Chelmofox

I think this was always the case, but any charges will be for the period up until mid summer (im not sure the exact date)

Or ask for the next Nando's to be 'medium rare'.

This is why i would like to see Yunus, Ndidi and Winks in the Chelsea game, even if we only do it for 60 mins or so. I think Yunus could be a real surprise with the better setup around him.

I winced the moment his feet left the ground as you knew exactly what he was going to do. He also hit the post a little earlier. It was a debut that could have been absolutely brilliant or a complete disaster, but somehow was neither (although we all came away thinking he was going to be brilliant).

I would play Yunus in the KDH role and play him along side Ndidi.

It won us the game though. We had no one else who could effectively play the attack midfielder role.

Jakub Hamza Coady Vestergaard Doyle Ndidi Winks Yunus Albrighton Cannon Wanya Have Daka, Mavadidi , KDH and Fatawu on the bench

We should go for it. They aren't all that and will definately be fearful of an upset. There should definitely be rotating still, but we should go with a full strength squad.

Agree. Criticise him for being the sh1te referee he is, but a few seconds to sign a few autographs - no problem. If he ignored those kids they would be laying into him as well. I can't imagine there is much demand for getting autographs from referees.

Enzo's stubbornness seems to come from the view that there needs to be 2 players in each position. I think Yunus was seen as the KDH alternative (and occasional winger) but the downside here is that because KDH is the stonewall first choice unless he is WAY off it, he is likely not getting subbed off. After losing Praet, RIccy, Ndidi and Casadei, Yunus gets shoehorned into that position, and he and KDH don't work well together. Most of our issues stem from being weak in midfield and then over relying on KDH / Winks. Fun fact, when Yunus hit that goal against Swansea my son had the sh1ts after a dodgy Nando's and we missed the moment whilst he was moaning in a concourse toilet. Maybe him having the trots brings Yunus good luck.

We lost?

Yes true about Yunus but then he's played in 5 of the last 6 games but not in his best position (except for the Bournemouth game). I think the real question behind this thread is 'why don't our substitutions change games'.

Surely the real question is why are we not paying someone who would excel in the role the going rate? Man City and Newcastle;s salaries dont look dodgy do they?

If i recall you were very critical of Kasey replacing Mavididi in the Leeds game. Marcal is weak (and was bullied for most the Bournemouth game until they gave him some space) and in these physical games i genuinely don't think he is someone to bring on. The areas where we seem to have enough quality to rotate is in central defence, which he isn't doing (unclear to me why Coady isn't being used), left back (JJ being used when the oppo has pacey attack), and the striker. The midfield has very little for him to play with now. When Ndidi was out, and he was having to start Akgun and KDH (which i am pretty sure he doesn't want to do) who comes on to change the game? There literally is no one. The part that has frustrated me is where he could start Marcal / Akgun / Albrighton on the wing, and then bring on Mavididi / Fatawu. This is what he did with Fatawu in the Bournemouth game and it worked. But at the business end of the season i think he he is fearful of not starting his strongest team. I think that Mavididi and Fatawu are so strong defensively he really worries about not starting them. I think the best trick he has up his sleeve is to start a slightly weakened lineup and then let our 2 best wingers rip the opposition up. Agree this is on Enzo but i don't recall him making Brendan levels of excuses, and I understand why he is picking the team the way he is. It amuses me seeing fans proposed Chelsea lineups where 'going strong' is picking the same lineup Enzo made for the Hull game. I am sure a slightly stronger version of what he did for Bournemouth would the be best.

Because he did a good job? The whole Pi55 the league thing was being done on here. Enzo has always been pretty pragmatic about how hard this league is. That wasn't the original stick being thrown at Enzo. The claim was that he had been 'given' 15 PL players. He hasn't.

He inherited a massively dysfunctional squad which still includes a number of players running contracts down.

You will see Doyle in the Chelsea game. You will see JJ if we are worried about pacey forwards. Expect to see Doyle in quite a few of the 9 remaining games.

I give you Winks and Coady, although Winks' career had faltered (at the time the transfer was panned on here) and Coady had fallen out of favour at one of the worst Premier League clubs. These weren't 2 PL titans. Doyle, Mads, Mavididi, Fatawu and Akgun all had NO PL credentials (i say PL because that's the stick being thrown at Enzo here). They are currently at their level, and some have the potential to become PL players, with 2 of those (Mads and Fatawu) having the potential to be good PL players. Ndidi had been terrible (i mean, horrible) for nearly 2 years, KDH is constantly reminded by the fans he is one footed and the Championship is his level, Vardy is Vardy but fell off a cliff in the PL last season, Riccy P and JJ are injury nightmares if not managed well, Nacho is the most inconsistent player i've seen and Faes is a bomb scare. Ndidi improved massively in the new role Enzo gave him (would another manager have done this or just left him in that defensive role?), and the latest injury aside Riccy P has played more football this season than i can remember. Enzo had done some great work to improve a lot of these players - certainly not a magic wand to make it work.

Of course! There is a difference between someone saying they would be 'happy with 2nd', and criticising the happy clappy fans for applauding us coming second. The latter is just insulting for no good reason. I'm fed up with this anyway. We are still top by the same margin as we was last week and our next league game isn't until 29th March.

Yeah - i get it. I'd like us to have gone unbeaten all season. Doesn't mean that i shouldn't appreciate the effort needed to get one of the top 2 auto spots.

No i wasn't, so don't put words in my mouth. You've lacked the context again though haven't you..... Does 2nd mean we lose out on a Champions league spot or something?

Yes, and the context is a grueling 46 game season where you don't get what you want out of the league. It would be disappointing not to win it for sure but your comment 'but no doubt it'll get applauded like relegation was last season' is petty and lacking context itself. If we get one of the 2 auto spots, there is no reason why any fan should get mocked for applauding the players.

Getting auto promotion would be pretty crap?

Ive said this time and time again - there is no difference what so ever in the grand scheme of things. No one cares Brentford weren't champions when they went up, no one cares Bournemouth, Brighton, Villa and Fulham didn't go up as champions. It's what they did when they got up that mattered. Either of the top 2 spots is job done.

5 year contract so the fee will be amortised. Then he goes for 90 mil in 2 seasons time.