My Blood Is Blue

Agree. The club and he won't want to risk him missing that final match.

I don’t think he’ll change too much, I don’t think we’ll want to risk anyone coming back from a long term injury either. I would freshen it up a bit in the front 4 though, as we looked out of sorts vs Nottingham Forest and I think Gusto may get a start as well. Petrovic Gusto - Chalobah - Badiashile - Cucurella Gallagher - Caicedo Sterling - Palmer - Mudryk Jackson James, Colwill and Nkunku minutes from the bench.

If we’re looking for a left back, I would guess it is to move Chilwell on, due to fitness/medical concerns. I’d be very surprised to see them move Cucurella on after his impact in the second half of the season. I still think it’s a big if, as I don’t think Cucurella is a major injury concern and whilst Chilwell is, we also have Colwill that can back up in that position. I just think it’s a position that shouldn’t be a priority until other key areas have been looked at.

Another half season in Shakhtar could have at least given him a full season under his belt there, to allow him to continue his development, before coming over here, it's not like we needed the extra body last season! He hadn't completed a full season before joining us. I think what people fail to take into account with Mudryk is that whilst he is 22, his actual experience is minimal. This season he has already played more than double the matches he has ever played in a season and so he is still learning the ropes, whilst under a very bright spotlight every week. He had, what should have been his breakthrough season with Shakhtar interrupted by attacks and an invasion on his home country, followed by a war fought in his home country, and football (and any kind of normal life) was put on hold, all when he was only 20 years old. His is not a normal footballing journey by any means. Maye loaning him now would be a mistake, but if he remains here, then I hope the fans stay on his side, because he needs it

Balance is important, but with a squad of 26, we should be able to get a strong enough squad, allowing for a Plan B and C as well. Trying to ignore my Chelsea bias, my 26 would be: Goalkeepers Jordan Pickford Aaron Ramsdale James Trafford Defenders Kyle Walker Reece James Kieron Trippier Luke Shaw Ben Chilwell John Stones Jarrod Branthwaite Joe Gomez Levi Colwill Midfielders Jude Bellingham Declan Rice Conor Gallagher Rico Lewis Kobbie Mainoo Attackers Bakayo Saka Cole Palmer Phil Foden Jarrod Bowen James Maddison Anthony Gordon Harry Kane Ollie Watkins Dominic Solanke For the majority of the games I would start: Pickford Walker/James - Stones - Branthwaite - Chilwell Bellingham - Rice Saka - Palmer - Foden Kane For the trickier matches against tougher opponents, I would bring Gallagher in to add an extra man in midfield. Pickford Walker/James - Stones - Branthwaite - Chilwell Bellingham - Rice - Gallagher Saka/Palmer -Kane - Foden

In hindsight, we should have loaned him straight back to Shakhtar, but with the fee paid that was never going to happen. I think the only thing stopping him going out on loan next season will be the pride from those that scouted and then signed him, but I do think a loan is needed for this guy to stand any chance of making it here. Maybe I’m being a fool, but I do still think he can be a good player at a decent level… if that’s with us, who knows.

I find it very strange that anyone would criticise Jackson after this season. Has he been perfect? No, but he has probably contributed more to the side this season than we could reasonably expect, given his background and lack of experience. I also think we have many more players and reasons to be frustrated than this guy. He can be frustrating at times, but we knew we hadn’t signed a complete player and that he needed time to develop, which he absolutely he has over this season. Compare him to some of the recent flops we’ve signed as strikers at this club, and his output is very decent. It doesn’t mean he’s going to be a world class striker, but not many of those exist anymore anyway.

So sorry to hear this @Ham, it really is heartbreaking.

Majority said top 6, just 1 person said 7th to 12th…

19 years ago?! Doesn’t feel that long ago, I can vividly remember seeing that goal fly in like it was a few weeks ago. What a hit. I really liked Tiago as well, shame he didn’t stick around for longer.

I watched the highlights again and Forest's first goal really is awful defending. Jackson briefly started to track his runner, then just stopped, giving him a free header. We really need to sort that kind of thing out next season, we cannot be giving away such cheap goals.

Hands up, I jumped the gone with some of my reactions in terms of the end result, but the frustrations are still there in terms of much of the performance today and it is the type of performance we've seen so many times this season, however, this time we were able to come through it and get a result. Having proper options on the bench helped and Poch made the right changes at the right time as well. The defence were very sloppy today and they made it so hard to build any momentum up and then at the other end, Jackson, Mudryk and Madueke were really quite poor, especially when you compare how Jackson and Madueke have performed in recent weeks.

Absolutely! Credit where it is due, he made the right changes today, helps having a proper bench!

Poor performance, but players dug in and got the result and Poch made the difference with his changes. I’ll take it! They were nasty today, leaving things in our players constantly, mainly because the ref let them.

Shows you why a proper bench is so important

I better go back and delete some posts…

You are right. Fair play to him!

Hahahaha! Never in doubt

You’re welcome

Raheem!

Everyone and his dog knows what he wants to do, just do not let him cut in on his right. We’ve let him do it all game.

Seems we were better when we had less time on the training ground.

My view on it, as I said, was that if we saw out this season in the same recent form, then my opinion of him this season would likely change, as we’ll have seen genuine progress… this performance is one we’ve seen so many times this season though. No fight and no plan.

There goes 6th. Now we have to try and hold on for 7th. Man United, this crap Man United team, could still finish above us.

They’ve wanted it more than us and they’ve been better than us. Useless today, all of them.