Sparks FC

Lookman had better numbers than Forsberg last season (5 goals/4 assists vs 2 goals/2 assist) playing half the matches with far less starts. His numbers are better than Bruma (his other direct left wing competition there) who played more than twice his matches. You can't blame the lad for when he's bought on and how he's played, but at least he did something.

I'm not really sure why people think Unsworth had us looking up. His best managerial performance came after his replacement was announced, where days earlier Southampton put 4 past us. 2 days prior to that we conceded 5 at home. I wasn't watching us and thinking potential, it looked like we'd lose every game at that point just prior to West Ham. Granted I'm not thinking potential now either, but I think it's a bit revisionist to think there was more hope at any point in the season than now. We've got 12 games coming up, 2 of those against top 4 sides at home. Right now is the best run we'll have all season, and being an eternal optimist I really hope behind the scenes the players, staff and Sam are trying to sort their shit and actually finish this season with some modicum of respect for the club, fans and themselves.

Signed for Millwall http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42720046

Great writeup, genuinely excited about this one as he has performed in some big stages prior.

Considering where we were and how we felt in November, finishing 7th and getting Europe for another year would feel good. I really want us to qualify for Europe so we can go some way towards erasing what happened this season in Europe. Attracting continental players and not being able to offer any European competition at all would be made more difficult as well.

Been making a difference in the last few games (opener V Huddersfield, leading goal V Swansea), hopefully he keeps this up.

Don't think any of the new younger signings (Klaasen, Sandro etc.) should be sold, 6 month loans makes sense to get them playing again at a level with less pressure. They've been run into the ground by Koeman and I don't think their real potential can be judged based on the handful of games they've had.

Didn't Kenwright block Sammy Lee from joining when Koeman started? Surely it's paper talk and just putting together the fact Lee and Allardyce have history.

Shakhtar have had Brazillian's (players) for many years, it isn't the current manager who introduced this. Ferreira might be a good long term pick next June, but he would really need to pull a number to fix us this season. We can't afford for him to get acquainted with a competitive league and a one sided squad with no confidence. Sadly Allardyce, for the short term, looks like the best bet of the current 3 touted. What a horror.

Walsh is supposed to have some decent French network (resulting in the likes of Essien, Drogba, Kante, Mahrez etc. etc.) so here's hoping. Hopefully he does more than a trip to Milan though like last time. Would take the players they were banging on about then like Zapata, Murillo and Lamina with both hands right now.

The bizarre thing is on paper we have leaders. A former England and United captain. Former Ajax captain. Current Wales and Ireland captains. Lol even Cuco is captain for his NT. That's excluding any senior figures who aren't official captains. Bizarelly all of them, bar Coleman, are in horrible form.

At the moment it's like a job interview that won't end for Unsworth, and we aren't exactly like Chelsea when Di Matteo or Hiddink took over temporarily. The club need's a change on field for the better, and that makes it all the more difficult with this will he won't he bullshit distracting everyone.

Just about sums it up http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/evertons-manager-search-totally-confusing-13901537

This January transfer window is probably going to decide if we're playing in the Championship or staying up. Much as I want Unsworth to succeed, this would be his first window in his first season as manager in any league. It's a huge risk, maybe if some results early on went his way but that doesn't look like happening.

Ross will have to pull some stops out to crack that Spurs starting XI. Hard to believe Ali is 3 years younger than Ross.

Just read a stat, the combined age of Jags, Williams and Bainsey is 100. Most teams would probably have a back 4 with combined ages around that. To me another CB is more pressing than a LB, 2 performing CB's alongside Baines is the lesser of 2 evils as opposed to a new LB slotted in with the current shambles of switching CB pairings.

This time last season Lukaku had 7 goals / 3 assists in the league. His goal tally then is our team's tally now. We have been pantsed totally by some teams where it wouldn't have made a difference, but he would have made a difference in our recent closer league games and in Europa I'm sure. Granted there are also many other reasons why we are horrible, but his quality is obvious.

Chelsea went for Ox first though. Both attempts were strange for them as they have more than enough of that type of player. Not too long til his expected return date now, so it will be interesting if Ross says anything publicly before then.

It's a bit different, since Kane has been a regular for Spurs they have finished 5th, 3rd and 2nd. Kane has played in Europe in some form for all those years. Rom was here with us through a 5th and 7th place, and 2 11th place finishes with 1 Europa season in his first year only. If Spurs went to finish 11th this season and next I doubt he would remain there, but you never know. Koeman seems to have gone the way of everything Dutch in football at the moment, sticking to old ways for too long and failing to maintain pace in all aspects with the competition. I would really like someone like Tuchel in for the long term but Unsworth as caretaker can hopefully give the lads some much needed confidence.

Skillful and looks versatile, he offers something we are lacking hugely in the squad at the moment.

Vlasic in the middle actually looked alright. If it wasn't for Pickford 8 conceded would have been likely.

An absolute mare from the US. From an Australian perspective was hoping either the US made it through or not at all.

I don't think Ancelotti would come here, but I think your underrating him a bit with his tactical nous. He developed Milan's 4321 that saw them with the CL, he switched Pirlo's position to a deeper role with huge success, and he's done numerous formation and tactical switches over time that have paid off. Some recent comments from Bayern players say one thing, and he would have a different style to Guardiola no doubt, but I'd class him as a tactician over someone like Klopp who, while having developed a great tactic, can't seem to adjust and change it based on his players. He's had access to many top class players throughout his career though to help, Keane and Williams aren't comparable to Maldini and Nesta. Regarding Koeman I'm struggling to see how he's going to turn this around, but I don't think the sack will instantly fix the glaring issues with our squad.

Penny must have dropped he's being signed to fill the 25 man CL squad from the bench. Ox saw it coming as well. From captain to stitching everyone up in the middle of a medical within 12 months is a fair effort.

Thor scored more last season than in the Ox's 6 with Arsenal. Good player but we have enough good midfielders who lack goal scoring threat.