30 Dec 2018 14:37:03
Why are we fielding a reserve side against City?

Sign of a mass clear out in January?

1.) 30 Dec 2018
30 Dec 2018 16:19:24
And that ladies and gents is why PEH is a liability as Captain. Totally pointless challenge and he's suspended for another match at least. He's serving us little if he sits out a third of the season through suspension. He has to learn his lesson quickly or the armband must go to someone who will be a more regular starter and not leave the team a man down because of reckless and needless fouls.

2.) 30 Dec 2018
30 Dec 2018 21:05:14
Let's not be too hard on hojbjerg - he was a machine today. He's our best player and while he needs to learn from this, we've been crying out for a player with that 'edge' to his game for years.

3.) 30 Dec 2018
30 Dec 2018 23:01:20
he misses 4 games . awful tackle! . red mist.

4.) 31 Dec 2018
31 Dec 2018 01:45:54
Probably one of our best players but if he's only available for 20 games a season because of injuries and suspensions he's becoming a liability. I don't think any of our side played well today. Ideally we would get rid of at least 6 or 7 bit part players and some that are not likely to play for us again and bring in 4 top class footballers being 2 good central defenders, a playmaking midfielder and a striker who can hold up play as well as score 15/ 16 goals a season. Maybe bringing back Boufal and Carillo might work under our new manager.

Certainly something has to change because the players we have at present just don't cut the mustard. Personally I think that we need to spend £80- £100 Million on new players hoping of course to recoup a fair portion of that from sales . Will the board back the new manager or expect him to work miracles on a shoestring. Hopefully they'll stump up a decent amount for RH to bring in the players he wants but I for one won't hold my breath.

5.) 31 Dec 2018
31 Dec 2018 08:47:08
Wow - there's a wishlist. The reality is, we're fighting relegation and few players of the quality you're looking for are going to join us at this stage. Also, Ralph Krueger made clear in the summer that Mr Gao is not going to be investing large sums to fund transfers. We need to sell to buy. There may still be a bit of VVD money to use, but a spend of £80-100 m seems a little out of our capacity. The club want to buy young potential and sell for a profit. The players we could sell are old or not playing or on loan elsewhere and fairing ok at best. We can't expect to recoup vast sums for them, nor will they be in high demand. Don't expect too much.

6.) 31 Dec 2018
31 Dec 2018 10:36:08
Not surprised by the result, it doesn't mean much for the rest of season. Man City was never going to be there for the taking. The first goal was a classic example of how Man City have scored a lot of goals so far this season. Some neat play on the wings between one of their attacking mids and wingers to get to the byline, where they won't be touched and then a ball across the box and finding the free man. Classic City, Lemina should have followed Silva. PEH goal was quality and shows exactly why the press is good for us. Maybe we could've had a penalty, that would've brought the game to 2-1. Instead, JWP scores an own goal, which was very unlucky and which perhaps AM could've saved, had he not have stepped to the left. The Aguero goal was very soft to concede, we gave Zincenko too much space on the left and he found the smallest player in the 6-yard box who simply nodded the ball past the goalkeeper. Who again could've saved that one. That being said AM did make a couple of outstanding saves which stopped the game from being a goal-fest. A clumsy and wreckless challenge from PEH ruined the game, not he'll be out for the Chelsea game.

I don't know if Cedric and Bertrand are both injured or could be on their way out. I am hoping the Ralph is working with them to improve their fitness so that when they do come back they'll look of good quality. I don't know who should be captain, we don't really have a bossy leader that can unite the team from on the pitch like Fonte.

We've got a good run of games in February, we play Cardiff, Fulham and Burnley. These games will determine our fate. As well as playing Crystal Palace on the 30th of January. I'd take 8-10 points for these games at the moment.