ALC Fox

Oddly enough - and it pains me to say it - but we can look at Coventry as a recent example of how things can turn. At one point they were falling like a stone, didn't have a home ground and there was every chance they could drop into the non-league. Now they're laying waste to the Championship and, although we have a long way to go, they'll be there or thereabouts by the end of the season. Sorting ourselves out in a playing sense and financial sense is a multi-season endeavour. It may well require a change of ownership as the current people running the club continually prove their incompetence. But we've always been an up and down club. Major decisions need to be made and we should absolutely be putting the pressure on to facilitate that, but we'll be back again at some point, punching up and giving the elite clubs a bloody nose.

Not trying to be a boblet but we were also good in League One. There weren't many opportunities to boo. It was the relegation season before that had cause to boo.

Ricky and Okoli in is a big positive. Always like that midfield. Thomas and Ayew need upgrading in Jan and I'd be broadly OK with that. Obviously agree that Aluko, Evans and Nelson need opportunities from the bench.

Like with all players, if there's an upgrade out there who is affordable and wants to come here, and whose signing doesn't affect recruitment in more pressing areas, then do a deal. Personally I think he's very good in some areas and a little suspect in others. He's good for this level and could step up if we were to get promoted. I think there are plenty of other areas we need to focus on before we start looking at replacing Jakub.

I feel like we can't really judge him while we have so many of our dross still on the books and who are genuine options in our team. I want to see the youngsters on the pitch but too many at the same time isn't going to work, not when they struggle to see games out at U21 level. Our rotation options among the first team are garbage though. As well as some of our starters. The squad needs a big overhaul, and at the same time I'm not sure we can afford better. We need really strong recruitment over the next two to four windows as I think it may be that long before we sort this mess out. Then I think it'll be time to judge Cifuentes properly with a squad he's built with what he thinks is the aim of going up.

This is what I don't understand. I know he's trying to rotate but our rotation options are garbage.

Dyche's appointment will likely suit their squad based on Nuno's work previously. He should slot in and they will survive this season. He will save them from a catastrophic, topsy-turvy season where results and experimentation would have drawn them into real danger. Beyond this season, will he really be as effective as Nuno? He had a very good season with Burnley and did well with them overall but was still relegated once and was sacked late on in another relegation season. And at Everton, where he was in the job for a couple of years, they regressed massively and would have been in a relegation battle with us and Ipswich had it not been for his sacking and Moyes's appointment. If they do survive this season, as I expect they will, I imagine they'll be firmly in a relegation battle next season.

Christ, that's sad. Poor bloke, poor family.

This is definitely a thing. How on earth can we be good one half and atrocious in the other? Game after game after game it's happening.

Utter disgrace. No shame whatsoever. Some things are bigger than having a bit more money to spend. If the club has actually been better at marketing itself, arguably we wouldn't even need this shower. Although it probably wouldn't have stopped them going down this route for an extra few quid anyway.

I'm on board. Marti is saying all the right things and looks like he really wants to be here. If we can convince him that we're going in the right direction, if we haven't lied to him and don't spring any nasty surprises on him a week before the transfer window, this could be a bit of a slow reset. More signings like Jordan James who are bloody good but not too big for their boots. Move on the prima donnas and the overpaid, overhyped guys who haven't pulled up many trees and we'll be laughing. We could do it this season, it could take two or three seasons but - as I'm feeling optimistic - this could be the start of another good period for us.

My Uber driver last night. Pulls out onto several roundabouts without looking. One was a very close call resulting in a very angry fellow road user. Runs several red lights, including that resulted in a very sharp turn as he realised he was about to go straight on and miss the turning. Bearing in mind there was a cyclist approaching the lights at around the same time and we all know they can often run red lights, I'm not sure he checked his mirror and blind spot before he swung around the corner. At the red lights he did stop at he just cut a knackered, disinterested figure. Dropped me off, clearly didn't check his mirrors or blind spot before he pulled away as he almost pulled out straight into a car that was driving past. Another loud honking from a fellow road user. Boggles the mind.

Have to say the way we moved the ball around quickly against Latvia was very impressive. Great performance by Gordon in the first half especially and Kane's finish for his first was wonderfully instinctive. The Senegal performance worries me as it's the only time we've faced anyone of note, really. You could argue Serbia away was a big test as well that we passed with flying colours, and we're now definitely a lot further on under Tuchel than we were in that Senegal game. With the depth we have it's going to be a hell of a job choosing a squad for the tournament. As will keeping the players fresh in those summer temperatures, potentially travelling lots between matches and after another long season.

Regarding Leicester, I was very excited by the signings - at different times - of Darius Vassell, Diomansy Kamara and Danny Cadamarteri. Regarding other clubs, I thought both Ten Hag and Amorim would be the guys to turn Man Utd around at the time of their appointments.

Sort of. It's a channel so has a main broadcast. But yeah usually that's also where they put multiple broadcasts via the red button. If you watch it on the TV you can either watch it without pressing the red button (if it's the main broadcast on Sky Sports+) or you'll have to press the red button. If you're watching through the Sky Go app then you can't get the red button games but you can watch the main TV broadcast on the Sky Sports+ channel, whatever game that may be. If you watch on the Sky Sports app you can get all the red button games. This is if there are multiple broadcasts on the red button. From what I can see, it looks like City vs Portsmouth is the only game on Sky Sports+ at that time so you should be able to watch it through any method.

A site I check regularly says it's on Sky Sports+ https://www.live-footballontv.com/#2025Oct18

Middlesbrough have always had poor attendances, even when they were relatively safe in the Prem. Probably a demographic/affordability thing. Finances are really tight and something has to give. As gate receipts become less of a portion of clubs' incomes, more should be done to actually fill stadiums, create atmospheres and produce a better 'product' to use the corporation jargon.

This could be delicious. Imagine them sacking the manager that had them flirting with Champions League football because he doesn't get on with your sporting director, having to pay him compensation, hiring a guy who's methods are the complete opposite of the previous manager's, giving the new guy no transfer window and only a few games to instill a new way of playing, potentially sacking him and having to pay him off as well, then potentially hiring Sean Dyche, a man who looked like he was putting Everton into a relegation battle with three almost historically bad teams in the Premier League era last season.

I think James coming in with such a positive attitude has also been a big difference. I feel it gives players just an extra 1% or maybe a little more. As soon as he walked through the door he said that he and his dad used to say a club like Leicester would suit him and he genuinely seemed really happy to be here from day one. That kind of an attitude will see him through not just matches but the day-to-day training, travel, recovery, briefings, interviews, everything. I think if you're happy in life, your work will benefit and I do believe this transfer has not just a huge difference to our squad but also to him as a player and person. After a difficult season in France, it's great to see him thriving personally and benefitting the team as a result. I know it's early days but right now I think we should just get him permanently in Jan while the good vibes are strong, then risk the free loan space on another area we need to strengthen.

Having the option to sign this guy is honestly a great bit of business. By the end of this season he'll be much better than the player Rennes bought and he was pretty good then. A superb loan so far, and potentially an even better permanent signing. Not following through on it could be on par with not signing Lookman in terms of the difference both players could give/could have given the squad.

Bouncing back to win after being pegged back is a great step in the right direction. They're a good side those Swans as well. A valuable away win.

Death, taxes and...

How is our xG going down each time I look at the BBC stats?

Don't mind it after the first half against Wrexham with this team. Getting Ramsey in the team and up to speed could make a difference too. Silko on the bench is encouraging too. I'm not sure he's going to catch fire here but if we could do a McAteer with him, we'll be absolutely laughing. Would like to see Nelson, Aluko, Gray and Page in future squads, especially once we can move players on in January again. Could be a really, really important window for us, in terms of incoming players too.

Spend the money now