Saint Charlie

Really wasnt meant to be negative. Just quite likely given playing styles and the fact he plays 90mins every week. There must be 10 matches before the cut off.

Pelle will get another yellow before end of Dec and highly likely Morgan will pick up two by then. If possible would be best to get bans in the busy Xmas period when they might need a rest anyway. Five yellows is pretty easy for a central midfielder to accumulate in todays game but Pelle has been silly with at least a couple of his in the Lge Cup.

There isn't a relief that he has gone, just that it seems to have worked out well enough.

Wonder how much longer MP can use the excuse of needing to change Spurs' "mentality" before Journos ask what he actually means? His interviews were miles better with the Interpretor.

He did a superb job and laid the foundations for what we are currently doing to be honest.

Right now? I'm not sure. At home maybe?

Thoughts so far? Only 5 goals conceded in 10 PL games. Great start for £10m keeper.

We will only play against teams currently above us twice out of 38 games.

Great win and a week to rest up before another winnable one. Mane might have had a horror miss but he adds a lot to the team and should start when fit.

If we look tired then that is the trade off that needs to be made for picking a very strong team in the cup. Tadic was done in after 65mins vs Stoke but played the whole game and then again on Weds. At least we have players of the quality of Cork and Mane to use 2nd half.

If we can keep Ben Arfa's involvement limited and attack their weakened back four and keeper then it could be a good day.

Lets hope Schneiderlin is available, would be good to have Mane back too, even if just on the bench.

Serious?

Definitely think the big Italian clubs will be lining him up in the summer, but if thats because he scores 30 for us then fine!

Interesting Koeman said when asked if we could stay near the top that there arent many teams he looks at who are better than us.

His contract is key because if he doesn't sign one then he is forcing us to sell him in the summer. Then it comes down to who will buy and I am sure we would rather sell to Spurs for 15m plus than lose him to Spurs for free the year after.

One yellow now. He has four, three of which have come in the League Cup. Would be a blow to lose him for a game, especially as a few of the yellows have been silly.

Sky reported in the summer that we were in talks with him about a 5 year deal to put off the clubs watching him, but as yet nothing signed.

That is arguably a stronger team than played in the league, Sorensen apart. I think they will try to put us under pressure from the start and see how we react. Not many teams have been able to pin us back this season.

Pretty strong tbh. Should be a good game, will be tough to win.

Stoke have said they will be going with a very strong team in line with the last round.

Has missed a few games. In fact for someone of his age he has missed a lot of time due to injury in his short career. Long term abdominal injury, 6 month knee layoff and a few hamstring injuries, a fair bit for a 22 year old.

I know what you mean, but lets face it, if Ings had no link to Southampton in the past he wouldnt be mentioned here half as much as he is. On a free transfer we might be keen, but he doesn't have the same level of potential Jay did and still does. All IMO of course.

Not sure what the obession is with Ings. He would struggle to get any game time for us and as a replacement for Jay Rod would be, quite frankly, disappointing, especially when compared to the quality of player we have signed this summer.

I think he mentioned once in an interview that he had. Shame to see him struggling and not really appreciated at Reading. Think he could have benefitted from a bit more time out the game after leaving us. Reciting that "Man in the Glass" poem was genius.