saintwbu

edit: not the one where Alli dived against us, can't remember who it was against this time but it was widely accepted as a dive (or 'clever play' because he's English)

He did his best to make it difficult for us when we beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season too, and was the ref to give Dele Alli a penalty at White Hart Lane when he dived earlier in the season (although most seem to be happy to do that!). Not a ref I enjoy having.

One of the least disappointing defeats i've ever experienced, knowing that we haven't helped Spurs get back in reach of the title. We played well, but we let ourselves down defensively. Boufal showed more of the good elements to his game than the bad for the first time in quite a while. Why why why does it seem like whenever a ball is played into a promising area for us, it falls to Davis?

For me PEH's decision making is still a step behind what's needed in this league. Against City was a great example where he ended up left side of the Man City half just outside the box and delayed his next move and just lost the ball in a really promising position. I guess to eradicate this he needs regular game time consistently in order to get up to speed. He has some really great attributes, but he has some huge downfalls at the moment that for me put us in a dangerous position way too often. To use a really unfair comparison, but the only one I can think of, I remember Guly's first game when the fans were already wound up because Pardew had just been sacked so weren't particularly patient with him, but I remember every time he got the ball he expected an extra second longer than he ended up getting, and he got tackled. I said to my dad that night you can tell he's come from Italy, because he's expecting a bit more than he's going to be allowed. That's how PEH feels at the moment to me, he just expects a little more than he's going to get. DISCLAIMER: I'm not comparing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Champions League winner, Danish international, Bayern Munich youngster, to Guly Do Prado.

He seems like a popular bloke among the squad from what i've seen on social media and seems to take a lot of the youngsters under his wing - hope LeG is chatting ****, i've always been a big fan of Austin. Although I have always found it a bit odd that he doesn't particularly talk about Saints much on social media when he's out injured, not often showing his support. Not that it matters, but most players do (probably told by their advisors), him not so much.

They were supposed to spend big this summer just gone but they didn't. They'll need to spend on strengthening the depth of their squad now they're in Europe, I doubt they'll blow their entire budget on a centre back. Koeman and Virgil spent one season together, i'd hardly expect Koeman to affect Virgil's entire career path (which this move may) when he must know that Ron will be off at the first decent opportunity anyway.

Think he had a decent reputation already to be fair! But otherwise yes I agree, i'm always suspect when a keeper down the bottom end is being lauded. Heaton and Pickford are this season's choices. Have wanted us to sign Sigurdsson for years now, I wouldn't be so sure that he'd want to go to a 'big' club having already been burned once.

The only money they spent this year was covered by their sale of Stones. I don't reckon they're ready to drop £60 mil on anyone, let alone a centre back, despite all this talk of being the 'new Man City'.

Not gonna lie, I bloody love the bloke. He deserves a better song, he's been here long enough.

For me he'll go down as a very good signing - minimal fee, expectation was about as low as it can be - he has put in some perfectly respectable performances when needed, yes a few not so pretty, but has the ability to get up and back and occasionally pulled out a lovely clipped pass in behind that created several goals. Has scored one of the greatest goals I have ever seen live, and I had the perfect view of it, will never ever forget it. Seems like an extremely popular member of the group too. Good luck to him, he's alright.

Yeah sorry my post probably came over as being not happy with the current two. I've always been a massive supporter of Yoshida, from the first game I saw him (against Spurs when they beat us 2-0 at St. Mary's and Bale scored both I believe) when despite Bale scoring there was a couple of times Yoshida handled him superbly like many others defenders wouldn't have. So i'm extremely happy that he's finally getting recognition. I'm more than happy with Maya and Stephens being our pairing, but I think most would admit we need another CB in some form, even to give us Maya, Jack, Virgil and another. Hopefully, Caceres may be the other one.

I'd like to see him play incase he could be our replacement for Fonte long term. But on the other hand, I know that if he plays and demonstrates he's fit and anywhere near the level he once was then he will just trot off to some other club in the summer on a free. Or perhaps we are preventing him putting himself in the shop window so that other clubs would still see him as a risk and he might fancy staying put here if we believe he's physically up to it. Would be a shame to have a player of that supposed quality and never see him play!

If Fraser is going to be going, and even if he is not, surely Pickford is within our reach? Only Everton above us should be looking for a new keeper, all the other top clubs are sorted in that area unless Pickford is going to be happy as a definite backup. I also get the feeling Everton think they're better than signing the relegated young goalkeeper from Sunderland and will want a 'name' like Hart (who i'd love here, obviously). Also as mentioned above, if Swansea go down then all out to sign Sigurdsson pleeeeeeease. *Edit: I rate Fraser, so i'd be fine if he stayed, but IF he goes, then..

Just important to clarify things so that impressionable people don't see stuff like that and believe it!

None of Holgate, Calvert-Lewin or Lookman came through the Everton academy, and Pennington is 22. Pennington has only been playing because of Coleman's broken leg and now Williams' suspension. The only one of those he's really placed real faith in, in terms of a proper run in the side, is Davies.

'Lovren etc.' being just Lovren. None of our CB's before Lovren looked good in the Prem. The CB's after have been Toby and Virg, I don't think anyone ever said Fonte made either of those two look good because it's pretty clear that they are world class centre backs in their own right. Lovren has then gone on to look very suspect at Liverpool so I think it's a fair point to suggest that Fonte did make Lovren look better than he was, just as Toby and Virg probably have done for Fonte in recent seasons.

I side with the Poch being a top manager team on this, but agree with this comment, can't think of many United players i'd have in the Spurs team to be honest, so i'd have to say that Spurs probably do have the better squad. Sad reflection on United though to be honest, awful transfer policy!

That still is just slightly misleading though, isn't it? It gives the impression he was off the floor and square on to Herrera's leg, when really he kicked the ball and his foot lifted in that action on the way through, with very little force behind it, and he caught the inside of Herrera's leg rather than his shin.

Shane has to start for me. His weaknesses are there for all to see but his energy and movement causes havoc even if the end product is often missing, meaning he often creates gaps for other players. The game he didn't start this week we drew 0-0, the two that he did we won and scored 4 goals.

He's still a massive ****

We could potentially go into this game without Van Dijk, Gabbiadini, Austin, Bertrand, Romeu - That is literally all of our best/most effective players haha. We really haven't had much luck on the injury front this season, so to be looking at 8th and having been in a cup final i'd say we've had a good season in reflection!

I think it's always been pretty clear he isn't the brightest, but then plenty of footballers aren't. He seems very much like an 'arm round the shoulder' type of player and he certainly isn't playing for a manager who is likely to do that, so in my opinion it is definitely in his best interests to get out of there as soon as possible like De Bruyne and Lukaku both did at Chelsea. Get out to a 'smaller' club, get back to the top of his game and a big club will come calling further down the line when he has matured a bit. Funnily enough, that wing back role at Chelsea would be ideal but I can't see them buying him as Alonso has been brilliant all season.

Redmond absolutely superb I thought, and Tadic almost equally brilliant at times. Great performance and should've been out of sight way earlier if our players could finish.

If we draw this game it'll be another one used to batter Puel, but it's yet another game we should've scored about 5 in!

I will just be slightly pedantic and say that Gardos was probably a replacement for someone like Hooiveld if anyone, and therefore probably goes down as adequate. But yes I agree we have slipped up at times. Top centre halves are already hard to come by in the modern game so it will be interesting to see where we go for our next one(s).