PloKoon13

To be honest I was hoping the Tottenham game would be this, a schooling of the former master, against our most hated rivals, with an innovative first XI - it was magnificent. It's a shame our form has been so erratic since.

I miss Alonso. I mean he's just as big a defensive liability as Emerson at left back, but at least he does fun stuff like score free kicks, rifle in daisy cutters from the edge of the box and win headers.

Sorry, my fault, he's in my fantasy team.

The problem with playing Kanté in a midfield three is that you negate the biggest advantage he provides us. His ability to cover ground, and his ability to read the game mean that he is able to single-handedly make up for a numerical disadvantage in midfield, allowing us to put another player elsewhere. So either: - You put that extra man in defence. It provides more cover and another man to a very shaky backline, and also has the added benefit of pushing the full-backs forward, which addresses the disaster we currently have at left-back; - You put the extra man behind the striker (ideally Willian), giving us someone to actually link up play in the final third and address the current issues we are having in breaking teams down; - You play two up front (hopefully Cavani). Negating the qualities of our only actual world-class player in order to accommodate Jorginho is utterly baffling. The other areas of the first XI are crying out for reinforcement - why on earth not provide it?

Remarkably unintelligent player. Shouldn't be anywhere near the starting XI if any two of James, Alonso and Azpilicueta are match fit.

Hell yes. Provides us with the qualities we've been missing since Giroud fell out of favour and more. Exactly the kind of experience a side [theoretically] challenging for titles wants in their squad. See if we can get him on an 18-month deal.

He has really impressed me over the past two seasons. Obviously there are a few question marks: Would he thrive in a completely different system? Would he still be as effective if played further forward (as he would be if stationed on the left at Chelsea)? Is it worth pursuing him considering the large number of options we currently have on the left? Wasn't he linked with Juventus over the summer? Something silly like £50m?

Well now the away fans are in the Shed there would be a decent chance of Gronkjaer's crosses hitting one of them in the face.

---------------------------Kepa James----------Zouma----------Rudiger--------Alonso ------------------Kanté----------Kovacic ---Hudson-Odoi--------Willian------------Mount -------------------------Abraham

Also it appears as if we have one of these strange suction fish on the bench: Should be enough to scare Ozil off the ball if nothing else...

Hamstring twinge apparently - left out as a precaution. Also I can't make head nor tail of the Arsenal lineup: Having had a look at their last two lineups, it seems as if Saka has been playing as a left-back, with Aubameyang wide left (4-2-3-1): --------------------------------Leno Maitland-Niles----Chambers-----Luiz------Saka ----------------------Torreira-------Guendouzi ----------Nelson------------Ozil-----------Aubameyang -----------------------------Lacazette

Nigel Pearson sacked by Belgian club OH Leuven

Merry Christmas one and all... ...unless you support Tottenham or Liverpool or West Ham or Millwall or Arsenal or Man Utd

Yeah, this is almost the exact lineup I posted a few pages back. Unfortunately on the few occasions that whatever strange tactical alterations I have suggested are actually taken up, we tend to lose...

Oh, you don't want to know what I think...