Polarboy

What price would McTominay need to be for most fans to be OK with us signing him? I've seen all the stick that McTominay and Fred got when Solskjaer and the geography teacher who replaced him were managing the club, but both have looked very decent in recent times. It's not a fluke for example that McTominay keeps timing his runs into the box to score goals. Not saying he's the next Lampard, but he does seem to score a decent amount of goals for a defensive mid, so he's not merely a stopper. I can however understand the impulse to turn your nose up at a player you are assuming isn't good enough for Manure, if they're willing to get rid. I don't think it's always that simple though when players are sold by clubs e.g. when you're behind Casemiro in the pecking order it's no great shame. Personally when I factor in the Howe effect on players I'd be happy enough if we paid somewhere in the region of 25m. Anything over 30m and I'd hope that we'd take a chance on someone with a higher potential ceiling from the German, French, Brazilian or Spanish leagues.

A better rumour, although probably with even less substance, is Diogo Jota. Jacque Talbot has talked about what is supposedly our transfer list for the summer and Jota is on it. He does add that we're likely to be priced out of it given Liverpool will likely want 70m+ for him. You could see Jota leaving along with Firmino, who I think is confirmed to be leaving, given the options that they have i.e. Gakpo, Diaz, and even Darwin in that wide left position, added to the fact that Jota would raise a fair amount of funds to reinvest in their midfield.

In fairness Pope's weakness with his feet is an understandable black mark against him starting for England. As much as we like to slag Pickford he's a very decent shot stopper, not as consistent as Pope in that respect given Pope rarely makes a mistake with his hands and Pickford can drop the odd clanger, but Pickford is very good with his feet and again only marginally worse in terms of shot stopping.

In fairness there is something off about how Spurs are set up with Levy etc. It doesn't seem like an ideal environment, to put it mildly, for a manager to operate in. And there is that stigma of being bottlers that surrounds Spurs and has strangely stuck to the club even with turn over of players.

I would imagine Levy and Spud's director football, who's Italian as well I think but I can't recall his name, have the pretty much all they say in transfers. Conte might be consulted out of respect at least, but Levy strikes me as a control freak.

As people have said hopefully this doesn't have the effect of brining the players together, but if Mourinho couldn't brow beat them into being professionals I doubt Conte will have better luck. I also can't see Poch coming in at this point of a season, so if Conte gets the sack or walks they'll likely have to get an interim manager until the end of the season. An interim could take the pressure off and maybe get a new manager bounce, but hopefully they'd eventually return to type without new players and a set philosophy.

Full time on Saints, Spurs 3-3. Away to the Saints are the type of games that Spurs need to win, so great to see them slip up once again. We keep hearing that Spurs and Liverpool's class will show in the end and they'll both finish above us, but that class has gone missing for a very long time this season, at least on a consistent basis. Kane of course can score from very little so he bucks that trend to a certain extent, but he obviously can't do it all on his own.

Eddie needs to start complaining about clearly atrocious decisions like Ferguson did when he was Manure manager. Fergie, the red nosed cunt, complained about everything but it worked in the sense that the media pressure on people kept them on their toes. If we're polite and roll over every time the PL and refs take the piss they'll keep on doing it. Of course Fergie also had the advantage of being one of the "chosen ones", in terms of being one of the clubs seemingly chosen by god to have the right to win. Again though fighting your corner as much as you can surely can't hurt.

It depends on how you define hold up play. He won us several free-kicks to alleviate the pressure off us at crucial moments in the game. Granted he can be a bit awkward and be pushed off it at times, but I wouldn't say his hold play was a weakness as such. I'd also define hold up play as just being able to take it in tight areas with good close control and lay it off which he's certainly more than capable of. You don't necessarily have to have a defender on you like white on rice for it to be hold up play if that's what you're envisaging. At least that's how I see it.

Isak is a fucking beast. He's unorthodox, he reminds me of Kanu and Asprilla, but his attributes are there for all to see. His hold up play, he can run the channels, he can drive at defences centrally, he's a big danger with balls over the top with his pace, he can pick a pass and assist etc. And just to top off the evening Anderson came on and had an absolute stormer, especially for someone who's had to come on at half time. Great decision from Howe to pull ASM and stick him on. It was squeaky bum time and looking like it was going to be a draw, but we more than deserved the win.

As much as I'd like Fannyrash to be injured it's almost certainly an attempt at mind games. I'll be delighted to be wrong though.

Redknapp was saying it's a stupid rule that needs changed in reference to Pope getting sent off in those circumstances. Then again Redknapp could be talking out of his arse and not actually know what the rules are.

People walking round Sunderland with four extra nipples and an extra finger and toe, what went wrong? Inbreeding.

I'm honestly not sure though. Just having a look now to be sure.

I think it's only one if it's not violent play.

They've Jim Beglin on Bein Sports, who only played the six seasons for them.

We're just going to have to try and take the positives from this and carry on. The fact that we've arguably been the better side for large stretches of the game despite being 2-0 down and with ten men has to be seen as a positive. ASM having a stormer is hopefully the beginning of a run of form for him as well. I've been pretty harsh on him despite the fact that he's been playing himself back to full fitness. The cup final is a one off game so we just have to forget everything else and anything can happen.

Yeah as much as I like Burn he has no business being that far up the pitch. His goal a few weeks ago was the rarest of events.

Poor old Klopp has to stick on Firmino and Jota. He's basically a fucking pauper in the football world.

Fuck me. Liverpool beat Everton who are total shite and suddenly the top four is back on and they're on form according to Neville and co. Their pace does worry me. Nunez's finishing might be tripe, but his pace is ludicrous. Gakpo and Salah are no slouches either. But yeah obviously I was desperate for us to beat them on Saturday already, but if we do it will be all the sweeter given the ludicrous reaction to them beating Everton.

The one thing you can say is that Man U aren't exactly in sparkling form either in the run up to the cup final. Seen I think Mark Douglas say that he thinks all the teams who had players at the world cup will struggle more than usual with fatigue in this second half of the season. If we can cling onto top four, or even just stay close, then the European games will hopefully have a big effect on the teams around us.

Only one more game without Bruno, and he can't come back quick enough on that performance. Then again even with Bruno we've been anaemic in front of goal. We just have to hope this run is like the start of the season and we'll click and start picking a few wins sooner than later.

Isak is making Dyer look like a knowledgeable pundit at present.

There's pro's and con's to every decision so if Target would help ASM but make the defence slightly weaker that's something Howe would need to weigh up. As I recall though we were very solid with Target in the team. He's a very reliable 7 out of 10 player pretty much every week. The big thing, no pun intended, we'd miss if Target came into the team ahead of Burn is that extra height.

Wilson just has a knock apparently. At least according to Keith Downie. Hopefully Howe is just being cautious given he has a more than able deputy in Isak.