Yeah, I can see that POV. I mean ultimately we're all speculating as to what might happen next, and there's good grounds for thinking that A, B or C might transpire. I'd love nothing more than to be wrong in my pessimism!

.. I think there are personnel issues too. I don't think we've rotated our midfield well at all. Tactically we've been wacky. The evolution to a possession-based team seems poorly managed (we're not using our players best suited to it!). Also, I said at the start of the season: I fear for Miley 😬

See this is where I respectfully disagree, and where I see our form this season: we’re not a good team that just needs to find some consistency/go on a run. We’re an average team. I think something is fundamentally off and won’t/can’t be fixed easily. Away form suggests it’s mainly mentality.

I hate to sound this negative when I know there’s a chance we improve. But just because we have in previous seasons, doesn’t mean we will this time. Sometimes trends just stop. I don’t see this season as being ‘good pending the return of Wissa/Hall/Tino’. I see it as 50% (A) a write-off, ergo crap.

Aye but we’ve run our two main CMs into the ground tonight. Baffling.

Imagine not trusting Thiaw in a 1v1, that far out, against a 36y/o. Absolute bread and butter. The mind boggles.

Oh it’s so predictable. Overrun in midfield, don’t create enough, lose to a Grealish winner.

That and the Sports Psychology bloke are stealing a living by all accounts.

Come Saturday it’ll be Joelinton giving the ball away again, Bruno and Tonali looking tired and Pope starting again. Can see it a mile off 😤

Completely agree.

Don’t get me started.

Not surprised. Tino possibly being back this weekend is a surprise, normally every injury is 4+ weeks later than Howe ever indicates. Weird habit.

Yeah. Imagine Chris’ piece is great. I’m just a little sceptical of the club-building stories given how little has been achieved off the field for the last 2 years.

0 fruit so far.

(Weren't we building a network in Brazil 2-3 years ago via Nickson?)

Yeah. I think there will be signs of life, but it’s terrible timing to be playing them.

Yeah, I think that’s a perfectly reasonable belief! And I really hope that’s what transpires.

Exactly! It’s an excuse for a few weeks. But there’s no excuse for it to be *no better* 10 weeks in.

Completely. What concerns me is that our (increasingly poor) PL performances indicate that we've either accepted this; haven't addressed it quickly enough; or have, but haven't got anywhere near improving in trying to rectify it. Ultimately I think all of this is obvious, so why is it persisting?