Dr Gloom

We found out the hard way that we can’t play that open against a team like villa with our ageing back four when it’s the third game in a week. Their tactics were simple but effective: direct through balls into Watkins who was dropping off than terrorising trippier and Schar. Of course this is captain hindsight speaking but a low block or even a back five might have been a better, albeit more boring approach. I can see why he stuck instead of twisting after blowing away teams at home playing like that but Villa are a different proposition to the teams we’ve played recently.

three wins will be plenty. Win your home games, basically and hope to pick up a point or two on the road. We will definitely lose again before the end of the season but that’s fine, as long as it’s not against Ipswich next week. That’s the one we have to win

Fulham might beat Chelsea tbf. They’re a good footballing side, as we discovered at SJP

65 points is usually plenty. We need to beat Ipswich and Chelsea at home. Pick up points in some of the remaining games and we’ll be fine. Hopefully sealed before the Everton game. Could do with Spurs and Fulham doing us a favour today

You have a to wear your share of the blame for failing to go with your usual 5-0 prediction btw.

I’m now firmly in the camp that we need a both a new CB and a RW. We could have subbed Murphy and Schar at half time. I’m convinced we will add depth to both positions in the summer. I would have put Krafth on for Trippier too tbh, just so we had some fresh legs on the right flank where we were getting killed

this sort of flattery won’t get you on the king’s new year honours list. I’m lying, of course.

You pipe down. My seven game winning streak, including the cup final triumph, is a reign for the ages. Good luck following that one, Andrew

What happened btw? Of all the times for the site to go down it was match day. I almost, almost went and had a mosey on N-O but then checked myself and went back to hitting refresh on here

Rash. Should have given it to Dazzler for the crucial remaining games. Yellow card offence, Andrew

It’s got to be Dazzler hasn’t it? He guided us through the other big wining run this season

Our starting eleven is as good as villa’s but their squad is much, much better. That was clear yesterday. They changed half a side after their midweek game. We flogged the same players for the third time in a week. Three of our back four are 30+ and they looked it. I thought Schar was lucky not to be sent off, Trippier looked every one of his 34 years, Murphy, Bruno and Joe were all well off it. Our subs aren’t helping us at all either so we really need to have games won by the 60 minute mark as there’s a massive drop off in quality late in games. Wilson is offering nothing when he comes on. Gordon hasn’t done much since coming back either. Thank fuck we have a week to recover and prepare and we’re playing Ipswich at home next. We couldn’t have asked for a much better fixture to try to bounce back.

So it took Toontastic collapsing to end the King’s reign. Sad way to relinquish the throne. Less said about the performance, the better. A game too far for a side unchanged for 7 games. Fair play to Villa, they bossed the game and looked fitter and fresher. Our defence looked old, slow and terrified of their pace. Luckily we have Ipswich at home next. CL is still very much in our hands. Win two of next three games and we’ll be fine.

This is for the Isak head turned comment btw