Steve Earle

Noticed that on MOTD (I think) last week there was talk (in describing teams fixtures) of playing ‘the big six and Leicester’, or not. That to me is where we are and where we wanted to be after 15/16 - turning the big six into a big seven. And we can do it, sustainably, with this leadership & management. Whether we will remains to be seen.

Much to be said for picking the title winning XI, but where’s the fun in that?! The current side is significantly better anyway, it just happens to be competing against two outstanding teams. Going for Puel & Brendan’s 4141: Kasper Ricardo Evans Huth Fuchs (just! Chilwell now better than Fuchs other than 15/16) Ndidi Mahrez (wouldn’t have him back, but the most skilful player I’ve ever seen in a blue shirt) Tielemans Maddison Albrighton (might have to swap with Mahrez to help protect Ricky!) Vardy oh and hello @ealingfox, from the Ealing Park Tavern!

Draw’s fixed, 🙄

TBH, his finishing is and always has been a major weakness...

I’m guessing no one on here guessed it either

All the embarrassing ones I can recall have been mentioned, but the most pain? How about our last manager throwing two successive home cup quarter finals with under strength selections, then seeing both games unfold in the way they did?

I can see the sense behind all of the selections above, and who knows who'll be right. But after Chilwell and Barnes finally clicked I'd like to see them build on that, and by the same logic I'd play Perez as a right sided striker again. The only payers that probably should be rested are Evans, Ndidi and Vardy, possibly one or two more, so I'd hope to see: Ward or Schmeichel Justin Morgan Benkovic Chilwell Choudhury Tielemans Praet Perez Iheanacho Barnes Subs: Jakupovic Soyuncu Fuchs Mendy Maddison Albrighton Gray

Youri the closest to perfection for me - and to think some doubted him after the first four/five games of the season. Last night saw the entire orchestra put in a finely tuned performance, but Youri as conductor was just amazing. Pleased to see I've brought a few average scores down - Perez 9.8 FFS! - from an understandably giddy group of FT posters!

Correct - except I think at LB. We have JJ as cover for both FB roles for next season, and for the season after one of Ughelumba or Luke Thomas, both very promising development squad LBs. I don't get why so many on here are puzzled by the CB story. Benko needs to go out on loan to prove his fitness, and Wes retires at the end of the season. We'll need at least one new CB for next season, even if Cags and Evans remain our first choice pair.

Barnes and Chilwell aren't playing well are they? Maddison & Tielemans decent, Gray too, rest, meh.

Erm? We lost 100% because of his two brain farts in 5 seconds. Just saying how it was.

Really poor today, and Ricardo wasn’t great either. It seems to be commonly accepted that only Liverpool have a better pair of full backs than us. Well, they were significantly better than our two today. Chillers needs to improve his passing, crossing & right foot. Sharpish.

Albrighton 100% cost us the game. Not the ref’s fault for being conned, and it didn’t look a clear & obvious error on the replay I saw.

Great last 20 minutes and that pollock has ruined the whole thing. Furious with him.

That has to be one of the very worst individual errors I’ve ever seen. FFS, with less than a minute to go. bastard

Chilwell having a mare...

Seems BR agreed with me..,

Plan A didn’t work. Let’s see if Plan B’s any better. Too many underperforming today. Didn’t expect them to go to Anfield & dominate, but hoped for something approaching normal levels of performance. Not many doing that.

Barnes has offered nothing. Maybe less. Has to be a change there at HT

Schmeichel one of their best players so far

And we win BOTH cups? Oh all right then...

Superb interview with Brendan

Just a hunch but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 343 tomorrow with Wilf sitting deep near the CBs, both FBs playing as wing backs, and Vardy Perez & Barnes as a front 3. Plan B might involve two orthodox wingers coming on to stretch them even more.

And Ghezzal

15? Crikey, how did we get away with that?