Saint Charlie

Is Austin much better, if any better, than Pelle? Tough to judge either way IMO. Would say they are fairly even all in all.

Probably Jordan Sibley had just told him he had to do an appearance on the Sports Bar with Goldstein and Cundy.

Only that post. Most of your others are ****e because you don't give your own opinion.

Better answer (and agree tbh).

Anyone remotely realistic?

Who do you reckon would be a decent signing matey?

Worth remembering Clyne played an extra season. Barely any of our current squad played with Lallana whereas many did with Clyne. Could be similar amongst some backroom staff.

Wanyama on the ball was a work in progress but off it he was suited to the PL from the start. I remember lots of positive comments about him after the WBA away game.

Wanyama aside, I also think we could sign another good quality central midfielder. We still havent found a great balance in there this season, despite trying so many different combos. Need a bit more agility there I think.

This again (and even if we didnt have a chance of a high finish). Some absolute briefcases on this thread so far.

Zero chance.

Slight dip in form of late after having a good spell. Leicester will be a high tempo game, I would probably leave him out for that one with Wanyama now available. He is tidy on the ball but physically has struggled a lot at times, including today (tempo as much as height/strength). Wonder how he will look to combat that longer term? Our midfield with him and Romeu is quite slow and lacking agility which is fine when defending deep and with 3 centre backs but was highlighted numerous times today in the first half when we were so, so easy to counter as there are no midfielders with recovery pace. He will massively have benefitted from this season, but will need to find ways of being effective for 90mins more often to be a long term success, especially if he will be here when Koeman perhaps isn't. NB: not criticism, just how I am seeing it.

He has probably just got sick of hearing all the stick he usually gets from some fans. Apart from when he scores obviously.

Excellent.... news...jay ROD back in the squad next week.

Interesting that we have entered an Intl break in good form on most occassions this season and then really struggled in the next couple of games. Hopefully not this time and probably little Koeman can do about it, but its a momentum killer.

Why does that matter? Butland has been consistently good for far longer than Forster this season.

Just think the keeper wouldn't have got near the shot even if Sakho hadn't been there. Him being there wasn't the reason the shot went in. Probably the right decision, but we were lucky Sakho was stood there, thats all that saved being out the game.

We did get lucky with their disallowed goal. Sakho was offside but Forster wouldn't have saved the shot anyway. Agree with most of your comments Batman. I think we always look better with a more mobile side and starting with Clasie, Romeu, Pelle and Tadic is probably two too many players for whom agility and tempo are not strengths.

1. Wanyama is our best central midfielder. Romeu and Clasie too slow against the better sides. Clasie still doesnt dominate the game enough hence why he keeps being subbed. 2. Mane was always going to return to form at some stage. Despite all the doubters he is quality, a player with atttributes usually only the real top sides have. 3. Hopefully results like these show Koeman that progression is possible. 4. The Long/Lovren incident not as clear cut as many thought. Long cut right across Lovren, what he is the defender meant to do? Long does have a habit of buying fouls and going down easily, it probably counts against him with referees. 5. With a virtually fully fit squad and some shaky teams above us, we probably dont have a better chance to beat 7th place. Every other time we have put ourselves into a good position we have ****ed up so lets see what happens next.

Is he all that beyond a few big tackles and a hard shot? Very immobile, making us easy to counter.

Dodgy pen anyway.

This. Once the emotion is taken out. The ref isn't the reason we are losing.

I'm sure he is bothered at HT.

It wasnt a stonewall pen. Long was looking for it and cut across Lovren. Where is the defender meant to go?

It wasn't a stone cold penalty. Long ran across Lovren and was looking for it. Was 50/50 for me. We have been woeful in central midfield and not able to deal with their movement and tempo.