I have to disagree, he actually carries the ball and plays the ball forward with regularity, even having a hand in a couple of goals this season (including an assist and an average of one key pass a game). He also has an 85%+ passing success rate in his first 8 games, which includes an average of 3 accurate long balls a game. I don't usually lean on stats, but they do seem to back up what I'm seeing.

What I would say is that he still seems slightly off the pace in terms of the speed of the PL and occasionally takes too long on the ball. However, at times this season his last ditch tackles have saved us, like the one on Nunez at Anfield.

I think once he adjusts to the speed and physicality of the PL he'll really push on. Yesterday was probably his weakest game so far, but that applies to many in the team. Amazingly he's still only 22, but has slipped into the team with maturity.

Re Saturdays performance, give Leeds credit for their high press. But again there were too many unforced errors. To go in at half time level was important, and as Leeds gradually faded physically we were able to get at them more. I thought we actually played better against Chelsea, so three points is most welcome.

Re Decoure, he's young, the EPL is a big step up from French football, and it's been a start / stop season so far. I think he's done well but he needs some help in there. PV knows this and I think it will be a priority come the transfer windows.

Old, Ungifted and White

Apart from the Decoure mini-controversy. I really don't understand how you can be so concerned about perceived deficiencies in a player who has only played for us a couple of months or so (and at least half of the games have been against the big guns), and has thus far been accomplished according to the majority.

Edited by Slimey Toad (10 Oct 2022 9.10am)

If we get a bid of £60m or more I would take it. You can build a midfield with two or three decent players for that money and come the end of this season we will need to because I reckon Jairo, Jimmy, Luka, Wilf will all be gone along with the defensive trio of possibly Ward, Ferguson and Tomkins and probably one keeper. We will I would think need to spend around £100m+ in the summer and that money will have to come from somewhere.

I would expect the club to receive decent offers for Olise, Eze, Mitchell and Guehi, it will be interesting to see how the Board react.

Leeds clearly came to boss the game early doors. They pressed us with 3/4 men upfront and it worked until they score.

I said to my mate that they would run out of puff and so it came to be. We gradually got more into the game. This is the prem. Everyone is capable on their day. We have a great team that needs a few tweaks due to injuries. Not the end of the world.

The midfield is a catch 22 situation. We all want more attacking football especially at home, which is what this delivers.

Maybe it would be more prudent to play two DM's in the first half and switch to 4 attackers second half.

We now have a run of winnable games until the World cup break. Lets see where we are then and who will be back from the injury table.

Apropos Doucoure he is a stripling at the age of 22, he is relatively inexperienced at top-level, only playing for Lens in the top division of the French League for 2 seasons and this is his first season in the far more challenging Premier League.

Edited by Willo (10 Oct 2022 9.51am)