Aidan

Small sample size admittedly however Doucoures shots per game is 2.3 compared to 0.6 last season.

I feel like he's going to be a really important player for us this year and his goals could be invaluable.

7 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Get all that but the major issue for me is that his name rhymes with condom, I know we need to take precautions with new signings but that shouldn't be a barrier to higher ambition.

As always Mike you've brought up a very valid point which much be considered.

What's the problem? Rondon is adequate cover with PL experience to Dom. He's better than no cover at all and offers us an option.

I trust Rafa to bring in players with the right attitude to change the mentality of the squad, it seems to have worked so far.

It's not like were signing Maupay for £25m to fight for a spot is it. Realistic expectations.

Just now, milesey05 said:

Those who were questioning Gray as a signing .

 

Seemed fair at the time, he's only two goals off equalling his best Premier League tally this season. He's not going to do this week in week out but he certainly looks okay so far.

As good as the goal was, the defender should have done better, as should the keeper.

Taken nicely by Gray. Scored two with his weaker foot now.

Bissouma has been unreal. What a player he is.

Looks to be progressing really quickly this one.

Wonder what the certain conditions are.

13 hours ago, MikeO said:

 

I am just going outside and may be some time.

12 hours ago, Bill said:

I'll be out there shortly Mike. 

You old boys are too set in your ways.

7 hours ago, Zoo 2.0 said:

Taking a massive loss on what we paid, plus will probably replace him with Neil fucking Maupay. 

.......yaaaaay 

Right now Maupay would benefit out team way more than Kean.

I'd also imagine we would have made money on him (but not much) considering the loan fee and wages covered last season + a loan fee for this deal as well as the tranfer fee at the end.

Would really hate to see him go, but I think part of us all knows he will leave for CL football eventually. Seeing as we paid £40m for him I'm sure he would command a very pretty fee with being contracted until 2026.

I would obviously prefer him to stay, he's such an important player for us.

7 hours ago, Bailey said:

I was reading up on some info ahead of this game and Brighton have the 2nd best defence so far this season from open play, and we have conceded something like the 5th least touches in the box. 

Their underlying stats i.e. their xG & xGA were among the best in the league last season. Potter really gets the most out of his players which is why I would have liked him here after Carlo left. It's no mistake it's similar this season and I would guess they will keep up the trend. They're a team to look out for this next few years. I also like Bissouma and Maupay would be an excellent signing for us if the rumours are true.

8 hours ago, Btay said:

Only if we float them into the box. Gray and Richarlison have been whipping some dangerous low crosses that the big boys at the back for Brighton might struggle with.

That they have. I'm actually looking forward to the match for once.

Crosses in the box won't be the easiest to score for this one. Wonder if we will play more centrally, Iwobi I think starts. I'd like to see him in a 4 with Gray, Richy and Dom.

7 hours ago, Sibdane said:

It's easy for us to sit back and criticize him from our chairs, and to be fair, he does make it easy for us to do that. 

As others have said above me, I feel for him. He just hasn't kicked on here, and there was a lot of expectation put on him at such a young age. At the weekend he came on with about two minutes to play... just like most of his appearances for us. He gets a start mid-week, scores a great and fair goal only for it to be ruled offside. Then he gets a weak red (yes, he shouldn't have engaged). When I watch him, I do see him as a confident player, but I imagine that there is a bit of mental turmoil going on at the moment. 

That red was not as weak as we thought.

Poor attitude, no place at this club and I have no sympathy for him.

When oh when will he just get his head down and concentrait on football?

He always has to be the talk doesn't he? A petulant shove for absolutely no reason how unprofessional can a player be? It wasn't a sending off unless the ref saw a hand in the face which we all didn't see - but it was so needless and could have cost us the game.

He needs to go this window whilst his stock is relatively high. Exactly the type of footballer we don't need at the club right now. Can't be trusted.

He has started well it seems, but I won't be getting excited just yet. Wasn't impressed with him yesterday, however I wasn't impressed by anyone.

Holgate is captain over Keane. Strange choice there.

Begovic

Kenny Godfrey Mina Digne

Gbamin Davies

Townsend Iwobi Gray

DCL

That's what I'd pick with my limited tactical knowledge!

2 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

@markjazzbassistwhat have you got planned for while this game is played?  

quick get another charity event on the go mark! At least you can feel good about life on a match day  

4 hours ago, Btay said:

I just wish he would cut out some of his silly antics.

I think he tries too hard to get in opponent's heads. More often than not he just makes himself look silly. Wants to be the hard man, but doesn't execute it correctly.

He looked really good on MoTD and interestingly had the highest pass accuracy out of all the players who started the game, suggesting he didn't often waste possession.

Be interesting to see if he can keep this form up. He's come here as a kind of "make or break" signing, so has a lot to prove.

19 hours ago, Btay said:

Tough decision between playing him or dropping and seems it’s backfired. Simply put - not good enough and we won’t win anything with him in our first 11. 

With Godfrey out Rafa would have to have made the decision to play Holgate or Keane. I think he will naturally trust Keane more and rightly so - so he really is just the best of the two. Hopefully we see more of Mina and Godfrey which could be out best CB pairing.

2 hours ago, Goodison Glory said:

Would love to see the stats for Dom in 1 on 1 situations including last season. He scores a lot of goals, and is a good player for sure but for a main striker he is woeful at 1 on 1’s with the ball at his feet.

I don't know if we will be able to find the 1v1 stats, however last season he had 17 "Big chances missed". This put him joint 7th as follows:

1. Bamford - 21

2. Salah, Vardy, Wood - 19

5. Mane, Werner - 18

7. Adams, DCL - 17

9. Firminho, Kane - 13

DCL also had the 7th most shots with 83. And at a glance doesn't seem to miss any more "big chances" per shot than the players above him in the last. Of course a "big chance" doesn't neccessarily mean a 1v1.

I'm never flooded with confidence when he does find himself in a 1v1 situation that he is going to score, it's more of a 50/50. Personally, I think it's down to his composure rather than his finishing ability.