S-Clarke

Or Stoke, what with all of their mega signings that we should have had here - apparently.

He's not a defensive midfielder, he's just a pace-setting central midfield player - just like JWP really, neither - IMO - are going to be too much of a threat in an AMC role. Wouldn't mind seeing Jay and Tadic either side of Mane just in behind Pelle, with Clasie spraying the passes from CM and Victor shielding.

The highlight was prob the red arrows display I was treated to at half time.

I'll be honest, I didn't have an issue today. Went on at about 2:30, got the TSN5 stream on via Kodi and it didn't stop once (better than it has been in the other weeks this season). Pretty happy with it today. May be something with the load balancing if some people are having issues and some aren't.

He wasn't really tested too much in a defensive sense, but looked very dominant in the jewels and picked up good positions to cover for players. But the positive about him is his ability on the ball, it was pretty immese. The commentators made the remark that he was the best passer on the pitch - and they're probably not far wrong!

We just don't move it quickly enough in the final third. There are plenty of goals in the attack though, it'll come.

To be honest, I thought we were clearly the better side. We were never in any danager and dictated the tempo through the middle. We played through the lines pretty well...until the final third! Frustrating in that sense, but if it's one of those days, then you just need to make sure you don't let it slip at the back. Positive has been our organisation, we're getting back to where we were last season. Very hard to break down, keeping teams at arms length, and you always have chance of nicking something. With Mane, Pelle, Long, Tadic to call on, we will score goals. As long as we're a little more quick once we get into the final third! Final note, Virgil looks like a bit of a Rolls Royce defender. Very, very, very composed on the ball and allowed us to build from the back a hell of a lot more successfully than we have been doing this season. Probably a better point for us than WBA. Not really too upset by the result, there were positives.

I'm watching via Kodi right now (sportsmania plugin) and it's fine. Tsn5. Could be because everyone is hitting it at the same time? I did go on a little earlier tbh.

He would have been if he didn't get that infection tbf. Everything was right on course, but that infection he had added another 6 months.

It was a rubbish game to watch tbh, but 8 wins out of 8 can't be shrugged at. I still think we'll probably come up short tactically against the bigger nations, as we play too ridged for me, but...we've beaten what's in front of us, which has been a pathetically easy group tbf.

Always the same with England. Beat San Marino and we have a chance of winning the Euro's, but this game is a bit of a back down to earth with regards to how tactically dated we are. Good players, but managed in a horrifically **** way.

Well, that was depressing.

But we're not talking about 1 season, or 1 position. We're talking about the histories and statures of the clubs in the commercial and fan sense. We aren't close.

The night David Prutton somehow contrived to miss an open goal.

One from Shelvey and Barkley, exactly the sort we could do with in CM.

He's not getting much love in the comments!

Amazing result for N.Ireland, can they really do it??? Shane Long also got one for the ROI tonight.

Awful news, he was such a top talent. Looking at the article it says he's done is ACL and medial. That's just horrific. Long road back from that.

The likes of JWP, Reed, Hesketh, Targett etc will be in the U21 list.

Rudi Skacel surely has to win that one.

MERSE SAYS: I'm not sure about Virgil van Dijk at all because he's been playing for Celtic and hasn't had to head a ball. I'm very interested to see what happens with him, but they have kept Sadio Mane and Victor Wanyama which is good news. Their start to the season has been a bit disappointing but they've had injuries so I'll give them a B-. He gets paid to type that. quite incredible really.

You've let us all down this year, we were relying on you to save us.

He can sod off, he spat his dummy out to get a move and took the **** out of this club, so he can drown his sorrows up in Stoke or WBA with Rickie.

9.9/10

Yeah, what is with that? They've spent about £20m in the window. £10m on two today, Ince was signed for around £6-7m, and they've added a few other's I can't remember right now. Quite ambitious, especially with the new manager they have who is also apparently on a decent wedge. This is obviously the gamble of all gambles. Also, the Bradley Johnson move is odd. Norwich's player of the season last year, 16 goals from midfield, vice captain, loved by Norwich fans. They've bemused that they've let him go and not replaced him. Money talks there I guess, £7m!