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

[OTF 8416]

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 4690]

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 8416]

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 8416]

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 4690]

About 6 games ago. 

[Gemmill 49930]

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, 2024 by Gemmill

[OTF 8416]

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 4690]

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 23639]

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 23639]

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

[Toonpack 11362]

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 45146]

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 4564]

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

[Monkeys Fist 45146]

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 36711]

@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 7331]

 

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

[PaddockLad 19013]

2 hours ago, NJS said:

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

 

Youth are mortal in the Bodega, indulging in the long lost past time of throwing beer mats around. The locals are obviously looking on with affectionate tender contempt  😆

[strawb 4639]

4 hours ago, wykikitoon said:

Our resident GK will let us know. Paging @strawb

Wasn’t watching mate, have been out getting called a fat cunt by the tailor most of the day. Will have a look at the goals on motd 

[Monkeys Fist 45146]

1 hour ago, trophyshy said:

 

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

WHO? 

[Kid Dynamite 7637]

4 hours ago, OTF said:

 

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.

Aye, Bruno, Joe, Tonali, Willock, Miley and Longstaff is good midfield depth in a normal season. 

However, we do need:

 

1 - An upgrade on Burn/Targett at LB if Hall is going back to Chelsea

 

 2 - Another CB if Lascelles doesn't sign a new contract

 

3 - A replacement for Miggy

 

4/5 - A 3rd striker. And a replacement for Wilson if he leaves. We played 3 different wingers up front today and none of them looked like a striker 

[Jimbo 175]

4 hours ago, Dr Gloom said:

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

 

We will if we start with Burn again, just seems like petulance from Howe to continue with him, will be very telling if he starts again.

[Dr Gloom 23639]

49 minutes ago, Kid Dynamite said:

Aye, Bruno, Joe, Tonali, Willock, Miley and Longstaff is good midfield depth in a normal season. 

However, we do need:

 

1 - An upgrade on Burn/Targett at LB if Hall is going back to Chelsea

 

 2 - Another CB if Lascelles doesn't sign a new contract

 

3 - A replacement for Miggy

 

4/5 - A 3rd striker. And a replacement for Wilson if he leaves. We played 3 different wingers up front today and none of them looked like a striker 

Yeah, we don’t major surgery. We need to sign 3-4 players who improve the first team and have better luck with injuries 

[toonotl 3429]

Somehow a worse refereeing performance than last week. Teams come to SJP with the aim of unfairly disrupting our patterns of play, particularly focused on Bruno and our pacey front three, and the ref consistently lets them do it. It is the refs job to ensure that the contest is played within the rules. And failing to book a player for three separate yellow card worthy offences does not fit the bill. It's as simple as that really. The refereeing standard is atrocious. In saying that, I think we should be more aggressive in our tactics to disrupt opponents in transition as well, particularly at home. I'm sure the same standard wouldn't be applied to us and we'd end up with booking and suspensions across the park but at least if we do what is done to us it puts the point to the ref to make it the same for both sides.

 

As for our performance, we needed to get in front first half when we had a bit of freshness in the legs. After going behind 1-0 and given the refereeing performance, it's really a positive to end up 2-2. In a game we played without a recognisable striker in the squad too. Not a bad point really all things considered. It's a result that is a product of our season to date.

 

Also, they could've been 2-0 up in the first half if Solanke could finish. He's clearly had a purple patch similar to Miggy. I hope Arsenal or Chelsea look to sign him in the summer. He'll be a terrible waste of 50m for whoever gets him.

[strawb 4639]

7 hours ago, wykikitoon said:

Our resident GK will let us know. Paging @strawb

I started this comment taking about keeping goal but..

 

Based only on the motd highlights, Dubravka 

made two routine saves. Then slipped, which can happen to anyone for their first goal. 
 

He should have saved the second IMO, he didn’t move his feet well enough and Pope saves it tbh. 
 

Regardless, I’m one of Dan Burns biggest fans but he (read, his lack of pace) is getting targeted by opposition managers (see first goal today). I don’t think this is a Dan Burn problem, he is being asked to play left back and tuck in to allow Trippier to get forward, we all know this and now opposition managers have realised. Simply playing a different player doesn’t solve this, because it changes the shape of the entire team.
 

Our back four is severely lacking in pace, all great players but no sprinters among them. So when we as a team play as high as we do (correctly imo) and try to win the ball high (again correctly), if we don’t win it back high then we very open to a quick counter attack with one/two passes. 
 

I think the issues with our defending are more to do with lacking big and little joes. They have high press energy, and nobody else in our midfield does, so we miss winning the ball high, preventing the quick passes behind our defence. This exposes our slow defenders.

 

Sorry for the essay

[RobinRobin 12483]

Also, where was Botman for their second?