Lighthouse

Thankfully he has already agreed to sign for Man Utd.

When we signed him I thought he was a decent replacement for Juanmi, which isn't exactly hard. Problem is he is starting every league game, rather than being a bench option. Hopefully when Boufal, Long, Tadic and possibly J Rod are fitter, we will see less of him.

Austin might. Hopefully the others will run about a bit.

I do wonder how somebody who was on the books at Chelsea and Man City ended up doing this for money.

Perhaps worth pointing out that we did beat Liverpool over 2 legs last season, in the league at least. Having said that, they've bought the player who scored 3 of the 4 goals for us and the other is in China.

I think a certain somebody who claims to be based in a certain Scottish city maybe be bored with a certain account based around a certain meth cooking TV character.

I thought that but.... 1. They may well be missing Mané and PC. 2. As good as their first 11 is, they lack the depth of Utd 3. They look much more likely title contenders and may be focussed on their tough league games either side. 4. Mourinho will be desperate to win something this season and a Cup semi will probably be a high priority

Arsenals second defeat in all competitions in the last 8 months.

Bugger, oh well. Home leg first too.

TBF, if ever a City needed praying for...

Really disappointed. If we'd put out a decent team we could have won that. Can't see where the goals will come from without Austin.

I had £25 on Reed being the first player down the tunnel at HT at 37-1, now £925 better off.

I think I can take an educated guess which.

And Arsenal's does? McQ isn't a rookie fullback, he played up front whilst on loan. Fairly happy with that, it's hardly a Checkatrade team. To not make the bench, one might assume Austin has a knock but it is disappointing if he is just left out.

J Rod needs game time and confidence from somewhere. Arsenal midfielders aren't exactly know for being bruisers, so the work rate of Clasie, Davis and JWP is perhaps more important than having Rom's physical presence.

So many choices all over the pitch, which is nice when we're fighting in three fronts I guess. I'd rest VVD but otherwise keep it fairly strong. Forster Cedric - Yoshida - Fonte - McQ Davis - Clasie - JWP Boufal - J Rod - Tadic

1 win in 8, their last 2 being an absolute spanking from Chelsea and a stoppage time equaliser at home to said Swansea team. If we were heading to Goodison on the back of such form, this forum would be apocalyptic.

Arsenal and HBS. Lose the other 2 and we will still be mid table.

The point is they're not playing with anything like the intensity they played with last year. They've put so much into their CL campaign that they've looked off the pace in the League and have had a couple of spankings away from home.

Think Pompey had a 7-4 against Reading a few years back.

We are no worse than we have been over the last couple of seasons, other than our strikers enduring some poor form. Leicester look every bit a bottom half team.

Guessing Swansea won't be last on MOTD.

We should play our strongest 11 in every game, just like Leicester who's form definitely hasn't suffered because of it.

All going Pete Tongue at Fratton.