UpweySaint

It was not a wholly bad idea but poorly executed. We did our best work developing young talent when they came into a settled side with experience and quality. SR clearly overdid it. Either way we’ve got incredible value in the summer window, Dobbin’s price currently the only outlier but performances like yesterday do help underline that there is a lot of talent there.

Couple of thoughts having read through some of the reaction. Downes did an interview after the Portsmouth game saying the players have spoken in the dressing room about not having hit their stride yet. I know it’s easily said but if we can do this well without hitting our stride it’s promising. If we can kick on then another good run could really start to eat away at the gap to the top. I tend to agree that Swansea may fall away based on squad depth but I remember being convinced we would catch Ipswich when they did the back to backs for exactly the same reason. They did okay with injuries and momentum seemed to carry them. Swansea are no mugs and they looked well coached so I guess they could continue to surprise a lot of people.

Some of the close control was good. He found nice pockets of space and turned defenders well a couple of times. He’s a very different player to Azaz but I could see him as a 10 in an open game. He’s not going to pick the sort of passes out that Azaz does but he has other attributes. Hopefully with more game time and confidence we’ll see the best of him.

Away win. Two scrappy, ground out wins on the bounce. Two clean sheets. It’s not pretty but I’ve seen us play some good stuff this season. Throw in the guile to grind it out in games like this where to opposition are niggly little fuckers we’re going to be in with a shout at the top end.

Maybe he’s come back knackered. I expect an intense start so no harm having quality to come on later. Still agree with the sentiment it’s odd to be making the change but hopefully it’s all part of Tonda’s master plan …

The snowmen round your way must be obscene

Technically true and it’s never going to happen but surely if you cheat financial rules in previous seasons you still benefit from it for a number of reasons for years to come? If City don’t win their appeal I’m curious to see just how hard they get hit.

Fair point. I would counter though that plenty of coaches get sacked but go on to do well elsewhere. Cooper has previous experience of the league and some proven credentials. I’m not lobbying for him in particular I just recall seeing he was available and he is someone we have been linked with in the past. I don’t recall him being wedded to a specific formation but I can’t guarantee the quality of my memory 😅 I expect unless it’s a massive ban it will be Garner and/or Lallana. If it’s a long ban much harder to say. I like Ralph and have very fond memories but he was a bit of an ideologue and I don’t see our squad being well suited to his preferred playing style.

I guess it depends a little on if they are a caretaker, almost ‘on trial’ or Tonda is completely out of the frame. Either way we’re a good candidate for promotion, somebody like Edwards could do with a bit of credit in the bank after an up and down few years. If Edwards (or another) was told you get until the end of the season and we have some money left to spend in January so you can supplement the squad. Maybe? If they take us up they’re possibly managing in the prem. if we don’t go up but go close they’re hardly likely to take too much flack in the context. You could frame it as a free-ish hit with plenty stacked in their favour. FWIW I don’t mind Edwards based on ability as a coach but I would be curious if he could adapt his playing style successfully or he would expect the team to mould to him. We haven’t been perfect this season but we play some good stuff and don’t look far off it. I would want anybody coming in to offer mostly continuity. If we’re throwing names out isn’t Steve Cooper out of work? He did a wonderful job after being parachuted in at Forest.

West Ham aside is there a championship side with better attacking options on the bench? Swansea arguably have more proven strikers in Idah (sort of) and Stewart (when he’s there). I haven’t paid much attention to Wolves. Boro have a decent squad but I don’t think their bench is any better than ours. Beyond that I would struggle. I would like to see somebody who convinces more than Edozie but otherwise I’m not sure we could have reasonably expected much else. Possibly a prem loan in January if someone needs minutes.

I wonder what THB and his agent were told when he signed? I know Emery likes to ease players in, maybe after time on the training pitch over the international break he’ll start making the match day squads.

He has a wife you know!

Will we have him over the international break or will he be away with the 21s? Hopefully we have him, I agree that three weeks on the training ground with Tonda and the coaches could really help.

My maths may be wrong but would we be top in a live table without the -4? It’s a good watch this evening and we’re playing some good stuff!

If we’re throwing random names out there, anybody for some nostalgic Ziyech Watch?! Former Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech has parted ways with Wydad and the 33-year-old Moroccan has been linked with a move to Brazilian club Botafogo. (Goal)