OTF

The rope a dope tactic. Isak looked pretty sharp for a player who has been out for so long, perhaps that was comparatively to our cloggers who he was playing alongside. I did really think it odd that Eddie started him, but he could have had two goals in the half on another night, so I think that's what Howe was going for - some early goals.

Krafth surprisingly did step up markedly befoew his injury. If he comes back at the same level from his injury he's a great utility defensive substitute option, never a first choice though. Shelvey was looking similar until his injury, then worked hard to come back ahead of schedule only pickup another injury. On ability and recent attitude it's fine to keep him around for the time being as a bench option and cup player. Lascelles doesn't work in our new system, from a playing perspective we have to get rid of him or else he's essentially just a novelty mascot as captain. Seems happy enough to br a bit part player so no huge rush if he's contributing to our harmonious squad. Longstaff I have mixed thoughts about, but essentially he has the right attitude. He doesn't seem like he's going to be top quality but if can improve his vision whilst on the ball who knows. Keep him. Anderson it's too early to say, but he hasn't impressed of late. Howe is keen on giving him a chance so he must do alright in training. No risk in hanging on a bit longer.

It is absolute crap, agreed. However what we're engaged in could be a more rewarding gradual ascension. None of that spunking huge amounts of cash on money grabbing mercenaries, and all the while we'll be witnessing the existing big spenders bitching and moaning about us coming for them (refer to Jurgen Klippityklopp).

I'd be wanting us to get 7 points as an absolute minimum from those four games. It won't be easy with the short turn around for the Fulham game after Leicester. A win in that will lift spirits after the Wednesday loss.

Next few games at the top of the table will be quite telling: Man City: (A) Man Utd (H) Spurs (H) Wolves (A) Spurs Arsenal: (A) Spurs (H) Man Utd Man Utd: (H) Man City (A) Palace (A) Arsenal Spurs: (H) Arsenal (A) Man City (A) Fulham (H) Man City Newcastle United: (H) Fulham (A) Palace (H) West Ham (A) Bournemouth Whilst it's tempting to think that the best result for us would be draws in all the highlighted games, I'm not optimistic enough to think we're in a title battle. Therefore ultimately I would want Arsenal and Man City to win all of their games in order to starve Man Utd and Spurs of as many points as possible as the run for three and four will be very tight. Of course the most important factor is us winning our games but in a tight contest every bit helps, if we can get results in these winnable games it will keep the pressure on the others.

I would not count on it, he's very 'raw'.

Ritchie was better than Murphy in this one. Murphy looked like the one who has barely played of late. He's incredibly frustrating with his decision making most often running himself into blind alleys and weakly turning the ball over, he's also weak as piss in the tackle and poor at winning a free-kick. If he comes on late against a tiring defense he can look ok running into space, but yesterday one on one with a defender and all the space in the world he had a core meltdown and did nothing. He made one great run and then didn't have the quality to put it over the keeper into the open net. When called on here as a senior player in the team he let us down is what it boils down to. If you throw him on with our A team his weaknesses are masked, here they were fully exposed and it was very ugly.

The next patron excess funds can go towards a new shift for thebrokenkey.

His eyes being painted on is probably the only excuse I'd accept for him not hitting the target.

Add to that that Anderson was poor. We'll give him the rusty benefit of the doubt.

They'll take a while to clear out unfortunately, mostly just warm bodies for training in the meantime.

Aye, they looked like a side in form. They were nervous late on and rode a bit of luck, but fully deserve the win.

Better to lose than to draw. Might sound fickle but I don't count this as breaking our unbeaten run because this was not even close to our strongest side. More revealed about players we already knew were not good enough.

This is third piriority of the games in this week, so I don’t think it was being cute.

Calling that a league one finish would be a disservice to league one.

Wood FFS.

That was silly though.

Because Trippier will have been champing at the bit to get on. There's a long time left in this yet. 1-1 on the offsides.

TOT is back baby!

Ridiculous stuff there, calamitous.

Howe bot happy, hoying on some quality.

Geez, that's a cracking save by their keeper.

No VAR and they get away with off-side. Time for a reaction.

You're shitting me.

Botman keeping the dream alive, but still a dream, with that well hit but off-target crack from distance.