Chickendippers

This game could be anything. 0-0 or 5-5 or a very one sided spanking for either side. There will be spells of dull possession for both sides before Manning or Winks tread on the ball and sets up a counter attack which will be followed by a counter-counter attack. The last 15 mins plus 'injury' time will be manic. My advice if not going to SMS would be to record the game and fast forward the dull bits.

Jason Mount lol

We played 5 at the back last year to good effect - Chelsea away in the cup was a terrific performance. But they have to be aggressive. 3 from Valery, Bella-Kotchup, Lyanco & Salisu

The cup game against Chelsea last year shows that we can play 5 at the back and be competitive. That defensive line had Lyanco and Valery in and I see no reason why the same personnel can't do a job for us provided they are sent out with the instruction to be aggressive and try and win the ball high up the pitch. We've been too passive since Feb which leads to dull boring risk averse losing football. Plus Erling Haaland wouldn't score goals if no-one passes to him when he makes runs off the shoulder of the last defender.

The Romeu 'never been sent off' might go with Mikey Dean in charge. He'd love to burst that bubble.

I'd be dissappointed if Salisu left after just 1x good year.

If we cough up chances like we did against Everton in the first 20 mins then we might find ourselves chasing the game. I think it will be open and they will score (Pukki takes his chances well) but we will out work their midfiled and eventually create enough chances to out score them. 2-1 Saints. Or we could hammer them like Brentford 4-1. Hope this is what happens.

Just for fun - i think it was Viera. We are all over Ligue 1 so would know his style and what he was trying to achieve at Nice well. Strikes me as a Koeman type appointment.

JJ and David Prutton were at Forest at the same time. We were in for one of them and I would have preferred it if we had got Jenas. I remember posting this on Teamtalk (I think that was the goto forum at the time) and someone suggested we might sign Jenna Jameson. That stuck with me ever since and i have never been able to watch Jenas without thinking about the other JJ. 😅 PS for younger viewers, probably best not to Google her during work hours.

Che was very good today. Led the press and provided the link from midfield to Broja. Easily overlooked

If we look at this from a sporting perspective i am grudgingly coming round to the idea that Rayne Wooney might make a decent young manager. Maybe having to work with youngsters and loanees and getting rid of the senior player dead wood with a 'closed mindset' has given him the chance to build something good. He is getting top 6 results from a lower mid table team under a lot of pressure which is commendable. Pesonally I hope he stays at Derby and keeps them up as that would truly be a sporting achievement. I think he would do well at a lower/mid level Prem team like Villa or Brighton but maybe not at Everton who seem to think they should be in the top 4.

We don't have the players for 4-2-2-2 so it will have to be 3-4-3 Forster Bednarek-Lyanco-Salisu Redmond-JWP-Diallo-Perraud (Small?) Tella-Broja-Moi Romeu & Perraud need a rest after Saturday imho. Che and Stu and maybe Adarma on after 60mins and who knows we might see Caleb Watts?

Watching Swansea the other night reminded me of us under Puel. When they showed a bit of urgency and passed the ball forwards they scored. Then it was back to low risk, ball recycling crab football. Dull dull dull. We were a decent side iirc when we moved the ball quickly - but too often the safe option was taken especially at home.

After all these knob jokes i could do with a stiff one

I went to school with David Armstrong's nipper for a while. He lived in one of the big houses in Fair Oak at the top of Mortimers Lane. It's much changed now, but the big houses are still there surrounded by other big houses. I lived in one of the small houses. My brother used to live next door to MLT in North Baddesley. Matt has since moved and I heard he was near where Jeff Stelling is out Bishops Waltham way (but I might be wrong)

I don't think either VAR intervention was correct or necessary by which I think the ref got it right on both occasions. There was barely any momentum when JWP made contact with Jorghino - it was definitely not a 'leg breaker'. the slo mo made it look much worse than it was. Werners 'goal' for 2-0 should have stood - we had plenty of time to get organised (and we were) - our defence just didn't do a very good job in marking him. Again the ref got the decision right to award the goal. i doubt either side or supporters would have been too bothered if those decisions had stood as they were. I'm still fuming about the Man City referral which possibly cost us 2 points and now we have lost our captain for a couple of games due to another uneccesary VAR intervention.

Ralph has a selection headache no doubt. My choice would be: Forster Tino - Stephens - Salisu - Perraud JWP - Romeu Ely - Djenepo Adams - Armstrong Obviously McCarthy will play and be hopeless. KWP on for Perraud after an hour, Redmond on for either of the no 10's if one is having a stinker, and i would love to see Broja or Tella on for Armstrong with 15 to go.

I am sure I read that because he hadn't had an academy background he hadn't been coached how to head the ball properly by the time he came to us at 20?

if there's one thing that sums up Jack for me was when he strolled out of defence, dummied a pass and continued his run, checked his run and casually passed sideways/backwards without looking to a ManU player. I thought we sat deep and as others have pointed out McCarthy isn't dominant enough for that and Stephens suffers because of that.

We gave them a good game last year and were unlucky not to get something out of it. If we find ourselves in similar position we have a stronger bench now - IF Ralph uses it in time. Pogba is still Pogba and will not like being pressed and we have to take our chances when we get them. it might be a repeat of the Leicester (or Liverpool) game last year - looking forward to it! Where's my flag?

I'm going 10th havng seen Armstron'g highlight reel. I did fear for us when we didn't have someone who could take a shot first time or pass the ball into the corner. Most of our strikers work well on instinct it's when they have time they struggle and then get closed down or make the wrong decision. Armstrong doesn't strike me as that sort. it doesn't matter if you are a Championship goalie or Donnarumma a curled shot off the post doesn't get saved. Perhaps he might have a crack at the central free kicks? JWP always goes top left - Armstrong popped a couple to the keepers right top bins. it would keep them guessing. We will score goals this season and the Bednarek/Salisu partnership will do well. The team have had a pre-season this year so we will hopefully not have the horrendous drop off we saw just after Christmas when the injuires bit. The players that were'nt injured (and the manager) looked mentally shot, so hopefully we will not get a repeat of that.

You're thinking about DCL who thankfully isn't playing on Sat

13th if we can get someone who can put the ball in the back of the net as we will create chances especially now we are counter-attacking. 15th otherwise. Need an early win though but that's not guaranteed with our fixtures.

JWP is a solid defensive midfielder who just happens to be very good at set pieces. He can sometimes be a little slow getting back from forward positions in comparison with others who play that role. He is not Kante. Given how Southgate has set the England team up (God it was dull last night) and how reliant we are on set-pieces I am amazed JWP is watching the on TV. He is no better or worse than Phillips or Rice and has the bonus of being able to kick the ball over the first defender's shins.

I used to think I would be happy with a coach and team that went head to head with anyone regardless of reputation or league position. For a short run of games it is fine if we lose a couple but when it becomes a habit it is soul destroying. If the plan is to go out all guns blazing in the first half (Leeds, WHam) then we have to make sure the strikers picked hit the target, not side netting and not 20 rows back in the stand - all the other teams seem to manage it. And if do manage to take the lead can they be coached a little bit more to see the game out (Tottenham). I'm a fan of Ralph but 2021 has been pants.