pmcla26

The semi-realistic ideal attacking midfield options by the end of the summer window: AM: KDH and El Khannouss RW: New starter, Ayew, ease Fatawu back from injury, loan McAteer out LW: Barnes and Mavididi

Why? 4 of the top 6 goalkeepers are settled, Man City/Chelsea might not necessarily be interested in Hermansen (Jorgenson might develop in to number 1, then there are other goalkeepers on the market too) and he is under contract until 2028.

Not so sure we can praise the strategy as none of those PL experience players have looked like they'll to be nailed on starters for us, but we've got Vardy, Vestergaard, Justin and Ndidi all having years of experience at this level before and then Hermansen, Soumare, El Khannouss, VK, Buonanotte all being too good for anything other than top flight football. Then you add squad players like Coady, Skipp, Ayew and Reid in as a supplement.

Think we could do with a winger who is a bit more direct. El Khannouss and Buonanotte already provide the guile and close control in tight spaces.

It looked like he tried to shoot?

Hermansen Justin Okoli Vestergaard VK Skipp Ndidi (Winks, if he's back and Wilf isn't) Buonanotte El Khannouss Mavididi Vardy

Only Alisson and Kepa have ever cost more than £50m. Onana was the best goalkeeper in the Champions League in 22/23 and was sold for £43.8m. I'm not saying we won't ask for more but I'd be surprised if anyone went above £50m for him. Liverpool spent around £30m for Mamardashvilli and he's seen as one of the next best goalkeepers in the world. Raya cost less than £30m, too.

Hermansen is brilliant but I do think people underestimate how good other goalkeepers actually are. Like all last season when everyone was saying Onana is crap, when he obviously isn't. We also don't treat goalkeepers like outfield players where we say they have different attributes that make them good in different set-ups (everyone wants goalkeepers to be good at everything - a striker for example doesn't need to be a target man and a run-in-behind player). Pickford is brilliantly suited to Everton but wouldn't be great for Man City, he's still the same quality of goalkeeper, though. There's no chance anyone would pay upwards of £50m for Hermansen ever.

I wonder if they will replace them all to match the new ones when the expansion is complete.

Even if they win their next two games you can tell long-term that it just won't work there for Lopetegui.

Like El Khannouss's goal?

No, he's not. He does boxing/combat sport announcing more often and is a journalist, too.

Depends on context - in Martin's case he probably knows his lads aren't good enough to compete at this level - no point in hammering them when they aren't underperforming, they're just crap

If he's available we have to try to bring him home. What do they need for amortisation?

Mads JJ Coady Vestergaard VK Ndidi Soumare McAteer El Khannouss Mavididi Vardy

When he plays well he's extremely good. I love watching him when he's on it, I really want him to succeed here.

Kelleher will be available in the summer too I would imagine, seeing as he has a higher profile than Mads (just because he plays for Liverpool) could see teams trying to go for him first.

Only 7 points off of Europe

I can see Ipswich winning tonight. Leicester and Ipswich to win btts 24/1 on Coral

It's annoying Jordan Teze went to Monaco in August

Mads Okoli Vestergaard Justin Hamza Skipp Ayew Buonanotte Soumare El Khannous Vardy Mads Hamza Okoli Vestergaard Justin Ayew Soumare Skipp El Khannouss Buonanotte Vardy In vs Out of possession shapes

Ridiculous. Neither Morsy nor Guehi should have any scrutiny for their actions, nor should anyone who did choose to wear the armband.

Mavididi and Bilal. Possibly Soumare. Also think Faes might, in the same way he did well in the Championship last season when he's not being asked to lead the back line.

I'm struggling to think which one of the number 8s/10 will join Vardy in the press. Rather Ndidi doesn't go roaming that high, Buonanotte could but would've thought he'll play on the right. Be interesting to see who RVN instructs to go higher tomorrow.

Think he meant after our game against Chelsea. Said in another interview he called him last week.