Adam The God

True, although if we can spend 35 mill on Andy 'flogga' Carroll, we can spend 60 on de Gea. Haha. Foster wouldn't be the worst option though either. Mignolet is a hack though and shouldn't be near even second gloves. Karius is more confident in the air for mine, but if he seems iffy, it's probably more down to the ordinary defenders in front of him. They need to buy another CB or two in the Jan transfer market. Someone that's confident, solid and doesn't invite pressure with stupid passes or poor touches. To be honest, I was happy with the point. I said to a few Liverpool mates before the season started that the bus driver would park his bus and historically we've been unable to play around or through the bus. But we should have won. Can should have buried that shot on his wrong foot inside the box and if not for a brilliant de Gea save, we would have had another Coutinho special. I'd certainly prefer Klopp's style, but Mourinho has the EPL titles in his trophy cabinet. I hope we can say the same thing about Jürgen come the end of this season. Now, back to Man City.

Brilliant. One of the best team goals of the season. I saw a stat today that was illuminating. Since Klopp's arrival, we are the top scoring team in the EPL. We lead a few other stats as well, but the one we notably can never get right is the defence. I'd buy de Gea from the Mancs. Clyne was a lot better than he usually is this morning too. Get the defence right and we'll win the league this season - can't believe I'm saying that. I backed Man City to win it this season with the old Bet365, but we're a real chance. There's talk around that we might be in for Agüero in Jan too. We're great to watch. Lots of goals at either end. It's very much like the second placed finished under Rodgers. Brilliant in attack and frail in defence. Although, I like Karius and we work a lot harder defensively under Klopp and we have far more attacking options than under Rodgers. Lallana is a new player under Klopp. Henderson is still ordinary though. Will turn on the City game now! Awesome.

I think we'll see the next thread started by The Riddler swiftly ended by the mods.

His old man's name is Phil too, so we might not want to risk it?

No, that is how you spell and pronounce it. Just read that intelligence is more likely apparently passed on by the mother. So he must have had an intelligent mother.

I guess I don't rate them. But let's say the FD continue to over the course of '17, that'll mean we have 26 players, which is pretty solid. I'd argue therefore that Bugg and Kennedy are also into that list, which ups it to 28. Taylor, Viney and Mahoney have done an amazing job.

The guys in the gun over the next two years are: Lumumba, Trengove, Garland, Kennedy-Harris, Bugg, Kennedy, Vandenberg, Spencer and Harmes. It'll be interesting to see how Vince and Jetta go over the next two years too. I'd say out of those first nine players, six of them are capable role players on their day, but will never have the tools to be best 22 in the future or even now. I've got to say I'm excited by how close we are to having a list of 30 players that could make your 22. In the age of an 18-team competition that is about as good as you'll get. I reckon at this stage we've got 24 players from: Hogan, Jones, Salem, Watts, Petracca, Viney, Brayshaw, Gawn, Tyson, Oliver, Stretch, Kent, Frost, Melksham, Pedersen, Vince, T McDonald, Weideman, O McDonald, Hunt, Garlett, Jetta, Hibberd, Lewis. Guys like Wagner, White and Hulett could also feature too. Wagner's got some nice poise IMO. Not sold on White and Hulett hasn't played at AFL level yet, so tough to tell. Joel Smith may also be thereabouts if Demonland hype is anything to go by (I'll wait on that one). So if we can pick up (via trading or free agency) another 2 or 3 best 22 players at the end of 2017, we'll be well positioned with depth to attack September/October in 2018.

I'm saying it should work that way. And from now on, there's no excuse that it shouldn't work that way. Etihad is now owned by the AFL. There won't be massive losses. The money situation will be different. It was St Kilda, Essendon, Bulldogs and Carlton who were foolish enough to sign deals there. That shouldn't be our problem. And given we played a home game at Etihad and as you say that's their home ground, the same could again apply, except in reverse - St Kilda plays a home game at our home ground.

I don't think that was the point. Or should be. It's that we played St Kilda at Etihad twice this year, so rightfully we should play them at the 'G, if not twice next season.

Yep and 12-14 wins should be around the mark.

I didn't get a lot from Bronson. I don't love Chopper, but I can see its merits and it's certainly a better film. Tom Hardy is great though.

He's been in a bit of a blind spot for me. I've seen Bronson and have been meaning to see Drive and the Pusher films for years, but have never really wanted to enough. Love the Drive soundtrack though. I got into that at the time. Cliff Martinez is great.

I remember listening to an interview with Jetta where he said the FD were trying to get him to attack more and that in order to play in our defence, you had to have that instinctive trait to move the ball on and get it moving our way on the counter. Hence Grimes, Dunn and Garland all struggling on the fringes this season. There's no doubt Jets certainly improved this area of his game in 2016, but I'm sure he and the FD are well aware that he needs to continue to improve in this area if he's to keep getting games in 2017 and beyond. This is a good extension of my point above. The reason the likes of Birchell, Gibson and Smith aren't hurt by being left sided players with no right foot, is the speed of ball movement and attack. If you're playing on straight away and taking the attacking option and backing your team mates in, there's no time for the opposition to corral you onto your right side. When ball movement is slower, there is this time. For this reason, I think Hibberd is going to be a dominant player for us. There won't be time to shut him down, because our first instinct down back is to play on and get the ball moving. His long-kicking will also help this. And just on this form of turning defence into attack, this is why I see Frost as a definite best 22. His pace and height allow him to get back and cover. He played the anchor role quite a bit this year, as did Hunt on occasion. Our speedier players will always play the anchor if we continue this high defence. Upon reflection, maybe this is a role that Smith could grow into as well.

The day when Jetta no longer gets a game will say less about Jets and more about the direction of the MFC.

I agree, but 450k is also a drop in the ocean if we can convince one of them.

With what midfield? I just can't see it.

I wouldn't go for him next year as we'll be laden with all of his wage. This year we might have landed a bargin with the Lions paying a good portion of his contract. That won't happen next year. I just hope we got in Josh Kelly and Andrew Gaff's ears this off season and offered them between $450-500k. They are the cream that will make us all that more dangerous.

Jetta is currently my favourite player, so don't get me wrong, but every year we have to look at any slight weaknesses in our list. Although Jetta is a great one on one player, he's not elite by foot or in terms of pace. Given our zonal defensive game style and slingshot, unless he lifts his kicking once more, his place in the side may become vulnerable IMO.

Yeah, see I agree with you, but not in the case of our current list. You don't want your depth players to be liabilities with the ball in hand. Vanders, Harmes and Bugg certainly are and I can't see Garland ever playing again.

Yeah, true, although I can often look past substance if the style is amazing. Hence my love of giallos, but I have never been able to with Burton. His first Batman film is good.

Yeah, I studied German Expressionism at Uni too. Haven't seen The Sniper, Ace In The Hole or Murder, My Sweet. I find it one of the great paradoxes that I love German Expressionism and noirs, but rarely like anything by Tim Burton.

He'll be kept another year as will Pedo. Unless we manage to land a replacement. At the moment, Spencer stays. I have a slight feeling that we're going to target Barlow as a DFA(1979).

If Taylor keeps finding gems in the fourth round like Hunt, OMac etc, we'll be able to compete with any list in the league. I truly believe our best 22 has one or two weak links and another link or two that need to improve if they're to maintain their spot(s). That's incredible given our 'best' 22 at the start of 2014. The other guy I forgot RE: delistings next year will be Trenners unfortunately. Lumumba might be in trouble too.

Noirs are great. Roots in the German Expressionist period. I love the style. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari - the original Shutter Island. Double Indemnity, Laura, The Third Man, The Night of the Hunter and one of my all time favourite films, Vertigo. The top of the list for me of neo noirs is also considered a giallo, DePalma's Dressed To Kill. Love the Cohen's first film too, Blood Simple.

First cabs off the rank are Col Garland, Tom Bugg, Vanders and if there's no further improvement, Harmes and Kennedy. It will be interesting to see if any of them take a step up and save their careers.