Number 6

Bit worried by some of Enzo's comments since Weds. I think you can say we weren't clinical against Hull or Boro, but not Sheff W. Issue was chance creation, and we need to be looking at ways to create more.

Two best defences in the league, expecting a tight game. Think there'll be at most a single goal in the game.

Really really poor performance, and would have been so even if they hadn't scored the equaliser. Big test on Saturday.

Leeds have already drawn with Weds this season and Ipswich squeaked a 1-0 at Hillsborough. Chill out.

Agree on probably looking at starting Coady and Cannon. Potentially even giving Mavididi a break too. Mads Ricardo Faes Coady Justin Winks KDH Ndidi Fatawu Cannon Akgun

Agree the scope needs dramatically reducing. Would potentially throw in cases of mistaken identity too, though those are very rare.

I think there's a few reasons for the tempo being as it is, particularly first half: - Low defensive blocks. Hard to break down, particularly early, but easier as opponents tire. There is an argument with this that pushing even more for an early goal would open the game up and help us though. - Enzo is playing a 46 game season, and he's making some decisions on that basis. Heavy rotation, less strenuous games, getting the job done. I think this should mean we can push harder in the run in - it is the type of thing we've seen Man City do. - Quite simply, it is working. Where is the payoff in changing it? We've won 14/17, which on a ppg basis would put us at 113 points over the season. It can be nerve-wracking leaving it late, but we've been so good in the final 30 that there is little incentive to change. I have said in other threads that I'd like to see more games where we get the earlyish goal first half and THEN implement the level of control that we've seen at 0-0, if we start to do that then I think we'll become almost untouchable. But as yet, the results are coming in, and ultimately it's about getting out of the division. The defensive foundations are so solid with this style, and I think it's so replicable, that we'll just be by far the most consistent team.

Ah shit, yes they were. Will wait until Wednesday.

We've got more points than Wigan got last season in the Champ now.

Tbf he also needlessly ploughed through a guy when on a yellow and was a little fortunate. Word in the ear from Enzo sorted him out.

Took 2 off Leeds and Ipswich, go on Rotherham.

Just caught up on highlights...do Ipswich score one 20+ yarder per game or something? I swear every time I see their highlights they're just banging them in from all over the place.

We're clearly not offensively awful, and to be honest I expected more frustration in front of goal than we've actually seen so far. Generally we've been successful at breaking down the low blocks - mostly through patience and wearing teams down plus a bit of individual quality. I would probably like to see us play with a bit more cockiness / swagger. Go out and get the game done first half. I want to see more performances like Burton/Stoke, where we get the early goal, control the game, and finish them off when the chance is there. Neither of those performances were 4-0 wins, but I think we have shown a level of control in games that the likes of Ipswich and Leeds haven't always. Conversely we could probably embrace chaos a little bit more at times in a bid to hurt teams. But we are still a work in progress, and I think we will improve.

Yep. And people talk up our rivals: Ipswich have won by 2+ goals 3 times. Leeds 3 times. Southampton 2 times. We've done it 5 times.

Thought Rotherham were good tonight and well worth at least a point. Ipswich fortunate but have loads of players who look dangerous from the edge of the box.

There are things I thought VAR would tidy up but it hasn't, such as diving. Seems to be more that you can fall over as soon as there is contact and VAR will justify a decision (club badge dependent). Also, if being correct is the absolute then I don't know why we draw the line where we currently do. Take a goal of little significance, Liverpool's third against us at home last season. Was a free kick 20 yards out, not checked because not a pen, but the tackle from Evans was not a foul. Free kick is touched back and smashed in to the top corner - so there was basically nothing we could do about it from the point it was given. And yet VAR won't intervene there because it's not a penalty. So there is subjectivity anyway, and there is a growing amount of evidence that reviewing a screen every time still doesn't mean the final decision will be correct. So what's the point? People just feel more aggrieved about 'wrong' decisions because the ref doesn't have anything mitigating the final decision. And look at yesterday too. There's a reasonable argument to say VAR got all of the decisions correct (though I thought Udogie should have gone for the two-footer) - that was it working, but what it created was a nonsense. Things like mistaken identity or automated offsides as per the world cup should probably stay, the rest needs binning.

Meslier was actually a lot better all round than I expected. Always looked hurried and a liability in the Prem, but was calm and assured playing the ball out, and then made a great save at the end.

Think pundits and TV have made it worse too. First season they made a fuss because not all decisions were made by the onfield ref. Hence the switch the sending the ref over for everything even though they agree 99% of the time. This process only slows the whole thing down, so pundits, Comms, sky, complain about that. VAR try to speed up and introduce errors like the Liverpool non-goal at Spurs. Yesterday they took their time for a complicated decision and everyone is still moaning. Obvious solution is just to bin it.

We won't smash teams every week, but we'll walk the league because we'll be by far the most consistent team in the division.

Got clubs issuing statements after they lose a game now hahaha. Game's gone mad.

Was a great save. Decent header from his position too. Don't think a draw would have been unfair, but we were second best. Was a game of mostly interesting opportunities which didn't evolve into really good chances. The one really good chance in the game was put away.

This is a training match for Blackburn at the moment. Norwich look done. Cheeky bid for Rowe in Jan?

Thing is when the aggressive press is successful it becomes very hard for us to try and slow the game down. That will always be the Achilles heel for this set up. Thankfully there aren't many presses in this division that will be that relentless and effective for that long. It will be a headache next season though.

Would be especially nice as Ipswich is the 9th fixture.

KDH header was 0.96xGOT. Great save.