Leeds vs West Ham | PL | 24.10.25 | Predictions and Match Thread

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Well after the disaster of Monday at Brentford, the thought of more West Ham in the same week is enough to put anyone in a bad mood.  The 'pros' always talk about wanting to get bad games out of their system quickly, and this gives them that opportunity, but also sets up a horrible start to the weekend for the rest of us!

Teamwise, Mavro is out with what looked a nasty hamstring injury.  Fullkrug is still broken, and Earthy remains unfit.  Otherwise the rest of the squad are fit from a health perspective....maybe less so from a 'wear the shirt' angle.

Nuno's logic for his inverted fullbacks it's been revealed was to try and counter Brentford's inverted wing thread, by showing them onto the defender's strong foot...the less said about the success of that the better.  And it struggles to explain Irving and Soucek in the pivot, beyond maybe 'they're both tall'.

Anyway, hopefully that's the last of the experimentation and we can revert to what at least appears a bit less shit.  Wouldn't surprise me to see him go with a back 5 in this game though (and what I'll assume for my predicted XI).

Predicted lineup:

Areola

Wan Bissaka    Kilman     Igor   
Summerville                                            Diouf
Magassa Fernandes Paqueta

Soucek

Bowen

Subs: Hermansen, KWP, Todibo, Scarles, Potts, Irving, Guilherme, Wilson, Marshall

The squad is now a real quandary.  We don't have a good CB pairing...Todibo looks hopeless, Kilman and Igor both left footed, with one an unknown and the other weak as the senior CB.  Mavro was signed to be 3rd choice, but he's suddenly the most important man in the back line...a problem in itself.

Summerville is a must have...the only true pace in the side so leaving him out can't be compromised.  If 3 at the back and 3-4-3 was viable, not a problem....but once again we don't have a midfield with a logical two-man pairing.  Add in that Bwoen and Soucek are the only goals, and Paqueta is the only real 'vision' and we are in a bad place with a squad that don't work in combination.

So will he gamble on a bad back two, an untried midfield pair, or leave out one of the 'key' players in Soucek, Bowen, Paqueta, and Summerville.

And as for playing a real striker....

Predicted Score: Leeds 2 : 0 West Ham.

Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

COYI!

[southbankbornnbred]

I don't often agree with Tony Cascarino but his suggestion of playing AWB in centreal midfield as a holding midfielder is an interesting one.  He makes a fair point that we need someone who can tackle in there, be hard to get past.  Whether AWB could do that I don't know but as I said last week we need a minimum of three in there and if Magassa gets up to speed I would suggest him, Fernandes and Potts.  What you do with Paqueta I don't know.

 

No. Shutup you fool. Cascarino is a known simpleton. We're struggling, so you pair of cunts think the answer is to shove a right back known to have very iffy positional sense and questionable ball skills into a position that positional sense is paramount and being able to pass to another cսnt wearing the same colour shirt is rather important too? Yeah fucking good one.

Any sensible midfield starting with any sensible combo of full backs with a striker (or as close as we've got to one) gets at least a draw out of that game last night. 

Selected cunts:
If I see fucking Scarles at right back again I'm going to punch a hole in the fucking wall. In fact if I see him anywhere near the first team I'm going to do my nut. Should have been fucked off on loan. 
Diouf, have a sit down mate you ain't got anyone to cross it to and you're shit at defending. 
Irving, sooner he gets a championship club the better it will be for everyone. Oh but he's so fucking likeable! Josh Brownhill looks like he would have been a fairly decent signing now doesn't he you fucking simpletons? 
Todibo, I fucking hate this cսnt but what other options do we have with Mavro injured? Mavro back in immediately at the expense of this fucking unlikeable fraud. 
​​​​​​Kilman must count his lucky stars that Todibo exists to keep some deserved heat off him, the fucking pansy. 
Soucek, it's over for him now no more starts. Form has nosedived, age is upon him. 
Summerville, tries hard but I'm growing tired of him running like a scolded rat into three players and fucking losing it. Zero end product. 
Paqueta, fucking lazy fall over a lot,  Hollywood ball fucking helmet. I can forgive some of this due to the talentless bunch he has around him but the laziness and stupid fuckin wanker fouls fucking piss me off. Will be gagging for a move back to Brazil in Jan as he aint got any fight in him. Deny the move, I want him to be fucking sad. 
Wilson, waste of space unlikeable cսnt. Zero service but zero running around from him either. Nicking a living but what other choices do we have Marshall who is league one level or Fullkrug who has died or something. Hopefully.

NIPS
AWB MAVRO KILMAN KWP
FERNANDES POTTS MAGASSA PAQUETA 
BOWEN
WILSON

Its not fucking hard Nuno you cսnt. That team gets at least a point yesterday. Fucking burnt Moyes fuckwit. cսnt burnt two winnable games on the stupidest experiment ever seen to work out the most obvious fucking conclusions. It appears without his backroom staff to help him Nuno is just another Moyes/Loppy/Potter level imbecile. 

We're fucked and the only silver lining is that it will hurt a load of cunts personal wealth. 

FUCK THE LOT OF YOU

For my money, Vexed is definitely giving the next pre-match team talk.

[zico]

Vexed, calm down I didn't say I agreed with him I said it was an interesting suggestion.  Already said Potts Fernandes and Magassa should be a three in midfield as we need legs.  

[Massive Attack]

He was better than not playing a striker and yeah better than Marshall, but I don't think he did that much aside from putting himself about as best he could. He was zero threat to them

He was involved in Paquetas goal (even though he is too thick to remain onside) in the 1st half alone having just come on mid-game within 10 minutes. It was night and day compared to the previous 25 minutes that Wilson wasn't on the pitch. He was a right nuisance for Leeds winning Free-kicks and corners amongst stretching their backline. Unfortunately he then had to rely on said Paqueta and Summerville for supplying him the ammo to score but shock, horror neither can manage it as per.

Yup as I said it’s better having him than no striker but let’s not kid ourselves he’s any kind of lasting solution.  He’s still a shadow of the good player he was which is why he’s here on pay as you play. It was the best or only offer for his services. 

We still 100% need an actual difference maker as a striker. As we all knew before the season but somehow Sullivan didn’t, Wilson fullkrug and Marshall between them are woefully inadequate. 

 

 

No one's denying that. This is all on Sullivan who's created this avoidable mess. It doesn't change the here and now though unfortunately and needs must with Wilson starting up top.

[Vexed]

I don't often agree with Tony Cascarino but his suggestion of playing AWB in centreal midfield as a holding midfielder is an interesting one.  He makes a fair point that we need someone who can tackle in there, be hard to get past.  Whether AWB could do that I don't know but as I said last week we need a minimum of three in there and if Magassa gets up to speed I would suggest him, Fernandes and Potts.  What you do with Paqueta I don't know.

 

 

No. Shutup you fool. Cascarino is a known simpleton. We're struggling, so you pair of cunts think the answer is to shove a right back known to have very iffy positional sense and questionable ball skills into a position that positional sense is paramount and being able to pass to another cսnt wearing the same colour shirt is rather important too? Yeah fucking good one.

Any sensible midfield starting with any sensible combo of full backs with a striker (or as close as we've got to one) gets at least a draw out of that game last night. 

Selected cunts:
If I see fucking Scarles at right back again I'm going to punch a hole in the fucking wall. In fact if I see him anywhere near the first team I'm going to do my nut. Should have been fucked off on loan. 
Diouf, have a sit down mate you ain't got anyone to cross it to and you're shit at defending. 
Irving, sooner he gets a championship club the better it will be for everyone. Oh but he's so fucking likeable! Josh Brownhill looks like he would have been a fairly decent signing now doesn't he you fucking simpletons? 
Todibo, I fucking hate this cսnt but what other options do we have with Mavro injured? Mavro back in immediately at the expense of this fucking unlikeable fraud. 
​​​​​​Kilman must count his lucky stars that Todibo exists to keep some deserved heat off him, the fucking pansy. 
Soucek, it's over for him now no more starts. Form has nosedived, age is upon him. 
Summerville, tries hard but I'm growing tired of him running like a scolded rat into three players and fucking losing it. Zero end product. 
Paqueta, fucking lazy fall over a lot,  Hollywood ball fucking helmet. I can forgive some of this due to the talentless bunch he has around him but the laziness and stupid fuckin wanker fouls fucking piss me off. Will be gagging for a move back to Brazil in Jan as he aint got any fight in him. Deny the move, I want him to be fucking sad. 
Wilson, waste of space unlikeable cսnt. Zero service but zero running around from him either. Nicking a living but what other choices do we have Marshall who is league one level or Fullkrug who has died or something. Hopefully.

NIPS
AWB MAVRO KILMAN KWP
FERNANDES POTTS MAGASSA PAQUETA 
BOWEN
WILSON

Its not fucking hard Nuno you cսnt. That team gets at least a point yesterday. Fucking burnt Moyes fuckwit. cսnt burnt two winnable games on the stupidest experiment ever seen to work out the most obvious fucking conclusions. It appears without his backroom staff to help him Nuno is just another Moyes/Loppy/Potter level imbecile. 

We're fucked and the only silver lining is that it will hurt a load of cunts personal wealth. 

FUCK THE LOT OF YOU

[El Scorchio]

I agree, I was saying it was an interesting suggestion.  For me AWB has to be on the right of a back 4.  Potts Fernandes and Magassa should be a three in midfield.  Doris the tea lady and Patty the cleaner as centre halves.

Doris and Patty WOULD be an upgrade on our current CBs 

[zico]

I agree, I was saying it was an interesting suggestion.  For me AWB has to be on the right of a back 4.  Potts Fernandes and Magassa should be a three in midfield.  Doris the tea lady and Patty the cleaner as centre halves.

[El Scorchio]

Wilson was ineffective when coming on in to a disaster zone? He instantly put their Keeper and Defence under pressure stretching their defence finally winning corners for us and it was him that was involved for Paquetas goal that was ruled out for Offside. He worked hard asking questions of Leeds defence that kept them honest, won Free Kicks buying the Team time and was much better than Paqueta running around yet again up top like a headless chicken not knowing what to do.

Paqueta also needs to seriously pull his finger out creating for the Team when he's not asked to play up top, his creation in games is shocking and is supposed to be his normal game.

Like I've often said this season, start Wilson as he's the best option we've got right now as our best Striker currently at the Club. And yes that's on Sullivan.

He was better than not playing a striker and yeah better than Marshall, but I don't think he did that much aside from putting himself about as best he could. He was zero threat to them

He was involved in Paquetas goal (even though he is too thick to remain onside) in the 1st half alone having just come on mid-game within 10 minutes. It was night and day compared to the previous 25 minutes that Wilson wasn't on the pitch. He was a right nuisance for Leeds winning Free-kicks and corners amongst stretching their backline. Unfortunately he then had to rely on said Paqueta and Summerville for supplying him the ammo to score but shock, horror neither can manage it as per.

Yup as I said it’s better having him than no striker but let’s not kid ourselves he’s any kind of lasting solution.  He’s still a shadow of the good player he was which is why he’s here on pay as you play. It was the best or only offer for his services. 

We still 100% need an actual difference maker as a striker. As we all knew before the season but somehow Sullivan didn’t, Wilson fullkrug and Marshall between them are woefully inadequate. 

[El Scorchio]

I don't often agree with Tony Cascarino but his suggestion of playing AWB in centreal midfield as a holding midfielder is an interesting one.  

This has got to fucking stop. I've got enough PTSD from Nuno mucking about with shoving square pegs in to round holes. 🕳

 

 

Exactly. Why on earth would we take our best full back away from his position to masquerade as a CM when we already have Potts Fernandes and Magassa to play that role if the manager opens his eyes. 

[Massive Attack]

I don't often agree with Tony Cascarino but his suggestion of playing AWB in centreal midfield as a holding midfielder is an interesting one.  

This has got to fucking stop. I've got enough PTSD from Nuno mucking about with shoving square pegs in to round holes. 🕳

Ha ha,,  at the very least though he is right, we need players who can run and tackle in CM.

We have them in the likes of Potts and Fernandes. I wouldn't dream of playing Wan-Bissaka ahead of them. They just need to regularly play now.

[zico]

I don't often agree with Tony Cascarino but his suggestion of playing AWB in centreal midfield as a holding midfielder is an interesting one.  

This has got to fucking stop. I've got enough PTSD from Nuno mucking about with shoving square pegs in to round holes. 🕳

Ha ha,,  at the very least though he is right, we need players who can run and tackle in CM.

[Massive Attack]

I don't often agree with Tony Cascarino but his suggestion of playing AWB in centreal midfield as a holding midfielder is an interesting one.  

This has got to fucking stop. I've got enough PTSD from Nuno mucking about with shoving square pegs in to round holes. 🕳

[zico]

I don't often agree with Tony Cascarino but his suggestion of playing AWB in centreal midfield as a holding midfielder is an interesting one.  He makes a fair point that we need someone who can tackle in there, be hard to get past.  Whether AWB could do that I don't know but as I said last week we need a minimum of three in there and if Magassa gets up to speed I would suggest him, Fernandes and Potts.  What you do with Paqueta I don't know.

[Massive Attack]

Wilson was ineffective when coming on in to a disaster zone? He instantly put their Keeper and Defence under pressure stretching their defence finally winning corners for us and it was him that was involved for Paquetas goal that was ruled out for Offside. He worked hard asking questions of Leeds defence that kept them honest, won Free Kicks buying the Team time and was much better than Paqueta running around yet again up top like a headless chicken not knowing what to do.

Paqueta also needs to seriously pull his finger out creating for the Team when he's not asked to play up top, his creation in games is shocking and is supposed to be his normal game.

Like I've often said this season, start Wilson as he's the best option we've got right now as our best Striker currently at the Club. And yes that's on Sullivan.

He was better than not playing a striker and yeah better than Marshall, but I don't think he did that much aside from putting himself about as best he could. He was zero threat to them

He was involved in Paquetas goal (even though he is too thick to remain onside) in the 1st half alone having just come on mid-game within 10 minutes. It was night and day compared to the previous 25 minutes that Wilson wasn't on the pitch. He was a right nuisance for Leeds winning Free-kicks and corners amongst stretching their backline. Unfortunately he then had to rely on said Paqueta and Summerville for supplying him the ammo to score but shock, horror neither can manage it as per.

[Sir Alf]

Scorch and others are right, we have problems up fromt in defence but the biggest one last 2 games and for a long, long while, since Rice went, is the central midfield pivot.  The Prem Lge makes athleticism and physicality 2 of the most needed player traits nowadays. Nuno selects 2 of the least equipped players for the role and last Monday selected a 3rd as a sub ( Guido ).  The best suited are Potts, Magassa, Paqueta and Fernandes and if 3 of them are available they start.

 No one can fathom Nuno’s thinking selecting Soucek and Irvine. They are tall, Nuno liked that they are older, ermmm Soucek is an experienced international? Or have Potts, Magassa and Fernandes been on fentanol or the crystal meth before Rush Green training sessions?  There’s no logic to it?   What could possibly be the reason?  

[eusebiovic]

Football management is easy, you basically blow smoke up the players arses and make them feel good about themselves and then, most importantly, you put round pegs in round holes. Simple.

Play 4-3-3, find a centre back who doesn’t mind heading and stick the young boys in midfield to give us more athleticism.

Honestly it’s painfully easy.

 

 

Yep, I would play 4-3-3

At the moment this is the best line-up that I can come up with and even then it's looks pretty bang average.

Areola
Wan-Bissaka Todibo Igor J Diouf 
Potts Magassa Fernandes 
Bowen Wilson Paqueta 
.
Yep, I 'd put the flakey Brazilian in Summerville's position. He does less damage losing the ball further up. Maybe in a slightly retreated left wing position like Formals used to do.

He would be far more creative there and he doesn't mind tracking back - I'll give him that.

We still have a largely shit squad - nothing is gonna change that anytime soon.

Guido, JWP, Irving shouldn't be considered. Soucek on the bench. 3 of those 4 are a huge drain on resources. Who will want them? The same with the centre backs. We're pretty fucked. 

[El Scorchio]

Wilson was ineffective when coming on in to a disaster zone? He instantly put their Keeper and Defence under pressure stretching their defence finally winning corners for us and it was him that was involved for Paquetas goal that was ruled out for Offside. He worked hard asking questions of Leeds defence that kept them honest, won Free Kicks buying the Team time and was much better than Paqueta running around yet again up top like a headless chicken not knowing what to do.

Paqueta also needs to seriously pull his finger out creating for the Team when he's not asked to play up top, his creation in games is shocking and is supposed to be his normal game.

Like I've often said this season, start Wilson as he's the best option we've got right now as our best Striker currently at the Club. And yes that's on Sullivan.

He was better than not playing a striker and yeah better than Marshall, but I don't think he did that much aside from putting himself about as best he could. He was zero threat to them,and that's against one of the shittest sides in the division who let's face it have bang average players so I would label him ineffective. Carrying a 10% threat is better than carrying a 0% threat, but it's still woeful. But as said, not many strikers apart from ones way out of our price range would have been with that midfield behind them. It was always going to be absolute scraps for anyone.

I do think he needs a chance playing ahead of Fernandes Potts and Paqueta to see if there's anything there then, but we need far better than Callum Wilson to get us out of this mess. Far better. The bloke bombed out of Newcastle because he never got a game and had to accept a pay as you play deal with us. That speaks volumes about how miles behind the curve we are. No-one else wanted to give him a proper deal. Even Leeds got a better player with DCL. That's now our main striker- and we can't even guarantee he'll be fit for long anyway.

[El Scorchio]

did he have a shot?

the only positive from last night was Potts, who will probably get 25 mins in the next game now instead of 20




or be played RWB

Yup I have to say Wilson tried, but utterly ineffective as well. issues is that no striker stands a fucking chance when THAT midfield pair is on the pitch. I feel bad for constantly ripping on two good honest pros who clearly gave all they had but it was nowhere near good enough. You cannot defend with them there and you cannot build any attack with them there. Paqueta Bowen and Summerville were having to drop so deep to try and get the ball, It's like neither of Irving or Soucek were even there. Potts and Fernandes were MILES better. MILES. Get those three firing with an understanding and we have a chance to create something for our front three who were chasing shadows all night and making big runs up and down the flank for nothing.

As soon as Fernandes came on he hustled and nicked the ball off one of their players in an advanced position- that hadn't happened all night. the other two couldn't get close to anyone. After being on the pitch for 15 mins, Potts had already half as many touches as Soucek had in 65 minutes. That speaks volumes. We were able to play quick passes and one twos with movement. Were Leeds not already in defensive mode an Summerville and Bowen knackered, I think we'd have been able to get through them without too much trouble. That midfield makes everything better across the whole team.

There's so much evidence to anyone with a functioning brain and a pair of eyes that Soucek and Irving should never, ever be in a game together again or unless everyone else is injured or we are chucking on Soucek as an extra forward to get a goal. So much evidence that the ONLY way forward is Fernandes Potts and Magassa and if Nuno hasn't seen that over the last 180 minutes of football (coupled with this switched full backs nonsense) well then his position becomes untenable because it's crazy to be doing what he is doing. It was crazy on Monday, we all knew it prior to kick off. It was even crazier last night given how it turned out on Monday- not a single person except him thought it was anything other than a shit idea- and if he does it again? It flies in the face of all logic. I'll have to believe it's on purpose and someone at the club with influence does not want us to win matches or stay in the division.

We need to plug away until January on damage limitation with that midfield, hope we can pick up enough points to still be relevant, and then on 2nd January, bring in two centre backs and one if not two strikers who can immediately go into the side and contribute. That's probably the difference between staying up or going down. There can be no dithering over targets or silly games from Sullivan to save money or get a bargain, or an cut price alternative to what the manager wants, no waiting until the end of the month, they need to have a list of targets in mind NOW, be doing groundwork NOW and get deals done as soon as the window opens, if they can find players of the required quality willing to take the gamble of joining us. I believe there's still a way out of this mess if we actually do what's needed to be done. So much of it is so obvious as well.

Agree with most of that, Scorch. But I will add that we probably don't have the money to bring in four or five players in January. Sullivan didn't want to spend that money in late August that he ended up splashing on yet more ineffective midfielders. Potter had already wasted serious cash on a goalkeeper who couldn't catch a cold. Then the twonk chairman put himself in charge of signing more squad fodder.

I imagine we don't have more money. So any January moves would most likely be loans. And that will limit what we can do.

I really don't see much of a way out of this. At best, I can see maybe two expensive loans in January as emergency measures - and maybe one permanent signing. Three January signings is more than we would usually make. And we can't keep signing more players without offloading, or we'll hit PSR etc.

This squad is very, very poor and full of expensive, not very good talent we need to ditch - but will struggle to. It all points in one direction. This is the culmination of years of SulliBall.

 

 

Yes, I fear you're right. Just a proper (not a cheapo unsuited sullivan salthouse special shit) striker on loan would make a real world of difference to how we play. Surely Nuno and Mendes can come up with someone suitable and effective that even the dwarf can't argue with. Mind you, I bet he thinks he knows better than Mendes along with his buddy Salthouse. Many would argue the sliding doors moment passed already, but January is truly the last open crack of the sliding door to try and right this sinking ship. 

[Massive Attack]

Wilson was ineffective when coming on in to a disaster zone? He instantly put their Keeper and Defence under pressure stretching their defence finally winning corners for us and it was him that was involved for Paquetas goal that was ruled out for Offside. He worked hard asking questions of Leeds defence that kept them honest, won Free Kicks buying the Team time and was much better than Paqueta running around yet again up top like a headless chicken not knowing what to do.

Paqueta also needs to seriously pull his finger out creating for the Team when he's not asked to play up top, his creation in games is shocking and is supposed to be his normal game.

Like I've often said this season, start Wilson as he's the best option we've got right now as our best Striker currently at the Club. And yes that's on Sullivan.

[Massive Attack]

Still can't stop laughing at Nunos tactics and selections last night for a 2nd game in a row. Off the scale bonkers!

[Gary Strodders shank]

Wilson needs to be starting every game he can is the only functional striker who does the basics and puts in the hard yards..

There is no quick fix to this and may well run out of road beforehand.

We need someone at the helm who will actually address the issues that we can all see put players in natural positions  and not fuck about with experimental formations.

This lot don't seem to know what their jobs are where they are supposed to be playing or who they should be picking  up.

It's ridiculous 

Football is a simple enough game but we seem to be determined to make it harder than it should be and self destruct into the bargain 

[southbankbornnbred]

Wilson did make a difference when he came on, he should start him in front of the fucking German fraud when he comes back.

did he have a shot?

the only positive from last night was Potts, who will probably get 25 mins in the next game now instead of 20




or be played RWB

Yup I have to say Wilson tried, but utterly ineffective as well. issues is that no striker stands a fucking chance when THAT midfield pair is on the pitch. I feel bad for constantly ripping on two good honest pros who clearly gave all they had but it was nowhere near good enough. You cannot defend with them there and you cannot build any attack with them there. Paqueta Bowen and Summerville were having to drop so deep to try and get the ball, It's like neither of Irving or Soucek were even there. Potts and Fernandes were MILES better. MILES. Get those three firing with an understanding and we have a chance to create something for our front three who were chasing shadows all night and making big runs up and down the flank for nothing.

As soon as Fernandes came on he hustled and nicked the ball off one of their players in an advanced position- that hadn't happened all night. the other two couldn't get close to anyone. After being on the pitch for 15 mins, Potts had already half as many touches as Soucek had in 65 minutes. That speaks volumes. We were able to play quick passes and one twos with movement. Were Leeds not already in defensive mode an Summerville and Bowen knackered, I think we'd have been able to get through them without too much trouble. That midfield makes everything better across the whole team.

There's so much evidence to anyone with a functioning brain and a pair of eyes that Soucek and Irving should never, ever be in a game together again or unless everyone else is injured or we are chucking on Soucek as an extra forward to get a goal. So much evidence that the ONLY way forward is Fernandes Potts and Magassa and if Nuno hasn't seen that over the last 180 minutes of football (coupled with this switched full backs nonsense) well then his position becomes untenable because it's crazy to be doing what he is doing. It was crazy on Monday, we all knew it prior to kick off. It was even crazier last night given how it turned out on Monday- not a single person except him thought it was anything other than a shit idea- and if he does it again? It flies in the face of all logic. I'll have to believe it's on purpose and someone at the club with influence does not want us to win matches or stay in the division.

We need to plug away until January on damage limitation with that midfield, hope we can pick up enough points to still be relevant, and then on 2nd January, bring in two centre backs and one if not two strikers who can immediately go into the side and contribute. That's probably the difference between staying up or going down. There can be no dithering over targets or silly games from Sullivan to save money or get a bargain, or an cut price alternative to what the manager wants, no waiting until the end of the month, they need to have a list of targets in mind NOW, be doing groundwork NOW and get deals done as soon as the window opens, if they can find players of the required quality willing to take the gamble of joining us. I believe there's still a way out of this mess if we actually do what's needed to be done. So much of it is so obvious as well.

Agree with most of that, Scorch. But I will add that we probably don't have the money to bring in four or five players in January. Sullivan didn't want to spend that money in late August that he ended up splashing on yet more ineffective midfielders. Potter had already wasted serious cash on a goalkeeper who couldn't catch a cold. Then the twonk chairman put himself in charge of signing more squad fodder.

I imagine we don't have more money. So any January moves would most likely be loans. And that will limit what we can do.

I really don't see much of a way out of this. At best, I can see maybe two expensive loans in January as emergency measures - and maybe one permanent signing. Three January signings is more than we would usually make. And we can't keep signing more players without offloading, or we'll hit PSR etc.

This squad is very, very poor and full of expensive, not very good talent we need to ditch - but will struggle to. It all points in one direction. This is the culmination of years of SulliBall.

[twoleftfeet]

Hopefully Nuno has already been on the phone to his Portuguese agent mate to start sourcing some talent. 

[El Scorchio]

Wilson did make a difference when he came on, he should start him in front of the fucking German fraud when he comes back.

did he have a shot?

the only positive from last night was Potts, who will probably get 25 mins in the next game now instead of 20




or be played RWB

Yup I have to say Wilson tried, but utterly ineffective as well. issues is that no striker stands a fucking chance when THAT midfield pair is on the pitch. I feel bad for constantly ripping on two good honest pros who clearly gave all they had but it was nowhere near good enough. You cannot defend with them there and you cannot build any attack with them there. Paqueta Bowen and Summerville were having to drop so deep to try and get the ball, It's like neither of Irving or Soucek were even there. Potts and Fernandes were MILES better. MILES. Get those three firing with an understanding and we have a chance to create something for our front three who were chasing shadows all night and making big runs up and down the flank for nothing.

As soon as Fernandes came on he hustled and nicked the ball off one of their players in an advanced position- that hadn't happened all night. the other two couldn't get close to anyone. After being on the pitch for 15 mins, Potts had already half as many touches as Soucek had in 65 minutes. That speaks volumes. We were able to play quick passes and one twos with movement. Were Leeds not already in defensive mode an Summerville and Bowen knackered, I think we'd have been able to get through them without too much trouble. That midfield makes everything better across the whole team.

There's so much evidence to anyone with a functioning brain and a pair of eyes that Soucek and Irving should never, ever be in a game together again or unless everyone else is injured or we are chucking on Soucek as an extra forward to get a goal. So much evidence that the ONLY way forward is Fernandes Potts and Magassa and if Nuno hasn't seen that over the last 180 minutes of football (coupled with this switched full backs nonsense) well then his position becomes untenable because it's crazy to be doing what he is doing. It was crazy on Monday, we all knew it prior to kick off. It was even crazier last night given how it turned out on Monday- not a single person except him thought it was anything other than a shit idea- and if he does it again? It flies in the face of all logic. I'll have to believe it's on purpose and someone at the club with influence does not want us to win matches or stay in the division.

We need to plug away until January on damage limitation with that midfield, hope we can pick up enough points to still be relevant, and then on 2nd January, bring in two centre backs and one if not two strikers who can immediately go into the side and contribute. That's probably the difference between staying up or going down. There can be no dithering over targets or silly games from Sullivan to save money or get a bargain, or an cut price alternative to what the manager wants, no waiting until the end of the month, they need to have a list of targets in mind NOW, be doing groundwork NOW and get deals done as soon as the window opens, if they can find players of the required quality willing to take the gamble of joining us. I believe there's still a way out of this mess if we actually do what's needed to be done. So much of it is so obvious as well.

[Rossal]

Wilson did make a difference when he came on, he should start him in front of the fucking German fraud when he comes back.

did he have a shot?

the only positive from last night was Potts, who will probably get 25 mins in the next game now instead of 20




or be played RWB

[Sweep]

Fulkrug and Mavropanos being injured at the same time is probably giving the manager a headache when it comes to defending corners and free kicks. 

Whatever their failings, those two are tall and can head a ball. Without them its almost dictated that he ends up trying to compensate elsewhere.

I really hope I never see full backs on the wrong side again, and a midfield pairing of Soucek and Irving ever again. 

Think Summerville looked very lightweight and easily dealt with last night in addition to all the other problems.