Saint Charlie

The league is worse this year and so (marginally) are we. To do better next year we will need the summer signings to be of the quality of summer 2014 rather than 2015. Van Dijk aside, our mainstays were either already here or signed during that summer.

Unlike you I am perfectly happy for you to have an opinion. If you recall you started it by disagreeing with my own opinion (which I am entitled to). My opinion (and that of Koeman) is that today was a big blow to our Europa League hopes. My own opinion is that we have a very, very small chance now. We will need to win all four games and hope others drop points in their last four plus two/three games in hand.

Of course we do in theory. But today has probably reduced the chances to a very, very low chance. Nothing wrong with pointing that out, its true. I'm not sure you have totally grasped that this is a forum, not the OS.

What do you make our EL chances then? Surely no more than 10/15% now?

Thats surely Europa League gone with the games in hand others have. Must win game and the pressure of it seemed to show at first, not for the first time this season. Fact is, we are a good team but not good enough to be a top 6 team. We don't score enough goals away from home and had a spell of losing 8/10 games earlier in the season. Given the Everton situation it is a poor result.

Absolutely.

Good to comeback but if we don't go on to win then its a little irrelevant as far as Europe goes. Have to win to have any chance of EL.

Barkley and Lukaku soon?

Thats a blow, especially we we know Clasie will come off between 60-70 so only one tactical sub left.

Those weren't especially big at the time though apart from being against big teams. They were good performances but weren't "must win" or "must not lose" games.

Those have been 3 big ones that were hyped up by the players before and then the performances levels were woeful. You can lose any time of course but those 3 performances were total non events.

We have tended to bottle most of the big games this season when things have opened up well for us. Midtjylland, Liverpool cup, Bmth away all great opportunities and we barely turned up. Still loads of time in this one though. But need to get first goal.

Any iPad friendly streams?

They still have a pretty experienced PL team with some offensive threats but we have a great chance today if we start well.

Is he really any good? Doesn't start many games for Norwich.

Massive chance with Barkley and Lukaku set to be left out. There is a lot of talk from the squad about "our ambition" so with a chance like this it is up to them to play like we did against Stoke rather than Bournemouth.

Forster only has 2 more years so his contract should be high priority this summer otherwise we are in a Clyne/Wanyama situation next summer. VVD has 4 years to go and he seems happy anyway. We should get one more year from him.

It worth less than Spurs' deal signed in 2011. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1364276/Tottenham-announce-50m-kit-deal-Under-Armour.html Although clearly we have some unquantifiable benefits also.

Interesting to see how we do when things are in pur favour and we are favourites. Usually we do not enjoy that and when there is an opportunity tend to bottle it.

He must know his time as a player is up. He just isn't at the level that is needed so would be suprised if he wasn't expecting it.

Indeed. Kelvin probably achieved a lot more than Dave Watson as a player. He surely will be retained in some capacity if he wants to be.

Wonder when there will be any indication on this?

Tomlinson sums it up. Discarded after a few games last year for not being good enough and now will be in the starting XI until at least Topley is back. How does that work? The whole attitude is negative. White talking about how they would take confidence from the first game. Why? But for rain it would have been a defeat.

The Portland Timbers are keen on him apparently. Would suit the pace of the MLS.

Lukaku didn't train yesterday and is doubtful alongside Baines, Barkley and Lennon. Jagielka, Cleverley and McCarthy definitely out. Usually when presented with a real chance we tend to bottle it but tomorrow is a big opportunity for us.