Right, let's move on from Big Bastards FC and try Talented Little Fuckers FC. Gnonto and Buonanotte either side of DCL and Aaronson buzzing around behind... like City behind Haaland. But a billion quid cheaper. #lufc

We were short on quality on September 1st and we've had 5 months to address it. Buonanotte is a decent bench option but it was clear we needed to elevate the quality of the squad *before* Arsenal. If we fall short by a couple of points, it'll be hard to look beyond our transfer timidity... #lufc

Can only hope that’s a confidence-shredding gut-punch that will take 6 weeks to get over… #lufc

Chastening stuff. And a timely reminder that that there is a ton of work still to do to stay in this division. Arsenal are of course, man-for-man better than us, but it felt like we collectively froze out there... so many 4/10s. And one or two lower. #lufc

First 15-20, it was the game we wanted it to be… scrappy, disjointed, no rhythm. Then they took control and have squeezed the life out of us. Sobering. #lufc

Bit feeble this… haven’t had a kick for 20 minutes and we’re now handing them goals. #lufc

Today is basically an exam in your worst subject… you just have to get through it and hope it doesn’t knock your confidence for the ones that really matter. My pure maths A-level, basically. #lufc

Not quite on the Strand-Larsen train, honestly. Player, price and timing don't feel properly aligned for me... we need to be fully focus on immediate-term needs until our Prem status is secured, imo. #lufc

All this happened in full view of the IOF, who stood by and did nothing. Not a single settler was arrested. On the contrary, Israeli settlers assaulted two Palestinian women and the soldiers arrested them (women). It is organized terror carried out enabled by military, with total impunity

Over the past 5 hours, settler militias carried out a brutal pogrom against my people in my village, Masafer Yatta. The violent settlers stormed homes, burned properties, destroyed vehicles , and stole livestock. Settlers did not stop there! Their violence brought numerous injuries among civilians.

In a semi-defence of Farke, he got called out vs Newcastle for not retreating into a low or mid block to control the game and Everton offered next to nothing until the goal… but it was clear we needed *something* more than a like-for-like on 65. And Tanaka was very ordinary.

Hmmm… no such thing as a bad Premier League away point, I guess, but that was a huge opportunity wasted. Dominant in the first half but we didn’t well enough or early enough to Everton’s change in shape. The late subs showed what might have been. #lufc

Very good, that… although a couple of bits of sloppiness (over-confidence?) at the end caused a few unnecessary alarms. Aaronson and Ampadu excellent again, but everyone has done the required of them. Another half like that, please. #lufc

It's getting to the point when Tories aren't *defecting* to Reform... they're just getting Boris's band back together under a new, more openly racist label.

I'm always deeply mistrustful of positive media coverage. And there's been far too much "Hasn't Farke been great?" and "Wow, what a turnaround for DCL" this weekend for my liking... got strong "Manager of the Month" vibes. And you know what happens now... #lufc

I really have to stop checking the league table… those eight points swing between insurmountable and hopelessly fragile depending when I look. Be lovely if that was still the gap when we face Everton. #lufc

We now have the same number of wins and points as Leicester, who finished in the last relegation spot, managed all last season… #lufc

Ah, man… that is huge! Well deserved in the end, too. After a nip-tuck first half, I thought we put the squeeze on after the break, won the second balls and started creating chances. Aaronson outstanding again; love how he’s managed to turn busyness into purpose. Redemption for Gabi, too. #lufc

Enjoyable half, that. Fulham have nimble, mobile midfielders finding pockets of space… we have a decent press and plenty of snap in the tackle. Aaronson having another good game, although he did waste the chance of the half. Coin toss, this. #lufc

Random thought: Are there any other players who have played a higher percentage of their football career on loan than Jack Harrison? Must be getting on for two-thirds of his first-team appearances have been for clubs other than the one who owns him... #lufc

By the way, loved @berencross.bsky.social’s “hypothetical” question to Farke about signing a player who had previously turned him down at the 11th hour. You know, not relating to anyone in particular… #lufc

Will be our fourth Argentinian by my count... after Sabella, Becchio and Bessone. #lufc

When you've written non-fiction all your life it is a huge leap to writing something that is 100% from your own head. Self-publishing a novel makes me feel vulnerable and exposed and I can't be 100% confident in what I've produced. So comments like these are lovely thesquareball.net/shop/days-of...

I really liked Jack Harrison... after a mediocre start, he was excellent for two seasons. But for his sake, our sake and his standing among the fans' sake, he definitely should have left in Jan 2023. The goodwill is basically zero now, so whatever wages we can shift is very welcome. #lufc

The hill I will die on: Leeds-Derby isn't a multi-generational rivalry built on the animosity between Don Revie and Brian Clough. It was briefly a top-of-the-table clash in the early-1970s but has since become, Play-Off semi-final aside, just another fixture. The Damned United isn't history. #lufc

Enjoyed that… not firing on all cylinders, obviously, but thought we played some nice stuff in patches. And it was a decent showing for Gnonto, who I wish we’d see more of in the Prem. Love him. #lufc

343? Harrison and Gnonto as WBs?

Silver linings from last night: - Brenden renaissance continues - Rodon's return - DCL is back in the goals - Defeat offers a timely reminder that we still need to look down not up until safety is secured... - ... and it ought to remove any complacency about the need for recruits. #lufc

Harsh… but we looked like a team capable of conceding 4 tonight. We were never quite compact enough and our left-hand side felt particularly vulnerable. Get home, get the feet up and take comfort from the fact we’re no worse off than we were at kick-off. #lufc

Feels like West Ham have given us the night off tonight... not saying we don't try to win but their result takes the pressure off a stretched and tired squad after three games in 7 days. Play the kids + Longstaff vs Derby and come back refreshed and refocused in 10 days' time. #lufc

Reminder: The BBC keeps giving this bigoted c**t a platform. “A non-people”? Hideous.

"Clubs typically handle such incidents internally, but with social media amplifying every detail, the pressure mounts." Dismal AI slop. #lufc

Joe Root - 160. And only 60 of them from boundaries. Proper batting. #TheAshes

Fine. Bank the point. Annoying to concede the equaliser so soon after scoring but with the absences and the short turnaround time, that’s a decent enough result… keeps the unbeaten run going and stretches the gap to the relegation spots. Mind you, if Piroe’s shot had dropped in… #lufc

Not exactly the barn-storming clash we were expecting/wanting… but we’re missing that little bit of quality/composure that the missing trio bring. Bijol is stepping up and we’re unlucky not to be ahead but they’re creating the better openings. A switch to a four incoming? #lufc

Missing two of the on-field generals today… need Bijol, Justin, Struijk and Stach to do the leadership stuff and everyone else to run, harry and press 10% more than they have all season. Just give it everything and we’ll see what happens. #lufc

Opportunity has been knocking pretty loudly for #lufc in the last couple of weeks… and while the fixture list continues to throw up major hurdles, the discipline and focus of Anfield should help us get to FA Cup weekend with the cushion in tact. 30 points is starting to feel like a major milestone.

What an incredible point that is… a proper 1997 special: hard-working, disciplined and fully focused for 90+ minutes. Two points off the champions, unbeaten in 6 and with a clean sheet at Anfield without our stalwart CB? We’re in a good place. #lufc

Nicely drab… and oddly lacking any real intensity. We look pretty limited and Gudmundsson is having an interesting evening, but we’re generally keeping our shape and getting our toe in. Setting us up for a DCL/Gnonto cameo? #lufc

New Year’s Day at Anfield as a newly promoted team brings back grim memories of 1991 and a sobering 3-0 defeat… it was a similar tale at Spurs under Bielsa in 2021, too. So forgive me parking the optimism today and just hoping we’re in decent nick for the visit of you-know-who on Sunday. #lufc

For Liverpool (and then Man U), can we bring in Justin to RCB? Then we can be 4231 in possession (a la Rodon vs Palace) and 532 out of it. Feels like that's a better way to challenge Liverpool's dodgy FBs while also keeping the ball better. 532 wasn't great against them at ER. #lufc

That Brighton-West Ham game was brilliantly bonkers… Brighton coughed up loads of chances to win it but at least West Ham didn’t pinch it.

Someone hated the fact I quoted them accurately…

Bit like Brentford… a decent point on the road against a side with a great home record, but hard not to feel we’ve left two points out there. Felt like last year’s Leeds in that second half; pass, move, drift wide, push the FBs on and win every second ball. Shame we couldn’t summon a winner. #lufc

Took far too long to get going… but at least Tanaka’s introduction has helped us put together more coherent attacks – and we really should be level. Need a much more aggressive start to the 2nd half. #lufc

We haven’t started at all well… not that Sunderland have threatened much, but we’re lacking snap and cohesion. Rodon iniury to change formation? #lufc

Almost perfect set of results for us today… big opportunity tomorrow. Gulp. #lufc

What a player… caught the tail end of his career. Could beat full-backs standing still. #nffc

Magic darts, Justin. #thedarts

There's nothing quite like 8 hours of mandatory AI training to make me welcome the prospect of AI taking my job..........