Eddie’s Broon Ale necking Black Garter Slags vs PaddockLad’s mates’ southern softy shandy-drinking la las.

[aimaad22 4082]

Just now, OTF said:

 

Being a very physical game (thanks ref) he wasn't well suited, but no other options.

 Yeah. Also in general the limitations of many of our players have come to the fore without the energy that compensated for them last season. 

 

Upgrade Miggy, Burn, Longstaff and Wilson in the summer. Or we will have a similar season to this again. Not as many injuries probably but there still will be some. 

[OTF 7214]

1 minute ago, aimaad22 said:

Another very concerning home performance against a mediocre team. Bruno has been bailing us out. Currently we're a very average side without him and Gordon perhaps 

 

It was a strange game, the referee helped them out a lot by allowing them to press and foul without repercussions but we couldn't handle it, even when we broke their press we lacked the presence up front to take advantage. That's down to personnel. Miley and Bruno were our best, Longstaff doesn't do well in higher tempo games.

 

Obviously we're extremely limited with player selection but the one spot that is consistently costing us goals where we do have cover not being changd is baffling. Sure Burn is a leader on and off the pitch but he's being relentlessly targeted by player much faster and more agile than him. It's being used to great effect and is the same in every single game and yet there's not even an attempt to do anything about it.

[aimaad22 4082]

2 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

 

He's class. I worry that he might be starting to get disillusioned the more apparent it is that he's far and away our best player.

 

Someone at the club has to have enough sense to tell him to forget about this season and sell that we will push on in the next one. Transition and all. Maybe Howe can quietly assure him that Miggy and Burn will not be starting next season. 

[Gemmill 44098]

Unless they've got something FFP game changing up their sleeve on sponsors for next season, I think we might have to sell Bruno in the summer to be able to make proper inroads on improving the team.

 

Either that or you just fully commit to a slow progression, although that probably loses you Bruno in any case.

 

There's too many who were playing above themselves last season that now just look like themselves again.

[aimaad22 4082]

1 minute ago, OTF said:

 

It was a strange game, the referee helped them out a lot by allowing them to press and foul without repercussions but we couldn't handle it, even when we broke their press we lacked the presence up front to take advantage. That's down to personnel. Miley and Bruno were our best, Longstaff doesn't do well in higher tempo games.

 

Obviously we're extremely limited with player selection but the one spot that is consistently costing us goals where we do have cover not being changd is baffling. Sure Burn is a leader on and off the pitch but he's being relentlessly targeted by player much faster and more agile than him. It's being used to great effect and is the same in every single game and yet there's not even an attempt to do anything about it.

 

Longstaff has been chipping in with goals but he's overall a shadow of the player he was before the injury. Or is it just so much easier when you have Joe and Bruno next to you instead of a 17 year old? 

[OTF 7214]

3 minutes ago, aimaad22 said:

 Yeah. Also in general the limitations of many of our players have come to the fore without the energy that compensated for them last season. 

 

Upgrade Miggy, Burn, Longstaff and Wilson in the summer. Or we will have a similar season to this again. Not as many injuries probably but there still will be some. 

 

Use Burn as an option for CB the days of him being a LB are over. We push too high up the pitch to carry someone as slow as him in a position where defensive agility and speed are two of the key requirements.

 

Longstaff works well depending who his partners are. Miley looks like he will be the much better player but he hasn't shown a lot in terms of making attacking runs into the box and getting himself into scoring positions.

 

We're stuck with Wilson as noone will be interested in him due to his age and horrendous injury record but we obviously need more than two first team strikers so he becomes a quality substitute option forthe 15 minutes of the year where he's fully fit.

 

Miggy has gone off the boil, doesn't want to leave but once we have at least one option up front then we could play Barnes and Gordon in the wide positions.

[Gemmill 44098]

I reckon you could easily offload Wilson to a newly promoted team. He's quality if you have him in a squad with two other strikers.

[RobElliott 1453]

Just now, Gemmill said:

I reckon you could easily offload Wilson to a newly promoted team. He's quality if you have him in a squad with two other strikers.

 

Like Sunlun?

[aimaad22 4082]

Aye I think a newly promoted or lower half team could easily think his goals could make a huge difference for them. Not a lot of decent strikers going about these days injury record or not. 

[OTF 7214]

5 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Unless they've got something FFP game changing up their sleeve on sponsors for next season, I think we might have to sell Bruno in the summer to be able to make proper inroads on improving the team.

 

Either that or you just fully commit to a slow progression, although that probably loses you Bruno in any case.

 

There's too many who were playing above themselves last season that now just look like themselves again.

 

If you bring everyone back in, including Tonali, and get out of signing Hall all we really need to do urgently is get a quality non injury prone striker in. I was going to say someone of the Joao Pedro mould, but he's had hamstring problems this season. We also need to retain Joelinton.

[aimaad22 4082]

3 minutes ago, OTF said:

Miggy has gone off the boil, doesn't want to leave but once we have at least one option up front then we could play Barnes and Gordon in the wide positions.

 

If someone bids anything over 25M and he doesn't want to leave Mad Dog himself should be stuffing him in a suitcase..... 

[OTF 7214]

2 minutes ago, aimaad22 said:

Aye I think a newly promoted or lower half team could easily think his goals could make a huge difference for them. Not a lot of decent strikers going about these days injury record or not. 

Between you, Gemmill and Michael Owen's PR team I'm sure a very convincing pamphlet could be distributed.....

[OTF 7214]

20 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Poor result, that. Looking forward to Burn v Saka next week.

 

At what point does it become insanity to keep selecting him?

[aimaad22 4082]

About 6 games ago. 

[Gemmill 44098]

9 minutes ago, OTF said:

 

At what point does it become insanity to keep selecting him?

 

I think we might be there. Whatever the net benefit is of him covering at CB, it's unlikely that it would offset the number of goals conceded recently and the fact that more and more teams are going to target him.

 

It's not like Tino wouldn't be able to step in and cover at CB. He wouldn't be as imposing a figure, but he's mobile and he's quick as fuck.

 

I should add, I still think Dubravka was more at fault for the goal today, so I'm not laying the blame all with Burn at all.

Edited February 17 by Gemmill

[OTF 7214]

14 minutes ago, aimaad22 said:

 

Longstaff has been chipping in with goals but he's overall a shadow of the player he was before the injury. Or is it just so much easier when you have Joe and Bruno next to you instead of a 17 year old? 

 

It's not Miley, but it is the type of players that aren't there. Either Joelinton or Willock have the pace to get back and cover in defense after pressing high. With Longstaff, Miley and Bruno we don't have that. Hopefully Miley can add some more speed as he develops. He's not slow as it is but hasn't shown any explosiveness. He already has a good physical presence as a 17 year old. He was battling and beating midfielder 10+ years his senior tonight.

[aimaad22 4082]

Miley was good tonight, was trying to be more physical and put in some tackles. I'm sure he will get much better. 

[Dr Gloom 21757]

Another thrilling seesaw game and no surprise when you look at the team we put out: no centre forward, one 17 year old in midfield, another child off the bench making his debut and the venerable Matt Ritchie off the bench to rescue a point.

 

Some players need to be moved on or used as squad players next season. Miggy, Miley and Longstaff would ideally be rotation options. Look how many minutes they’ve played this season. Miggy in particular has reverted to type in front of goal. Some of his decision making today was awful. He’s desparate for a goal 

 

I have loads of sympathy for Howe. I love that he’s trying to win every game despite being dealt such a shit hand with injuries. Apparently we don’t demand a team that wins, we demand a team that tries. Well, we have that. I love these lads 

[Dr Gloom 21757]

Could have done with finding the winner mind because arsenal are going to carve us open at will  

[Toonpack 9107]

53 minutes ago, OTF said:

We'll never have a full squad available. If he wants a central defender to play there he could give Krafth a run?

 

80% of the squad then.

 

What a bunch of fannies 🙄

[Monkeys Fist 41909]

3 hours ago, Monkeys Fist said:

I’ve just been told that I’m now ( literally, in 10 feckin minutes), going to Mrs. F’s formerly estranged dad’s birthday party, organised by his 4th or 5th wife’s family, who are all certifiably mental but dull as ditchwater. 
 

FML. 

Imagine being told someone is going to ram a wire coat hanger up your japsy, only to then find that the reality was 10 times worse than your most pessimistic imaginings of how it might be. 
 

Aye, that. 

[NJS 4355]

So we're left with PL and his squad's antics to save the day entertainment wise... 

[Monkeys Fist 41909]

1 minute ago, NJS said:

So we're left with PL and his squad's antics to save the day entertainment wise... 

They bumped in to some radge bastard ranting on about Best Scotch who battered the lot of them, not allowed mobiles on the orthopaedic ward, so no updates until tomorrow at least. 

[Alex 34718]

@trophyshy I know you don’t get out much, mate. And you probably overdid it with the Best Scotch (we’ve all been there). But maybe keep your head down for a while. Northumbria police have just released this footage of someone they’d like to talk to in connection with an incident at today’s match:

 

[trophyshy 7066]

 

Nay Best Scotch in the Beehive so I was closer to Pickering.