Foxtrot

All of this. I don’t know if anybody knows Slot’s reason for not using him, but it seems to me that many on here don’t seem to know anything much about Chiesa and his abilities, where he can play and what he could bring to the team. Having seen him a fair few times for Juve last season, him being back and playing 30+ league games and almost back to the level before the big injury, his lack of minutes in a red shirt is a total mystery to me. I guess all managers, even the very best ones, both have weak spots for certain players and blind spots for others. Why is a totally crocked Jota and low on confidence Nunez getting games where Chiesa isn’t? Why has Endo only now started to get meaningful minutes now, although all of our starting midfielders have shown signs of being run to the ground. They who know the answer is clever boots.

It's Nunez and Jota for me. I really like Jota when he is fit, but the frequency of his injuries in combination of his long recovery time makes him unfit for purpose. Nunez obviously has to change scenery. Hopefully he can go to Atletico and be ace for Simeone. Diaz does actually contribute and we can't change 3 or 4 forwards in one window.

Yeah, all within the context of the Big Narrative that everyone had decided on before kick-off, no?

He is the most talented Italian player of his generation, looks like he is driven to succeed and seems a nice guy too. Loads of players have had a bad injury and recovered their careers. Hopefully he can now start to get a few meaningful minutes, even as a substitute. Given the opportunity, there's every chance of him being successful here.

This is all kinds of wrong.

Succinct. To the point. I like it.

Top drawer stuff, that! "In and out of Europe in 90 minutes" was the joke doing the rounds IIRC. Hilarious stuff

Why? Out for the season?

Exactly. Even from the absolutely best angle with the superzoom and the frame by frame you might see something, but what it exactly is, is inconclusive

That must be the harshest thing I've ever seen. That's arguably even less than the 11.2 mms that we got done by.

Said pretty much the same in the Gravo tread just now. Short in numbers especially midfield and now Gravo is goosed, as is Salah.

Wear, think he’s been overplayed and is tired. Been for some now. I always thought we needed the Zubimendi lad for making up the numbers as Endo and Curtis can be very useful but never the first name on the team sheet. A Zubi-Macca-Gravo midfield looks right. Is Zuni’s ship has sailed, then the Atalanta lad please. Curtis and Elliott can be useful in the rotation quota, and grow to be better players, whereas Endo can do a job when called upon. In summa: we always went a top holding midfielder light into the season and Gravo is taking the toll

We had enough chances to go through but couldn’t squeeze them in the nets. Salah twice had a goal bund shot saved by the last man, Quansah hit the post, etc, but also could have lost both ties comfortably. Good football by two excellent teams, We had the more tired legs out there thou and it did us on the night. Such is life. I’m not devastated but rather happy with how good we are, and with potential to get even better!

It’s not his fault that he is here and that he cost a bomb. His weakness we all know by now, and I too had that sinking feeling when he stepped up to take the pen. But as long he is here I’m supporting him just like all the rest I’m them. No one in the team is a Victor Moses or Konchesky. Happy to see Darwin go somewhere where he might be useful, but I hope for a few more great moments from him in the run in as memories from a league winning season. That’ll do for me nicely and then we can all wave him goodbye at the ferry terminal and god bless

He has won 5 out of 6 for, according to someone in the commentariat, so no big surprise he saved two. Allison unlucky with the first one. That's football. We march on and hope for the best, injury and fatigue wise, for Sunday!