Diego21

Massadio Haidara playing in UCL against Barcelona. Oh la la

Never Forget

So close Dubravka; Livramento, Krafth, Schar, Kelly; Joelinton, Longstaff, Willock; Almiron, Osula, Barnes

Saturday's game was a tremendous physical challenge. Personally, I would like to see those who have had fewer opportunities. I think Osula, Longstaff and Almirón have to play no matter what. Also Livramento, Hall, Willock and Barnes. It's time to see Kelly and I would like to see Krafth with him. We cannot make the same mistake as last year and see many players take on minutes and start to get injured. I think Joelinton, Gordon, Bruno and Schar deserve a rest today.

We knew it was a unique season for Miggy, but to be fair to him, it was also the first time in his entire time here that the team wanted to attack and Almirón didn't have to run 80 metres on every play to try to have a chance.

I have seen few defenders worse than Mario Hermoso. I still don't understand how we won a league with him as a centre-back. He makes absurd decisions, commits stupid fouls and penalties, jumps into pressure when he doesn't have to... His best quality is that he joins the attack well. Which I don't think is the best thing that can be said about a centre-back. He is a player who believes himself to be much better than he is, too.

The bad thing about Trippier wanting to leave is that, if he ends up staying, his level will drop a lot. It's something that has already happened to him at Tottenham and Atlético. And the drop is really very noticeable. I think it seems clear that it was he who asked to leave and who leaked the rumours. The Turkish transfer market closes in two weeks. Today, it seems that Howe already thinks that Tino is the starter and Trippier is going to be the substitute. Maybe it's not a bad idea for him to leave. I've never really liked Krafth, but little by little the guy is performing well and I think that's enough to be a substitute. When Botman and Lascelles return, which will happen in a month or two, the most normal thing is that Krafth will no longer be a centre-back. We're not going to get anything for the transfer, but we will get rid of a very important player, perhaps the player who earns the most, and that will help our Fair Play. And we can always sign someone who is free (I've been looking and there really aren't many options, although some like Sarr or Atal who, if healthy, could be interesting). But I'm very afraid that Trippier will stay at the club and take away more than he adds.

Do we know if Udogie is still running to catch Jacob?

JACOB

Looks like penalty

A Turkish team in talks with Trippier. https://x.com/yagosabuncuoglu/status/1829825423112286692

Keith says that we asked them for Elanga and they asked for a specific player in return, but we didn't want it. And that was the end of it.

Fabrizio says is over https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1829562986756792790

They can't all play and they will be forced to give away players on loan at the last minute. Madueke, Palmer, Felix, Sancho, Mudryk, Sterling, Angelo, Nkunku, Neto and Kellyman for 3 places. Even for two, if they continue to play with Enzo as an attacking midfielder. Shame about Madueke's hat trick the other day, because I think he was the player who would go the easiest and maybe they would accept a loan fee.

Lads. I think we have to have perspective. It's important to make a correct analysis. Let's see. The market may really seem disappointing to us. But let's take it step by step. First of all, we know that we had to sell for a high amount because we were threatened with losing points if we didn't do it, as happened to Everton last year. We got rid of two projects like Minteh or Anderson who have not yet exploded and have not had time to prove anything. It could have been worse. Bruno or Gordon were in the rumours to leave. Secondly... Not all markets can afford to spend a lot of money. After many years without doing so under Ashley's command, the situation has now changed. In recent years we have made many expensive investments. Gordon, Barnes, Isak, Bruno, Hall, Botman, even Joelinton if we go a little further back. That is unsustainable. In the 2021-22 season we were fighting relegation... Remember the first 15 games, which we didn't win any of. The 'problem' is that in the 2022-23 season we finished in the Big Four positions... We performed way above our possibilities. And now it seems to us that we have taken two steps backwards when we finished seventh. We have been in absolute shit for many years. Now it is time to enjoy, but enjoy it wisely. This is a long-term project. This year we have had a couple of structural potholes. Amanda has left and we have changed our DOF. We really had very few arguments to improve the team. We all agree that the right flank should be reinforced, but perhaps there is no good player on the market that the board likes and they prefer to wait and save that money so that he is the big bet for next year. I have not followed Mitchell's work, but I know that he is a good worker, that he is the man who has discovered players like Sadio Mane for Southampton. He is the man who turned Tottenham into a Champions League finalist with signings like Trippier, Son, Alderweireld or Dele Alli. He is the man who has worked at Leipzig and signed players like Nkunku, Dani Olmo, Mukiele, Haidara (not Massadio), Matheus Cunha when they were unknown. He discovered Disasi for Monaco, he gambled on Caio Henrique for a very low price. We will be patient. Big projects take years to build. Now we have to lay the foundation.