27 Dec 2025 08:44:59
Banter please Ed

Sometimes we lose games we should have won, last night we won one we might perhaps have lost on another day, although for all their pressure, I didn't feel unduly worried.

What is clear is there is great spirit in the team, you could see how delighted everyone was for Dorgu, and how much they were pulling for each other.

It's also have great to have Martinez back, if he could stay fit he would be immense for us, and I love him as skipper. Some other great performances, particularly Heaven and Cunha's energy is awesome. We were short in numbers last night but secured the points, that's what we have to for the next few games.

The one concern last night was the subs. Cas didn't want to come off but the games are coming thick and fast so I maybe get that one. Zirkzee for Sesko seemed a strange one. Sesko was doing ok and Zirkzee made no impression at all. And taking off Martinez and Shaw with a few minutes left felt risky.

The most interesting thing from last night was the move to a flat back 4, giving us an extra body in the middle. I say a flat back 4, but it was more fluid than that. Whether this was a one off or an acceptance that there are other formations we shall see. I'd like to see it mixed up a little, Howe was clearly thrown and with the players we have, we are able to change it in game if needed.

3 winnable games comng up, but we've said that before haven't we ?.

1.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 09:00:49
A great win ajh in a game tbh that could of went either way. I really like how we stayed compact defensively and everyone knew there job.
Nobody could deny there isn't progress.

2.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 09:49:35
Martinez asked to come off as he was starting to cramp up and Shaw was on a booking so, why risk going down to 10 when there is a left back on the bench. Heaven was immense last night, won all his duels, nothing got passed him. He's a snip at £1.5M.

3.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 10:13:36
I’ll deny there isn’t progress. ?.

4.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 12:22:28
All we know for certain is that we won the game so the subs were perfect.
We don't know for certain what would have happened if he hadn't made them. We might have lost.
If he had ignored Martinez signal to come off and it cost us then we would have something to moan about.
To finish the game with 3 20 yo cbs and young fletcher in midfield along with malacia who hasn't played for the 1st team since god knows when bodes well imo.
We are seeing a developing resilience in the team.


Im loving cunhas warrior like personality. He just gets it imo and looks like he can become our main man. If I were his team mate i'd be looking over at him thinking I'm happy to go into the trenches with him.
Results will be sketchy and inconsistent for a while longer put the foundations in terms of work ethic and culture are being laid and that will bring success on the pitch overtime.
We have the right leaders in place to make the more right decions than wrong. Follow the leaders.

5.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 13:00:41
Whatever the reasons, we got the job done, whilst being seriously undermanned, that augers well.

You make a good point ken, we have lacked real passionate leaders, but in Cunha and Martinez we have 2 of the best.

Another few games to get through being short handed, but all very winnable games.

6.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 13:00:46
We battled yesterday. True club performance where the next man up mentality was there for us all to see. Was frustrated by zirkzee, but I just think he is rusty and also unhappy that he might not get to go. He still fought at defensive end like all the others did.

How we played, formations etc is a pointless conversation. We fought and won.

Happy christmas.

7.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 14:42:30
Zirkzee was awful last night. He lost every header. He looked at the defenders and tried backing into them. Hopefully a move to Roma materialises ASAP.

8.) 27 Dec 2025
27 Dec 2025 23:50:52
Not good enough in this league imo the epl doesn't suit his skill set. Poor signing.