ClaphamFox

Surely a RB will be one of the main targets this January?

1-1.

We are clearly not ‘nailed on’ for the drop. That sentiment may reflect the state of your mind, but it does not describe reality. We are in a perilous position, obviously, but we’re within touching distance of the two teams above us and survival is very possible from where we are. It’s just as ludicrous to talk of relegation being a certainty as it was when people were predicting - apparently sincerely - that we’d get battered 6-0 yesterday. The reason people are encouraged by yesterday is that there were very clear signs of progress. It was obvious that the work RVN has been doing on the training ground is starting to translate onto the pitch. We had a clear shape and a game plan, neither of which were much in evidence under Cooper. At times we put together some very good passages of play. This is progress - and if it continues, we have a chance of staying up. I get that it might be less stressful to just assume we’re down rather than deal with the anxiety that comes with hope, but I reckon we’ll pick up enough points to be still with a shot at survival at the end of the season. The next 19 games are going to be an emotional rollercoaster.

Given that Buonanotte played the full game, can we finally move on from the daft ‘RVN isn’t playing him because he’s going back to Brighton’ claims?

There are definite signs of RVN’S tactics taking shape. There were signs of it against Liverpool, too. We’re starting to look like a much better side than we did under Cooper, which we definitely didn’t against Newcastle and Wolves. There are signs of an actual identity developing, which is encouraging.

Did you transfer him in just for this game or have you kept the faith with him during his barren run?!

Given that we only lost 3-1 away to Liverpool, who are vastly superior to Man City this season, what makes you think we’ll concede 5-6 goals today?

The Wolves game was a major shock and really changed the way a lot of people regard our prospects this season. I can’t remember many games that have had such a depressing impact on our fanbase. However (and I accept I may be in the minority here) I was quite encouraged by what I saw in the Liverpool game. There seemed to be a more defined structure to our play and a lot more resilience. Maybe it was just a one-off, but maybe it was evidence that RVN’s work on the training ground is beginning to show on the pitch. For that reason I’m not quite as defeatist about today as some others seem to be. I don’t subscribe to the view that Man City are suddenly going to snap out their malaise and thrash us without breaking sweat (their issues seem much more deep-rooted than that). I think it will be tighter than some folk are expecting - and if it’s tight we have a chance.

Why would we buy any player this January that doesn’t immediately improve our first 11 and at least give us a shot at staying up this season?

We have to do everything we can to survive this season. Targeting players who won’t help us to do that would not only be short-sighted, but also unforgivably cowardly.

The players we buy in January will be targeted to help us stay up this season. We won’t be going after players who aren’t ready for the PL just because they might be good in the Championship if we go down.

Good question - unfortunately not one I know the answer to…

Given that we successfully argued that we were a Championship club at the end of the 2022/23 season (and thereby beyond the scope of the PL), the EFL could reasonably argue that we fell under their jurisdiction.

So Brighton call us up and say, "Guys, we want to recall Buonanotte in January so we can sell him and we don't want him to get injured. If you agree not to play him, we'll loan you Ferguson as a token of our appreciation." We agree to this, put Buonanotte on the bench, then throw him on after 84mins against Wolves when the game is already lost and there's nothing to play for, putting him at risk of an injury that would scupper any chance we've got of getting Ferguson. Yep, makes complete sense.

In the Mercury today Jordan Blackwell claimed that while Edouard may well be going back to Palace, Buonanotte is 'highly rated' by Ruud and is 'going nowhere'.

Who cares? Why would we stop playing him just to help them sell him? Plus, if we DID have some agreement with Brighton re: not playing him, why is he being thrown on the pitch towards the end of games that we’ve already lost? Why would we risk breaking the agreement for no potential benefit? This theory makes literally zero sense.

Why would we stop playing him for that reason? Surely we’d continue to play him until the agreement ends?

Yep. Traditionally an absolutely vile fanbase, very fond of mocking our city‘s Asian population. It seems they have short memories.

It seems unnecessarily cruel to make this the last game of the day. If it was earlier we could get it over and done with and then try to forget about it. An 8pm kick off just prolongs the dread, like a cat keeping an injured bird alive to extend its torture before killing it. Not kind 😢

Do you really? Well, LCFC, pull up a chair…

I haven’t managed to bring myself to watch the highlights. I’ve read claims that the replay of the second goal shows that Ward called for Justin to leave it. Can anybody confirm?

No they won’t.

Ward’s contract ends next summer. So, no.

It would be easier to state which positions we DON’T need to strengthen in: GK (assuming Hermansen and Stolarczyk are both fit and available soon). Erm…..

Yep.