RuffRob

3 RBs on the bench.

I find Broja a player hard to be excited about, just feel he is going to be one of those players who is just going to spend a lot of his career on the treatment table. At 23 he has scored just 8 premier league goals over 3 seasons. I think he is a player who is very much over hyped based on a few decent performances in a Southhampton shirt a few seasons and injuries ago. Its good we have the oppertunity to at least have a long hard look at him before committing any sort of fee. We have to be careful we don't put our striker eggs in a injury prone player basket if DCL leaves!!!

? What has Beto got to do with Keane? If it's to do with a proper run of games as first choice, then yes nobody can judge him (or any player really) fully without seeing a proper run of games. Managers obviosely judge them in training, but we can't, and we can only trust managers make the right calls. DCL has managed to be available for games most of the time Beto has been here (although not been free scoring!!).

We all know Dyche is not a throw a new player in to the team type of guy and let him develop in to a Premiership player over quarter of a season or so. We all know a new player can easily take up to a whole season to develop properly in a new team. As a minimum player needs 10-12 game run in a team, before any real judgement can start to be made, and its only the last few games of this run that would be real indicator of what a player might be like for you. Twice as difficult if you are a defender going in to a defensive team at the wrong end of the table - as very little wiggle room. A lot different if you are a defender playing in a team who dominate possession and play in the opposition half. Not exposed half as much as you settle in to a team. Keane is seasoned Everton/Dyche player, JoB is fresh in the building. So can't compare value wise, simply becasue Keane is being picked ahead of him. Dyche will simply see Keane as the 'safer' pick at the moment. Keane has also played fine this season, Tarks not playing so well next to Keane is on Tarks really. CB pairing will get chopped and changed with injuries or suspensions - Tarks needs to deal with it, knows Keane well enough.

Happy enough with a point, especially given Gordon's saved penalty cost Newcastle a win. just makes a O-0 draw a little more palatable. also a clean sheet is sign then defensive moving in the right direction, and a make shift defense at that.

got to bring some points home after Gordon's pen was saved. we just have to rub the salt in to that wound. COYB.

been reading here and there about Maurizio Sarri being a shout for new managers once Friedkin take over. Probably lazy , 'Friedkin own a italian team so Freidkin will employ high profile italian managers' type journalist or social media writers. However, it is not in the relms of total fantasy. I can't say I would me massivley enthused by a high profile older coach coming in especially given his attacking football is the polar opposite of what the team is doing now. I would imagine a coach like this would want good backing in the transfer market, and may not be as focused on developing a young team, but wanting a more instant success type players coming in. Don't want the squad filling up with older, high paid players, only for manager to change again in less than 12months time, when we realise majority here are maybe no up to playing Sarriball. Case of being 'once bitten' maybe and just 'nervouse' of money being wasted again trying to force immediate success.

I think we will see Gana in for Doucs in this one. I agree, Harrison second half display over Lindstoms first half means that change is warrented. In marginal picks like this - then good displays should be rewarded. Being a strong influence for a second half turn around from a goal down to being a goal up is notible. Win the shirt, and then perform to a level to ensure you keep it.

However, Potter favours wide players attaching the flanks. Unfortunately, we don't have wingers or attacking backs in the team or squad at the moment. It is our real area of weakness. Perhaps a Patterson would flurish - but given amount of time he spends on the treatment table since he has been here I am sceptical if he'd ever become a regular dependable starter, even under a manager who favours his strengths. I enjoyed Potters football, but would he be to much of a playing style jump this season, given the position we are in and the squad we have? Although, could also argue that we need to bring these types of players to the club in anycase, and Potter has shown has an eye for such talent. Small squad with more going in the summer, we are currently ripe for bring in 3-4 wide players be they wingers, wing backs or overlapping attaching backs. Ideal situation is that we battle up to mid table between now and Xmas, and look at giving Potter (or other) half a season to assess what he has in the building, before going in to next summer transfer window - that I feel could be a pivitable one. Problem is given the points dropped so far, in all likleyhood we are still going to be hovering in or around the relegation zone at the turn of the year. So second half of the season most likley we are not going to be comfortable to give a new manager a bit of a free hit. I think the timing on bring in a new manager is important.

Naming rights is a funny one. Strange thar Spurs have not yet signed up to a deal - are the massive deals we would hope for not really out there at the moment? They tend to be long term deals. Great to hear there are lots of 'offers' to gauge the market. Think us siging up to anything will be a while off yet. Given how big these deals are you would have to think this wil be a post new owners desision, given the deal is that close. Friedkin Group also have there own companies and the links general football sponsership links and releationships they have made since being owners of Roma. There are plenty of Toyota Stadiums, Centers and Arena's about the place (Central US). So Friedkin Group do sponsor stadium etc fairly extensivley. If nothing, else it could be short term option without commiting to long term deals, until they got a better (best offer possible) offer. We basically have more options under the new owners elect.

Easy to pick holes in McNeil and say he has no disernable pace and no rigth foot - both fair comments. However, if he had either of these he would have cost two or three times the transfer fee paid and same with wages. It aslo likley that he would have been purchased by the likes of Newcastle, Villa, Spurs or even Arsenal et al. Has as good a left foot as you could hope for, but other areas of weakness - This simply puts him in our price/affordabiliy bracket. If he is regulaly creating big chances (up to others to finish these off), scores 5-10 PL goals a season and does his fair share of graft out of possession, then I would say he represents decent value. He's was a young player coming in for around £17M not £47M, and has been a starting 11 player since he's been here. I have a lot of time for McNeil and tend to focus on his good points and simply accept his weakness - otherwise we probably wouldn't have him here.

if he's played himself in to a bit of reasonable form, then I'll take that - as things are. We all know he's not the future of the club, just a short term utility sticking plaster. the fact he gets so much game time, is as much as a sad reflection of how this squad has had to be trimmed. up to certain players, who should want to battle be part of the future of the club, to really step up and make Young a bit part of a player for the best part of this season season. If they don't, then I am happy if Young plays the best version of his 39 year old self, until a more suitable player is brought in.

given his influence he is having on games so far this season he is looking more like the player he was in the second half of 22/23 season - creating and scoring. chuft for the lad, as had a tough year last year.

It was a good day for Dyche today. However, needs a fair few more to balance out how poor he has been so far this season. this win give him a platform for the next few games.

this game will be a massive boost to confidence. First time the team have come back from a goal down at Goodison it a long long time. Thiis week it's us coming back from being down. Hopefully we can build a bit of a run of results now.