RowlattsFox

Any chance of Simpson being back? I want to like Amartey but I just don't feel comfortable with him at right back. Other than that it will be the usual with only question being Okazaki or Silva.

Dragovic the only player who deserves a rating above 4. Jakupovic was ok if you're being generous.

I'm going to put as much effort into my post match summary as the players did out on the pitch. Shit.

What's the point in benny FFS, we've got defenders in the under 23s who are doing really well, why not just give them a go. Other than that, no problem. Same formation with Silva behind Slimani, excited to see how they link up. Great chance for Barnes.

I struggle to see how its going to work without causing problems, there will be some cases where it will stop something completely wrong from happening which is fine, but then there are lots of occasions where people have different interpretations of the same event. It will have to be like cricket where a 'soft decision is made' b the referee and there has to be 100% evidence to turn the decision around. Personally think having goal line technology is enough.

He shouldn't be on the pitch but great finish.

I've seen Fleetwood a couple of times over the past couple of the seasons and I don't think they're necessarily a physical side but they'll be in our faces like any other lower league side is against a bigger side. Ashley Hunter has always looked decent player but very lightweight.

I just completed this quiz. My Score 50/100 My Time 87 seconds  

I just completed this quiz. My Score 55/100 My Time 129 seconds  

Hamer Amartey Dragovic Huth? Maybe give the young lad Hughes a chance if not Chilwell Gray James Silva Barnes Slimani Vardy Subs: Jakupovic, Knight/Hughes, Fuchs, Choudhury, Thomas, Mahrez, Iheanacho I would rather stay relatively strong to begin with and hopefully be in a position to bring on a couple of young lads later on. I think he'll play Vardy, especially after him not playing yesterday.

Boxing day should be left alone but there is no need to have 2 games around new years. All teams should all play on the same days too. Its unfortunate for West Brom that they are going into a huge game for them when their opponents have had a longer rest.

As good as Cross was, it's a shame it was such a one sided final. Brilliant achievement from Cross but everyone more interested in te fact it's Taylor's last match. Crowd were flat.

You can criticise his all round game and his attitude at times but he is a goal threat.

If we are going to set up to frustrate we also need to pick a team to do it. Far too much work for Iborra and Ndidi to do defensively. I think Puel recognises the need for a number 10 and he thinks Gray and Mahrez are the best bet at the minute but neither are at their best in that position. Silva needs to be the answer as I think he can work well with with Iborra and Ndidi. He might aslo get the best out of Slimani as they've played together successfully.

Disappointing but Liverpool are a much superior side to us, not sure what people are expecting. They create chances for fun, against better sides than us, and it was always going to be a difficult game. the squad needs an overhaul, we do enough to finish comfortably mid table and then we give Puel the summer to build the team he wants. Brilliant first few games, poor for the next few but that's the level we are. An ordinary mid table side. not to say Puel can't be criticised but some of the comments in this thread have been embarrassingly knee jerk.

Albrighton is the obvious choice as an emergency right back, unless Dragovic has history of playing there? The option of having Fuchs or Chilwell moving to the right. I wouldnt be suprised if he went with a back 3 with Fuchs at left centre back. Mahrez maybe playing as one the central 3 with Okazaki and Vardy up top.

They may have been young and fringe players but they would probably be first team regulars anywhere else.

The problem with any other strikers is that we still play in a way that suits Vardy, even when he isn't playing. Iheanacho is reacting to balls down the channels or over the top rather than making runs for them. I thought he did ok last night, in a game where we barely had the ball, especially when he was on the pitch. Closed down the keeper and defenders a few times to cause mistakes, it just isn't his game and he has a manner which looks like he can't be arsed. Said it over and over again this season but its just an example of our terrible transfer business in terms of the type of player we needed.

I just completed this quiz. My Score 50/100 My Time 94 seconds  

Hamer - 6 - Did alright to be fair apart from that one moment of confusion with Fuchs. Amartey - 5 Surprised to see some pretty high scores for him, defended ok I suppose but lacks so much confidence on the ball, backwards all the time. Dragovic - 5 Mixed bag really, terrible for their goal Maguire - 8 If he didn't ball watch occasionally he'd be world class, can do pretty much everything. Fuchs - 5 Struggled with the ball over him Albrighton - 5 Our only half threat first half King - 5 Chased shadows really, no impact. Iborra - 6 Needs legs alongside him, tried but struggled. could have done without him having to play 120 minutes Chilwell - 6 Can't fault his effort, tried to get forward but not sure about him as a left midfielder Iheanacho - 6 Did ok at times, but needs chances on a plate for him. We just don't suit him. Okazaki - 6 Effort as always without much joy Vardy - 7 You only realise how hard he works when you see someone else play up front, lifted everyone. Lacks quality at times though. Mahrez - 6 Our only hope of scoring in open play Gray - 5 'won' the pen with a good run but didn't do much else.

Bit disappointing to lose on penalties but justice was done really as it was never a foul on Gray, I think he's fell in a desperate 97th minute attempt to win something, he was surprised as anyone to see it given. Could we be looking at a ban? Game was poor to be honest, not a lot happening and Man City were in complete control.

Vardy is just hit and hope. Mahrez shouldn't take another penalty. We can't rely on either, we get a fair amount of penalties so we need to freshen it up, Fuchs was a quality penalty. No messing about.

With the fixtures next week, we were always going to test players. After saturdays performance some needed dropping anyway. Dragovic and iheanacho need to have a chance at some point. Midfield is the problem area and need the keeper to have a good game, can Hamer make enough saves to win us the game? Not convinced.

I like Ulloa but I really hope we're not going into a cup quarter final with Manchester City with him up front.

The squad for New Zealand should be interesting. Wouldn't be surprised to see Cook, Anderson and Broad 'rested'