qwertyell

Barely hanging on now. Sloppiness coming back to haunt us.

Oh. My bad. I missed the kick off.

Think we've been quite dodgy on the ball - a lot of underhit passes and heavy touches. Bednarek set the tone with his ridiculous air shot at the start that almost led to a chance. But we're hanging in there, getting the odd half chance - it's not out of the question that we could get something here. Wolves are always more attacking in the second half, so we'll need to up our game for sure. Maybe Redmond for Djenepo soon. He hasn't got the speed or strength on Semedo today.

Very good players, but they're extremely formulaic and structured in their approach, to the point of being quite negative. Always end games strong, when the manager lets them take the handbrake off. We can get something there, for sure, but they're potentially excellent with the shackles removed.

Georgios Samaras? Scott Sinclair? Gary Hooper? Leigh Griffiths? Celtic have had plenty of goalscorers over the years who were absolute shite. Dembele turned out decent, mind you.

So, after 8 games (even if those with games in hand win theirs), we're ahead of Man United, Arsenal, Man CIty, Everton and Chelsea - and a point behind Liverpool, with a better goal difference. Nice.

It's why I didn't want us to sign him (when there were rumours of him coming in on loan). He's a super talent, but after such a serious injury, it's going to take him the best part of a season to get his game back up to speed. In the games he's played since he returned (post-lockdown at Chelsea and now at Fulham) he's looked way off.

He was injured for 2-3 weeks and only returned to training around Wednesday.

Strange performance. Quite subdued and negative - yet we've made some decent chances. Hope the team are just pacing themselves and they'll be a bit more urgent in the second half. Absolutely not comfortable at 1-0. Adams looks confident and bullish, Walcott has been decent but missed a great opportunity. Djenepo and Stephens down the left has no attacking threat. Some nice touches from Djenepo, but he doesn't want to drive forward. Need the second.

Getting through the midfield too easily. Intensity dropped right off after we scored. Romeu booked already. Not great.

Is he competing in first team training, though? All we've seen are pictures of him standing alone, knocking a ball around casually - not sure there's been any footage of him sprinting and tackling and seemingly taking a full part in sessions.

Now might be a good time for covid to shut down football for two months. So, everyone get out and do your bit. (Obviously don't.)

Will Ferry?

(None of this will happen) For potential keepers, Dean Henderson must realise he's dropped a bollock by signing a new contract at United. De Gea is set in stone as first choice for the next 4 years. A two-year loan, maybe? Alexander Nubel is another quality young keeper who has miscalculated the decline of a world class first choice goalie by swapping Schalke for Bayern just as Neuer has rediscovered his mojo. Going to be kicking his heels for at least another 3 years. Almost certainly going to be available on loan at the very least. At centre back, Fikayo Tomori continues to be messed around by Chelsea, dropping down the pecking order in spite of most of their fans thinking he's the bees knees. Right side, fast, agile - he'd compliment Salisu perfectly (in a mythical world where they were both Saints players, and both fit). Loan with a buying option? Full back's a problem. I don't think much of Williams on either flank - and nor do United fans - but it's hard to find many full backs who play both sides. Our first XI choices are fine. I've always quite liked the look of Vokins, so I'm relatively happy to throw him in and see how he goes. Valery is a write off. I'd a say a specialist right back as cover is the main prority. I've been following Marcus Edwards' rise in Portugal with interest. I think he's a super talent. Too immature to break through at Spurs (and a wasted loan at Norwich), moving abroad has really helped him grow up. Left footed dribbler from the right who can drift into the 10 - he'd be perfect for us as someone a bit different. He'll be coming back to England at some point, why not to the sunny South? Given how ineffective he now is - and his declining pace - I wish we hadn't given Long a new contract and instead put the money towards a rough diamond. I know we were linked to Folarin Balogun over the off-season. Coming up to six months left on his contract, I wonder if we're still in the mix for that. Arsenal are desperate for cash and would probably sell for a reasonable offer in January rather than a price set by tribunal after his contract (which he's refusing to extend due to lack of pathway) expires. (None of this will happen)

Shame he's letting us all die of covid. Good news about that one guy's knee, though.

Worst game I've ever seen live. My old man and I were about to jack it in and make an early exit when Saints fluked a penalty out of nowhere. Still no idea how Ruddock ended up on penalty taking duty. Not sure he ever took another one in his career.

What wouldn't count as the "deep end"? Are we waiting until January in the hope that we draw a non league team at home in the FA Cup? Newcastle have no attacking intent at all. They set up for nil-nils, hoping for set pieces or the very occasional counter attack. Honestly, they're one of the worst teams in the league to watch. If he's fit, Salisu should be relishing a relatively comfortable introduction to the league. We're probably going to huff and puff and create nothing and lose 0-1 to a late goal anyway, so might as well get him up and running.

You're right - I forgot Theo was an option now. He'd be a good fit, I think. Rather it doesn't come to that, though.

If it is concussion he won't be allowed to play against Newcastle. It'd be a nice time for Salisu to mysteriously become fit again. Vokins could come in for Bertrand - Newcastle, when they bother to attack, tend to favour the other side. Ings is obviously irreplaceable. Long has been shite in all his appearances this season.

I just can't see him working out in the PL. He's too slow to be a winger. And too easily brushed off the ball. He's got some techincal ability, but that's about all you can say for him. A really damning cock up from the recruitment department, given that they'd boasted of having scouted him for about five years before taking the plunge.

Walcott back available, but too early for Djenepo, Salisu and Smallbone (who I didn't even realise was injured - in keeping with his general anonymity as a footballer). Almost certainly unchanged. Walcott for Tella on the bench, I'd assume. Will N'Lundulu keep his spot in the matchday squad or is Obafemi back? Maybe both of them can make the bench and Long, who has been useless in every sub appearance so far, will be punted.

Is Roll-on Idowu still at the club?

Redmond's decision making and execution in the final third was pretty shit, but he was all right in general play and seemed to improve as the game wore on. Personally, I thought Walcott played better against Chelsea than Armstrong did against Everton, so I'd be tempted to make that change - but we know Armstong is generally a solid performer week in week out, so it wouldn't be surprise if he kept his place. I suppose the manager will weigh it up: would he rather have Walcott running at Matt Targett or Armstrong tracking back against Jack Grealish?

To coin a cliche, he's like a new signing. Took two years (!) to settle, but suddenly he's looking like the centre back we thought we'd bought. Four starts, three clean sheets, unbeaten. He's much more calm and confident. I suppose it was inevitable in some way: if Hasenhuttl can make Stephens (temporarily) into a half decent defender, you'd think he could do wonders with someone with more to work with. More than happy to have been proven (hopefully not temporarily) wrong - Vestegaard has been different gravy this season. Keep it up, you big lunk.

Professional job in the second half - albeit the contest was over after Digne thought (and still thinks) he could surf on Walker-Peters' ankle. Not sure how Redmond was Motm, as he decision making in the final third was appalling, but he kept going and started to look a bit more switched on the longer the game wore on. Prowse the best player - he was everywhere. Lovely cameo from Diallo. Yes, it was ten minutes against ten men, but he looked smooth, confident and fit like a glove. Everton are nowhere near the real deal. I thought they'd struggle with Richarlison missing. Their squad depth up front is shite and it showed. All they had up their sleeves was humping in crosses to Calvert-Lewin, and Vestergaard had his number all afternoon. What a nice day it's turned out to be...