HarvSFC

Was thinking about Broja earlier today and the massive bullet we dodged. His career fell off a cliff and seemingly peaked with us four years ago. He of course did suffer an injury, but I remember some hints from the following fans forum that his attitude wasn't quite there as well.

Is that going to end up in a three match ban for the Preston player?

We have just got the 2026 Artur Boruc haven't we.

If we can get £40m for Fernandes then we should absolutely be asking for the same for Jander.

Going to sound a bit like Russell Martin, but the team was missing Stephens and Downes tonight. Certainly didn't miss Smallbone, so not going full Martin, but the first two give us that bit more defensive steel and grit that was missing at points tonight. The second half especially felt like two years ago when we had to play without Downes, leaving us exposed and open in the middle. It's a real shame that Romeu's legs have gone as this scenario would have been perfect for a slightly younger version of himself to come into. Still unbeaten in the league in 18, we're going into the play-offs the form side and with the momentum. Whereas, you'd feel whoever misses out this weekend may take a psychological hit. Said last week that we want to avoid Ipswich and that still stands. They pretty much signed the best of the Championship when they went up and they have the players who can punish our mistakes and go toe to toe with our squad, like they did tonight. Whereas, I don't get the same fear from Millwall, Middlesbrough or Wrexham.

As we all know, last year we weren't competitive at all, and two years ago we were getting smashed out of the cup by Liverpool's Under 21s. Now, under Eckert, we've played three Premier League teams, two of the best in the country and been competitive in all of the games right up to the final whistle. Confident that if we were to go up, that we'd give a much better account of ourselves this time. Our line-up on the opening day of the 2024-25 season was shocking. McCarthy, Sugawara, Smallbone, Aribo, Armstrong and Brereton-Diaz with Bednarek and Stephens in a back three alongside THB, and none of them can play that formation. We've come a long way in just over a year, they did us proud today, which we couldn't say once this time last year.

Other than the Leicester away game, he's been the perfect replacement for Fernandes and plays at a similar level. He was the driving force in our comeback against Derby and felt that he was what we missed in the middle against Bristol City in midweek, given his ability to win the ball back and get us up the pitch quickly. If we don't go up then there's no chance that we keep hold of him, but another example that there is actually a scouting team at the club now, picking up these lesser known players who excel here, like Scienza. After years of signing lesser known players and the reason they're not well known is they're playing two levels below where we were currently.

The play-offs aren't a bad reserve prize. The West Brom games of two years ago and then Leeds were up there with my favourite moments supporting the club. If Ipswich get second then I'd say we're the strong favourites for them too.

Nice if the McKenna links to Bournemouth ruin Ipswich's season.

So we can compete with Premier League sides when we don't spend 75% of the match passing slowly within our own half, valuing the possession stat more than goals. Who'd have thought.

Unfortunately, this is why we can't give Stewart a new contract. A real shame. Very dependent on Larin keeping fit for the rest of the season now.

Does it work the same way as appealing red cards? Get a stronger punishment, rather than the initial one? Just looking at the forwards they had two years ago - Vardy, Mavididi, Iheanacho, Fatawu, Daka and they still had room to bring in Tom Cannon for £7.5m. That's a lot on the books, while they also had an experienced midfield and defence also. They gambled on breaking the rules to get back up instantly, similar to how Forest gambled in the Premier League, but it hasn't worked out for Leicester.

I thought Archer would show up this season and give us a view of the player he was at Preston and Middlesbrough. A few nice finishes in his first season here also, in the league and cup, but he was feeding off scraps in the Premier League, so with a few more chances I was of the belief we could have one of the better strikers in this league. In the same way that Adam Armstrong revitalises in the second tier. However, for whatever reason nothing is coming off for here him now and when he isn't scoring, similarly to Armstrong, there isn't much point on him being on the pitch as he isn't doing anything else. There have been two games this season where he has actually seemed up for it and that was Birmingham home and away. So, maybe if we tell him we're playing Birmingham every week now, that might work.

He backed away from Shawcross very quickly.

Also have a confession to make in that I think I'm enjoying Jack Stephens again. Give him another three years.

A lot of focus has been on Larin getting ready for the Canada World Cup squad. But, surely Stewart is also an outside bet for the Scotland national team should he finally remain fit. George Hirst and Lyndon Dykes in their most recent squad alongside Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland, and a fit Stewart is at least better than the first two. Just needs to do the hard bit for him and remain fit.

The triple half time subs worked as well.

Incredible win. We were still 3-1 down on the 80th minute. Stephens' finish for the second goal was probably my favourite of the night and gave the faintest belief. But, we went and done it! Got away with starting Archer. If it isn't Birmingham, he isn't interested. Never again. But, yeah, what a win. Up the Saints.

We fucking did it lads. What the fuck.

Norwich's new striker has three goals tonight now. Four goals in his first two. Shame we don't have the resources to compete with Norwich and can't identify such players.

At least we've got six months to prepare for next season now.* *Which we also had this time last year having only signed Gronbaek on loan in January and we still didn't do anything until late August and several matches into the season.

On the topic of Norwich appointing a better manager than us. They also signed a striker in the January window. He has 3 goals in his first 2 appearances. 2 tonight. While we're persisting with Archer because our new striker can't possibly start 8 days after signing. Oh no, he has to the whole learning how we play thing, so can't start games this soon. If we didn't already know it, our whole setup at the club is so wrong.

Opposition teams don't seem to back off and let us have a shot on goal. Probably why we're 3-0 down.

We'd never have had a player named Izzet Furkan Malak without Goztepe.

Needs the same conversation Pardew had with Lambert.