Odegaard

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

We played really well yesterday. However, it was only Gross missing from 5 yards that prevented us dropping points. Far too tentative in front of goal.

Ben White continues to worry me. Ball watching for that Gross chance.

For the third season running we face 3 tough away games in the last 9 games of the run in- this year it is City, Spurs and United. For the third season running, we are a bit short of defensive cover. I am a bit concerned that we will tail off during the run in- for the third season running.

I can't see us getting anything at Anfield.

If Ganpati's {HIM, not me} good luck and fortune were to bless us:

1. Tommy's been looking amazing this season, and having his annual injury in winter means that he won't be injured during the run-in this time 'round.

2. There's a possibility that Timber could be back for the end of the season. Would you want to play someone who's coming back from a long term injury and only has something like 32 mins of PL experience in total during a vital run-in? I dunno.

But if both are fit, we'd have top drawer cover at LB/RB, Inverted Back and CH. Which I think was the plan all along.

What do people think about young Jakob, btw, both at LCH and LB?

[pjlincs]

What do people think about young Jakob, btw, both at LCH and LB?[/QUOTE]

Jakub. We need decent squad players and he seems to fit the bill.

[Peter]

If Ganpati's {HIM, not me} good luck and fortune were to bless us:

1. Tommy's been looking amazing this season, and having his annual injury in winter means that he won't be injured during the run-in this time 'round.

2. There's a possibility that Timber could be back for the end of the season. Would you want to play someone who's coming back from a long term injury and only has something like 32 mins of PL experience in total during a vital run-in? I dunno.

But if both are fit, we'd have top drawer cover at LB/RB, Inverted Back and CH. Which I think was the plan all along.

What do people think about young Jakob, btw, both at LCH and LB?

Last season we had to rely on Rob Holding. The season before we had to rely on Holding and Cedric and they both got horribly found out at Spurs.

I am concerned we will end up with Cedric again this season. He is actually ok against most of the Premier League but if we have to go to City, Spurs or United with him at right back it will cost us.

I don't see Timber playing this year. Obviously if everyone else is fit we will be ok but that is a very, very big if. In the last couple of seasons we have generally run out of steam a bit during the run in, largely as a consequence of playing a very consistent first XI through the season. Maybe the squad can cope a bit better this year but the defensive cover is the big concern.

[PSRB]

Last season we had to rely on Rob Holding. The season before we had to rely on Holding and Cedric and they both got horribly found out at Spurs.

I am concerned we will end up with Cedric again this season. He is actually ok against most of the Premier League but if we have to go to City, Spurs or United with him at right back it will cost us.

I don't see Timber playing this year. Obviously if everyone else is fit we will be ok but that is a very, very big if. In the last couple of seasons we have generally run out of steam a bit during the run in, largely as a consequence of playing a very consistent first XI through the season. Maybe the squad can cope a bit better this year but the defensive cover is the big concern.

United? They're utter pony

[Peter]

United? They're utter pony

Yeah, but they're not. And Cedric up against Rashford, at Old Trafford? **** that!

[PSRB]

Yeah, but they're not. And Cedric up against Rashford, at Old Trafford? **** that!

Not playing Rashford though, they're using the massively overrated Garnacho. Plus the dissatisfaction from the crowd at OT is currently reminiscent of Emirates at the back end of the Wenger era. Granted, they'll probably have a new manager by the time we roll up

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Last season we had to rely on Rob Holding. The season before we had to rely on Holding and Cedric and they both got horribly found out at Spurs.

I am concerned we will end up with Cedric again this season. He is actually ok against most of the Premier League but if we have to go to City, Spurs or United with him at right back it will cost us.

I don't see Timber playing this year. Obviously if everyone else is fit we will be ok but that is a very, very big if. In the last couple of seasons we have generally run out of steam a bit during the run in, largely as a consequence of playing a very consistent first XI through the season. Maybe the squad can cope a bit better this year but the defensive cover is the big concern.

I'm praying that this is Tommi's one annual injury getting out of the way. If we have him as cover, we could deal with an injury to RB/RCH.

Also, what do you think of TP5 as the inverted RB? In theory it should work - he played right back when we lost that Euro-semi - but we can't have Zinny at LB. Actually, KT would have been fine if we told him not to overdo the bombing forward as he can play left of a back 3 - and Tommi would if both FBs were injured.

Just not sure about Kiwior yet - pray to Ganpati he comes good.

[Peter]

I'm praying that this is Tommi's one annual injury getting out of the way. If we have him as cover, we could deal with an injury to RB/RCH.

Also, what do you think of TP5 as the inverted RB? In theory it should work - he played right back when we lost that Euro-semi - but we can't have Zinny at LB. Actually, KT would have been fine if we told him not to overdo the bombing forward as he can play left of a back 3 - and Tommi would if both FBs were injured.

Just not sure about Kiwior yet - pray to Ganpati he comes good.

I am not convinced by Partey as the inverted right back. Nor am I convinced that he will still be here after January. OR, if he is, that he will be fit. I am also not sure that the inverted right back works as well for us as an inverted left back. The balance doesn't work very well given the slant of our midfield.

If we avoid injuries we will be fine. But that would have also been the case in the previous two years.

Anyway, **** it. We have to get to March in decent shape for it to even be a problem. Let's worry about it later