The Fish

Yeah and while I understand the value in giving everybody 35-45 minutes each fixture to build their fitness, I think there's value in picking your first 11 as soon and as often as possible. The back four learn each other's habits and the right back knows what he can expect from the right winger, the striker knows which runs the midfield will more easily pick up/look for. tbh I'd prefer to field one 11 in one fixture on the Saturday lunch time and a second 11 on the Sunday night. Give the starting 11's 20 minutes at the end of the other fixture.

Merino on for ... Lejeune?

He seems to get the luck of the bounce in the box a good amount, but so often he panics when the ball comes back. He had time to take a touch and either take the shot himself or, if rushed by a defender, pass to the now unmarked Gayle or Atsu.

Waq that the same Fischer that was at Boro?

Good save from Woodman.

We are awful without Shelvey. Hopefully Merino will provide decent cover there/a different option.

You're being hypercritical and I think I'm part of the reason for that. Maybe if I wasn't so vocal in my defence you wouldn't feel the need to go over the top. I don't think he'll ever be a 20 goals a season striker for Rafa's Newcastle, but the lad is a proven goal scorer at international level, he scored 9 in a shit team, has a decent Goal to minutes ratio and his reading of the game will improve with experience, as will his behaviour. Sell him now and we'll get, what, £15-20m for him? We should sign a proven GOALSCORER like... who? Assombalonga? that's the level of player we can afford. I'd rather have Mitrovic than an average-to-good Championship striker. At least Mitrovic is passionate for the club. As it stands he's the second best striker at the club. Give him another season, he'll still be young (He's only a year older than Ivan Toney ffs), he may be useful and he may prove some of his critics wrong. If he still doesn't prove worthwhile, sell him, it's not like his value will change that much. But while he's here support him.

He did all right in his debut season, has curtailed his misbehaviour and was very good linking up with runners in the Championship season too. He had an all right Goals to minutes ratio and would maybe have scored more had he got more game time, but unfortunately for him (fortunately for us) he was behind a prolific striker. But you've made your mind up so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I can't think of a game that he's really shown his purported quality. Hopefully he'll be used sparingly as he doesn't really seem to add anything to our defensive system, or going forward. At least Colback works hard defensively, even if it's for scant reward.

This is where I am.

Fuck off Anorthernsoul. The ball was ahead of him, it was too far ahead of him, you need to take your blinkers off and accept he's not half as bad as you make out. Honestly, you'd think he was Guivarch' levels of turd, when in reality he's a young lad with decent potential who needs to work on parts of his game. Or, of course, you could write him off. Up to you.

Not a lot of control of the game, shows how much we rely on Shelvey. Oh and Dummett is piss poor.

Gayle is rapid, a good player would know to change the pass to suit the recipient, not expect the recipient to suddenly become a different player. You wouldn't put a cross in at 7' for Gayle, would you? But nah, It's Mitrovic's fault.

...did Murphy just tackle Ritchie?

Germans seem to have it in for Diame...

Poor pass by De Jong and Mitrovic isn't able to save his blushes again. I can do this all day.

I'm a big fan of the odd english terms dumped into his speech. "Ich mich speile alles gute fine tuning ish mich spiele"

If anything we've seen zombies accelerate since their first forays onto the silver screen.

reminded me of Bergkamp.

It's such a beautiful language.

What's the team? Darlow Yedlin Lejeune Clark Dummett Colback Diame Murphy De Jong Mitrovic who am I missing on our right, is it Ritchie?

That's much better Tom, cheers

And how would I manage to have one of those Thomas?

0-1 down Maxim Dummett's fault.

Mobdro isn't working on Kodi. Gonna stick with cricfree