Optimistic Nut

I just feel if we're to consistently push we need someone at least comfortable playing out from the back. Joe Hart seems like the last of the elite "non-ball playing" keepers and City recognised to stay at the top they needed a change in that area, even though Hart hadn't done much particularly wrong. This is where it feels we're at. Bruno is quality at resisting the press for example, a keeper who can confidently play out means he can start 15-20 yards further up the pitch and get him closer to the likes of Isak and Gordon for the killer pass. His 40-50 yard passes become 20-30 yard ones. Literally a gamechanger.

£30-35m would be a good fee. If they're offering £100m for Isak though I'd offer £4.5m or something equally insulting.

I really think it'll be GK and RW being the main ones. Can see us keeping Wilson for his last year.

We're likely going to need 3 new centre-backs over the next season or two to replace Lascelles, Burn and Schar due to ability/age. They can't all be £40-50m players. If you can get two good free signings now, both a good age, it opens up nicely for next summer.

Tosin and Kelly just seem perfect this summer. Patches up the Lascelles & Botman injuries this season, frees us up a bit for FFP this summer and replaces Schar & Burn ready for 25/6. I'd be happy for us to wait until next summer for the "big" CB signing to partner Botman if we get those two.

I think the CL will be "easier" next season. No playing 3 higher ranked sides and that's it. At least you play 2 from each seeding pot including your own.

Saw that one coming. Try and take some of the home support from Ange.

We can't moan at refs getting these wrong then because it could literally be 50/50 whether he's on or off in these instances with the way the law is at the moment. Damned if it goes to VAR and the lines get drawn, damned for sticking his neck out and raising his flag thinking he's offside.

Bring. In. The. Fucking. Wenger. Law.

Absolutely worth it for the fume from the Red 3 in particular.

Think we did this with Krafth? He was on loan at Amiens, they made it permanent that summer then we signed him a month later.

Are the "ball in play" stats much different?

Would be interesting to delve further and see how much of it is genuine time-wasting finally being punished, how much is down to head injuries, VAR checks, time the ball is in play, etc.

Just down a rabbit hole with this, would be interesting to see how many goals are scored first-half 47+ minutes and second-half 94+ minutes (just using these times as they seemed an average before this season)..Transfermarkt have 90+ minutes stats but nothing breaking it down further.

Looking at the table, come the end of the season it looks like it's only going to be the top 3 that concede fewer than 50 goals. Haven't been arsed to check but the average goals per game seems like it'll be very high for the modern era? Just for comparison, there were 9 teams last season, 8 in 21/22, 10 in 20/21...