Clint

He won’t be playing in the cup though will he? He’s not available for Weds.

Presumably this just means we’re missing lots of chances we’re expected to score? Which we kind of know anyway.

Krul Aarons, Hanley, Godfrey, Lewis Trybull, Vrancic Buendia, Stiepermann, Cantwell Pukki Farhmann, Tettey, Rupp, Duda, Drmic, McLean, Idah

If Emi doesn’t start on Friday, I think we have our answer as to whether there is really a problem or not.

I’ve posted on another thread that Pukki is far too isolated and easy to defend against currently. This is not his fault, he needs a player much closer to him. People will argue that Marco is not up to it but he makes Pukki a better player. Most of his goals from open play have come with Marco in the team (inc the no goal bs Spurs). No-one else in the no 10 role offers any physicality or fight. Marco causes defenders problems for that very reason. Whilst his shooting has been very questionable, at least he was getting in positions to get the chances, no other no 10 has done that. I’d be inclined to bring him back in the team and if not him, I’d be playing Drmic either behind or alongside Pukki. No doubt Farke will just stick with the anonymous Duda though.

It’s always the same. Why are we persisting with the same formation week in week out? I’d like to see Buendia, Vrancic and Drmic start on Friday night. It’s not going to happen and I’m not saying Steiperman and Lietner are the answer but we looked significantly better going forward earlier in the season. Pukki also looks a much better player with Steiperman at no 10. I would hazard a guess that almost off of Pukki’s goals from open play this season have come when Steiperman has been in the team inc the one that never was vs Spurs.

He was awful today but hasn’t really played for 10 weeks. Klose can’t come back soon enough!

Had those subs been made at half time, the 3rd goal may well not have gone in. Rupp and Duda were dreadful and never should have come out for the 2nd half. Yet again, the subs were too late. At 3-0, the game is gone and the players know that. We still have not come back from behind at any point this season and Farke’s appalling use of subs is the reason why.

Well half sums up our season. Surely Farke has to make changes. Rupp has been poor, Duda anonymous again. Godfrey has had a shocker but there’s not much we can do about that one!

I see that Leicester are looking to sign Lallana, which would then open up a space on Liverpool’s bench for Cantwell. Maybe Lallana is being lined up to replace Maddison who will leave Leicester for silly money. Assuming we got £30m for Cantwell and a big windfall from a Maddison transfer, we may be able to hold onto everyone else, at least until Jan.

I agree DV, I really hope Farke goes for it in these last dozen games. We’re currently just limping into relegation off the back of one goal defeats. There’s no point playing for draws, we have to win, so our most creative players have to play. This also includes making positive changes throughout the match to actually go for a win!

I don’t agree with the OP but I also am aware that we have not come back from a losing position at any point this season to get a result, inc cup games. That, in isolation, is simply not good enough.

The Sunderland call off was on the morning of the game, 9ish if I recall. We’d flown up the day before in very dodgy conditions. Spent the rest of the weekend drinking in Newcastle so wasn’t all bad!

I wouldn’t be averse to a postponement. If other results went our way, like they did last weekend, that’d give us a little boost physchologically. For what it’s worth, I don’t think it will be called off. It’s looking like 50mph winds which is more or less what it was at Newcastle a couple of weeks ago. I think the postponed Man City match had winds in excess of 80mph?

I’m not sure if many of these players are decent? They are all playing in league one or below (or equivalent thereof) and most have had previous loan spells at lower league clubs without doing much. Quote a few of them aren’t that young in footballing terms either, being in their early 20’s (or much later for a few!) That squad as a whole, is basically league 2 at best, with a few players who may go onto bigger and better things.

Clint Easton for producing the most amazing piece of skill ever seen by the corner flag in front of the lower Barclay block E. Can’t remember who it was against but it was under the floodlights!

I would bring Lewis back in. Nothing against Byram but we look to have far better balance with Lewis playing, as a natural left back. Byram is always cutting inside or going backwards, which slows down the attacks. We looked great going forward and much more direct vs Burnley with Lewis in the team.

I predict we’ll get stitched up by VAR at some point during the game!

I honestly do not believe any of what Farke has said about transfers. If he thinks our squad is adequate enough, what is he saying it’s adequate for? Relegation?

Do we think bringing Rhodes in would give the club a ‘lift’ though? Clearly very well liked by the players, highly thought of by the management, has a great attitude and is a fans favourite (well, amongst most anyway). Football is largely about confidence and having this guy at the club, could improve the mood. I’m sure everyone within the club would see him as a much better option from the bench than what Dennis was, which could give the players more belief when things aren’t going our way. Possibly Farke’s use of subs has been restricted as he doesn’t think he has the right options. We’ve not come back from a losing position at any stage this season and haven’t really looked like doing so, to be fair. Last season we did this countless times as the belief was that we were able to do so. Rhodes coming on was always a big part of that.

If we fail to win tomorrow, let’s face it, we’re down. So we may as well cash in on him at a hugely inflated fee as we will at some point anyway. Byram at RB and Lewis LB for the rest of the season. I fully expect us to win though, leading to a miraculous revival, another season in the Prem and all our key players staying to enjoy the ride!

On a player we’ve been linked with but were never going to pay the asking price.

You’d think £2/3m and it would’ve been a no brainer. Not sure what Weds we’re after but having to play half a season with Dennis as more or less our only back up to Pukki, was very silly.

I’m going. The match is almost incidental, the cheap beers and night out are the big sell. Obviously I’d like us to win though!

I’d be very happy with Todd down the middle and Onel brought in out wide.