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Squad wise we haven't enough depth. We also saw why Ndidi is so important and, sadly, Winks simply isn't what we need in the Prem. I'm delighted Thomas is having a bit of a renaissance this season and alarmed our only January signing didn't look like he is going to be very effective. McAteer was a passenger. Again showing the difference between a Prem pro and a Championship player.

You are right. He certainly did that. He'd do it over two or three seasons and set us up for another crack. But you need a tactics/data savvy manager for the Premier League (and maybe even the Championship today). He wasn't that. What we need is Pearson and Walsh doing the recruitment and a Raneri doing the tactics and game prep.

I loved Filbert Street. I loved sitting at the back of the cowshed on the backs of the seats or in the front few rows where you could actually talk to the players. I've books full of autographs. I always felt these were the best seats as you got to look at the Carling Stand whereas if you were in you had to look at the cow shed. My first game was in the old main stand with it's wooden floors where you could poke your crisp packets between the gaps. The racket when everyone stomped for penalties. We could do with Filbert Street this season. Memories of Owen being put over the advertising boards were a real leveler.

What makes Wolves at home and yesterday's performances so bad was the hope that we would/could/should prevail.

Haha. I've forgotten what winning feels like and it's gone to my head! Blue Army

Big February coming up. We have to get points because April looks like a horrendous run of fixtures before a good run in. It's on if we can pick up points through February.

It's taking so long to sell Cannon and for this Eduard deal to happen that we will need everything lined up on potential new recruits so we can act quickly over the last few days of the window. There must be reasons why, but it's so frustrating.

The Skipp deal stinks of PSR dodginess. Remember we got Winks for next to nothing (and before I get shouted at that he is rubbish and we got what we paid for, he is English (premium), a former international, Prem experienced Champions League finalist.) They also took Madison off our hands for a fair fee considering we were desperate and, I'd have him back in a heartbeat, a bit of a luxury player at times. I wouldn't be surprised if the deal in all this was you buy one of these players, for 10million extra, if you get promoted. And don't get me started on Golding... None of this excuses the wages thrown at players with potential in the pursuit of Champions League football. The ride was exciting, it won us the FA cup but this is the consequence.

I don't disagree.

Same old problems. Our back 4 aren't good enough. That's two times in two games Vesteguard has been done for strength/positioning. The second goal today was worse as nobody got close to anyone. But what do we do? PSR prevents us from buying. And PSR is preventing clubs from buying our players for acceptable fees. I was pissed off with today's substitutes but what do you do? We haven't the squad depth of Premiership quality. To be honest I'm getting more and more fed up with football full stop. It's getting more and more fixed by the financial rules the Prem/Champ is operating in. If/when we go down we are financially punished further and the gap between Championship and Premiership will grow even wider for us. Simply fed up that we can't compete.

Vesteguard- 😂

I'm looking forward to the match tonight. The FA Cup win has given us a bit of the 'feel good factor' back. Players are retuning from injury. I really, really hope to see a good performance, a bit of luck going our way, and hopefully 3 points. Its the hope that kills you.

Anyone else think the timing of this announcement is more than a bit suspicious? Has a deal been done already (somehow) to satisfy the Premier Leagues PSR demands. Contracted players don't have these kind of come and get me statements put out unless the contract is going to be terminated, which clearly it isn't. Do you think we've been told we have to sell to comply with something or other and this is the way the club is showing they are trying? Anyway, out of all our 'assets' I'm pleased it's Faas. I think it's beneficial all round for him to move on. Don't gete wrong I'm thankful for his contribution. I just don't find him very likeable and hope we can find a better replacement or Nelson can step up.

Imagine being the first club relegated by PSR because we have a lower threshold due to having been relegated due to a club failing PSR but being penalised the following season.

If we can get Hermanson back ASAP. A couple of Full Backs in the January Sales and we might have a chance again.

The full back one is an interesting issue. Kristenson is so toothless in attack that opposition players don't bother tracking his runs because the Leicester lads have stopped passing to him. James just isn't doing it both in attack or defence. But why? This is a player that we know has quality (Arsenal away goal). Which got me looking back at some footage. The problem is the distance James has to cover. He isn't a full back. He is playing two positions. Full back and winger. But this is the killer for him. When we play Vesteguard we are so deep. The distance between our lines is great. This makes Justin's job harder as he is coming from a deep defence to supporting an attack and back again. He hasn't a prayer really due to the ground he has to cover. He is also dead on his feet when he has covered the ground which is why he is making mistakes. The answer to the right back problem is simple. Either the defence plays a higher line or they are told not to join the attack. Raneri worked this out early in the league winning season. He switched out our full backs to Simpson and Fuchs who defended. This would massively help our slow center backs who can't step up the pitch. Enzo's system also negated the distance a 'modern' full back had to cover as the left back joined the CBs and the right back stepped into the middle. Conclusion: With our CBs our Full Backs can't become wingers. We need a different system

This is my fear. I think El Khannouss is a great prospect but Buonanotte is better. So the only reason for not playing Buonanotte is because he is going back. Perhaps Ruud has two new loan players lined up. The dream would be a couple of United's players fancy strolling around our World Class Training base for the remainder of the season. I hope at least one of them is exciting attacking wise- which side of the pitch does Rashford play? However, I'd imagine it will be a full back and a centre back. We need a Huth to come in and save us (although who do you partner him with?).

The big 6 will never allow every game to be shown on one platform as fans worldwide would have access to one clubs fixtures which in turn might gown clubs outside of the big 6. For instance, when we won the league interest in us was global. Imagine if that global audience could then access all our fixtures the following season. We would have grown. As pointed out the big 6 want predictable money coming in, over that of clubs like Newcastle, Everton, West Ham, Leicester etc etc. They will protect that interest even if it means they don't make as much money as they could.

This I'm convinced our numerous deals with Spurs (Winks, Maddison & Skipp) and Chelsea (KDH, Maresca and Goulding) can't be looked at as individual deals and are part of a bigger picture regarding PSR for all clubs concerned.

Hang on. If Enzo was here (and as Ricky is injured) he'd be starting in the hybrid full back role! That's why he was given a contract last season. He is good enough to be our 5th choice midfielder and we are lucky to have a squad player of his quality to call on. If we go down and have to sell he is also insurance. I'm bored of this argument. This forum seems to have a real issue with academy players and all I'm trying to do is point out the merits of a strong academy.

I never said we need more players like Choudhury I just merely pointed out that versatile squad players are a necessity. I can't see how academy players becoming first team players is a problem. I can only see the benefits not just in terms of money saving/making but in keeping future academy players at the club. If there is a route to having a chance in the first team they will stay. If that route is closed they will move on for next to nothing at 18. Choudhury has cost the club very little. He is versatile and like it or not he is one of our own. He was pushed out against a strong Newcastle midfield and it didn't work out yesterday. It was always going to be makeshift. However, as I said I'm glad it was him and not a young lad who'd never been in the first team squad before.

Wow. This is the very worst of this forum. I'm not a fan of his off the field antics and accept he isn't mid table Prem quality but every team needs squad players like Choudhury. Let's remember he has started against Newcastle away in a make shift midfield having hardly played a minute all season. Yes he wasn't great but it's not reasonable to judge a player on one game. If he'd played 5 on the bounce and played like that I'd get it. He hasn't. Many on here have short memories. How many blocks of the line last season. Filling in as a RB/Midfielder. Playing as a CB in the cup. Scoring against Newcastle. I'm delighted we have a squad player like Choudhury because without him we were starting a youth who hasn't even been out to a game with the first team or more likely Coady in midfield. Choudhury also isn't anything to do with the big issue we have as a team.

I'm not too worried about Ruud's comments about Mads. Best scenario- No manager is going to admit he was substituted because he was chucking up. A little made up niggle that can disappear easily works for the press. Or he was ill, and developed a niggle. This is highly probable as when you are ill you're more likely to pick up an injury. I'd imagine any sign of a niggle and you whip him off. Wrap him up in cotton wool and pray he is fit and well for the next game. Or he wasn't ill but simply did develop a niggle. At 1-0 down at HT it was highly probable we'd lose or a best pick up an improbable point. I'd imagine a fit and well Mads for the next ten games will be more beneficial to us than a chance of a point at Newcastle.

Get in! Our tails will be up now. Hopefully, we can get something at Newcastle before the big 6 pointer against Wolves. We've 3 really tricky fixtures then but you never know. It's Christmas and everyone has to dig deep squad wise.

Mavididi for Ayew and I'd throw Thomas on for Kristenson as he is better going forward at 75mins if still one down. Daka for Vardy when he is done. El Khannouss won't do 90 but I've no idea what to do about that 😂 James has looked better I've hardly noticed Vesteguard, which is probably a good thing. You can see this is an improvement on the West Ham game in terms of patterns, retaining possession (to have a breather). The threat is there as well. A few times a better final ball and we would/should have been in.