Forester

I agree with this, having similar tough conversations with my parents who are late 70s but fit and active. The sad fact is that 80% of people will get it. The one thing we can do is manage the pace of that contagion. At its peak the modelling shows there will be six people needing every one ventilator and high dependency bed. If we can elongate the period it will reduce that ratio down and mean more over 70s live. Simple as that. In an age of online shopping, there really is very little that simply has to be done for a handful of months. Frankly even non urgent hospital appointments will get cancelled so I am not too sure what one needs an MOT for....

McCarthy KWP, Stephens, Bednarek, Bertrand Hoj, JWP, Boufal, Armstrong, Ings, Adams

This is pretty fair and accurate

Great workmanlike effort second half one man down which was appreciated by the noisy and supportive crowd. Total cluster%uck gifted them a winner. However it must be said that we were extremely lucky to still be in the game at halftime and if we defend like that against Arsenal and City at home we will be out to the sword. Walker-Peters must start at Narch. Hopefully Armstrong back for Moussa.

Random question....how many times have we ever played on Feb 29th? Can’t be many

This is an old argument and we will all never agree on this (VVD injured, Mane and Pelle sold, 50 match season etc etc etc). But points total and league position is also a reflection on where else across the League points have gone. There is no doubt that finishing eight and a cup final (that we would have won with VAR) was a decent achievement (especially now looking back) and, significantly, was followed by two appalling seasons where we escaped relegation by one or two places and failed to get even 40 points. I would bite you arm off to finish in top eight without a cup final this season regardless of how few points it needs. It could well mean European football given City debacle if we do.

It may be that we need to find a way of getting an extra flair player in the side and go 4231. We will inevitably have more possession against those teams and so need to isolate their back line with more movement in front of them and between the lines. Today’s 4222 works a treat when you can hurry sides like Villa and punish their errors in building up from the back

Really pleased how well we started. We overwhelmed Villa in those early stages, and would like to see us do this more often when at home as our approach to away games is generally spot on. However it’s important people understand how different it is to play against Burnley, who don’t allow you to press and harass them because they are happy to hoof the ball sixty yards upfield. I don’t say that as criticism, as Dyche does a great job, but sides like Villa who attempt to play out from the back suit our style down to the ground. Thought that McCarthy, both centre backs, Bertrand and Djenepo all excellent, as was Adams when he came on. Very promising debut by Smallbone who has excellent distribution.

No. Two years ago then yes, albeit holding our nose. But not at 32 and doubtless expecting top dollar wages. This is a signing made for Wet Spam.....

Gunn Valley, Stephens, Bednarek, Bertrand JWP, PEH Boufal, Redmond Obafemi, Adams Think the front two will not be popular with many, but it worked at at Chelsea and I think Ralph will go for fresh legs to get after Sours. Ings, Long and Moussa to come off the bench at some point with extra time and pens a possibility

Appreciate this may have been tongue in cheek, but nothing about yesterday makes me less confident of a top half finish. We were the better team first half in my opinion (from what I could see from an awful view at the back of the stand, note to others to next get a seat at the back there again!) and so while disappointing result in the end not an unpredictable one. However bigger picture is we are five points off fifth place, and unlike most other sides no longer need to play Liverpool, Leicester, Chelsea, Spurs or Wolves who are going to win more than they lose. So if anything I think it’s genuinely on the table to push for top seven and who knows Europa League slot if the cups get won by the right people. Our next few fixtures should yield plenty of points if we play the way we have been. That is a big if of course, but let’s go for it.

Sorry must have had a brain freeze, omitting Redmond! This but Redmond for Obafemi.

I think Ralph May switch to three at the back for this one. Would always have been an option at Liverpool, but the right back situation may make that an easier decision and play JWP at right wing back. So I think it could be: Alex Stephens, Yoshida, Bednarek JWP, Romeu, PEH, Bertrand Boufal Ings, Obafemi

Think the key question here is, assuming we would have an option to buy in the summer, who is the better bet to replace Cedric from next season? Valery or KWP? I haven’t given up hope that our recent progress may persuade Cedric to sign an extension by the way. But the last we heard he is off and so for me it’s less about this season and more about next.

Good cup tie, still fancy our chances at their place. Shout out for Gunn, both centre backs, Redmond (outstanding today again) and in my opinion Obafemi’s best performance so far. He has obviously been watching how much movement off the ball Long and Ings achieve and this is making him a far better player. I think we are entitled to 15% of the tickets so if we really wanted to we could take 9000 up there!

Or even Koeman!

I think the league table is, if anything, under stating how strong our position is. We have played five teams for the second time, and at the time of playing them all five were in the top half of the table. And we have won four of the five. So, by definition, we have the entire bottom half of the table yet to play and only four teams in the top half. Many of our opponents will have a much tougher run in than us. And so it is by no means stupid to think about finishing in that top seven and, dependent on cup winners, a European spot. We also have only one of our squad injured (possibly two after last night) which again contrasts greatly with many others. We already have more points at this stage than the season under Konkani when we finished sixth. So dare to dream....

Always interested to hear difference in view between those who just watch the highlights versus those at the game. For my part we have been on a great run, Wolves are a good side, and we have played Chelsea, Spurs, Leicester and Wolves now for a second time and won three of the four games. So lets put things in perspective. I thought we were fortunate to be 2-0 up at halftime having been unusually clinical with our finishing and helped by poor defending for our first goal. What I was struck by was the physicality of much of Wolves’ team. I think of them as being technical team mainly Latin players but in fact they are huge units too. I agree that Romeu when we were 2-1 up for Armstrong would have been a good move. Boufal and Moussa combined were not the answers yesterday. For me across 90 mins our two best players were Cedric and Redmond, both of whom have had lots of criticism on here. Conversely, off the back of a string of excellent performances, Bertrand, JWP and Ings were off the pace yesterday.

For anyone criticising the way our club is run, worth pondering that Everton today announced £110 MILLION loss. And they have no more points than us.......!!!!,

Thoroughly enjoyed that. Walking back to the car Leicester fans were very generous with praise of Saints. We really do now need to start looking up not down in the table given form and the fact that the three teams we have now played for the second time this season are Chelsea, Spurs and Leicester. Others will get fewer points than we have against those three. Realistically it will be tough to catch Leicester and the traditional top six, although not impossible in the case of Spurs and Arsenal, but I definitely think that Wolves, Sheff Utd, Palace and Everton are teams we could finish above and we have all four to play yet.

No it’s not just you. I was hoping to see Danso play centre back, which is after all the position we bought him for, but thought he did well at right back and I think sipped in that good cross that led to Smallbone goal too. Thought Vokins did well, as did JWP and Romeu. The rest not so

May be an unusual view but given form and traditional poor value achieved in January market I would not be going out splashing the cash unless an absolute steal is there. Assuming Valery is fit sometime soon we have cover at right back, now we are playing four at the back I think we have enough cover there but would wish to upgrade quality in summer latest. However we have no trusted back up for Bertrand so a promising championship young left back happy to wait his chance would be good but tha does not feel like mega bucks. I am happy with attacking options assuming we don’t sell Adams. Where I think we are short, having sent out Reed and Lemina, is cover for the holding midfield positions. We are two injuries or suspensions away from having just one holding midfielder and that could be a major problem so I would prioritise that area and left back cover. Then more radical work in the summer including the many players out on loan

May be an unusual view but given form and traditional poor value achieved in January market I would not be going out splashing the cash unless an absolute steal is there. Assuming Valery is fit sometime soon we have cover at right back, now we are playing four at the back I think we have enough cover there but would wish to upgrade quality in summer latest. However we have no trusted back up for Bertrand so a promising championship young left back happy to wait his chance would be good but tha does not feel like mega bucks. I am happy with attacking options assuming we don’t sell Adams. Where I think we are short, having sent out Reed and Lemina, is cover for the holding midfield positions. We are two injuries or suspensions away from having just one holding midfielder and that could be a major problem so I would prioritise that area and left back cover. Then more radical work in the summer including the many players out on loan

This is a bit of a stupid post. What it fails to engage in is the issue that is a home game against Palace 48 hours later

Despite recent success in 4-2-2-2 I would not be surprised to see us go to a 5-4-1 for this. There are less than 48 hours between finishing in London and kicking off on saturday and it is unrealistic to imagine you could play two high pressing games with same personnel so its either mass changes or a different ways of playing, sitting in and being hard to beat. As I other shave said Chelsea have found things easier away from home with more space this year. McCarthy Cedric Stephens Yoshida Bednarek Bertrand Romeu Hoj JWP Redmond Adams Rest Armstrong, Ings and Long and have them fresh for Palace