Dan

I would like to think we could sort this out now as in the last six weeks Cifuentes has actually proven he's first choice, therefore has a good reason to stay.

It's quite interesting that after going down in 2023 and we started to rid ourselves of the 'bad eggs' we started getting in good guys again. The first two to arrive - Winks and Coady. Funny how it works. Pearson's judge of character was the main thing behind our rise and our total neglect for this is one of the main reasons for our decline. Clearly, as suspected, nothing had been learnt after that relegation whatsoever. Short-term signings, both bad value. Well, if nothing else it's another win without him. I hated this idea we were 'desperate' for him. That sort of desperation is so utterly tinpot, spineless, weak. It's a step away from that shenanigans at least. He should be out the door 1st January.

Gobsmacked that young player who looked good in this league for a poorer side looks good in a slightly better one. We got there in the end but we've cost ourselves a fair few points by freezing him out as long as we did.

Been saying for weeks I think Coventry 1st, Ipswich 2nd but finally swung over to thinking it'll be Middlesbrough taking 2nd. They've genuinely improved under this new manager looking extremely decent in basically every game so far, largely dominating and winning all of them. I actually think there's a slight chance they take 1st but probably not. Ipswich have been massively found out. They were ridiculously ordinary. Southampton are better than them.

I'll be honest I'm still not entirely convinced and I think we're benefitting from good variance at the minute (on the flip side you could say the opposite was true of say the Blackburn game). What I will say though is he's at least sort of found some sort of settled XI to work with. The midfield the biggest transformation.

It's possibly the best one of its type as well. Insanely good.

Imagine if after seeing Reid's goal someone told you goal of the season was sewn up in that first half and it wasn't Reid.

Lol what are we doing ffs

Ipswich have wasted some money haven't they.

Unreal isn't it. They've looked bang average.

Right I have one challenge. Don't turn into San Marino or Gibraltar this half.

Hahahahahaha amazing. That's been coming he's tried it a few times

**** me strike

He'll go nowhere because they'll just leave it to this technical director, who won't be here until February at the earliest.

These types end up being wrong in the long run nearly every time. Makes me giggle if anything else days.

That's more than Vardy's on. We haven't got this sort of luxury.

Looking at some clubs 2021/22 windows. Everton: Demarai Gray, Begovic, Andros Townsend, Dele Alli Aston Villa: Danny Ings, Calum Chambers Arsenal: Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Tomiyasu Crystal Palace: Odsonne Edouard I've specifically picked out signings who made little impact in the season we had that window. That's the timescale you're looking at - what we do is equivalent to if these clubs were still reliant on those players in nearly 2026. It's completely preposterous.

We seem to have our worst windows at our best and best windows at our worst. The biggest farce of this is the fact three of those four are still here and I've no doubt Bertrand would be too if he hadn't retired. If you drew up some comparisons from other clubs it would make for hilarious reading and puts into context how absurd this is.

I think PL sides have underperformed in Europe relative to the amount they've spent personally but because there are only a quite limited number of actual trophies to play for it's given a bit more of an illusion of balance. I'm saying this as someone who'd rather things were a bit more balanced in general as well. It's quite bleak to me that Bournemouth could play Porto or Ajax and probably end up bookies favourites.

I did always quite like him but blimey. He looked to really drop off in the last couple of years - for obvious sort of reasons.

Think this is undoubtedly true now. That final last year was a pretty bleak outcome. Two genuinely rubbish sides who were still able to dig out enough to make a final - it's broken when this can happen.

Fiorentina still winless in the league this season as well.

It probably will but it'll be at a glacial pace as usual.

Standard has enormously dropped off since the dropouts from the Champions League were stopped. It's why two garbage Premier League sides made the final last year. That being said I do think Bilbao were better than both last season and really fumbled it in the semis.

Christ I think Qatar were a less egregious host.