The Fish

Agg Pts = current points total. Max Pts = if the team were to win all their remaining games, what would they end up with PpG Proj = if the team were to maintain their PpG, what would they end up with Req'd title race PpG= the Points per game needed to get to 92pts (average points total of the Champions from the past 10 seasons) PpG v ^^ = The difference between current and req'd PpG to be in the title race. Req'd CL race PpG = same as above but 72pts, average points required for 4th in the last 10yrs PpG v ^^ = The difference between current and req'd PpG to be in the race for 4th. You'd have to say that, realistically it's only Arsenal and Man City in the title race itself. The uptick required for the rest of us is an additional point per game, essentially we'd have to win every remaining game. Nobody is fully out of the CL picture, but I think it's fair to say that Aston Villa and below are out of the reckoning (+Brentford). Which leaves Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, Man Utd and Fulham and Brighton. I separate those because I don't think they've the squad to maintain any kind of challenge to the top 4 spots.

I'd give Wilson a start, plus ASM. Start Murphy or Fraser on the other flank. Maybe Joelinton and Longstaff in the middle. Manquillo in for Trippier, Targett in for Burn. Keep Botman, Schar and Pope. Have Isak, (if fit), Almiron, Willock, Bruno, Trippier, Burn and Darlow on the bench. How many subs can you name, and make in the FA cup this season?

I don't like this. Don't rate the Scottish leagues at all, and loans to Scotland haven't worked out for us in the past.

Meet with them first, to curry favour.

Wouldn't anyone buying Man Utd also have to go over every commercial deal they currently have? That's a phat book of business. Official cooking oil partners, tractor part partners and all that. What a ball ache that is. Instead, like you say, you could buy Brentford for comparative buttons, change very little on the football side and work at improving their global footprint/commercial portfolio. Reap the benefits from that in no time.

Goals conceded versus how many goals you'd expect the teams to give up per 90. Look at how much Everton are relying on Pickford. They're conceding enough chances that you'd expect them to ship 1.66 goals per 90 (Only Nottingham and Fulham give up more). They're only conceding 1.18 goals per 90, there are only 4 teams conceding fewer. They're not creating much (only Bournemouth and Wolves create less) and as above they're giving up loads of chances. @Gemmill makes a decent prediction. Add to their current performance the incompetence of their board to appoint the right man and they're in for a world of hurt. Lampard has no discernible style, but I'd still not be surprised to see them appoint someone to replace him who prefers a style that's wildly inappropriate for the playing staff they have. I've just remembered the existence of their saviour Anthony Gordon, what's he doing now? Is he injured? Suspended? Doing a stretch for abstracting electricity?

How insecure must you be to get wound up by Newcastle being a threat? They've got an unbelievable number of trophies, a squad peppered with some genuinely talented players and a very, very good coach. If they're this precious about us already, imagine what they'll be like when we really start spending.

It does seem to be Liverpool, more than any other 'Big 6' club, that's taken the takeover really badly. I don't want a rivalry with them, I want a sporting, handshakes all round, rivalry with Man City, or maybe a Wenger/Ferguson style petty rivalry with Arsenal.

Past 5 seasons it's taken us around 30 games to get to 34 pts. 17/18 31 games 35pts 18/19 30 games 34pts 19/20 29 games 35pts 20/21 32 games 35pts 21/22 31 games 34pts 22/23 18 games 34pts We ended up with; 17/18 44pts (+10pts from 7 Benitez games) 18/19 45pts (+11pts from 8 Benitez games) 19/20 44pts (+9pts from 9 Bruce games) 20/21 45pts (+10pts from 6 Bruce games) 21/22 49pts (+15 SUPER EDDIE HOWE points from 7 SUPER EDDIE HOWE games) If we continue at this pace (1.9PpG), we are projected to finish on around 72pts. Past 30 seasons, 72pts has been good enough for 2nd 4/30 times, 3rd 14/30 times and 4th 24/30 times. Past 10 seasons 72pts has been good enough for 2nd 1/10, 3rd 4/10 times and 4th 6/10 times. Past 5 seasons 72pts has been good enough for 3rd 3/5 times and 4th 4/5 times. Break down the three periods of Eddie Howe's tenure; Nov 21 - Feb 22 = 1.36 PpG Feb 22 - May 22 = 1.93 PpG Aug 22 - Jan 23 = 1.88 PpG It's on lads.

LEAVE BRUNO ALONE!

It's a bad thing, so it is, tbstbs

He hasn't been poor, far from it, it's just that in the last 2 games his focus has been very much on getting the ball back and due to the opposition' disparate strengths we've not seen the other side to his game. Against Leeds he lead the team in tackles, drawing fouls, was had a better dribble success rate than any other starter, completed more long passes than anyone else, only Dan Burn completed more short passes... it's just a different, less glamorous side to his game. To be honest, it's more like the player I thought we'd be signing. A lot of the ugly work. Against Arsenal he was, as Craig says, clearly tasked with keeping Odegaard quiet, but he still completed more progressive passes (ball passed >10yd towards Arsenal's goal) than anyone else in the team. Only Willock had a better pass completion%, and Bruno's passes covered more ground. Nobody put more balls into the final 3rd, or into the box. Nobody on our team attempted or completed as many dribbles as Bruno.

Eh? We've played the 'top teams' at theirs and taken points from all but one, we're unbeaten at home and have won 19pts from 9 games at St James'. Stop ignoring the fact that we are now the Kings of Football, it makes you look silly when you do.

Yeah, being frustrated that your team couldn't break down a perceived lesser opponent is one thing. Blaming that opponent for not rolling over to have their tummy tickled is entitled bullshit. Don't get me wrong, I look forward to the day we turn up at the Emirates and play open expansive football to make Ty and his ilk cry into their club branded pillows. But until then they should stop crying, and fuck 'em if they can't

After the first few lines I was looking more at the league as a whole. Looking for trends that might undermine good league position now, e.g. Fulham may be in a false position because they've already played 5 bottom half sides at home to get 10pts. Chelsea haven't yet played any bottom half sides at home. Everton haven't played any team that finished 7-10th last season away from home.

Yeah, it had to be against last season as the bandings could change on an almost weekly basis.

In love with his own voice, that lad. Respect. Game recognises Game.

Alan Varela (Boca Juniors) – Scout Report – Target Scouting

Played all of the 'Big 6' and only lost to Liverpool (arguably unjustly). Played 4 of them away from home and took 5pts back home. Scored 7 conceded 6 Best defence in the league, conceding roughly 0.6 per 90. Fifth best attack in the league, scoring roughly 1.8 per 90. Simple table showing where teams have picked up their points this season. BH P = Games played against teams who finished in the Bottom Half 21/22 season, TH = Top Half 21/22 BH Pts = Points won in games against teams who finished bottom half 21/22 The sides promoted from the Championship at the end of the 21/22 season count as Bottom half for this table. Stand outs for me are; Brighton, Brentford, Fulham and Wolves. Former two have taken the majority of their points from top half sides. Double what they've taken from the bottom half sides. 80% of Fulham's and 100% of Wolves points have come from bottom half sides. Breaking it down further; Splitting the halves into more granular bandings. First table is games played against opposition in each banding. And this second one shows points returned from those fixtures. Shows that Chelsea and Tottenham have failed to beat any of the sides who finished higher than 7th, so far. Aston Villa have only taken 1pt from the promoted sides.

Yeah, apparently Simms has gone, that Diallo from Man Utd is a loanee too so the risk they could actually lose all three of them.

Who's tempted to stir the pot a little?

Saying that 16th placed Hull are genuine contenders for the Play Off spot isn't the brag he thinks it is Rumours abound that they're going to do lose their top scorer again, because that always goes well.