12 minutes ago, El regreso said:

He wants to be 🇧🇷 number one for the summer he will be going full pelt

I always find it funny when I see fans all over the social media saying Cunha will lead the line. That guy is the most overrated 60M+ transfer this league has ever seen.

He record is almost an average of 1 goal every 2 games over the whole season which is very creditable. Hopefully he can keep up his current form.

4 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

I always find it funny when I see fans all over the social media saying Cunha will lead the line. That guy is the most overrated 60M+ transfer this league has ever seen.

I think Cunha is good but he should not be leading the line. He is better as a wide player.

Just now, forbzy said:

He record is almost an average of 1 goal every 2 games over the whole season which is very creditable. Hopefully he can keep up his current form.

41 appearances in total at the club, 20 goals, 9 assists. He's now sitting on stats you want to see from a striker at this level.

I want to see him finish on 20 league goals for the season or finish close to it from here. This is what Joao Pedro's ability is capable of. He never had that mentality at Brighton, he was comfortable with the odd purple patch here and there, let's see if he has more about him now.

12 minutes ago, forbzy said:

I think Cunha is good but he should not be leading the line. He is better as a wide player.

Really no place for him in that team. Front four should pick itself. Vinicius Jr, Raphinha, Estevao and Joao Pedro.

13 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

41 appearances in total at the club, 20 goals, 9 assists. He's now sitting on stats you want to see from a striker at this level.

I want to see him finish on 20 league goals for the season or finish close to it from here. This is what Joao Pedro's ability is capable of. He never had that mentality at Brighton, he was comfortable with the odd purple patch here and there, let's see if he has more about him now.

Totally agree.

On 21/10/2025 at 07:14, Sconnie Blue said:

I'd play him LF personally.

On 25/10/2025 at 12:02, GarnachoCheese said:

If Palmer is fit he doesn't make our starting XI.

On 21/10/2025 at 10:24, Sexyfootball said:

I'd like to see Pedro LW/LF,

On 26/10/2025 at 08:37, Andy2461 said:

Clearly needs a top striker to play off

Is good to have a player in the side to be positive over of late, other than Reece James.

Scores with his left, scores with his right, scores with his head and assists. Pretty much, the perfect all round striker. Was a but underwhelmed when we signed him initially but boy, is he class.

He scores his first of his hat trick.

5 hours ago, TheCeleryKing said:

  On 21/10/2025 at 22:14, Sconnie Blue said:

I'd play him LF personally.

  On 26/10/2025 at 03:02, GarnachoCheese said:

  On 22/10/2025 at 01:24, Sexyfootball said:

I'd like to see Pedro LW/LF,

  On 26/10/2025 at 23:37, Andy2461 said:

Clearly needs a top striker to play off

We were all suffering from Maresca sickness and didn't know what a striker actually looked like

7 hours ago, forbzy said:

I think Cunha is good but he should not be leading the line. He is better as a wide player.

He surely starts at #10 behind Pedro with Vinicius and Raphinha either side?

15 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

He surely starts at #10 behind Pedro with Vinicius and Raphinha either side?

I'm not sure how Carlo sets up these days, but Brazil seems to have the same roster gap we do: no real modern CAM. Sure, if you had a time machine you could give Paqueta the time and space he needs, but in today's game that’s a big ask. Brazil would LOVE to have even Enzo Fernandez because we've got no one like him warts and all.

Joao Pedro isn’t mobile enough and doesn’t defend well enough to play there either. Same way when Cole moves inside it creates an imbalance that only players like the much-maligned Neto can really patch up. It’s the same issue with Cunha and most of Brazil’s other attacking options. Maybe Joelington adds that vigor and physicality, but then you run into a different problem: he's not good enough.

The World Cup is a self-contained event where form matters a lot among the favorites. In all the tournaments I’ve watched, I’ve never seen a true underdog win it. And once it becomes single-elimination, it’s not the place to take risks. If you’re playing France in the quarters and concede in the 70th minute, you’re probably going home.

That’s why World Cups usually produce tighter setups rather than open football.

With that in mind, Carlo will probably be glad to have Joao Pedro arriving in such a form if he can keep it until then.

Edited March 5Mar 5 by acaeus

1 hour ago, SydneyChelsea said:

We were all suffering from Maresca sickness and didn't know what a striker actually looked like

Haha I thought of you the second time (I think it was Gusto?) slid the ball across the box for Pedro to knock in. Crazy what can happen when you actually create chances for your striker. Who knew?

7 hours ago, TheCeleryKing said:

  On 21/10/2025 at 12:14, Sconnie Blue said:

I'd play him LF personally.

  On 25/10/2025 at 17:02, GarnachoCheese said:

  On 21/10/2025 at 15:24, Sexyfootball said:

I'd like to see Pedro LW/LF,

  On 26/10/2025 at 12:37, Andy2461 said:

Clearly needs a top striker to play off

Breaking news: player improves under a proper coach

8 hours ago, TheCeleryKing said:

  On 21/10/2025 at 12:14, Sconnie Blue said:

I'd play him LF personally.

  On 25/10/2025 at 17:02, GarnachoCheese said:

  On 21/10/2025 at 15:24, Sexyfootball said:

I'd like to see Pedro LW/LF,

  On 26/10/2025 at 12:37, Andy2461 said:

Clearly needs a top striker to play off

On 14/07/2025 at 12:17, Remodez said:

Strange, for me striker is the only option. You want him as close to the goal as possible in all phase of play.

I agree he and Delap should not be the only option but for that 3rd spot it could be used by someone like Guiu rather than a new signing.

I'm glad that, despite Maresca's best efforts, my assessment of him remained accurate. Felt like I was going mad at times cause he wasn't anything special in number 10 to warrant doing it anyway.

37 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

Breaking news: player improves under a proper coach

On 29/10/2025 at 07:20, GarnachoCheese said:

Who was still a better 9 than J.Pedro...

On 29/10/2025 at 10:15, GarnachoCheese said:

bookmarked for May when J.Pedro finishes the season on 7 goals in 38 games.

On 29/10/2025 at 15:21, GarnachoCheese said:

Striker is supposed to score, Jackson is better at that.

😱😱😱

47 minutes ago, Remodez said:

😱😱😱

I was bang on the money if we kept Maresca, thank god we brought in a serious manager to save his career.

3 hours ago, Remodez said:

I'm glad that, despite Maresca's best efforts, my assessment of him remained accurate. Felt like I was going mad at times cause he wasn't anything special in number 10 to warrant doing it anyway.

Yes, I remember that and remember your comments sir. [gold star]. I said something at the time that Carlo Ancelotti played him as a no.9 mostly - yes he had played as a 10 when there was injuries - but Carlo played him as a no.9 and Carlo is a manager you can trust.

6 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

He surely starts at #10 behind Pedro with Vinicius and Raphinha either side?

Think Cunha will still start.

Vinicius, Raphinha and Estevao behind.

17 goals and 9 assists this season in 38 matches. A goal contribution every other game. Probably a shoe in for our PoTS.

Just hope to god he doesn't change his kit # to 9....

7 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

Haha I thought of you the second time (I think it was Gusto?) slid the ball across the box for Pedro to knock in. Crazy what can happen when you actually create chances for your striker. Who knew?

Under Maresca, Enzo and Joao Pedro swap positions and Gusto never makes that run because he is where Palmer is in the play.

1 hour ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Under Maresca, Enzo and Joao Pedro swap positions and Gusto never makes that run because he is where Palmer is in the play.

Enzo working the right channel whilst Palmer is an auxiliary LWB. Gusto at CAM trying to feed Pedro. The right side of the pitch a complete void. Three CB's moving the ball at a snail's pace.

My god. Stuff of nightmares.

9 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Under Maresca, Enzo and Joao Pedro swap positions and Gusto never makes that run because he is where Palmer is in the play.

The only similarity is that Reece James (our best right-back) would remain in the middle alongside Malo Gusto (our second-best right-back). Pedro Neto (our second-best left-footed winger) would be the one providing our width on the right. The latter couldn't make that run because he'd be trying to make his way past some combination of Rogers and Luiz before he even gets to skin Maatsen.

Maresca was a player regression criminal.