S-Clarke

I still find it very frustrating that fans believe that hearing no news means that we're not actually doing anything.

I wondered if this was imminent as he wasn't on the bench yesterday. Good move for him, it will be good to see him get some game time at a good club who are really good to watch. If he can get a good relationship going with Sessengon, we can have both of them next year.

And Torres, Can (imminent) and Alonso Every club is a selling club to a point tbh. They should just rename the chant to ''He left cos of money''.

As I have always said, his best position is on the right side of an attacking 3. Not in every game, but he can do a really good job in that position in an attacking sense and also covering at full back.

Wasn't a bad game at all to watch, conditions were rank though. Pitch doesn't seem to be able to handle the rain much anymore, it was awful against Palace and was equally as awful today. Hopefully they can sort the drainage out. Anyway...onto the game. Overall a really positive performance I felt, pressed them well, won the ball high up by anticipating their errors and created some good openings. From the outside as a natural you’d say that was two good teams on show today, it kind of underlines that we really are in a false position with the players we have. I like the midfield of Lemina, Hoj and Romeu - but for me....I'd swap Lemina and Hoj. Keep Hoj in midfield and push Lemina into the more attacking role, I think he has more pace and strength to cause a problem. We do lack that big arse powerful CB who will leave centre forwards on the floor. Stephens is alright, but (I think it was Stephens) was literally brushed out of the way by Kane, he just moved him aside which underlines his lack of strength. Bertrand had a good game, proper attacking outlet on the left. Cedric also had a good game doing similar down the right, but our left side is easily our strongest area. What you would say though is that this team is crying out for pace, there were opportunities in that game where JWP and even Hoj had space in front of them, but they didn't have the pace to get away. Pace in the attacking third would make a real difference to this side, I still think we have some really good players in this team. Our next run of games is where I expect us to start pulling ourselves around. We've shown in this game, at Utd and even v Arsenal that we are better than where we are. Maybe it will now finally dawn on everyone that we are actually in real danger.

It strikes me that there are always fans at this club ripe for a protest, they're always waiting for an oppertunity to wave their banners and wiggle their fingers at the dugout. Just like our old friend, Kirk.

There's no chance of us signing Lucas Moura. There's more chance of me coming on as a 2nd half sub today.

I'd be very surprised if this news hasn't got tounges wagging at the club.... Let's see how MP does today. I think I'm being stupidly optimistic about the game again. I'll never learn.

More to this than results, apparently relations with the club have been very fraught since the failed Everton approach. Silva making it clear he wanted out (which was pretty bad form on his part, seeing as he'd just gone there), but Watford not agreeing the compo. Writing was on the wall after that, the squad and his eyes were taken off the ball. Little convo with the club after this, some of the transfer moves they are making weren't discussed with him. Pretty sure this is a mutual departure though.

Technically we went for Boufal as our Mane replacement.

I can't see how this can happen, he's quality. Exactly the sort of player we should have looked at to replace Mane first time round (as well as Sisto). Pacey, direct, got a bit of strength about him, tricky, goal record. Closest match to mane we could realstically attract. Let's see how this pans out.

We should be beating dross like Huddersfield, Palace, Swansea, Stoke as well etc etc etc. There's a pattern forming there. We're more dross then them!

They were caught a bit like rabbits in headlights for the first 5 mins, but since then they've looked better. How the lino missed that clear pen is beyond me, you can talk VAR all you like, but if a human being cannot keep up with play to see the most blantant penality ever then he shouldn't be in a job. I reckon they'll get a goal back in the 2nd half.

We didn't beat them the few months ago we played them, we let Glen flaming Murray equalise. Have no confidence in us to beat anyone going by who we've failed to beat this year.

This guy? Sammie Szmodics Highly rated down in L2 tbf. But I would guess this is one for the U23's

Should we be concerned that he'll be there with Harry Redknapp.

He's injured at the mo, so big no from me.

Who is the absolute polar opposite of the sort of player they're looking for.

How many times does that need to be brought up. It has nothing to do with that. Fraser Forster is with Stellar Football Management.

They're having a laugh. Surely.

He is part of Stellar Group, nothing to do with what was dug up the other day. Same agents as Bale, Lallana etc.

Stellar Football I think https://www.transfermarkt.com/stellar-football-ltd/beraterfirma/berater/190

Also a criticism of Puel. Maybe at this point we need to then look at the makeup and recruitment of the squad, and the fact that two managers have been chopping and changing the side in the hope of finding a formula.

One of the biggest mysteries of all - which that article picked up on - is why on gods earth was Fraser offered a new 5 year contract in the summer? Why was that needed? What had he done to deserve that? It was only a year on since his last 5 year renewal, so it's not like he was running down his contract and we needed to act. It's no wonder the levels have dropped if they know they don't have to play out of their skin to get an undeserved pay packet. That decision is still a total wtf in my mind.