Sexyfootball

Yes the stats certainly back up Alonso as the nailed on starter at left back. He's started 5 PL games this season, and we've won all of them. Emerson's record as a starter is played 10 won 3 drawn 2 and lost 5 !!!

I certainly think there are a couple of players being left out who could possibly make a difference ... at least if you base the team on statistical analysis of our Premier League results per starter ! In our 17 games, we have won 9, drawn 2 and lost 6, which means we have achieved 57% of the available points. So anyone who has a better percentage than that in the games they have started is a net contributor, and should be in the team. The ones that stand out (positively) are Alonso, Hudson-Odoi (admittedly only 2 games, so small sample), Barkley ... and the ones that stand out negatively (we do worse when they are starters) are Emerson, Kante, Pedro and Giroud. Playing a 4-3-3, the starters, based on points won when they start, would be those names in blue bold. Players who are "net contributors" are shaded blue. You could argue Kovacic in place of Jorginho, or Christensen ahead of Zouma, as they are both very close. So our statistically best PL line up is : Kepa Azpiliceuta ; Zouma ; Tomori ; Alonso Barkley ; Jorginho ; Mount Willian ; Abraham ; Hudson-Odoi

Here's something I hadn't realised ... Alonso has started 5 PL games this season .. and we have won ALL of them ... !!!

On paper, you'd certainly think so, but we are won 3 drawn 1 lost 4 with Kante as a starter in PL games this year ... maybe he isn't as invaluable as we'd all think ?

They say you should never go back, but I wonder what a Kante/Hazard straight swap might do for us ...

Wouldn't mind having a look at Maatsen ... none of our other options for left back fill me with much confidence ...

More to the point, neither Emerson on the left nor Dave on the right have what it takes going forward from full back, and our wingers all like to play inside too much. Maybe the best system is 3-4-3 with Alonso and James as wing backs ... ?

The obvious change is Barkley in for Mount. but Barkley seems to have disappeared without trace, apart from in nightclubs and taxis

The only good thing today is it looks like we're only dropping one point further back from Leicester ...

Exactly why are we paying CHO £100K a week ?? On the evidence of ALL his games this season, we should have sold him to Bayern ... must be some physical or mental hangover from his injury. Either that, or he's just sh*t LOL

We have had nowhere near enough movement today and we don't take nearly enough shots on goal. Reaping what we sow ... poor all over the pitch ...

Still time to win this 3-0 ... 🙂

Fair play to Frank for trying to win the game by going to two up top .... he's made all the right subs today for me ...

That's a terrible miss from Emerson ... he has to score there ...

We look like a team of slow midgets playing football for the first time today ... pretty dreadful stuff.