LVFox

Hamza was atrocious, forget his awful passing but he was sat so deep he was almost on Coadys feet, offered zero pressure to their midfield. JJ poor for one of the goals again, and Vesty just isn't PL level, he looks awful the minute someone turns and runs at him.

Pardon my ignorance but does a goalkeeper really need to get match fitness?

Huge match this isn't it, if we win it looks closer to a shootout between us and Ipswich for final relegation spot. Major fears on both Hermansens fitness and that they sack O'Neil before the match. Ruud has a week to just get us defensively far more organised, we will score at least once against these, we need to show come control of a game

Agree, but maybe part of utilising him is having a big voice behind him. Lille had Jose Fonte that season who would have been a similar voice. In short, there's never been doubting Boubas technical skill, but maybe it's between the ears that he struggles with and just needs that constant instruction.

Any coincidence in Soumare having his best games for us with Coady at CB? Conor has his weaknesses but he's definitely a communicator

If it wasn't Newcastle and their hoard of 6ft midfielders I could see him going BEK and Skipp in the middle. Think Hamza comes in though. Certainly a few slide challenges in that partnership!

Jonas Wind seems a little out of favour at Wolfsburg. Would be a great centre forward option

Agree on Vardy...we need him against Wolves and a rest isn't the worst idea. Think Daka could cause Newcastle issues too

I'd much rather we just went really big on a right back and a centre half, than bought in 5 or 6.

Fancy us for a point today.

Only we could have interest in a player at a club owned by the same owners, and still be in competition with other clubs. Stats make him appear good prospect though, anyone actually seen much of him?

I wonder if we look at Tajon Buchanon, we looked at him when he was at Brugge and he barely gets a sniff at Inter. A loan could cover Fatawu's absence

I could see BDCR or Ayew coming in for McAteer. Think he will set up how we did 2nd half with JJ as the more attacking full back and the RW coming inside. Interesting to see who partners Coady, was Vestegaard sub tactical or fitness related?

Loved how he mentioned both keeping the ball better, but also our ability to hurt teams on the counter attack. There's a purpose behind Ruud, he will no doubt get things wrong, he's a young coach, but there's a real clarity to his message that the players have obviously been craving.

Never doubt Patson. Yeah at times he looks like he's never seen a football before but christ he's quick and works hard. There is still potential there to become a really solid PL striker in my view

Different class, could really suit that LM role under Ruud as we saw first half. Brilliant performance from the lad.

I'm absolutely in love with the guy.

Excellent start. Yes, still work to do on the performance as a whole but some really promising signs. Thought a fair few had their best matches of the season, mainly Coady, Soumare and Kristiansen.

Decent start, the Wilf/Soumare midfield just worries me. Bouba has actually looked decent at times but we really need an improvement in there. Wilf is done. JJ better defensively but woeful on the ball. El Khannouss has been really good

3-2 win. Early opener for us, defensive shambles allow West Ham to take the lead. Buonanotte stunner wins it at the death

Ruud suffers first setback as he finds out Saturday Night Fever dance routine will not be allowed at a Tuesday evening game

El Khannouss and Mavididi. He's also our last chance of getting Ndidi back to a functional premier league player. Ruud did well with Sangare at PSV, could look at Wilf doing a similar job but he's looked way off it for years now

Let's go nuts and just push Vestegaard into midfield as a libero. Justin, Okoli and Kristiansen can't defend for shit, but fast enough to keep us up high and as far away from our own box as possible.

Doesn't necessarily mean anyone into central midfield. Could be one defensive full back and one pushing slightly higher into a wide midfield role.

**** me 4-4-2 oop, 3-4-3 ip For the first time this season, a coach with an actual tactical plan