funkyrobot

I just think if I had the choice between a hard working Skipp or a hard working Winks, I’d pick the latter based on their footballing ability. Both pressed similarly for me, just yet to be convinced about what Skipp can do on the ball. I don’t think we can afford to have a player that literally just works hard but not much else.

Hard working as a central midfielder should be a prerequisite. It’s not a skill that needs to be taught and a good manager will ensure his players in those key roles are exactly that. I think Cifuentes is a manager that will ultimately have a team of hard workers over time. Skipp’s nothing like Kante tho. For me, he’s a poor man’s Harry Winks and therein lies the problem.

Presumably you've got stats that contradict my view on Skipp. Admittedly my opinion was based on the eye and I guess with his previous performances for us in my mind. IMO he did not look like a £25m box to box midfielder. I saw a player that when we had throw ins not move or want the ball. I saw him beaten to 50/50 balls and I genuinely didn’t see anything on or off the ball that I wouldn’t expect of an eager u21 player thrown into a game. There was endeavour but nothing particularly outstanding and I thought we looked much better in the second half when Winks was in the centre alongside Soumare, even though at that point Fiorentina had brought more of their first 11 on. Winks ran with the ball better, and used the ball better than Skipp and meant our wingers weren’t the only thing Fiorentina had to worry about. I genuinely hope Skipp comes good but at the moment he’s not someone I’d expect the opposition to be particularly worried about.

Have we honestly seen any stand out assets in the games Skipp has played as of yet? Hopefully this will be his season but I’ve not seen much in the way of energetic box to box play in his game as of yet. Winks looked better at it against Fiorentina and he gets criticised for not having that in his game!

I don’t see Skipp as a box to box midfielder. He’s not got the dynamism required. Lacks pace & energy.

I just interpreted as him clapping the crowd - he is usually one of the players that takes the lead to do this. Cifuentes came on the pitch and encouraged the team to do it after so Mads did another lap!

You still sure of this? It’s already been well over 24 hours 😂

Fantastic is quite a stretch. He was ok, but looked less capable than Winks did when he came on. In the first half, all of our creative play came from the wings. Our midfield held a shape but were pretty anonymous and both Skipp and Bouba wall passed it most of the time.

Doesn’t make sense to give Mads the full 90mins if he’s definitely off. I reckon he’ll be in goal v Wednesday if the game goes ahead. The absence of Justin and the lack of game time for Ndidi is more telling for me.

This is Daka’s version of Praet’s pass against Brentford. It gets brought up after every game that he’s served up another stinker in studless 50p boots.

I thought his performance was uninspiring. Winks in the second half was far more creative, actually looked for the ball and was positive in possession.

Was on the bench today. Didn’t get any minutes - nor did Alves or Ndidi.

Medium is tiny mate. Half the players will be rocking a Large, never mind the fans. I saw one guy in a medium who definitely should’ve been in a large or xl. It looks better if the shirt fits, whatever size someone takes!

Souttar out until after Xmas with his Achilles injury.

Loving Cifuentes’ ice white giant box fresh trainers. Giving me strong Pearson vibes. Maybe a bit more flex in the sole than Nigel would want but great to see.

Yeh new software and absolutely clueless staff.

Absolute chaos at the food points today, half the amount of fans, massive queues. What a fkin mess

A mug stamp for watching our team play a historic Italian team that we’ll probably not see down the KP again any time soon? The mug stamp should be for people criticising fans attending.

This is the team I think we’ll start with Stolarcyck Thomas Nelson Faes Justin Winks Ndidi El Khanouss Monga Daka Fatawu second half lots of changes.

I could accept Verstergaard’s lack of pace because he’s a giant but it’s difficult to accept someone of Coady’s height and build could be as slow as he is. He ‘runs’ like a player with a bad back. He’s not capable of playing successfully in a back 4 and can only really function in a niche role as a central positioned centre back in a back 5. So from that perspective he might get on better at Wrexham. Enzo realised he wasn’t a good buy and barely played him - Coady is obviously great for team bantz but that didn’t help us one bit last season. Overall I’m very glad to see Podcast leave.

Coady might take a wage hit to improve his Hollywood podcastability pathway™️

Get a big lump off our wage bill and hobble a potential rival even more after they’ve already taken Ward. Get it done!!

Think you can delete it from your wallet and download it again to another phone.

The game plan will surely be for Mads (or Jakub if Mads goes) to roll the ball out to ‘Bego’ and let him work some magic outfield. As well as being signed as 3rd choice keeper Rudkin will expect Bego to fill in a hybrid box to box midfield/number 9 to enable Patson to resume his best role on the bench and so ELK can get his dream move to Sunderland.

Alves might be the answer, especially if ELK Leaves.