Bablemikey

Will Vesty's recent auditions for number 8 see him get the nod over Ndidi, with Coady in at CB?

It has been an extraordinary collapse but since xmas the malaise that seemed to be present al last season has manifested itself once again in our play. I didn't think Bristol had much to play for but they seemed to want to win far more than us. Yes we had really good chances, but so did they. Ours were better but once again unconverted. Maybe the financial predicament of the club is a factor, who knows, but promotion is slipping through our fingers and I wouldn't bet on us in the playoffs on our current form. Time to stand up and be counted must be the message, to players & to the management. The worry is they were unable to do so last season. Bloody long trip for such disappointment.

Big 6, FFP & VAR have sucked the enjoyment out of the game and ruined football.

We played some great football & should have been out of sight. Poor finishing/bad luck to blame. Ref I thought was lousy for both sides. Thought at the time that Perieras’ tackle was excellent & was staggered it was given as a foul let alone a yellow! Seen it back on tv now & it was a terrible decision. Proper game of football though & the atmosphere was electric. Glad I went, & I enjoyed the game, but obviously crushingly disappointed with the result. I still think we’ll win the league.

Watching on TV at home then were you?

Looking very rusty & lack cohesion. Pretty much what I expected with so much change. Youngsters looking bright at times.

Walking into Seagrave he'll accidentally bump into Praet & both will shatter into a million pieces.

Presumably this’ll have a happy ending then

Should’ve worn me big coat

Hope he gets a run out tomorrow & comes through unscathed.

Not proud of myself for laughing out loud at this!

Where’s the Nugent squirrel?

A very clever training ground move I thought

There was me thinking it was a Buddy Holly song

I totally get this and confess I have similar feelings. However, I am really enjoying being a big dog in this league AND watching the strategy unfold. Next season will be a real challenge for me I expect, because we will be back to being in amongst so many teams just fighting for survival and making up the numbers whilst the nation state funded super wealthy compete at the top. The Prem is increasingly now such an unbalanced and unlevel playing field that has lost almost all sporting credibility for me. Truly sad.

Last time I was there was the cup replay. Parked on some blokes driveway who offered to look after it when he saw me looking for a space. Wished us good luck too!!! And it was still there when I came back

I’m enjoying this season immensely. It’s far better when you go into the game feeling that you’re more than likely going to win rather than the struggles of the last season. I appreciate we’re playing a different way & I can see the tactics playing out on the field, it maybe different for those watching on tv where the focus is on the ball, but I can see us moving teams around whilst looking for the openings to appear. When they do though we could definitely improve in playing the ball to the player making the run. Im going to enjoy it & appreciate it while we are here in this league as a top dog. Next season we will be back in the prem but it will again be very very tough.

I’m really hoping Hamza has a great game but I’m fully expecting Watford to target him in their press & whilst he has great physicality I’m not sure he has the close control, touch, passing awareness to play through it.

Left back ball out to right wing was a feature for a while earlier in the season when Doyle was playing, and we enjoyed some success with it too.

Wonder whether we might look at Akgun for the Winks role. He seems very adept and aware on the ball.

You were lucky.

We're really missing Doyle & Ndidi I think. Our play seems disjointed and incoherent now compared to the fluidity & control we demonstrated when they were playing.

Leeds are one of the best teams in the league. Not many will think they can play like Leeds. Birmingham however is a very different kettle of fish entirely, and that was my point.

Birmingham showed the rest of the league just how to play against possession based teams like Ipswich & us. They were unlucky not to take all 3 points. That aggressive high press might not be sustainable all game but Birmingham demonstrated if you can force turnovers & take the chances the game is there to be won. We might well face more of this going forward.

Ndidi?