Verbal Kint

We know first hand just what a snake MP is. New contract or not, he'd walk over broken glass to get the United job

By "invested in keeping them" what exactly do you mean? You would have offered them what exactly?

How much do you think we will get for him this summer? How much next summer?

What do you think our approach should be to players who do not want to sign a new contract at this club? Should we just let them run their contract down and leave on a free? Or do we try and get decent money for them so that we are able to adequately replace them, as they inevitably WILL leave if they aren't prepared to sign new deals

The PL outright book will be a big loser for all bookies, but most of the losses will have been covered by the record profits they will have been making on PL matches over the season. Some small independents could be in big trouble though

I doubt it. I, and many others, just happen to think we are a much better team without Pelle than with him. We play at a higher tempo and look lethal on the break and I find that style of football far more entertaining to watch. RK has criticised Pelle for his efforts in training this week and that isn't surprising. He behaves like a spoilt brat on the pitch when things don't go his way so it's not surprising if he acts the same way off it when things go against him.

Why the assumption United want him this summer rather than Mourinho? If/when MP is offered a bigger job than Spurs, he will be off

First chance MP gets offered a big job he will be off, contract or not

No surprise there. Been one of the worst atmospheres in the country for a long time

Levy to offer more than we paid for him when he is going into the last year of his contract. I doubt it

Wanyama can only attempt simple sideways and backwards passes, whereas Clasie is actually trying to penetrate, and he's therefore going to give the ball away more than others. You don't break teams down by taking 2 or 3 touches and playing it safe, you do it by injecting tempo and pace into your play. The best example thatcomes to mind was away at United when Mane missed a 1v1. The ball dropped on the half volley to Clasie, and when most of our midfielders would have had to take a touch and play it back to his full back or centre back to be safe, Clasie instead played a first time ball into Mane, who played a one two with Tadic (both first time) and he was in on goal. If that had been Wanyama he'd have played a simple ball back and got his pass completion % up, but Clasie instead instigated an attack. That pass didn't count as a "key pass" which is why most of these stats sites are worthless

Clasie's passing is better than the other midfielders combined. He can actually play it first time and forwards, which most of the others are incapable of. He lacks athleticism and that will be key when finding a Wanyama replacement, but there are far worse partnerships than Romeu and Clasie

We've been able to keep Fonte and VVD fit pretty much all season. If one of those two had had 5 or 6 weeks out then i think it would have shown. And although right now our attacking options look strong, for most of the season we haven't had Austin or Rodriguez, and the others are not particularly clinical

We only have one wide player really which is Tadic. Mane, Rodriguez, Long all should be playing centrally IMO. We're crying out for someone to play on the right I think

Agreed with this. If we had Austin, Jay, Long and Mane next season as our 4 striker to choose from with 2 up front I'd be very happy with that and if we kept them fit I think we could have a great season. All ifs though and i'm guessing a deal for Mane is probably already agreed

Don't really follow. Everyone knows Long isn't a natural finisher but I'd have him leading the line every week ahead of Pelle. Criticising his finishing doesn't mean I don't think he's an asset

Because this is the first season his finishing has been good

We all know Long is a poor finisher,and yet despite that is in double figures and runs centre halves ragged when played as a centre forward. If he was a half decent finisher he'd be getting 20+ a season and be comparable to Vardy, and probably wouldn't be playing for us

VVD. By a mile

We place a much greater emphasis on possession than Pulis' teams do/did, but our main means of attack is similar. Get it wide and get the balls in the box. We are top of the league this season for crosses into the box so clearly we are placing a greater emphasis on that than the rest

Frustrating. We were barely troubled at the back and Wanyama and Clasie ran the midfield. Our attacking players just didn't produce when we needed them to. Mane was ineffective, Long worked hard and was a constant threat in behind but couldn't produce the right finish, Tadic had some very good moments but too often his final ball was poor. Pelle gave us absolutely nothing. More first time flicks to nobody (has he not realised yet that he doesn't have the ability to pull these off?) and incapable of holding the ball up and bringing others into play. I really am struggling to see what he brings to the side now that we won't get from our other strikers. I though Koeman's post match comments were pretty much spot on

Good? GOOD? What planet are you living on? He was abysmal today, absolutely abysmal

Pelle got 12 league goals last season and will likely get around the same again this year. A decent return but nothing special. His all round game is often very poor with his obsession with flicks and first time passes doing nothing but lose possession and invite more pressure onto the team. His body language is appalling and the constant whingeing at his teammates doesn’t help either. I believe if Long had had the same opportunities as a centre forward as Pelle has had then he would have scored more goals AND his all round play as a striker is IMO superior to Pelle. His constant energy and his willingness to be an outlet ball is more beneficial to the team than Pelle’s first time flicks to nobody. I think it’s clear Pelle will be sold this summer with Austin, Jay and Long being our main strikers (hopefully Mane stays as well) and so for that reason I’d rather we played without Pelle now and gave those players the game time, particularly as I hope we will be playing with 2 up front next season.

Nobody takes delight in saying it, some just say it how they see it. I don't think Targett will ever be anything other than a very average player, but I obviously hope he proves me wrong. He doesn't have one outstanding attribute and he's extremely slow, a problem for a modern day full back

St Mary's is much better at that than most to be honest, although that isn't saying much. Goodison, Anfield, WHL, Emirates, Stamford Bridge are all completely silent apart from when there's a goal