Jamaal's jizz-juggling, trouser snake-shakers v Huddersfield

[beatty 24]

Kenedy and Ayoze were definitely rubbish on the ball for most of the game, but they did the bread and butter running, positioning and defending well throughout.  And I know Rafa values that a hell of a lot.  It is no fluke that we win more games with Ayoze in the team than without him. 

[Tom 14013]

Wins a lot of free kicks by being a total fanny. Always worth having in the team.

[Kid Dynamite 7169]

First half we created a shed load of chances. We are a decent CF/No.10 from challenging 7th place. 

 

Atsu got an assist but hes going backwards for me. 

[Andrew 4857]

1 minute ago, Kid Dynamite said:

First half we created a shed load of chances. We are a decent CF/No.10 from challenging 7th place. 

 

Atsu got an assist but hes going backwards for me. 

 

Agreed on Atsu, there was a period where he was full of confidence in taking a man on, before that his pace had him blistering away from people. Not seen any of either lately, slowly cutting inside and not doing much.

 

he didn’t get an assist though, Kenedy did. 

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Atsu was at his best earlier in the season, the win at West Ham was probably his best performance. Since Kenedy signed he's looked a shadow of his former self.

[zerosum 234]

i’ll take the win however we got it, but we should have been comfortable by half time 

[Howmanheyman 33829]

Should've put it to bed 1st half, worrying 2nd we'd half we'd regret it but we didn't thank fuck. 

[Howmanheyman 33829]

Huddersfield fans I met were nice people unlike the 3 Southampton fans I met 2 out of three were talksport like fucking divvies. (They were genuinely surprised when they asked me whether we were bigger than west ham/Southampton, what the problem was with Pardew and Mike Ashley with smug looks). Picked the wrong lad to ask tbf.

[adios 717]

8 minutes ago, Kid Dynamite said:

First half we created a shed load of chances. We are a decent CF/No.10 from challenging 7th place. 

 

 

I think I agree with this and it's such a testament to Rafa's ability as a coach.

 

I was thinking earlier that this team actually looks like it belongs in the Premiership the last few games.

 

Several of those players out there today looked like they've been replaced by markedly better players.

[beatty 24]

We still played with big restrictions on our attacking play.  We have to be very safe as we can't defend well when going toe to toe with teams.  

 

I'm looking forward to what Rafa will do this summer.  Hopefully, he's here with some cash ofc. 

[adios 717]

Aye, I'm looking forward to him fucking off too.   

[zerosum 234]

wtf has rafa been putting in Diame’s drinks?

[Billy Whitehurst 931]

Shelvey’s passing was a joy to behold, as it has been the last few games.

 

Aside from Zaha, there’s not a player in the bottom half that I’d swap him for.

[LooneyToony 41]

59 minutes ago, zerosum said:

wtf has rafa been putting in Diame’s drinks?

 

Diame should get an England shout, imo.

[Tdansmith 3259]

1 hour ago, zerosum said:

wtf has rafa been putting in Diame’s drinks?

Red bull ?

[Tdansmith 3259]

19 minutes ago, LooneyToony said:

 

Diame should get an England shout, imo.

 He retired from International football...for Senegal 

[rogerbarton 24]

Agree with what people have said about us looking like a much better team. I've posted before our records with Lascelles / Dummett in the team vs without. But a couple more stats I came across today - 3 clean sheets in 5 for Dubravka (Elliot got 3 all season, Darlow 2). Three clean sheets at home in a row, six home games unbeaten for first time since 2014. We've looked so much better since Christmas. And Slimani impressed me when he came on too.

[Tdansmith 3259]

I'm looking forward to match of the day tonight

[essembeeofsunderland 811]

Definitely 3 crucial points because I expect us to lose at Leicester next week.

Some of next week's fixtures

Bournemouth v Palace

Brighton v Huddersfield

Stoke v Tottenham

WBA v Swansea

Arsenal v Southampton

Chelsea v West Ham

Some hard games there for teams below us.

[Renton 21983]

It would take something majorly wierd for us to go down now.

 

I'd like to add to others that imo watching us is usually much more pleasurable than before Rafa. If we had a prolific goal scorer we'd be challenging for Europe I reckon (Europa cup I mean). 

Edited April 1, 2018 by Renton

[Alex 35571]

13 hours ago, rogerbarton said:

Agree with what people have said about us looking like a much better team. I've posted before our records with Lascelles / Dummett in the team vs without. But a couple more stats I came across today - 3 clean sheets in 5 for Dubravka (Elliot got 3 all season, Darlow 2). Three clean sheets at home in a row, six home games unbeaten for first time since 2014. We've looked so much better since Christmas. And Slimani impressed me when he came on too.

Keeper is yet to let a goal in at home 

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

I'm sick of these wankers trying to reason with the decision not to pick Shelvey. He's had one bad red card on the first game of the season, he's hardly Roy Keane ffs. Then this willingness to track back angle, as if Benitez would pick somebody that lacked tactical discipline. Pundits being paid to make these observations. Fuck off.

[Ayatollah Hermione 14047]

Another assured performance and it's really telling how better we look as a unit now than we did at the start of the season. I think I said at the time that major issues we had were with decision making and game management and it's night and day how much better we are at it now. The job that Rafa has done with these players is nothing short of phenomenal. People rightly point to Diame's turn around but Perez looked anonymous and lazy against the likes of Wigan last year and now he's using the ball really smartly, always providing an option and linking up well with the players around him. Gayle's off the ball work is sensational at the minute, it's just a shame that he's not a great instinctive finisher or we'd have been out of sight by half time yesterday. Another day where you can't really point to a bad performance. If I had to be picky, I'd say Yedlin stands out like a sore thumb amongst the rest of his back four but he's never been outright terrible, just the weakest link of the four. Still, we're ending the season strongly, looking good at home and we can probably relax a bit.

 

Also, yesterday pretty much exposed Wagner and his beautiful footballing philosophy for what it is; total bullshit. He gets all this praise for his "philosophy" that seemed to involve a 6 foot 12 bloke at full back, 3 other giants clobbering into us, a little micey cunt in midfield who was only there to spoil, 8 men sitting on the edge of their own box and a total aversion to attacking until about an hour in. And then the little speccy nonce goes on MOTD and says they were worthy of a point! What, with their one chance? Just because you've set a team out to defend a 0-0 doesn't mean you deserve a point just because your players ran around and executed an anti-football tactic. Sadly, I think there are 3 other teams who'll drop but fuck me, what an unlikable set they are. Rafa even has better glasses.

[Tdansmith 3259]

2 hours ago, Ayatollah Hermione said:

Another assured performance and it's really telling how better we look as a unit now than we did at the start of the season. I think I said at the time that major issues we had were with decision making and game management and it's night and day how much better we are at it now. The job that Rafa has done with these players is nothing short of phenomenal. People rightly point to Diame's turn around but Perez looked anonymous and lazy against the likes of Wigan last year and now he's using the ball really smartly, always providing an option and linking up well with the players around him. Gayle's off the ball work is sensational at the minute, it's just a shame that he's not a great instinctive finisher or we'd have been out of sight by half time yesterday. Another day where you can't really point to a bad performance. If I had to be picky, I'd say Yedlin stands out like a sore thumb amongst the rest of his back four but he's never been outright terrible, just the weakest link of the four. Still, we're ending the season strongly, looking good at home and we can probably relax a bit.

 

Also, yesterday pretty much exposed Wagner and his beautiful footballing philosophy for what it is; total bullshit. He gets all this praise for his "philosophy" that seemed to involve a 6 foot 12 bloke at full back, 3 other giants clobbering into us, a little micey cunt in midfield who was only there to spoil, 8 men sitting on the edge of their own box and a total aversion to attacking until about an hour in. And then the little speccy nonce goes on MOTD and says they were worthy of a point! What, with their one chance? Just because you've set a team out to defend a 0-0 doesn't mean you deserve a point just because your players ran around and executed an anti-football tactic. Sadly, I think there are 3 other teams who'll drop but fuck me, what an unlikable set they are. Rafa even has better glasses.

A very good read, i totally agree with you.

Those last 5 words, i pissed myself laughing 

[Billy Whitehurst 931]

3 hours ago, TheGingerQuiff said:

I'm sick of these wankers trying to reason with the decision not to pick Shelvey. He's had one bad red card on the first game of the season, he's hardly Roy Keane ffs. Then this willingness to track back angle, as if Benitez would pick somebody that lacked tactical discipline. Pundits being paid to make these observations. Fuck off.

It’s just laziness. Instead of actually watching him and seeing what he brings to a team, they just note that he is a bit petulant so these holier than thou arseholes write him off on that basis. I don’t think he is the best midfielder England have but I think he is their best passer.

 

In fairness, Danny Murphy said he’d take him to the World Cup on MOTD last night. 

 

In a way, I’m pleased, he’ll get a proper break in summer and England players are on a hiding to nothing with our press.