SNSUN

Diallo at right back syncs with what Ralph was saying about his qualities making him versatile. We shall see. Adams over Walcott is an odd one although maybe Che needs a rest, he puts so much effort into matches. But the same could be said of Theo who has been off colour recently. He'll score now and shut me up. Djenepo back on the bench. Good. Is Jankewicz being rewarded for putting in a transfer request?

Quality over quantity is having JWP, Romeu and Diallo in CM. Our AM options currently are quantity over quality and they are all inconsistent (with Armstrong occasionally being the exception). However bringing in AM-N would give us a further option in the AM position, which may be the way to swaying his decision. I still hope to see Redmond tonight though if he is fully fit. Keep Walcott as the impact sub. I suspect Ralph will favour Theo though.

Has there ever been a more divisive player than Walcott! Sure he was a decent signing for a club without a pot to piss in, he works hard, he's a club developed player, is happy to be here, and still holds some of his pace, but over the last few games I've seen poor decision making, scuffed shots and him breaking down attacks. Could we get better for the money? Probably not, and he does do some good things, but personally he wouldn't be in my first XI if everyone is fit. If Redmond is fully fit I'd be tempted to give Walcott rest as he's played a lot lately, more out of necessity than choice. I'm not a big Theo fan but we could have done worse... or nothing. If Romeu is back I'd be inclined to try Diallo further forwards opposite Armstrong. The lad has pace and quality and could do a job there. I think with injuries as they have been, we draw this. If even a couple of players return, we can beat them. I thought despite the defeat we played quite well against Arsenal, they were just better at putting the ball in the net. It would be nice to cross into the 30's points bracket to keep up some hope of a European finish.

No Auba or Tierney for them, no full backs for us. Tough game to call. Also they have the earlier Sky game on Saturday against Man Utd, ours is later against Villa so hopefully they have one eye on that! Would take a draw, but think it could be worse. KWP and Bertrand are so key to the way we play, and Arsenal made targeted attacks down our flanks on Saturday. Smith-Rowe seems to be one to watch at the moment. Whatever the score I hope Adams scores. He works so hard he deserves more goals.

Poor Gabriel, sent off last time we played them, own goal today. He'll be crapping himself every time he plays us! It took me 20 mins to get my stream app working as our broadband is slow, then got it on and we scored. Far from over but I'd have taken one nil at half time. Concentration needed. I take it we got to ET and pens not a replay?

I have him as a friend on FB. Also Slipped Halo and Hatch (the latter who still posts on here). I forgot if I have anyone else...

I named one of my daughter's stuffed bears Bearsy in his honour. True story.

Eddie Howe would get it. What? There's a picture of him as a woman? 😏

Well we’re not going to score through N’Lundulu and Long, that’s for sure. Donkeys. 🐴

Bench looks weak so this useless bunch of twats in the First XI will have to do. 🤫

I don’t have BT Sport, so the wife has me watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Which is just as well because Saints are a bunch of useless bastards and Adams couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo. 😄 I had cheeseburgers and chips for dinner by the way, but we didn’t have buns so used Warburton’s Thins.

I think that's what Ralph will plump for, however from what I've seen of Diallo, I reckon he could play an Armstrong role if needed. So it would be possible to see a front four of Diallo, Armstrong, Walcott, Adams. Not that I think that will happen, though it will be a shame to drop Diallo after a great performance. We didn't concede against the best attack in the division last match, so hopefully we can keep it tight against Vardy and co. The biggest questions are over our ability to score goals without Ings. I'd be tempted to take a draw.

It was originally scheduled for BT Sport so I'd assume they still have the rights to show it. But I bet BBC wouldn't mind getting their hands on it. Potential upset and all that. Surely if they can't fulfil the fixture next week we'd get a bye. It definitely feels like Villa and Derby have been punished for their COVID situation and not Shrewsbury.

I think a lot depends on injuries, who we can keep fit and who doesn't get sidelined with Covid, and whether we have adequate stand ins. We lost Ings, we suffered for a few games with not scoring. But we lost Vestergaard and, worried as we were, Stephens stepped in and has been very good. A lot of those games 'could go either way' and 7 points (while it's a point-a-game relegation form) wouldn't be a bad haul. 9-12 would be more my guess but then I thought we'd lose heavily to Liverpool! Leicester - X, Leeds - X, Arsenal - L, Villa - W, United - L, Newcastle - W or possibly X if they play 11 defenders, Wolves - W. Yeah 9-12 points. Anything more would be amazing and would set us up nicely for a European push.

So to win the cup we probably have to beat one of the toughest teams left in the cup. And Arsenal. 🤪

I bet he’s better than our last Zambian. If he’s as good as our last purchase from RB Salzburg they will have a real coup. On the Beeb Gossip... Real Betis interested in Dan N’Lundulu.

If memory serves, I think Blackpool's Premier League season started with a huge win and then they got relegated, so without checking they may have been top and bottom in the same season.

I miss Barry Venison. 😀 I reckon Ward-Prowse would be a decent co-commentator when his career is up but I have a feeling he'd go into coaching/management.

Brandon Williams is playing at right back for United, so if we did sign him, he'd be cup-tied. (Their fans aren't impressed with his perfomance so far on Twitter)

No Balogun in the Arsenal squad today... 😉 Not ITK, but if it comes off I'd look like one. 😀

There is the crux. Nobody knows what is going on in his personal life or in his head. I fail to believe an experienced, top flight manager like Ralph would cry purely because we beat an off-form Liverpool, we're not that crap, so I can only assume he has something else going on in his life that culminated in the victory. Brits by tradition have a stiff upper lip (for better or worse, maybe it's why we struggle to open about our mental health...) but Ralph is Austrian so maybe it doesn't apply to him.

While I agree in principal to not playing a weakened side in the cup to make sure we progress, at the same time this time it’s Shrewsbury not, say Brentford. Mourinho yesterday said that getting to the League Cup final is a victory for taking the competition seriously, but we played a full team against Brentford and lost. Shrewsbury are no Brentford however, and it is a perfect time to include some squad players, even if we only rest two or three of the big boys. If those players can’t win a game against a lower League One side, they probably shouldn’t be playing for us. That said I do think Ralph will field a near full team so the point is irrelevant. Anyway it seems moot currently as the game looks like it will be postponed, meaning we have time to get some more players back from injury and rest others.

One Thread to rule them all, One thread to find them, One thread to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. Professional performance please. They're seemingly not pulling up any trees but their results in December have been very good and now they have Cotterill as manager who is no mug. It's always nice to get one over a former Skate though. I'd be going with: Forster, Valery, Stephens, Salisu, Vokins, JWP, Diallo, Tella, Armstong, Long, N'Lundulu if everyone is fit. That should be enough to progress and give squad players some game time, while resting KWP, Bednarek, Walcott, Ings et al. Salisu is the big one I want to see - this is the perfect introductory match... and yet he didn't make the bench tonight. Weird. N'Lundulu too I'd like to see start the match.

What a win - somebody mentioned it just now, it felt a lot like the Man City game after the first lockdown last season with the early Che goal and a brilliant backs to the wall performance. We were the better team in the first half but Liverpool came at us in the second half, but they just ran out of ideas as our defence held firm. I must admit I was one that thought we were in for a hiding today with no McCarthy, Vestergaard, Romeu and Che - the entire backbone of our first XI missing, but what a performance from the boys that stepped in. Even the subs did well. Ratings below. How emotional was Ralph at the end! Nearly made me go. Ratings as I saw it (although I missed a couple of minutes in both halves.) Forster: 6 - didn't have anything to do really, but could have been rusty and didn't really show it. Kicking was iffy but he punched the ball confidently and claimed it bravely a few times at the end to buy us some seconds. He wanted to stay with us this season - well now he has his chance to show what he can do. KWP - 9 - My MOTM (and Skys I see) Was brave, comfortable in position, rarely ever panics, is two footed and kept Sadio quiet. I've been a fan of his since the day I first saw him play but this was one of his best performances. All our defenders were brilliant though, but he was best. Bednarek - 8 - I thought Stephens was marginally better but still a calm and composed performance from him. Stephens - 9 - a great ballsy performance from the stand in. Some key blocks including one where I genuinely thought Liverpool were about to score. Bertrand - 8 - Composed and make some key challenges. JWP - 8 - Not his best game but a well worked free kick for the goal, and he still leads the team brilliant. Never shys away from the ball, always looking for the next pass. Diallo - 9 - Close to MOTM. This lad is some player - another who doens't panic. We did not miss Romeu and that is high praise indeed. Armstrong - 8 - one of his better games for ages. Found space well and passing was decent. Intelligent play. Djenepo - 7 - started brightly so was a shame to see him come off. Definitely suffers from knocks this lad. Ings - 8 - Such an intelligent player - he meant that lob and placed it perfectly. In fact it was so subtle, I didn't even celebrate straight away! Another that worked his arse off defensively. Walcott - 7 - Frustrates me so much as he is obviously talented, but so often runs into blind alleys or gets easily knocked off the ball. Still with no Che, he was probably our best bet up top as pace against their makeshift defence was a good idea. SUBs: Tella - 7 - I cheered because I thought his shot had gone in, it was certainly close. Showed he could be an asset for us going forwards. N'Lundulu - 7 - I thought maybe we'd start him tonight as a big forward against their makeshift defence could have worked, but Ralph got it right in the end. I'm excited by this guy, he seems to have good feet for a big lad. Valery - 8 - Came on and actually helped out on the right, giving us an outlet. If only his nutmeg had gone in! Even if this is one of his last appearances for us, he'll remember this game fondly. Ralph: 9 - Put out the best team he could, made decent subs, got the result he probably doubted he could get. Cried. What a man.

KWP having another decent game. Looks comfortable on the ball. Two footed too. Diallo looking decent too. Agree with others, Walcott without the ball is better than Walcott with the ball seemingly. If we can take this scoreline to half time it would be brilliant.