Pre-Match: Bournemouth V Liverpool 21st Jan 16:30

Solanke was always a good player, pleased for him he is scoring more regularly, but we never made a mistake selling him, was best for all parties when he left.

Ali....Bradley....Konate ....VVD....Jomez.....Ell iott....Maca....Jones... .Diaz....Jota....Nunez.

Elliott is far better playing a supporting wing back position. Old right half. Asking too much to do a Mo impression. His energy to get up and down is good. Jones can dampen things down and can also switch gears into attacking mode.

This is a game were we need to knuckle down and press press press and eventually our quality will out..but we must do the hard yards.

A little concerned as we're a bit thin on options at the mo tho JNK has been that good masterminding his subs he should be sat in a black chair in the dug out with creepy music being played and a spotlight.
Solanke has adapted to their different style of play and even tho he is up against Virg and Ibou he can still cause us a few problems. They're on a good run and full of confidence so any win however scrappy will be good.
Am never sure whether a break for us is a good thing or bad!
Good in terms of rest/recuperation for the players but worried that our momentum we had in the run up to the break may take us a while to pick up again - and with the Arse and Cashiola's lot looming on the horizon we can not afford to be letting things slip!
Difficult too as we have gobsh!te Tierney  at Stockley who as usual will no doubt be doing everything in his power to knock us off our perch.
We should have enough - after all our depleted squad saw off a full strength Arse in spite of the dodgy officiating.
Get the gloves off, get stuck in Red Men!

Cant have Grav in the XI personally.

This game a proper banana skin.

Classic type of game that we fu**ed up in last season. So much so that I put a down a draw in my predictions a few weeks ago.

But I now think we'll win it. We are less prone to complacency than we were last season, and in a weird way having some players out may help us stay focused. I quite like Bradley starting this game, for example.

Midfield is where we're really short. I'd go with Elliot over Grav. Jones has been good n Mac should be fine so that is an ok midfield for me.  I agree with those saying play Diaz right wing. He looked good there when he switched over a couple of weeks ago. Jota n Gakpo also to start, Darwin off the bench.

Bournemouth seem to play out from  the back under this guy, so we should be able to pick them off if the energy is there.

We always seem a bit disjointed after a break, and that’s when we are full strength.
Hoping these lads will put in a massive effort to make that a thing of the past.
As always, need to watch out for the long ball behind our high line, and our far post defence from set pieces.
Take care of that, and the rest will be business as usual.
I’ve gone for a hard fought 1-3 but it won’t be easy !

Cant have Grav in the XI personally.

This game a proper banana skin.

How do you know that Grav doesn’t like bananas?? 🤔

There are no easy games in this league, and B’mouth have to be fair have been playing well, however even with our diluted team we will be too much for them,
We’ve coped well enough without our usual suspects and I can see us winning this fairly comfortably,
Yes we’ll be put under pressure but that happens in most games in this league so will know what to expect, …..

                             Alisson
             Bradley  Konate  Virgil  Gomez
                  Grav   Macca   Jones
                  Diaz     Jota    Nunez

Elliot, Gakpo, will likely swap with Diaz & Jota respectively second half, and we’ll probably see a smattering of kids to see us out, maybe Kaide or Bobby Clark,

Read in the week we’re not far away from Szloboslai, Trent and Robbo making their returns, Jürgen mentioned perhaps Fulham, so get thru this and we’ll soon be back to near normal as we can, with the exception of Mo & Endo @ the Afcon.

1-2 Champions Elect


YNWA

We need Darwin for this game because with our players injured or at the internationals, they will attack us and will leave space for him to run. Hopefully, Mac Allister feeds him and he is clinical enough to win us the match.

Solanke was always a good player, pleased for him he is scoring more regularly, but we never made a mistake selling him, was best for all parties when he left.

Agreed, he's in a group of strikers with Toney, Watkins, Ings, Calum Wilson, Hojlund and a few others. Can have a good career in the premier league with mid-table clubs but not good enough for us, Man City or a big European team.

Solanke would not have had many opportunities with us if he'd stayed, better for everyone that he moved on to get first team games and we got some money. I think it would probably be a mistake if he went to Arsenal.
We still have to be cautious of him today, he'll be extra motivated to play well and score against us but Virgil and Konate should be able to deal with him ok.

I won't make it to create the Live thread, up to you guys.

Come on Greens.

Agreed, he's in a group of strikers with Toney, Watkins, Ings, Calum Wilson, Hojlund and a few others. Can have a good career in the premier league with mid-table clubs but not good enough for us, Man City or a big European team.

Solanke would not have had many opportunities with us if he'd stayed, better for everyone that he moved on to get first team games and we got some money. I think it would probably be a mistake if he went to Arsenal.
We still have to be cautious of him today, he'll be extra motivated to play well and score against us but Virgil and Konate should be able to deal with him ok.

Indeed. 👍

This could be a tricky game, Bournemouth never easy away. I went for 2  0 in the prediction league, but any win by the odd goal, would be a very decent result.

Think will be this
Ali
Bradley
Ibou
VVD
Gomez
Jones
Mac
Elliott
Diaz
Jota
Nunez

Hope we don’t do our usual lethargic slow start. Need a win

We must not concede the first goal

Think will be this
Ali
Bradley
Ibou
VVD
Gomez
Jones
Mac
Elliott
Diaz
Jota
Nunez

As I said

Darwin is due a goal today.

Hope we don’t do our usual lethargic slow start. Need a win

All games are "must win" games, from now on, to challenge for finishing top at the end of the season.

As I said

Feels like the best possible team with our Dutch duo ready to come on later

Just F***ing win Redmen

We must not concede the first goal

Par for the course mate ... usually within the first 10 minutes

Strongest possible line up given the injuries etc. Predicted by many. Lot of focus on Nunez as usual. Will he won't he score. Not a millstone by any means.Said a month or two back that he obviously has be cool, calm and cold when the chances come.

Problem with that is that he is naturally 'hot blooded'. On the edge all the time. Not a bad thing but could mean 10-15 per season rather than in the 20+ bracket.