Neef

Hope we go back to our 1st choice front 4 - Redmond, Ings, Adams, Armstrong. I think we are at our most balanced with that line up. Maybe Djenepo in place of Redmond, but I wouldn't start Walcott. His performances have been frustrating - lacking a little composure with the final ball.

I'm sure Hoedt is talented. For me, he's just another casualty of the Pellegrino/Hughes era where very few players looked like prospects. Genuinely interested to hear about any players who played consistently well in that time period? I can't remember any. Maybe Romeu?

This iteration of taking a knee began with the American Football Players Colin Kaepernick and Erick Reed in 2016. It spread from there. When they did so, they weren't aligned with any formal & registered movement etc. The BLM organisation in disuccion were one of many organisations who have since embarced taking a knee. They have not been the only one. RE. Social Media users, that's preceisly my point. Some social media's did link to a fundraiser. Some didn't. Some linked to fundraisers that were assocaited with the numerous, independent BLM organisations that now exist all over the world (one is the specific BLM organisation being spoke about). Some linked to petitions. Some linked to fundraisers put together by other organisations not called BLM. The phrase 'BLM' has been intereprted and used by an array of indivduals, organisations and institutions in a variety of manners. Some who use the phrase are a part of the specific BLM organisation that is in discussion. Some don't. The phrase outdates any of the numerous BLM organisations that now exist.

This is just not true. The organisation came into existence off the back of the phrase emerging in 2013.

There's a difference between: 1. BLM - The organisation 2. BLM - The phrase used by the vast majoirty of people as a mean's of raising awareness/speaking about personal/professional/systemic examples of racism et.

I don't understand the Walcott links tbh. We've got 4 strikers already. Plus, Ralph has always mentioned that the 2 wide players operate as #10s. Walcott isn't that and doesn't provide the the qualities we'd need in an Armstrong substitute. RLC makes more sense in that role than Walcott does.

Quietly excited about this and the season. With him and Salisu eventually coming into the team, we seem (for the first time since Koeman) to have a physically robust/dynamic spine. That's what our success in those years was largely built on.

I think McCarthy will start with Forster on the bench. As great as Forst it, one of his biggest shortcomings is his footwork/composure on the ball. That's imperative in a Ralph side and one of the main reasons Gunn started for so many games. Alex isn't stellar in that department either but he's been improving and knows the system inside out now. Find it hard to see Forster coming back into a totally new system and replacing him on such a quick turnaround. Part of me still feels that Ralph see Gunn as our longterm number 1. His confidence took a battering but I can see him going out on loan to rebuild/add to the other parts of his game and then coming back to challenge and eventually replace McCarthy.

Andros Townsend: “We were never part of a political organisation or the organisation Black Lives Matter.” “It was merely a phrase coined together to say we want a black life to matter." "The message is clear. We want a black life to matter just as much as any other race, not more, not less. We're not saying we're better, we're worse, we're stronger. We just want a black life to matter like any other race. I think that message is clear.” Very well said.

That's the ideal world we would live in. But unfortunately, in reality things haven't and aren't playing out like that. Racism is an issue, in this country and many others. Pretending it doesn't exist isn't going to make it go away. That's why we need to speak on it. It's important to understand one anothers lived experiences and how those experiences differ based on aspects that should not be an issue (like race).

Is it just me or does that LD Sports sponsorship graphic take the gloss of any kit design? No matter how good.

The Koeman situation is so simple. He had an amazing season and wanted to see ambition for the club to push on what had been achieved. But what is evidently clear, is that we don't/didn't have the financial backing to match that. So he left for a club that he felt did (who also gave him a massive contract).

Don't think his influence on the team will appreciated until he's gone. When he plays well, we play well. A very crucial part of the team.

If Ings is rested for either the Wolves or Palace game, I'd like to see Adams start alongside Long - who will run the channels etc.

I think it was Bertrand, who was also a LB....?

Late August.

We've benefited from 5/6 VAR decisions this year. I'm happy with it and never expected it to be perfect in its first season. Things were always going to go wrong, they just need to make sure they learn from it for next year.

Stephens isn't mobile enough to play as a DM, and he also doesn't pass well under pressure.

Not expecting us to buy anyone. What we need most is a CB, but we already have 5 on the books + Hoedt still out on loan. Can't see us adding a 7th and it's unlikely we'll shift anyone in Jan to free up wages/budget for that.

Can someone do a breakdown of the backroom staff/board members that have left and joined over the past two years? It feels like Wilson, Ralph, Les, Rohl, now Jahidi seem to leave without replacement. We must be wafer thin atm.

I like that team but Stephens isn't a DM at all. CM is a troubled area for us but the reality is that Hoj, Romeu, JWP & Armstrong are the best of what we've got. Until we can strengthen, we will have to persist with them.

We'll stay up. We knew this was going to be a difficult period heading into it. It's more the manner of the last defeat which has everyone worried (and rightly so). The fixtures we have coming up (after the City game) to the end of the year will tell us more. I think Ralph can do it.

I agree with this. I'm struggling to think of a player who has arrived in the past 2-3 years and then improved. Can anybody else? Players seem to stagnate or regress. Very worrying.

Gunn has had faults this season but I don't think it's fair to put last night on him. He was left completely exposed. Just watched it again and almost all of the goals came with no pressure on the ball. It was like a training ground shooting exercise.

I think this is it. We bought Wanyama, VVD, Lovren, Tadic, Mane, Pelle etc all for under £20M. I don't think that can happen in today's market. The spine is what makes a team. You can just about get away with it when it comes Full Back's and Wide players, who you can find for slightly cheaper. But quality CM's & CB's cost, and we just don't have the money.