Ruben Amorim - Manchester United Head Coach

[giggs-beckham]

What worries me is why he doesn't recognise this? I remember weeks ago commentators saying how, at the time, we'd yet to score with Dalot and Maz as wing backs - and yet he continues with it.

Also Amads form has tailed off recently. And the goalkeeper situation, the other guy should get a run of games, just my opinion however

 

[tomaldinho1]

We’re 12 points clear of relegation, do you really think Leicester are going to gain that much ground on us?

As some people mentioned, the newer teams are weak so probably not - but then Martinez is out and he is a big part of how we play offensively. Something needs to click in the way we play soon though.

 

[astracrazy]

Also Amads form has tailed off recently. And the goalkeeper situation, the other guy should get a run of games, just my opinion however

Let it sink in for a minute: Our strikers are so poor we have no clear number one striker and our keepers are so poor it's debatable who is/should be number 1 (Ok, it's Onana but not that he deserves to be).

Yeah this is something I thought of. There is very little justification when it obviously doesn't work and we've been calling it before kick off too

Has it got to a point where he is feeling pressure? Too concerned with trying not to lose than trying to win?

 

[Insanity]

Nice to see it laid out, but it has been obvious to anyone who has been paying attention to games that our play and attacking threat have gone to shit since we decided to start with five defenders on the pitch. It is okay to play it in games against big opposition where we are deeper than we usually are and are trying to hit teams on the transition more than trying to build up play. However, it totally kills our attacking impetus in games against lower opposition where we are supposed to take the initiative.

I guess it was necessitated when Mount went of injured and Rashford+Garnacho were in the doghouse. We needed Amad to play as one of the #10's and Antony wasn't deemed good enough to start the position on a regular basis. I hope it changes now and we push back Amad to the RWB spot with Dorgu at LWB. Garnacho paired with Mainoo should be the two #10's for the time being with Bruno partnering Ugarte in the midfield. Maz should be exclusively played at RCB unless there is a huge injury problem.

 

[astracrazy]

We’re 12 points clear of relegation, do you really think Leicester are going to gain that much ground on us?

No, but Ipswich. Maybe.

Form of the last 6 games: 3pts difference.
Form of the last 10 games: 3pts difference.

14 games left. 13 points difference. That could turn quickly if they get a good run..

We play them, so big game. Our next 8 games are tough:

Spurs, Everton, Ipswich, Arsenal, Leicester, Forrest, City, Newcastle (grim). We finish the season with Chelsea and Villa.

Looking at their fixtures left, I'd prefer theirs over ours.

 

[JPRouve]

Nice to see it laid out, but it has been obvious to anyone who has been paying attention to games that our play and attacking threat have gone to shit since we decided to start with five defenders on the pitch. It is okay to play it in games against big opposition where we are deeper than we usually are and are trying to hit teams on the transition more than trying to build up play. However, it totally kills our attacking impetus in games against lower opposition where we are supposed to take the initiative.

I guess it was necessitated when Mount went of injured and Rashford+Garnacho were in the doghouse. We needed Amad to play as one of the #10's and Antony wasn't deemed good enough to start the position on a regular basis. I hope it changes now and we push back Amad to the RWB spot with Dorgu at LWB. Garnacho paired with Mainoo should be the two #10's for the time being with Bruno partnering Ugarte in the midfield. Maz should be exclusively played at RCB unless there is a huge injury problem.

I don't think that it's ever okay because you are easily pinned in your own third with and without the ball, now one thing that shows Amorim's intelligence is that he has matched the defensive wingbacks with a more attacking CM in Mainoo or Bruno but even then it's a bad concept, it should only be done if we have no other options due to injuries or suspensions.

 

[Gordon'sHill]

Nice to see it laid out, but it has been obvious to anyone who has been paying attention to games that our play and attacking threat have gone to shit since we decided to start with five defenders on the pitch. It is okay to play it in games against big opposition where we are deeper than we usually are and are trying to hit teams on the transition more than trying to build up play. However, it totally kills our attacking impetus in games against lower opposition where we are supposed to take the initiative.

I guess it was necessitated when Mount went of injured and Rashford+Garnacho were in the doghouse. We needed Amad to play as one of the #10's and Antony wasn't deemed good enough to start the position on a regular basis. I hope it changes now and we push back Amad to the RWB spot with Dorgu at LWB. Garnacho paired with Mainoo should be the two #10's for the time being with Bruno partnering Ugarte in the midfield. Maz should be exclusively played at RCB unless there is a huge injury problem.

Exactly, this is my big problem with his system. We have a limited squad but the wing back role is difficult and likely those that suit it will need to be good defenders. Shaw if fit is often touted as ideal but then his attacking output is never going to compare to say a Garnacho. So end up with far too many defensive players on the pitch, though even then we still ship goals.

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

The idea that 3 CBs necessarily lead to defensive football or that it can't be attacking is highly misleading. Gasperini, Bielsa or Cruijff(with Barcelona) have almost exclusively played an attacking and aggressive brand of Football with back 3s. Even Inter are currently playing a fairly attacking brand of Football with a 352.

There is no material difference when it comes to attacking or not attacking, 442s, 433s, 4231s are as often negative or positive than any back 3 systems because fullbacks are often not attacking at all.

Liverpool' fullbacks are attacking.

Our CBs lack recovery pace and ability on the ball, that is why I don't like to play 3 CBs together with our 2 poor wingbacks. Wingback is a very difficult position to play in the PL.

 

[Insanity]

I don't think that it's ever okay because you are easily pinned in your own third with and without the ball, now one thing that shows Amorim's intelligence is that he has matched the defensive wingbacks with a more attacking CM in Mainoo or Bruno but even then it's a bad concept, it should only be done if we have no other options due to injuries or suspensions.

Yes, it should be never okay for Manchester United. However, in our current situation I can understand going ultra-defensive and playing purely on the counter in certain games to prevent a pasting.

I think it's pretty obvious to pair a defensive CM with a more attacking/passing CM. Even the very defensive Jose liked to have a Lampard or a Fabregas or a Pogba in his midfield two. You need a CM of that type to move the games forward either through passing or carrying the ball. There isn't anything particularly intelligent about it.

 

[JPRouve]

Liverpool' fullbacks are attacking.

Our CBs lack recovery pace and ability on the ball, that is why I don't like to play 3 CBs together with our 2 poor wingbacks. Wingback is a very difficult position to play in the PL.

I said often, not always. Most fullbacks aren't Robertson, Dani Alves, Marcelo or TAA, most fullbacks are utterly hopeless offensively and they mostly play in back 4s.

Edit: Most teams that play with a back four, have one or both CBs that are defensive or are offensively impotent and they also have a defensive midfielder. It's not as if the traditional trade off is to have attacking CMs and fullbacks, it's almost never a thing.

And I have myself an issue with back 3s but it's not due to this false idea that it's defensive, it's because it requires too many specialists, you need two CBs that are comfortable defending large spaces laterally and you need wingbacks whether they are attacking or defensive that are comfortable anticipating in spaces that aren't natural for fullbacks or wingers, if you don't have specialists you easily end up in some botched 523 or 325 and you will get destroyed in both cases.

And it makes transfer windows more complicated, you can't capitalize on most opportunities because your system is very specialized. Which is only offset by having a head coach that is very good at tactical and technical coaching.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

Mornin’, sir. I got an order here to move some goalposts. Just tell me how far you’d like them moved, guv, and we’ll get right on it.

What are you on about? I think anyone would be lying if they said they hadn't hoped that we'd be doing better than we are at this stage, but most reasonable people could see that this was a very different task to that of, say, David Moyes at Everton or Pereira at Wolves (who literally said that one of the reasons he went to them was because they already played his style of football). Amorim was absolutely cystal clear, from his first interview (the long one with Gary Neville) onwards, that he would have preferred to come at the end of the season because his intention was to completely change the formation, and that this would mean things would be rocky for some time. There's no way that he wouldn't have said the exact same thing in his job interview. So what goalposts are you actually talking about? The ones that you imposed in your mind?

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

I said often, not always. Most fullbacks aren't Robertson, Dani Alves, Marcelo or TAA, most fullbacks are utterly hopeless offensively and they mostly play in back 4s.

Edit: Most teams that play with a back four, have one or both CBs that are defensive or are offensively impotent and they also have a defensive midfielder. It's not as if the traditional trade off is to have attacking CMs and fullbacks, it's almost never a thing.

And I have myself an issue with back 3s but it's not due to this false idea that it's defensive, it's because it requires too many specialists, you need two CBs that are comfortable defending large spaces laterally and you need wingbacks whether they are attacking or defensive that are comfortable anticipating in spaces that aren't natural for fullbacks or wingers, if you don't have specialists you easily end up in some botched 523 or 325 and you will get destroyed in both cases.

And it makes transfer windows more complicated, you can't capitalize on most opportunities because your system is very specialized. Which is only offset by having a head coach that is very good at tactical and technical coaching.

Yup. I am not saying we were great in 4231 but 3421 requires more specialists which we clearly lack and hence no progress on the field until we have those players.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

With modern fullbacks having turned into versatile players who can provide the width in the attacking third or tuck into the midfield, centre-halves also have to be able to defend well in the wide areas no matter the starting formation. It's not about specialists so much as it is about United's stupidity to throw crazy money at the feet of players who belong to a different era of football.

 

[OmarUnited4ever]

As some people mentioned, the newer teams are weak so probably not - but then Martinez is out and he is a big part of how we play offensively. Something needs to click in the way we play soon though.

The bottom 3 are quite bad this season and I don't think Leicester for example have it in them to get 12 points or us being in relegation battle, otherwise it would have been a possibility, I don't see us reaching 40pts now but I still think we are very safe from relegation

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

With modern fullbacks having turned into versatile players who can provide the width in the attacking third or tuck into the midfield, centre-halves also have to be able to defend well in the wide areas no matter the starting formation. It's not about specialists so much as it is about United's stupidity to throw crazy money at the feet of players who belong to a different era of football.

This is exactly right! This is one of the reasons why we struggle against so many teams these days - even the traditionally weaker sides are now full of big, strong, versatile, fast, technical players...we have far too many players that only meet one of those criteria (and some that don't meet any...cough Antony cough)

 

[JPRouve]

With modern fullbacks having turned into versatile players who can provide the width in the attacking third or tuck into the midfield, centre-halves also have to be able to defend well in the wide areas no matter the starting formation. It's not about specialists so much as it is about United's stupidity to throw crazy money at the feet of players who belong to a different era of football.

No it is about specialists. The vast majority of CBs and fullbacks can't do what is required even the very good ones, at least they can't do it at a high level. A simple example Frimpong and Koundé, in practice they have been used as wingback and fullback but the difference in each roles for each players is night and day. An other example that I have is De Vrij and Skriniar, the move to a back 3 exposed the fact that Skriniar can't defend in space, he is solid as a traditional stopper and a turnstile in any system that require defending in space and to the side by the CBs, De Vrij doesn't have this problem and that's why he has been a better fit for Inter under Conte and Inzaghi.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

No it is about specialists. The vast majority of CBs and fullbacks can't do what is required even the very good ones, at least they can't do it at a high level. A simple example Frimpong and Koundé, in practice they have been used as wingback and fullback but the difference in each roles for each players is night and day. An other example that I have is De Vrij and Skriniar, the move to a back 3 exposed the fact that Skriniar can't defend in space, he is solid as a traditional stopper and a turnstile in any system that require defending in space and to the side by the CBs, De Vrij doesn't have this problem and that's why he has been a better fit for Inter under Conte and Inzaghi.

Agree to disagree. Not all of them are able to do it, so you'll have to make adjustments sometimes. But even when you do, there should be a tradeoff: An outrageously good centre-half or someone who is excellent on the ball. At the highest level, that is. Soon enough, i believe we'll start seeing fullbacks playing as centre-halves (in some ways, Cruyff was 30 years ahead of his time). Amorim leaves a lot to be desired, but wanting centre-haves that are good on the ball and able to not look completely like a fish out of the water when defending in the wide areas isn't a demand for specialists. It's the profile the club should be looking to bring in, regardless of the manager.

 

[JPRouve]

Agree to disagree. Not all of them are able to do it, so you'll have to make adjustments sometimes. But even when you do, there should be a tradeoff: An outrageously good centre-half or someone who is excellent on the ball. At the highest level, that is. Soon enough, i believe we'll start seeing fullbacks playing as centre-halves (in some ways, Cruyff was 30 years ahead of his time). Amorim leaves a lot to be desired, but wanting centre-haves that are good on the ball and able to not look completely like a fish out of the water when defending in the wide areas isn't a demand for specialists. It's the profile the club should be looking to bring in, regardless of the manager.

That has nothing to do with the point I made but I agree.

 

[Xeque_279]

I said often, not always. Most fullbacks aren't Robertson, Dani Alves, Marcelo or TAA, most fullbacks are utterly hopeless offensively and they mostly play in back 4s.

Edit: Most teams that play with a back four, have one or both CBs that are defensive or are offensively impotent and they also have a defensive midfielder. It's not as if the traditional trade off is to have attacking CMs and fullbacks, it's almost never a thing.

And I have myself an issue with back 3s but it's not due to this false idea that it's defensive, it's because it requires too many specialists, you need two CBs that are comfortable defending large spaces laterally and you need wingbacks whether they are attacking or defensive that are comfortable anticipating in spaces that aren't natural for fullbacks or wingers, if you don't have specialists you easily end up in some botched 523 or 325 and you will get destroyed in both cases.

And it makes transfer windows more complicated, you can't capitalize on most opportunities because your system is very specialized. Which is only offset by having a head coach that is very good at tactical and technical coaching.

Like others have mentioned It's less about specialists and more about more flexible players and tbh most of the young players coming through possess this trait. CBs being more physical and good on the ball. Full backs being more comfortable with the ball (pseudo wingers) being able to operate in areas where your traditional full back wouldn't.

I feel like most players we are linked with will be able to perform in Amorim's system or any other traditional back 4 (Since they seem to be coming from those systems too!).

 

[crossy1686]

So tell me how attacking can it be, when you have 3 CBs. Even if they are comfortable on the ball they are CBs for a reason, they don't have the mobility or passing skills of a midfielder, nor the positional freedom to drift far upfield. Then the wing backs needs to be as good defensively as they are offensively, or close to it. Garnacho is an attacking player, he couldn't be wing back in Amorim's system. Then you have at least one defensive midfielder, currently Ugarte. So you start with at least 6 out of 10 outfield players with limited to medium attacking skills. Tell me how offensive that is? I remember being at OT under Mourinho when he started 2 defensive midfielders and we lost 2-0 against a relegated team. It was a shambles. Is this really much better?

Defenders aren’t defenders any more, they’re midfielders. One of our CB’s pushes up into the midfield, how many goals has Martinez scored this season? How defensive are Pep’s fullbacks? This isn’t the 90’s, football has moved on massively. These aren’t defensive players, your attitude to ‘defenders’ is what’s stopping you from seeing this.

 

[JPRouve]

Like others have mentioned It's less about specialists and more about more flexible players and tbh most of the young players coming through possess this trait. CBs being more physical and good on the ball. Full backs being more comfortable with the ball (pseudo wingers) being able to operate in areas where your traditional full back wouldn't.

I feel like most players we are linked with will be able to perform in Amorim's system or any other traditional back 4 (Since they seem to be coming from those systems too!).

But that's where I disagree, you are underselling the versatility part. A fullback that is a pseudo winger isn't a fullback, it's not normal, it's very common for a fullback or a winger to be actually good at the other, they may be serviceable but they won't be good, good fullbacks are specialized due to how they have been developed, in general nowadays Football is more specialized but the roles apply to a range of systems.

Defenders aren’t defenders any more, they’re midfielders. One of our CB’s pushes up into the midfield, how many goals has Martinez scored this season? How defensive are Pep’s fullbacks? This isn’t the 90’s, football has moved on massively. These aren’t defensive players, your attitude to ‘defenders’ is what’s stopping you from seeing this.

Not really, you are looking at the exceptions at the top, the norm is that most fullbacks aren't actually good or productive offensively. Top teams that have the means to get particular profiles such as attacking wingbacks and high level versatile midfielders or ball playing CBs purchase them but most clubs around the world have one dimentional players that are fairly traditional in their roles, they are the normal 442/441 archetypes. People overstate the idea that Football has changed dramatically, it hasn't, there is nothing new.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

But that's where I disagree, you are underselling the versatility part. A fullback that is a pseudo winger isn't a fullback, it's not normal, it's very common for a fullback or a winger to be actually good at the other, they may be serviceable but they won't be good, good fullbacks are specialized due to how they have been developed, in general nowadays Football is more specialized but the roles apply to a range of systems.

Isn't that just a good modern fullback though? Luke Shaw could 100% play the wingback role if he was ever fit and he's always just been known as a fullback.

Even Amorim - who people say needs all these specialist players - tended to play a more defensive 'wingback' on one flank and a more attacking 'wingback' on the other at Sporting.

 

[RedRocket9908]

No, but Ipswich. Maybe.

Form of the last 6 games: 3pts difference.
Form of the last 10 games: 3pts difference.

14 games left. 13 points difference. That could turn quickly if they get a good run..

We play them, so big game. Our next 8 games are tough:

Spurs, Everton, Ipswich, Arsenal, Leicester, Forrest, City, Newcastle (grim). We finish the season with Chelsea and Villa.

Looking at their fixtures left, I'd prefer theirs over ours.

Yeah looking at Ipswich's remaining fixtures compared to ours they could easilly catch us.

 

[RedRocket9908]

What's the pressure? He just has to add berrer balance than an atrocious existing combination we currently have.

Bringing him to a struggling club in a harder league than he has previously played him and expecting him to go straight in to the starting XI for every game and somehow single handedly transform our left hand side is putting far too much pressure in him.

 

[JPRouve]

Isn't that just a good modern fullback though? Luke Shaw could 100% play the wingback role if he was ever fit and he's always just been known as a fullback.

Even Amorim - who apparently needs all these specialist players - tended to play a more defensive 'wingback' on one flank and a more attacking 'wingback' on the other at Sporting.

No, that's an exceptional footballer which isn't a modern concept, there has been players like that in all eras but they are not normal or common. And a modern fullback isn't a thing in 2025. As for Shaw you(and I) assume that he would be good but it's not a given there is a big difference between acting as a support player in an area and being the main outlet in that same area. A parallel that I would make with is that the best DM in the world at any given time isn't necessarily able to operate as a CB, some can cover for a CB in a particular scenario but they can't play as CBs 90 minutes, week in week out, the same is true for the best AM in the world he maybe able to cover for a striker or a winger sometimes but he generally can't play at a high level as a striker or winger.

And that's the thing about wingbacks it's a peculiar role whether it is an attacking wingback or defensive wingback. The attacking wingback is the main attacking outlet on his wing, he is meant to be a creative threat but he is also the one responsible for the main threats on the opposing side's wing and his support player isn't a regular pairing, the normal distance between them is massive, the ability to communicate is different and the same is true in the attacking transition where the pairing changes and depending on the formation the pairing is with a CM, Striker or AM and again the communication is more complicated and not constant. Physically and tactically wingback is one of the most difficult role and it's not one that players learn often.

 

[VP89]

Bringing him to a struggling club in a harder league than he has previously played him and expecting him to go straight in to the starting XI for every game and somehow single handedly transform our left hand side is putting far too much pressure in him.

No one said transform the left side.

You're just talking about the circumstances which is a tricky one, that doesn't put him under pressure. If anything he has a very low benchmark for success to meet.

And let's not talk like it's unreasonable to expect a left footed wingback to be an improvement on a chronically underperforming existing right footed option. Gray is 18 years old and out of position at Spurs, he's probably their best player in defence.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

No, that's an exceptional footballer which isn't a modern concept, there has been players like that in all eras but they are not normal or common. And a modern fullback isn't a thing in 2025. As for Shaw you(and I) assume that he would be good but it's not a given there is a big difference between acting as a support player in an area and being the main outlet in that same area. A parallel that I would make with is that the best DM in the world at any given time isn't necessarily able to operate as a CB, some can cover for a CB in a particular scenario but they can't play as CBs 90 minutes, week in week out, the same is true for the best AM in the world he maybe able to cover for a striker or a winger sometimes but he generally can't play at a high level as a striker or winger.

And that's the thing about wingbacks it's a peculiar role whether it is an attacking wingback or defensive wingback. The attacking wingback is the main attacking outlet on his wing, he is meant to be a creative threat but he is also the one responsible for the main threats on the opposing side's wing and his support player isn't a regular pairing, the normal distance between them is massive, the ability to communicate is different and the same is true in the attacking transition where the pairing changes and depending on the formation the pairing is with a CM, Striker or AM and again the communication is more complicated and not constant. Physically and tactically wingback is one of the most difficult role and it's not one that players learn often.

And yet, we just found one playing for Lecce and bought him for £25 million? I don't buy it. We just need wingers that track back properly, full backs who are dangerous going forward, and Amorim can pick and choose between them depending upon the opponent.

 

[JPRouve]

And yet, we just found one playing for Lecce and bought him for £25 million? I don't buy it. We just need wingers that track back, full backs who are dangerous going forward, and Amorim can pick and choose between them depending upon the opponent.

First I never said that wingbacks didn't exist, so I don't really know what your mention of Dorgu is supposed to show. And sure any winger or fullback is a wingback, you are right.

 

[Mart1974]

We have a right on dense set of fans here, that's for sure. People seriously living with that entitlement that 'We are Man Utd! We can ONLY be top 6 because we are a big club!'. Unable to think critically and see the reality of the quality of the squad (from terrible recruitment and mismanagement), coupled with that mismanagement itself; this is not something that can be set right in 3 months. I cannot even with the nonstop campaigning of some of these fans on how Amorim's system is wrong, or the games are boring, or we can't play with 5 defenders! Right, I'm sure Amorim achieved what he did at Sporting then came here and thought, "Nah, I'll just throw all that out the window and ask this lot to keep knocking it round the back and not score goals so we'll win the PL". These fans obviously know better, should have hired the lot of 'em as a committee to get us back to the top of the league. Can't believe we have people dumb enough to say we should have kept Ruud because he won 2 games against a shit Leicester, a Leicester that he's managing amazingly with those 10 losses in a row now, eh?

Amorim should definitely (and will most likely get) till middle of next season at least, with a few players brought in over the summer, before we even begin to properly scrutinize what he can do. In saying that, I'd say he's done a great job managing this rabble of overpaid divas up to this point, and the times that the players have managed to perform a semblance of Amorim's plans, we've definitely looked a much improved side.

100% agree. I notethis situation isn't helped by the clickbait loving Class of 92 throwing their opinions in. They know fans will lap it up.

Fortunately Amorim looks like he ignores this kind of paper talk.

 

[Hammondo]

I said often, not always. Most fullbacks aren't Robertson, Dani Alves, Marcelo or TAA, most fullbacks are utterly hopeless offensively and they mostly play in back 4s.

Edit: Most teams that play with a back four, have one or both CBs that are defensive or are offensively impotent and they also have a defensive midfielder. It's not as if the traditional trade off is to have attacking CMs and fullbacks, it's almost never a thing.

And I have myself an issue with back 3s but it's not due to this false idea that it's defensive, it's because it requires too many specialists, you need two CBs that are comfortable defending large spaces laterally and you need wingbacks whether they are attacking or defensive that are comfortable anticipating in spaces that aren't natural for fullbacks or wingers, if you don't have specialists you easily end up in some botched 523 or 325 and you will get destroyed in both cases.

And it makes transfer windows more complicated, you can't capitalize on most opportunities because your system is very specialized. Which is only offset by having a head coach that is very good at tactical and technical coaching.

If anything a fullback like Walker is more normal and useful. Offensively crap but covers so much space defensively.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

First I never said that wingbacks didn't exist, so I don't really know what your mention of Dorgu is supposed to show. And sure any winger or fullback is a wingback, you are right.

It's supposed to show that if it is such an incredibly specialised position it's surprising that even our inept scouts were able to find one so easily, and moreover so cheaply.

And I didn't say that any winger or fullback is a wingback, but you know that I'm sure.

 

[Antisocial]

No, but Ipswich. Maybe.

Form of the last 6 games: 3pts difference.
Form of the last 10 games: 3pts difference.

14 games left. 13 points difference. That could turn quickly if they get a good run..

We play them, so big game. Our next 8 games are tough:

Spurs, Everton, Ipswich, Arsenal, Leicester, Forrest, City, Newcastle (grim). We finish the season with Chelsea and Villa.

Looking at their fixtures left, I'd prefer theirs over ours.

It's difficult to see how we finish with 40 points or above from here - 29 points in February and with our goal-scoring entirely reliant on Amad having a good day or Bruno getting a penalty.

Spurs have similarly had their worst season for years but they've still beaten us twice this year so little confidence there really; no chance at Goodison, St James' Park or Stamford Bridge, very little chance at Bournemouth or Forest.

Home games are terrible regardless of the opposition - seems vital to avoid defeat against Ipswich (Delap seems certain to score), beat Leicester away and hope that's enough.

 

[JPRouve]

If anything a fullback like Walker is more normal and useful. Offensively crap but covers so much space defensively.

Kind of, yeah. But even then he is an exceptional athlete.