Sandro Tonali

[Toonpack 11814]

Could his drop off in form be because he didn't get that loan move he was promised and had his heart set on ??

[Dr Gloom 23963]

saturday was his first poor game for us in a long time. but then he wasn't alone - the whole team stunk the place out. 

[PaddockLad 19340]

Tonali was as bad as everyone else v Bournemouth and Fulham too. We do need to look at the players in the cold light of day tbh.  And for that matter Howe. We’re in a great position. Maybe we don’t have enough of  the cold eyed killers that will win a cup & get into the champions league; our financial position is almost certainly to blame for that. But that doesn’t explain the general lack of consistency we show. Is it just the absence of Botman and Joelinton at the moment?… we’ve played shite plenty of times with big Joe in the side this season too tbh. For me Botman should be the first name on the team sheet, we just look far more secure with him at the back regardless of formation as we showed v Arsenal in both games.  I just have no idea which NUFC will turn up every time I see them. We’re like the schizophrenics of the premier league  

Edited February 17 by PaddockLad

[wykikitoon 23342]

1 hour ago, PaddockLad said:

Tonali was as bad as everyone else v Bournemouth and Fulham too. We do need to look at the players in the cold light of day tbh.  And for that matter Howe. We’re in a great position. Maybe we don’t have enough of  the cold eyed killers that will win a cup & get into the champions league; our financial position is almost certainly to blame for that. But that doesn’t explain the general lack of consistency we show. Is it just the absence of Botman and Joelinton at the moment?… we’ve played shite plenty of times with big Joe in the side this season too tbh. For me Botman should be the first name on the team sheet, we just look far more secure with him at the back regardless of formation as we showed v Arsenal in both games.  I just have no idea which NUFC will turn up every time I see them. We’re like the schizophrenics of the premier league  

The way we brought Botman back surley wans't how Howe wanted it.  Two big games after 9 months out.

[Howmanheyman 37175]

 

 likes spaghetti that much he can contort his arms.

[Rayvin 6139]

Was thinking about what @Howmanheyman was saying in the match thread about his strike comparable to Beardsley ones. Different position but like, in terms of our midfielders in the Premier League era, where do we reckon he is? Tonali or Cabaye for instance.

[Dazzler 12195]

16 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

Was thinking about what @Howmanheyman was saying in the match thread about his strike comparable to Beardsley ones. Different position but like, in terms of our midfielders in the Premier League era, where do we reckon he is? Tonali or Cabaye for instance.

Cabaye was overrated. People forget how bang average he was until he was playing for a move to PSG.

[Kid Dynamite 7824]

Cabaye looked good in a shit team. He lasted 2 years at PSG before he ended up at Palace. 
 

Tonali would get in most midfields in the world 

[Howmanheyman 37175]

Cabaye was a decent player but the pickings were slim around then. 

[Howmanheyman 37175]

Actually heard Ryan Taylor and Perch talking the other day and obviously two great lads but some of the players we had around that period were pretty shit tbh, fanks Mike. 

[Rayvin 6139]

Nolan, Lee, Tiote... I mean I appreciate he's better than all of them but I guess I'm just wondering what the nearest we've had to him is. Honestly tempted to say the same for the whole midfield in a way.

[Holden McGroin 7771]

Rob Lee was class by the way. Especially early on in his nufc career.

[Rayvin 6139]

Whenever I think of Rob Lee I always remember Solskjaer hacking him down when he was through on a 1v1 against Man Utd to potentially win us the game. Absolutely hated OGS for years after that.

[Meenzer 16623]

27 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

Whenever I think of Rob Lee I always remember Solskjaer hacking him down when he was through on a 1v1 against Man Utd to potentially win us the game. Absolutely hated OGS for years after that.

 

Look up "running through treacle" in the dictionary and there's a picture of Rob Lee at that exact moment, bless him. But absolutely, fuck Solskjaer (or "Sol-SHAHrah" as one of the old-school commentators used to call him for some inexplicable reason)

[Rayvin 6139]

I just checked on youtube and there are various Man Utd fan channels glorifying it that's another few years of hatred banked for me.

[NJS 4645]

1 hour ago, Rayvin said:

Whenever I think of Rob Lee I always remember Solskjaer hacking him down when he was through on a 1v1 against Man Utd to potentially win us the game. Absolutely hated OGS for years after that.

He also clothes-lined Aaron Hughes in the build-up to one of the goals when they beat us 5-3.

 

Horrible little arsewipe. 

[Alex 37302]

Rob Lee was absolutely class at his best bit he lost form the year we should’ve won the title in the run in. He wasn’t the only one and an error on KK’s part (in retrospect) imo was there weren’t enough players with the experience of having won things to get us across the line. Nerves crept in because of that. But Lee was pretty complete as a CM. Box to box, could put his foot in plus goals. And a great engine plus work ethic. Cabaye was a good player but I’d say he benefited from having Tiote alongside him. Tiote wasn’t creative but he covered so much ground. Tiote even allowed Nolan to look good in CM two. Nolan had an eye for goal but was not mobile. At Bolton they played  a 3 to get the most out of him. Tiote was a fabulous athlete (with more to his game than just that). 

[Alex 37302]

11 hours ago, Howmanheyman said:

 

 likes spaghetti that much he can contort his arms.

He’s from Lombardy so it should be risotto  

[Alex 37302]

7 hours ago, NJS said:

He also clothes-lined Aaron Hughes in the build-up to one of the goals when they beat us 5-3.

 

Horrible little arsewipe. 

The baby faced cunt

[Ayatollah Hermione 14819]

10 minutes ago, Alex said:

Rob Lee was absolutely class at his best bit he lost form the year we should’ve won the title in the run in. He wasn’t the only one and an error on KK’s part (in retrospect) imo was there weren’t enough players with the experience of having won things to get us across the line. Nerves crept in because of that. But Lee was pretty complete as a CM. Box to box, could put his foot in plus goals. And a great engine plus work ethic. Cabaye was a good player but I’d say he benefited from having Tiote alongside him. Tiote wasn’t creative but he covered so much ground. Tiote even allowed Nolan to look good in CM two. Nolan had an eye for goal but was not mobile. At Bolton they played  a 3 to get the most out of him. Tiote was a fabulous athlete (with more to his game than just that). 

I loved Tiote but the less said about Pardew trying to make him a more progressive passer when Cabaye left, the better  God bless him for trying  though 

[Alex 37302]

Just now, Ayatollah Hermione said:

I loved Tiote but the less said about Pardew trying to make him a more progressive passer when Cabaye left, the better  God bless him for trying  though 

He looked poor because he couldn’t do it but he never hid. Showed his good character but limitations at the same time. He was neat and tidy in possession getting the ball off the back 4 but he absolutely needed a bit of creativity alongside him 

[Ayatollah Hermione 14819]

Just now, Alex said:

He looked poor because he couldn’t do it but he never hid. Showed his good character but limitations at the same time. He was neat and tidy in possession getting the ball off the back 4 but he absolutely needed a bit of creativity alongside him 

Aye, wasn’t slating him. More the knacker manager. Then again, it’s not like Ashley was going to get him a proper replacement 

[PaddockLad 19340]

Rob Lee stats. I’d have thought he might have scored more goals whilst he was here. Can’t see Sandro playing nearly 400 games for us tbh either. 50 assists isn’t too shabby…

 

 

[Holden McGroin 7771]

30 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

Rob Lee stats. I’d have thought he might have scored more goals whilst he was here. Can’t see Sandro playing nearly 400 games for us tbh either. 50 assists isn’t too shabby…

 

 

Later in his career he changed to a defensive midfielder (and barely scored during that period). I think Robby Bobson also deployed him as a sweeper at one point. 
 

He always played well for England as well. 

Edited 14 hours ago by Holden McGroin

[Holden McGroin 7771]

Does Rob Lee get any credit with the younger generations? In contrast players like Warren Barton  (who was absolute shite at best) is a cult hero and often finds his way into Top XI discussions.