30 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

WHo the hell is Essugo?! Missed that one!

12 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

WHo the hell is Essugo?! Missed that one!

A Caicedo hatchling.

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Santos can play either Lavias role or Enzos. Has more been playing Lavias for Strasbourg

23 hours ago, RMH said:

When Santos arrives and, if he’s up to the hype he’s getting, who would be the one odd out? For me, it would be obvious to bench Enzo, if Lavia stays fit and Santos performs as everyone expects him to do.

Would be a great problem to have, and if that persists, we know after 20 or so games they’d be issues. But reality is we’ll have a high volume of games, of increasing competition (Europa League, maybe Champions League), so there should be plenty of minutes to go around. We’d be very competitive also bringing fresh legs into the engine room 60-70th min in matches.

Wonder if the plan is to permanently have Caicedo/James as the inverted fullback and Cucurella remains at LCB.

5 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

No mention of Fernandez then LOL.

He's either untouchable or off to Real Madrid !

3 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Wonder if the plan is to permanently have Caicedo/James as the inverted fullback and Cucurella remains at LCB.

I reckon James might be getting forced out because of his wages & his injury record. Maresca ideally doesn’t want to play two fullbacks in defence, and if a big offer comes in the summer for him the club might take it. I just don’t see club making that bid because of his injury record

Pathetic.

Bruno’s bitch the entire game. Looked like he had f**king ankle weights on.

13 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Pathetic.

Bruno’s bitch the entire game. Looked like he had f**king ankle weights on.

Standard Fernandez performance against any half decent team ...

Enzo had a decent game, not great but not bad at all, in the 1st half he and Neto were the only ones who showed intention, and in the 2nd half i think pretty much the whole team played well.

On 07/05/2025 at 00:00, ducavis said:

I reckon James might be getting forced out because of his wages & his injury record. Maresca ideally doesn’t want to play two fullbacks in defence, and if a big offer comes in the summer for him the club might take it.

I think there's a chance of this too.

We all know Maresca is a yes man but playing James out of position regularly is setting him up to fail.

There's no way Gusto should get preference over James.

Definition of a luxury player

On 04/05/2025 at 20:25, Sconnie Blue said:

What happens if teams pin our fullbacks 2 on 1?

I like the idea of a Christmas tree and if it’s what was quoted above then having the 2 number 10s be able to play on the wing makes this a very flexible system. Could go to a 4-3-3 with palmer going to rw and estevao going to Lw, could push Enzo higher and play 4-2-3-1. If James is the right back then he could form a back three as well. The lineup quoted looks to give great in game flexibility. This would also solve the issue of estevao and palmer both wanting to be number 10s

On Fernandez, if you give legs around him I think he can thrive. In no way am I saying that he’s anywhere near his level but pirlo for ac milan had seedorf and gattuso and for Italy he had de Rossi and gattuso in midfield with him which gave him space and time to dictate the play. So providing him with Lavia/santos and Caicedo he will not be reliant on the weaknesses to his game which are running and physicality.

Enzo gets a lot of flak on here...

• 20 goal involvements this season (7 goals 13 assists - favourable when compared to midfield partner Caicedo who has just 1 goal and 6 assists)

• a goal involvement ever 161 minutes ( again, favourable when compared to midfield partner Caicedo who has a goal involvment every 590 minutes - but also better than Neto and Sancho who both play more advanced)

• joint 7th in the premier league for assists from a midfielder (level with Mbuemo and De Bruyne, and just 1 behind cole palmer)

• 15th for goals from midfield - 1 behind Foden and Eze, and ahead of Bruno G from newcastle)

• 7th for most successful passes completed from midfield

• 6th for most touches of the ball.

Of course, I am not saying Enzo is better than Caicedo. He isnt. Caicedo was rightly our POTY - my point is that Enzo isnt doing as badly as some suggest.

Can he improve? Yes, for sure - but he is one of the few who appears to fight the cause and play for the shirt, and his output has not been as poor as some make out.

On 13/05/2025 at 15:32, nonotnowjim said:

Enzo gets a lot of flak on here...

• 20 goal involvements this season (7 goals 13 assists - favourable when compared to midfield partner Caicedo who has just 1 goal and 6 assists)

• a goal involvement ever 161 minutes ( again, favourable when compared to midfield partner Caicedo who has a goal involvment every 590 minutes - but also better than Neto and Sancho who both play more advanced)

• joint 7th in the premier league for assists from a midfielder (level with Mbuemo and De Bruyne, and just 1 behind cole palmer)

• 15th for goals from midfield - 1 behind Foden and Eze, and ahead of Bruno G from newcastle)

• 7th for most successful passes completed from midfield

• 6th for most touches of the ball.

Of course, I am not saying Enzo is better than Caicedo. He isnt. Caicedo was rightly our POTY - my point is that Enzo isnt doing as badly as some suggest.

Can he improve? Yes, for sure - but he is one of the few who appears to fight the cause and play for the shirt, and his output has not been as poor as some make out.

4th most dribbled past player in the entire league (including defenders). I don't think anyone thinks he's having a bad season, i think its widely accepted he's improved this season. I just think he's a luxury player and we look much stronger with a midfield base of Caicedo and Lavia and we shouldn't be moving our best player (Caicedo) to full back to give Enzo the freedom to get a handful of goals. More yellow cards than Jackson too, not exactly leading by example as captain.

44 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

4th most dribbled past player in the entire league (including defenders). I don't think anyone thinks he's having a bad season, i think its widely accepted he's improved this season. I just think he's a luxury player and we look much stronger with a midfield base of Caicedo and Lavia and we shouldn't be moving our best player (Caicedo) to full back to give Enzo the freedom to get a handful of goals. More yellow cards than Jackson too, not exactly leading by example as captain.

I expect CMs to get more yellows than strikers - the disruptive nature of the role dictates that - so not too concerned.

I get your argument, and agree that we look stronger (in the physical sense) with Caicedo and Lavia in the middle. But we need goals from all over the pitch - even more so given our striker woes and underperforming wingers. So to take away our only CM who scores or assists is severely limiting our creativity and putting on additional shackles that we don't need.

On 13/05/2025 at 15:32, nonotnowjim said:

Enzo gets a lot of flak on here...

• 20 goal involvements this season (7 goals 13 assists - favourable when compared to midfield partner Caicedo who has just 1 goal and 6 assists)

• a goal involvement ever 161 minutes ( again, favourable when compared to midfield partner Caicedo who has a goal involvment every 590 minutes - but also better than Neto and Sancho who both play more advanced)

• joint 7th in the premier league for assists from a midfielder (level with Mbuemo and De Bruyne, and just 1 behind cole palmer)

• 15th for goals from midfield - 1 behind Foden and Eze, and ahead of Bruno G from newcastle)

• 7th for most successful passes completed from midfield

• 6th for most touches of the ball.

Of course, I am not saying Enzo is better than Caicedo. He isnt. Caicedo was rightly our POTY - my point is that Enzo isnt doing as badly as some suggest.

Can he improve? Yes, for sure - but he is one of the few who appears to fight the cause and play for the shirt, and his output has not been as poor as some make out.

Isn’t Caicedo playing as a water carrier just to make up for his deficiencies in midfield. Still think we would have been better off keeping Gallagher and saving the £100m+ if the idea was to play him as a box crasher. Gallagher easily scores 10 league goals in that role, and was the perfect foil for Caicedo. Just imagine a box2box duo of Caicedo & Gallagher with Lavia behind them.

I like the idea of Caicedo at RB against stubborn sides only. And at home.

With him inverting it allows Enzo to push forward and it gives us 5 attackers in the box.

2 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

I like the idea of Caicedo at RB against stubborn sides only. And at home.

With him inverting it allows Enzo to push forward and it gives us 5 attackers in the box.

I'd rather play Chukwuemeka in the attacking midfield role in that scenario.

Not likely to happen granted, so another option (perhaps even better?) would be Andrey Santos, who I'd back to deliver more goals and assists than Enzo, and who is light years better in terms of defensive solidity and tackling as well, plus I dare say he has better leadership qualities too. Probably why Arsenal and PSG are sniffing around Andrey rather than Enzo LOL

4 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I'd rather play Chukwuemeka in the attacking midfield role in that scenario.

Not likely to happen granted, so another option (perhaps even better?) would be Andrey Santos, who I'd back to deliver more goals and assists than Enzo, and who is light years better in terms of defensive solidity and tackling as well, plus I dare say he has better leadership qualities too. Probably why Arsenal and PSG are sniffing around Andrey rather than Enzo LOL

Does he even play? Haven't heard anything from him.

Santos would be a good shout too. Doesn't matter who it is I'm simply pointing out that in theory its a good solution against low block sides. Remove Jackson with someone who can actually finish also.

1 hour ago, nonotnowjim said:

I expect CMs to get more yellows than strikers - the disruptive nature of the role dictates that - so not too concerned.

I get your argument, and agree that we look stronger (in the physical sense) with Caicedo and Lavia in the middle. But we need goals from all over the pitch - even more so given our striker woes and underperforming wingers. So to take away our only CM who scores or assists is severely limiting our creativity and putting on additional shackles that we don't need.

Did you miss the "4th most dribbled past player in the league" bit, the whole issue is he clearly doesn't disrupt play. players walk past him.

Santos should be starting over Enzo next season but it'll never happen.

15 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Did you miss the "4th most dribbled past player in the league" bit, the whole issue is he clearly doesn't disrupt play. players walk past him.

Santos should be starting over Enzo next season but it'll never happen.

Sorry but Elliot Anderson for Forrest who according to their fans has been their best player is first. Macalister who Pool fans say has been better than Gravenbrech is 2 behind Fernandez.

I don't understand the relevance, surely this is dependent on team tactics?

6 hours ago, Remodez said:

Sorry but Elliot Anderson for Forrest who according to their fans has been their best player is first. Macalister who Pool fans say has been better than Gravenbrech is 2 behind Fernandez.

I don't understand the relevance, surely this is dependent on team tactics?

What’s Forrest?

I live in Nottingham and I can promise you now no one is saying Elliot Anderson has been their best player.

1 hour ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

What’s Forrest?

I live in Nottingham and I can promise you now no one is saying Elliot Anderson has been their best player.

I’ve seen otherwise but I’ll take your word for it as you live there but that’s not really the point anyway.

I doubt anyone would question macalisters defensive prowess and yet he’s only 2 off Fernandez, so forgive me if I don’t hold much value in this dribbled past stat. If I was to guess a lot of these would be down to Fernandez being so high up the pitch to begin with but without a breakdown it’s a pretty useless stat.