashire assistant manager?

Blackmore spot on btw. Fabrizo Romano spending all summer updating everyone on our business finally makes sense and the Ben Jacobs tweets that he want's to be "resource heavy" smack of a man who hasn't enjoyed the challenge of not being able to cherry pick who ever he wants. We'll be fine.

100% this. If you're blaming the club for this you're utterly nuts. The club and people making the decisions have clearly shown themselves to be capable of making good staff recruitment choices so far so let's back them to get this next one right too.

I live about 20 minutes from the ground but thanks for the assumption. I just find it funny people are complaining about the team selection. Not just because it's pretty meaningless (in my not so local, despite actually being local, opinion) but also because it seems like we're playing some of our most talented kids who some want in the first team. But anyway, clearly nights like these big nights bring out all sorts of emotions so it's hard to think straight.

People actually complaining about the team selection for a cup barely anybody knew we'd entered might be a new low point for this message board

Brian Barry-Murphy been mentioned yet?

I agree with most of your points (even if "statistically the best English midfielder" is incredibly vague) but A) Southgate can't just pick a team of on form everytime, so yes there will be occasions player who are out of form are favoured when they've been reliable in the past, that's just common sense and then B) Ward-Prowse has been given chances and whilst never played awfully, he's also never really stood out enough and demanded a place in the team. You only need to speak to fans outside of Southampton fans and not many would have him in the team, or even the 3 (for 2 spots) that we agree he should be in. Also unless you're 6 he's not the worst England manager you've lived through. By the very same "statistically" definition you used, he'll be one of the best you've lived through whatever your age.

Tomori has been a bit meh at Milan this season actually, as has JWP and the others left out of tonights squad. Can see a theme in the ones who have been left out "not in exceptional form and not ones that have been relied on in the past". That said, they've both been better than Maguire and Henderson of course. From Ward-Prowse and our point of view it's a bit of an odd one. He's clearly not better than Rice and Bellingham but probably the next best back up so it's weird he's been left out completely but then again I'm not sure he's done enough when he has played England to grab the role from the ones Southgate trusts from before. Hopefully it fires him up to improve for us and start taking control of games a bit more, because some exceptional performances for us I think would still open up a place for him come November.