verlaine1979

Oh, come on. I know you're loyal, but this is absurd.

Napoli too - Serie A has moved on from the days of Football Italia on Channel 4. Pogba is one of the world's best passers, but for some reason (upon which I won't speculate) a lot of English fans mistake him for Patrick Viera mk.2.

Did any of our forwards look good second half yesterday? Broja was quiet, but the freekick he won at the death is a good example of what he brings - turned his marker with strength and then blitzed him for pace.

Our inability to do anything other than put in hopeful crosses during the first half cost us today. Absolutely no craft in the attacking third.

Get Broja on. So many crossing opportunities but Armstrong is about 4ft tall and Adams has never scored a headed goal for us.

A glimpse of Adams' legendary dribbling ability at the end there.

This is more or less my point. At this stage in Broja's career with us, we only have first impressions and instincts to go on. And on the basis of two very well taken goals, some dangerous involvement at corners and a couple of blitzing runs, I judge him as having made a much more promising start than many I've seen at Saints over the years.

I don't like dumping on stats because with the correct context set around them, they can be illuminating. However, your confidence in Che's dribbling vs Broja, for example, is based on Broja having attempted 7 and completed 2 and Che attempting 8 and completing 3. This is hardly a significant sample. For example, the two instances you mention against Villa were impressive, but to me they stood out for the simple fact that I'd literally never seen Che carry the ball that far before. Aerial duels have a bit more data, but again, without context it's hard to compare. Broja played both starts as a lone striker, whereas Che spends a lot more time in the middle of the park. How many of Che's headers were won against midfielders rather than CBs? I have no idea - and the stats certainly don't shed any light on the question. So far I've watched Broja threaten from corners, finish confidently, and show frightening pace and strength running with the ball at his feet. That's where my hunch that he's going to prove a much better player than Che comes from. In time the stats might prove me wrong, but for now they don't have a great deal to say on the matter.

Broja has started a grand total of two games for us and scored in both. He's bigger, faster, better in the air, better first touch and a better finisher. Given enough games I'd be willing to bet he's at least as creative, just because what are the chances he's got all that in his locker but is less able to create than a player with far fewer technical gifts? As for dribbling, next time Che streaks half the length of the pitch leaving defenders puffing behind him, do call and let me know.

Get a lot of chances or miss a lot of chances? Armstrong's two-footedness is a good sign that his technique might ultimately be up to the job, but I still wouldn't trust Che in a one on one. It was a nice finish for Scotland, mind.

We're the third lowest scoring team in the league but we're still doing okay. That suggests it's not the quality of our attack we should be bigging up. So far Che and Armstrong have basically only scored worldies this season. I'll feel a lot more comfortable about their capacity to push us on when they start converting high percentage chances.

That would be the Bamford who got 8 assists to go with his 17 league goals, and Watkins who got 5 assists (same as Che) to go with his 14 league goals? I almost admire your enthusiasm for the permanent members of our squad, but it's a bit premature to be purring over a strike partnership that has so far only netted three goals in 11 games.

It's a boot-licker's anthem. Can't see how anyone with any self-respect sings it.

Marc Jackson's Farm was going to be the name.

Thing is, Pogba was France's best player when they won the world cup. I think he just hates United deep down, and can't be bothered to perform for them. Legitimate reasons to criticise that stance too, but there's no getting away from the fact that he's dominated games on the biggest stage in the world.

Not sure JWP bossing Phillips in a game we lost 2-0 is quite the slam dunk proof of superiority we need to settle this question.

Yup, I think Palace wage bill was about 10m more than us and West Ham 15-20m more. The idea that we've been carrying more dead wood than others has never really washed.

Both have higher wage bills than us.

Have Palace and West Ham had any big sales over the past couple of years to explain the gulf in potential additional spending? Both have spent plenty on players, but I can't remember any big sales balancing the books (Wan-Bissaka for Palace I guess, but that was yonks ago). Is it just commercial revenue that's the difference?

Odd, aside from Tino I'd say he looks like the most dangerous runner with the ball at his feet that we've got. Game of opinions n'all that.

Lost the ball a couple of times early on, but after that he was immense (as was Romeu).

Did Che actually get the touch before the goal? On US TV it looked like it bounced off the defender, but they may not have shown the same angles.

Livramento having his worst game for us.

Also, whatever name you put to Broja's two league goals for us, the quality of the finishes renders pretty much all quibbling moot. He's more composed, more accurate, and makes a better connection with the ball than anyone else we've got. Couple that with the fact that he looks good in the air and is almost on par with Tino running with the ball into space, and I'd say that's pretty much the definition of a complete striker. If he also turns out to be great at hold up and creative interplay, then Chelsea are going to have a star on their hands.

When Redmond players as a striker, he doesn't play as a striker. Certainly not the way Adams and Armstrong play together.