Zoo 2.0

1 minute ago, Hafnia said:

Let's be clear..... This is utter dogshit.   Salford arent even fit.... They've been training alone for months. They have had chances to score, we are losing the ball sloppily. Not comfortable at all. Making a meal of it. 

I suppose we will agree to disagree then, you're being a nelly.

Kean for Charlie now please, 30 minutes won't fatigue anyone and I'd prefer to be sitting at 2-0 with 30 minutes to go. It'd also allow Richie to tweak his shooting boots (which were badly missing against Spurs) for the West Brom game at the weekend. 

Also, horrendous shout @MikeO!

Would happily make love to that cross from Sigurdsson, A* delivery that should have been converted to be honest. Gutted (again) that Kean wasn't able to hit the back of the net, and inch lower and we'd be sitting at 2-0.

Disagree too @Hafnia, with all due respect think you're looking to be negative for negatives sake. We're cruising, albeit at 1-0. Doesn't matter where Salford play, how much they earn or how many dinnerladies they have on a match-day, you beat what's in front of you and we're doing that in first gear.

Love how Carlo Ancelotti has the balls to wear a polo top and blazer, even more impressed that he pulls it off. What a bloke.

Just now, markjazzbassist said:

It’s totally comfortable.  They were in our half maybe 3 times? One shot straight at goal and the other skied.  They are sat in their half.  If they tried to open up we would be killling them.  I’m not worried in the least.  We will get another and kill it off soon.

I must say I agree with this, think some people are jumping the gun a little hinting that we're struggling etc. Virginia has had to make one save and it was one that you'd expect him to make in his sleep. I'd have preferred a second goal to properly relax in the second 45 but whilst I'll admit we're not rampant we're nowhere near on the back foot. 

Very, very comfortable with just a goal needed to book a ticket to Fleetwood.

It's staggering how much weaker we look with the changed midfield, really hits home how much James, Allan and Doucoure have improved us. I've been impressed with the defence, but in the midfield we lack that spark of genius (that the three newbies can provide) and certainly miss a goalscorer up top. I'm pleased that we're winning, but won't feel super confident unless we can grab a two-goal cushion. Could get a little bit squeaky bum if we only have the 1-0 with 10 mins to go, route one from Salford and anything can happen really. 

If it's still 1-0 with 30 mins to go, take off Gordon (replace with Charlie) and swap out Kean for DCL. 

Feel for Kean, he looks so desperate. If he could get an early goal then hopefully it would calm him down and give him a bit of confidence to get his foot on the ball, relax and just play his natural game. Not nice to see him struggling against Salford when a few years ago he was looking like a really good prospect for Juventus - he just doesn't seem to have pulled out of first gear for us. I'm desperate to see him do well.

On the flip side, Nkounkou is looking bloody awesome, he's going to have to be special to get ahead of Lucas Digne but he's showing great potential Who knows whether he could be used on the left-wing?

*

Branthwaite has just pulled up passing the ball back to Virginia - Digne on at centre-back to replace him. 

3 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

Any clue on our formation?  

4-5-1 but the middle three are basically moving into the No. 10 position as and when they see space and need to. Davies, Sigurdsson and Bernard have all been floating in and out of the defensive third. Walcott and Gordon are coming really narrow into the middle of the pitch too, Carlo clearly wants us to attack their centre back/midfield - perhaps done their homework and spotted something awkward ther

BOOM.

1-0, Keane.

Corner from the left from Gylfi Sigurdsson, looped into the box and Michael Keane nods the ball into the ground in acres of space. Really poor marking from Salford it has to be said but a great finish. We lead inside 10 minutes!

28 minutes ago, Cornish Steve said:

Just look at this blatant bias. Here's the league table as shown on the BBC website. Correctly, teams are shown in order of points, then goal difference, and then alphabetical order - with one obvious exception. Look at the teams on 3 points and a goal difference of 1.

The league is structured based on (1) Points, (2) Goal Difference, (3) Goals Scored. 

Liverpool scored four goals whereas Crystal Palace and Everton scored one (conceding zero each). 

The table is correct, no bias. 

On the subject of the Salford game, I would rotate in the sense that I'd like the main bulk of the side rested for West Brom, purely because any side that we put out should be capable of beating a team from League Two. 

I've kept Pickford in goal, simply because I think that our main goalkeeper should be capable of playing 40+ games a season and from what little game time Virginia saw with Reading he didn't paint a fantastic picture of himself. Keane stays in order to have some continuity in the centre-back position with Kenny coming in for Coleman and Nkounkou swapping in for Digne. I assume that Salford will be lumping the ball into the box any chance they get, so tall defenders are key IMO plus I'd like to see Branthwaite again.

All of the new signings get a break with Bernard, Davies, Sigurdsson and Walcott completing the middle line. I've also got Anthony Gordon operating as the No.10 (who could rotate with Gylfi if need be) to break down the lines. DCL gets a break in preperation for West Brom with Moise Kean coming into the side, hopefully a goal against weaker opposition does him the world of good and allows us to genuinely use him as a second option in the Premier League. 

All of the above said I would still name a strong bench in the event that the worst happens. Players aren't going to get tired sat on the sidelines so I'd be picking James, Allan, DCL to come onto the pitch if need be and kill the game. I'll be honest I'm not that desperate for a 5/6-0 and would much rather we put in a really confident, calm performance and take the win 2-0 without leaving first gear.

Can we ban @RuffRob for posting pictures of Liverpool winning the title please? I am in denial, it never happened!

On topic, I would take anything that would give us European football league wise. Top 4 would be beyond my wildest expectations, I'd get Carlo tattooed onto my back if it happened. Realistically I think we should be aiming for 6th-8th in a similar mould to what Wolves and Sheffield United have done in recent seasons. They have shown that anyone can get there with the right tactics and attitude. 

6 hours ago, Matt said:

WBA look awful 

There will only be one relegation place this season IMO, West Brom and Fulham are already out of their depth and will go straight back down - the only worry for the smaller teams in this division will be 18th. 

Not sure who will join them - West Ham, Brighton, Newcastle, Villa? But I'd be surprised if the two mentioned above manage to escape the trapdoor. 

The good work that the back four, alongside Allan, Doucoure and to a lesser extent Gomes did allowed the quality of chances for Spurs to be significantly reduced. Other than the Alli shot (which was at a good height) and Doherty's shot they really didn't have anything at all to worry us with - Kane, Alli, Lucas and Son virtually anonymous. 

When the "best" chance of the game comes from their right-back, you know you've done well keeping their attacking options quiet. 

Oh Professor

Since the goal we've become increasingly sloppy, absolutely shite at the moment. Need to just get out foot on the ball and calm down. 

IS RIGHT DOM 

Fantastic first 30 minutes, between then and 45 I was hoping for half time, Spurs seemed to be getting into the swing of things and looking the better side. A a great stop by Pickford to stop Doherty to keep it at 0-0 had me hiding behind the couch along with Kane's near miss.

Overall I'm very impressed though, James already just looks on another level. Making balls that I can't even see with a camera looking at the entire pitch, knocking it left and right at ease - Doucoure and Allan look boss too although the latter has misplaced a few passes (and very nearly gifted them a goal). The only player having a bad game at the moment is Richarlison, fell over his own feet very early on in the game and fucked up what was a golden chance with the open goal - simply unacceptable IMO to not get that on target, or play it into DCL who would have had the goal at his mercy. Hopefully Carlo tells him to put things straight (as personally I would tear a strip off him) and sends him out with something to prove. 

Very, very promising 45 though. Against weaker opposition I think we could have had this sewn up inside 45, just hope we can build on this positive momentum and take a point or three, not to get ahead of ourselves but against West Brom next week we have absolutely nothing to fear.

16 hours ago, MikeO said:

OK as said elsewhere I'm going under the knife next Tuesday but they've phoned today saying they want me in from Friday so they can do some pre-op bits and pieces, which means I'll be in hospital for the first four or maybe five games of the season and I don't know what sort of internet access I'll have. I'll put the MOTM polls up as and when I can but if some/all of them don't appear can someone please step in; don't mean an individual to make a personal commitment to do them all, just someone stick one up if it's not there. Ta muchly.

Don't worry about totting up player totals, I'll do that when I get home.....or from hospital if I can.

Just think when you get out of hospital we'll be top of the league. 

I'm not a massive fan of this transfer I'll be honest, seems like a self inflated big fish in a small pond that wouldn't be able to cut it in a European challenging side. His constant crying to leave the club doesn't sit well with me either, although I suppose if I was trapped at somewhere like Crystal Palace I'd do the same. 

For the money that it would cost to bring him in I'd rather we went for Leon Bailey (B04) or David Neres (Ajax) who are much younger and would hopefully cost a lot less - I'm also hoping that any deal would include some sort of player swap; try to wiggle Tosun or Bolasie (both ex-Palace) or Iwobi (same position) into any Zaha deal. 

With the current pandemic, it seems like the perfect excuse to add deadwood into any transfer. 

33 minutes ago, Aidan said:

 

Came close to an aneurysm seeing Ashley Williams and Cuco Martina in an Everton shirt.

Those were the days where I considered ripping up my season ticket and following lawn darts instead.