Big O

Maybe an arm, var would have ruled it out, can understand why Lino didn’t. Thought we gave it a real go tonight against a good team. Depth of bench was a difference, we can’t afford to be without Sargent, Nunez, Sainz. We’re too thin

Quite happy to have a charity bet that Leicester finish top

Not if he is behind or level with the player passing it, which was clearly the linesman’s view. I actually thought he was just off

Thought we started well and challenged them. We have purposefully put the high press on to make them go long but the quality of the passing from their keeper means they have worked it out. Equally Leicester have closed all space down for Rowe which leaves us struggling for an out ball. One thing is clear we can’t play the same way as we will be down to 10 so we will now have to concede possession to them, stay in the game and try and make it ragged in the last 20 and see why we can get.

Be tempted to take fassnacht off for Batth and go wingbacks for a bit. Try and get some control through the centre

They are very good. We confused them to start with, they adapted. W haven’t yet

I think we do have depth on the bench to change a game, especially when we get a couple back. Hernandez is lauded on here as an impact player off the bench and does give you a quick direct winger, Sainz we don’t really know yet but looks like a player with good close control and intricate passing, Idah (assuming off bench) gives another striker and Nunez is abit of a wild card. We also have now the ability to switch to 3 at the back/wingbacks or we could stick a holding midfielder on (Gibbs/forshaw) to get Sara further forward. We do have options but yesterday we just played cr@p against a committed and physical opposition. It happens.

Yep, just goes to show the gap and the fact you can’t get away with high press football when you play much better teams, they just pick you off.

Come on city, let’s get this back. Would be a great point from here

It’s shocking how VAR gets these quite simple decisions wrong. They should have a common sense test as part of their process

Kind of thought they would be a tough side for us today and our new approach of getting the ball wide and crosses in, kind of plays into their game plan/limitations. This is where we will have to be bold and change it up a little. Get Barnes up top, Nunez in behind him and try and get on the ball for a bit, change gino for McCullum if he is having one and don’t be shy to bring placheta in for either Rowe or fassnacht.

No forshaw?

I’m sure there will be plans in place should we be promoted but as we have seen in this window, Luton and Sheffield Utd haven’t really been able to add much. I think our model (whether we personally like it or not) is entirely based on bringing through good young players into a team of championship level players and the hope to unearth a diamond (I.e someone like a buendia, pukki or even a Sara) that can make a difference.

I think the logic is that we already have the young players that present our future coming through but temp stop gaps and educators are required to bring them through safely. It is in effect the strategy, bring in lots of youngsters and coach at least a few of them through to the first team. there are enough let go by the big clubs to gamble on some being later developers

I think it’s a really difficult balance to get right for a football club. The change in finances from championship to premier league and back again is so enormous it must be really hard work to try and bridge in your planning. This is where I do agree with you that the lack of financial clout of our owners does hold us back, others have been able to smooth this period because they have more of a guarantee sitting behind them due to their owners wealth. the last premier league season was a disaster but on one hand we have to say the club went for it in terms of transfer fees and wages (history has clearly told us the entirely wrong players but different debate). Given that level of outlay we had to get up last year or have a massive change in expense base to prepare for the likelihood of not having parachute payments next year of c£40m and champ tV money of best case c£10m - a huge drop. we have to therefore get our wage bill down to a level we can meet through our income plus any transfer fee upside. We can clearly expect Sara and Rowe to go next year if we don’t go up. I don’t think this smacks of ambition more just dealing with the financial reality we are in. It’s why we need at least 1 or 2 good youngsters to come through and ideally turn a profit on the odd South American!