S-Clarke

It looks like we copied what we did in 'lockdown', as that worked well in a very unique and unprecedented situation. Basically, we got complacent, saw that what we did worked before and didn't bother to do anything else, even though in reality starting a brand new season is a totally different dynamic to coming back after 'lockdown'. We have done this so often over the last 5 or so years, we think we've reinvented the wheel and get all complacent and totally take our eyes off the ball. I thought those times had past us.

Is it me, or is Ralph sounding a bit pissed with the lack of numbers in the squad? He's got every right to, we've got nothing beyond that 11.

I'd be stunned if he was sold this window, that's not going to happen. But I fully expect this interest to have put a permanent pin in any contract talks, unfortunately. He'll be off next summer.

It's a strange one, we had the club saying how we managed 'lockdown' really well, and we've replicated the same situation this 'small pre-season' as it worked before, but that always stunk of serious complacency. It's a totally different scenario, it wasn't a break during a season, it was a stop and then a start of a new season. It looks like everyone got complacent and we are frighteningly underprepared. The squad is too small, even the manager is saying as much. Even Semmens has said he'd like to do more, but 'we know our limits'. I think the buck stops with a certain Gao and whilst he is in charge we will drift around in no mans land, hoping not to get relegated. Sounds like a laugh.

Shhh.

Nope.

Exactly, he's changed something. We can all see it. He needs to have a word with himself if he thinks that works with these players. Get back to what we had and scrap that line. So shit.

Worst 45 under Ralph, nothing in this half. Those guys need to take a long hard look at themselves, they've believed the hype and took their foot off. Shocking, disgusting attitude. The losers are coming back out to play.

I'll say again, what is up with our defensive line? We've changed something in pre-season from what I can tell and it needs to change back now.

Give him a break, that wasn't a sitter.

Same issue again, ball over the top, they get in behind. Causes us a problem, they get a corner - goal to them. KWP looks shit

That was a much better move, nice and sharp around the box. Unlucky Adams. Why do keepers always pull worldies off against him?

Redmond needs to get a grip of himself.

Are we playing a higher defensive line than last year? If we are, we need to stop it. It doesn't work as we don't have the pace throughout our back 4, we were caught over the top so many times v Palace and Brentford are doing similar.

Getting rid of players like Boufal will allow us more flexibility in the wage budget, that's what I'm hoping anyway. A fee for him will be nominal but it will still help. I wouldn't count on him for the new season anyway, so he's no real loss.

Iwobi cost Everton something like £35m last year, we'd have to fork out close to that to get him. And I think they overspent massivley.

Pretty much. I can't think of anything he did for us, apart from being the captain of quite a large group of losers in terms of our home games over the last 3 years. We were dreadful with him and when he was in the side. Relegation battles most years. I honestly cannot pull a good game he had from the top of my head.

He may kick on, but like you said, it's been 100 games for us of utter average bullshit. So I think that is just him.

Why are people/the media so surprised by his 'little impact' going forward? Why do other fans/journos think he's some sort of progressive passing midfielder? Weird views.

They keep saying it's his 'first game', but what they need to realise is that was him. He won't get any better or any worse than that, that was his default performance. Sideways, backwards, silly fouls, under hit passes and little forward penetration. The media have built it up so they expect some sort of mega forward thinking midfielder, but he's like a poor mans Morgan Schniderlin.

Yeah, I can see it playing out unfort. We wouldn't be able to pay him the wages he probably feels he wants now, so he's going to bide his time, it'll get to next summer and we'll have a 'can't lose him for free' scenario develop in front of our eyes. £30-40m? Tops.

They've got a player in James who will be a game changer for them. Calvert-Lewin will score goals, he got 15/16 last year. He's a good goal scorer. They'll be up there for top 5 or top 6, no doubts. Be interesting to bounce that view at the end of the season!

The spurs fans were sold a duff by the media. 'A forward thinking midfielder' 'the first potential replacement for Eriksen'. That performance there was him, that's Hoj. It doesn't get any better or worse than that. That's why I've never understood the clamour for him.

Ruben Loftus is exactly the type of midfielder we need, profile wise. Be interesting to see if this happens.

Standard Hoj performance really, they'll enjoy his home performances. All he'll do is stop them playing.