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Why can't I shake this feeling they aren't really serious about buying him. For some reason, it feels like us with Maignan

No way they ever pay 75M for him. Not to fussed though, Mudryk wasn't close to being good enough prior to his absence, so I dont know how anyone thinks he's improved massively after 1,5 year without football. I dont like doing business with Tottenham, but I think for Mudryk personally going back to a manager who really rates and loves him is great to see on the human side of things. Let them get him back to speed, I dont think there's a world where he would have been a part of our squad now or in the future regardless

We have better options in attack but you just look at Arsenal from back to front and they're just a solid unit. So whilst individually they are not as strong, their attack is super strong due to the cohesiveness of the system and everyone doing a job. Same goes to how they defend. Its bloody brilliant but annoying because its them.

Will take a draw right now.

Three wee blue cars in the background!😀😀😀

“If ever a team deserved a lead, it’s Rangers!” A great line in the commentary, by the legendary bbc Scotland football commentator Archie McPherson.. And he was 100% right!

If its an option to buy we can still sell him to somebody else yeah?

Happy birthday to Ruud Gullit. 64 years young today. Again, I couldn’t quite believe it, when we signed him!

Couldn’t quite believe it when we signed Mark Hughes! Thought he was a very good player for us.

A loan with De Zerbi is the best option for Mudryk. De Zerbi will favour him after their history and get him playing again. Best case he comes back to us refreshed and flying with confidence, worse case we get £75m and make a profit on what looked like a failed transfer. Win:win

Well we’re living in it, if that counts? Still have to paint the hallway and completely do the downstairs toilet and main bathroom. Then get started on the garden/driveway. Currently enjoying a week in Cornwall, then straight back into it. Finished by Christmas is the target.

Not directly related but Liverpool have been linked with his replacement at Genk, Lucca Brughmans, for £30m. He's made 15 senior appearances for Genk in total since last season. 6ft 7, giant. We signed Penders after two senior appearances for 17m, for comparison.

Renovations done?

But I'd bite your hand off for Camara and Fabian Ruiz. But I'd still like to get Anselmino a domestic loan and then sign a further CB on a permanent. Ideally I'd like 3 signings today, and all to be needle movers.

Rogers, Pedro and Palmer all put in very good shifts defensively. Their role is to defend high up the pitch to make defensive players think twice about bursting forward. We should not be relying on them defending near the box. Pedro's inexperience defending led to a simple block turning into an OG. Gusto and Neto were most at fault for the first goal. Gusto stood ball-watching while Rogers was trying to shield the ball from two Brighton players, and he did well but unluckily conceded a throw; instead of running back into position, Gusto stops, then throws his hand up, and then tracks back at speed but only after Neto has missed his tackle. There is no logical reason why Gusto, the nominal CM and a player actually capable at LB, should have been waiting stationary in an attacking LM position while Rogers and then Neto had to deal with an attack. He was certainly at fault for the last goal, Gross was his man and Rogers' height and presence means we rely on him to defend set pieces there, and I'm sure Austin McPhee expects Rogers to be one of his 'generals' out there given they have previously worked together well. Yes, it was at the end of the game and Rogers was clearly gassed, but we will have more consequential injury times in the season ahead. Rogers is by far the best defender of the three, he is excellent at winning the ball in central midfield. His seeming hesitation (like King's goal at Fulham) is at least partially explained by a lack of understanding with his new teammates. The defense only gets better if Rogers, Pedro, Palmer (and Estevao/Quenda) are allowed to do their thing and create real jeopardy and risk in the minds of midfielders wanting to push forward. All it takes is a save and a long-pass from Martinez to make them instantly regret their decision. Rogers "working harder" doesn't meaningfully solve the main problem with our defence, which is that our players are spaced way too widely and have to cover big ground to catch people running between the lines or at the back posts.

The only people that benefit are the foreign banks and private equity companies that lend money to finance the transfer payables. The league is essentially a shadow bank where clubs transfer debts and promises of payments, the sums "paid" for players might as well be Monopoly money. FFP/PSR was intended to bring solvency for clubs, instead it has created an anti-competitive mess that threatens the financial stability of the sport itself. There is a real risk that next year, players are no longer able to be accounted for as intangible assets the same way they are now, meaning clubs will be owing 5-10x as much to private lenders as they can possible recoup in transfer fees. TV deals and advertising around the world have stagnated. It may not look like it now but we seriously could be entering the death throes of the EPL, in the same way the first dominoes fell in Serie A in the late 1990s.

Best wishes. Worth keeping an eye on Como with Cesc, Trev and Sanchez

That only stands if Fernandez was key to us moving forward. I’d argue both Camara and Kone are better suited to Alonso’s midfield than Enzo ever could be

For extra perspective, that would be paying £65m for a kid who is equally likely to be the next Bakoyoko or Tchouameni, and £75m for a player who has a similar injury record to Lavia despite playing in much less intense leagues: We do need midfield cover, but not at that cost and risk. I'd keep the powder dry for January where both Alex Scott and Adam Wharton will be readily available.

It's very early days in his development. He's not going anywhere and if this rumour is true its just Liverpool showing an early interest so at some point in the future they can say they have been long time admirers. Dippers do one.

If we play like Villa did tonight we might get something as our attacking options are far better…our defence and non existent midfield is the worry…..if Enzo stays…does he play? If we play like we did against Fulham and Brighton I think we’ll get spanked…

There's also Maresca, Lampard, Gerrard, Gattuso, Carrick and Xavi who were obviously top players with mixed success in management, at best. Then you also have Scaloni, Iraola and Espirito Santo who have had relative success despite very middling playing careers (although all three were Football Manager legends at some point!) Alonso earned his stripes as manager not because of his playing career, but because of what he did with Leverkusen. Same as Vincent Kompany. Their reputations as players are nice for social media clips but they are only of value because they proved themselves as managers first.

But did we get a clause making his inclusion mandatory when they play us?

It's more their tactics at attacking corners that have been concerining. The league is supposedly clamping down on it. So far they have resorted to short corners as a result, it's 2019 all over again.

This is needless doomerism. It's been three games and Estevao is coming off a major overuse injury. The world does not need yet another Christian Pulisic, Ansu Fati, Jadon Sancho etc who are mentally and physically busted before the age of 24. For the sake of the team, Alonso also has to juggle between allowing players to build momentum, getting results, and getting players match-fit and ready to peak for the mid-season.