OTF

I think he gets around OK, especially for his size but I do think Howe wants the attack minded focus and speed on the ball of Willock who will take more chances and run at defenders. Willock actually is quite physical in defense as well, and busts a gut getting around. Obviously he lacks the size and strength of Joelinton (and Miley) but he gives it a red hot go. He's not a 90 minute player because he keeps nothing in reserve, there's a point in most game where you see his legs go. I don't have a problem with this in attacking player in current times when you're afforded 5 substitutions. Willock will 95% start. I just hope he can bring a little more end product than he has of late. He's the same percentage to be subbed off at some point when Miley will likely get a run.

Good point.

It's great to be having this discussion at this stage of a season. Even better with a fresh trophy in our cabinet.

I do agree that from a games perspective Europa league would be a lot of fun, and that we should fancy ourselves as having a good shot at it. It's just that the extra load of games with a squad that we can't bolster as much with Europa vs. Champion's League stretches us even further and dampens our chances of subsequent qualification (like us last season). All said and done Europa is still highly desirable it would just be frustrating to miss out on Champion's League from here. It's more than a bit miserable to think like this but sadly that's what PSR, FFP, FSR have lead us to.

Except you have the additional load of games and subsequent player demands without anywhere near the amount of remuneration and winning it is not as easy as you make it sound. Of the prize money in the European competitions 75% is apportioned to the Champions League, 17% to Europa and 8% to Conference League. Winning the Europa League nets you a tidy sum; ballpark €13m on top of the equal share and value pillar, the latter of which is based off European coefficient/ranking (teams with little or no European football in the preceding years receive a smaller percentage of this stream compared to clubs with frequent European football). The bigger prize from winning is qualifications to the Champions League. If you want to get an understanding of how much difference the 'value pillar' makes to revenue for clubs in the champions league the best comparison is us versus Man Utd from 23/24. We were both knocked out in the group stages. Our results were better in the group stage; 1W, 2D, 3L compared to their 1W, 1D, 4L so our performance based income was higher. They received €60m, we received €34m. Further ingrained monopolisation of the top financial positions of football clubs. Man United's total prize money from the Europa League this season will probably end up being more than ours from the Champion's League and that's before you even consider how if they win it they'll be in the Champion's League next season. Victory in the Europa League final is a HUGE get out of free jail card to (at this stage) one of Tottenham or Man Utd. As well as the bonus of winning it's effectively a minimum €60m additional revenue next season PLUS additional ticket sales, corporate revenue and sponsorship etc. If they progress beyond the group stages that base €60m could be upwards of €100m. It would be amazing if they both somehow didn't win it.

I'd also like to see Miley start, but not really expecting it. Joelinton out for the season is a big miss, Miley with his size should bring more presence and physicality than Willock, and as I've said many times he's very good at retaining possession and with his range of passing his chemistry with other players will only improve with more time on the pitch.

I believe that play is called the....

Useful for anyone that tries to poo poo the Carabao Cup; we beat the first team from the first and second ranked teams in the league to win it.

I don't think they were trying to determine whether contact was on the box but rather that there was enough contact. The Bruno one was a joke, he did nothing wrong, occupied the position where the ball was coming down and held his position. The GK was obviously playing for it. That should have gone down as one of the all time GK howlers.

Picked up some sort of hamstring injury in the last game so that run is about to end.

With Murphy what makes that a stonewall penalty for me is the position of the ball. The ball from Bruno is perfectly into the path of Murphy with noone else anywhere near it. Enciso is wholly behind Murphy and makes a grab for his shoulder with only one possible intention - to slow Murphy down. It's a foul, as clear as they come ("holds an opponent", "impedes an opponent with contact") there's no arguement that any contact from Enciso could be legal. IMO the ref should have called it but as others have pointed out he didn't because of the VAR safety blanket. Thankfully here the safety blanket worked, but it shouldn't have been needed with a competent ref.

It will depend what has happened in the CL and against Liverpool for them. Also, Chelsea are not really back on form, their xg has been dropping (it's under their average for the last 5 games). They are conceding less than they were earlier in the season. They've just had a run of easyish games. We score 1.91 goals per game (at home that goes up to 2.24) and concede 1.29 (at home 1.12). We've won 4 of our last 5 games and our last 5 at home. They score 1.74 goals a game (1.65 away) and concede 1.18 (1.35 away). They've won 3 of their last 5 (Everton, Fulham, Spurs) and drew the other two (Ipswich and Brentford). Of their last 5 away PL games they lost 3, won 1 and drew 1.

Obviously. I was pointing out that we don't need to win all of our remaining games. I agree that the Brighton game will really take the pressure off the Chelsea one. We're going to bust a gut to win at "the Amex". All of our players will be properly motivated for it, for team, personal and financial reasons, I just hope we have the patience to not try to score from every play. We've seen our application be almost perfect in huge games this season (both Arsenal cup semis and the final against Liverpool) so I have full belief that once again we'll be at our best with not a hint of any sort of complacency.

We're 5 points behind Arsenal, if we win all of our remaining games we'd be likely to finish second. 30/04: Arsenal v PSG CL SFI 04/05: Arsenal v Bournemouth 08/05: PSG v Arsenal CL SFII 12/05: Liverpool v Arsenal 19/05: Newcastle Utd v Arsenal 26/05: Southampton v Arsenal I don't think that will happen, but I'm backing us to finish top 4, not having to rely on that bonus spot. Hopefully Joelinton is OK to play.

Hope their travelling supporters had a good day and experience outside the game. The second half in particular must have been absolutely brutal.

His energy is brilliant. Big Willy Energy.

Will Osula trapping the ball

Had so much time. Wilson just surprised himself by half controlling the ball. This is not the box he's used to finding himself deep within.

Is that the first Premier League goal for the great Dane?

Callum preparing to come on

How did they give that as a foul. Ludicrous

Gordon going for the KDB 90s rom-com lead hairstyle. I like it.

Burn was miles off, but what was Willock doing with the header?!