Ipswich Town vs Newcastle United

[RobinRobin 12486]

58 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

 

 

Only you and Holden.  Yet I get called miserable!

 

'Appen 🙂 

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 4269]

6 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

 

I read that in this voice. 

 

Surely it should be this guys

 

[wykikitoon 22901]

58 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

Brentford and Leicester reserves, and an abysmal Ipswich side. Let’s see how the season goes 

I love how Ahmed the Mackem is liking all your posts.  Like the weirdo wants us to be beat.

 

I absolutely agree, but like I have said we can only beat what is in front of us.  He hasn't been world class, but he's been solid. 

[wykikitoon 22901]

17 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

 

I read that in this voice. 

 

 

 

Reported 

[Isegrim 10356]

1 minute ago, wykikitoon said:

 

 

Reported 

Feck off!

[Toonpack 11370]

1 hour ago, Dr Gloom said:

I would agree, Gordon looks much happier down the left. Murphy does provide balance down the right and has contributed well in this run against the lesser teams. I think the general turnaround in form is massively down to getting Tonali in the team. We’ve looked loads better with him starting in the deeper central midfield role ever since the Chelsea cup game. Teams are no longer playing through our midfield and how nice is it to have two central midfielders capable of passing the ball forwards? 

I agree but the centre is helped by the fact we have balanced width, just dropping Tonali in without the other changes wouldn't have been in itself a great changer IMO

[PaddockLad 19013]

1 hour ago, wykikitoon said:

I love how Ahmed the Mackem is liking all your posts.  Like the weirdo wants us to be beat.

 

I absolutely agree, but like I have said we can only beat what is in front of us.  He hasn't been world class, but he's been solid. 

Yeah, the signs are great tbh. I watched the Man City v Villa game on Saturday, Onana is so important for them in the same position, they’ve really missed him when he’s been injured. I think he might get tasked with keeping Bruno quiet on Boxing Day…

[PaddockLad 19013]

7 minutes ago, LongTimeAdmirer said:

 

@PaddockLad Having a different opinion to wypoopie is illegal apparently 

Now then Maurice, don’t drag me into your petty squabbles on here, it’s the season of goodwill to all men, even Yorkshiremen  

 

 

 

 

[Alex 36725]

2 hours ago, Dr Gloom said:

Central midfield? That’s where he played for Milan, though I gather they play with two in there rather than three so I think his natural game is to sit deeper like his is for us at the moment to brilliant effect. 
 

I don’t know about you but I’m delighted to see Bruno playing further forwards again like he did when he first signed for us. We finally have some creativity again in central positions for our forwards to feed off instead of Sean, love him, taking three or four touches before passing it sideways. 

You saying he was one of two sixes in a double pivot? 

[Alex 36725]

9 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

Now then Maurice, don’t drag me into your petty squabbles on here, it’s the season of goodwill to all men, even Yorkshiremen  

 

 

 

 

I draw the line at ones who support Man Utd 

Edited December 23, 2024 by Alex

[wykikitoon 22901]

12 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

Now then Maurice, don’t drag me into your petty squabbles on here, it’s the season of goodwill to all men, even Yorkshiremen  

 

 

 

 

Please dont quote the WUM as I see it then.

So I think ASM was shite and overrated.  Ahmeds tammy drops out and starts been an uber cunt.  Wants him to fail,. cant see when was voted our best player blah blah.  GTFO Mackem wum.

[Gemmill 49974]

 

 

[Howmanheyman 36607]

An excerpt from the guardian match report, "If facing the power of a nation state-funded opponent was not enough."

 

Meanwhile the BBC mustn't think the power of a nation state is all that as their match report featured how were we going to hold on to Isak?

 

Edited December 23, 2024 by Howmanheyman

[Dr Gloom 23642]

58 minutes ago, Alex said:

You saying he was one of two sixes in a double pivot? 

exactly

[Dr Gloom 23642]

3 hours ago, PaddockLad said:

 

“Central midfield”  mate, you, me Eddie mad dog and the world and his wife didn’t see much in him till just over a week ago.  Nothing would give me greater pleasure than this side playing to its potential and proving doubters like myself wrong. 

why doubt him though? I trust our scouts based on their success rate in the market so far. He’s been faultless since playing at the base of our base of our midfield (the single pivot, if you please) with Bruno ahead of him. It’s a relief to see him finally starting to live up to his potential after the 10 month suspension tbh. Sean has lots of qualities, is a useful squad player and a great option for certain games, but an Italian international really ought to be starting ahead of him. Now he is on merit.   

[OTF 8418]

18 minutes ago, Howmanheyman said:

An excerpt from the guardian match report, "If facing the power of a nation state-funded opponent was not enough."

 

The nation state funded factor was defeated by PSR before it even started. The important figure is not how much you can't spend, which we are unparalleled in.

[The Fish 11323]

1 hour ago, Alex said:

You saying he was one of two sixes in a double pivot? 

[PaddockLad 19013]

1 hour ago, Dr Gloom said:

why doubt him though? I trust our scouts based on their success rate in the market so far. He’s been faultless since playing at the base of our base of our midfield (the single pivot, if you please) with Bruno ahead of him. It’s a relief to see him finally starting to live up to his potential after the 10 month suspension tbh. Sean has lots of qualities, is a useful squad player and a great option for certain games, but an Italian international really ought to be starting ahead of him. Now he is on merit.   

Not sure why you’ve mentioned Longstaff (3 times)  am talking about how Tonali was wandering through games like a lost sheep. That’s fuck all to do with Longstaff who I’ve never suggested was anywhere near good enough for where our owners see the club heading. Longy didn’t cost 50/60 million(?) and wasn’t a gambling addict before and after he joined the club though. Obviously Tonali couldn’t help himself , it would appear he’s an addict . He needs deserves and should get all the help he needs but now he’s receiving that help in a culture of openness it’s all on the player to perform. Thats why I was pissed off with Tonali, yes you could see he was a talent but he wasn’t doing it and after the circumstances of his suspension etc he, for me, needed to hit the ground running which he failed to do. I had him down as another in a long line of talented players who couldn’t quite get it together at SJP. And let me tell you, after 3 games v limited opponents this jury is still out on the the tally bastard 😑😆

Edited December 23, 2024 by PaddockLad

[Meenzer 16446]

50 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

Not sure why you’ve mentioned Longstaff (3 times)  am talking about how Tonali was wandering through games like a lost sheep. That’s fuck all to do with Longstaff who I’ve never suggested was anywhere near good enough for where our owners see the club heading. Longy didn’t cost 50/60 million(?) and wasn’t a gambling addict before and after he joined the club though. Obviously Tonali couldn’t help himself , it would appear he’s an addict . He needs deserves and should get all the help he needs but now he’s receiving that help in a culture of openness it’s all on the player to perform. Thats why I was pissed off with Tonali, yes you could see he was a talent but he wasn’t doing it and after the circumstances of his suspension etc he, for me, needed to hit the ground running which he failed to do. I had him down as another in a long line of talented players who couldn’t quite get it together at SJP. And let me tell you, after 3 games v limited opponents this jury is still out on the the tally bastard 😑😆

 

This makes me realise how fortunate we are that Stevie isn't still around. His sympathy for Tonali's gambling addiction would have been magnified by his general appreciation for all things Apennine.  

[Monkeys Fist 45151]

13 minutes ago, Meenzer said:

This makes me realise how fortunate we are that Stevie isn't still around.

Please, can we use his proper title? 
 

[Billy Whitehurst 1000]

2 hours ago, Howmanheyman said:

An excerpt from the guardian match report, "If facing the power of a nation state-funded opponent was not enough."

 

Meanwhile the BBC mustn't think the power of a nation state is all that as their match report featured how were we going to hold on to Isak?

 

Aye, some of their writers are fucking tragic. 

 

The only surprising thing was that it wasn’t written by Jonathan Liew or Barney Ronay.

[Dr Gloom 23642]

1 hour ago, PaddockLad said:

Not sure why you’ve mentioned Longstaff (3 times)  am talking about how Tonali was wandering through games like a lost sheep. That’s fuck all to do with Longstaff who I’ve never suggested was anywhere near good enough for where our owners see the club heading. Longy didn’t cost 50/60 million(?) and wasn’t a gambling addict before and after he joined the club though. Obviously Tonali couldn’t help himself , it would appear he’s an addict . He needs deserves and should get all the help he needs but now he’s receiving that help in a culture of openness it’s all on the player to perform. Thats why I was pissed off with Tonali, yes you could see he was a talent but he wasn’t doing it and after the circumstances of his suspension etc he, for me, needed to hit the ground running which he failed to do. I had him down as another in a long line of talented players who couldn’t quite get it together at SJP. And let me tell you, after 3 games v limited opponents this jury is still out on the the tally bastard 😑😆

I mentioned Longstaff because there was weird narrative pushed by some on here and elsewhere (not saying you were pushing it) that our best midfield contained Longstaff and not Tonali. It’s obvious that Howe now knows that isn’t the case. Long may the Bruno/Tonali partnership continue to flourish!

 

Edit - it’s also not just three games against limited opposition. He was our best player in the victory against Chelsea in the cup too, completing with two midfielders signed for more then £80m, including a World Cup winner 

 

Edited December 23, 2024 by Dr Gloom

[Toonpack 11370]

47 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

I mentioned Longstaff because there was weird narrative pushed by some on here and elsewhere (not saying you were pushing it) that our best midfield contained Longstaff and not Tonali. It’s obvious that Howe now knows that isn’t the case. Long may the Bruno/Tonali partnership continue to flourish!

 

Edit - it’s also not just three games against limited opposition. He was our best player in the victory against Chelsea in the cup too, completing with two midfielders signed for more then £80m, including a World Cup winner 

 

 

Based on performance at that time that was absolutely true. Tonali was gradually introduced as his fitness grew and now his performances are lightyears better than his "running about a lot" which was the story of his earlier appearances.

 

On current form our best three are Big Joe/Bruno and Tonali, that wasn't the case earlier in the season but it certainly is now.

 

They measure and monitor these fuckers to the far end of a fart, if they're not ticking all the boxes their playing time will reflect that.

 

I would suggest any changes to the team that happen are more fitness/physical and data driven than much else. To say Howe "now knows" like everyone saw something he didn't is disingenuous IMO, everyone and their uncle knows Tonali is more gifted than Longstaff but he just wasn't physically (and maybe tactically) ready.

 

And yeah an 80% Tonali may likely still be a better player than 100% Longstaff but he's also more likely to get injured playing at less than 100%, they'll have all that data too calculating probabilites etc etc.

 

[Dr Gloom 23642]

9 minutes ago, Toonpack said:

 

Based on performance at that time that was absolutely true. Tonali was gradually introduced as his fitness grew and now his performances are lightyears better than his "running about a lot" which was the story of his earlier appearances.

 

On current form our best three are Big Joe/Bruno and Tonali, that wasn't the case earlier in the season but it certainly is now.

 

They measure and monitor these fuckers to the far end of a fart, if they're not ticking all the boxes their playing time will reflect that.

 

I would suggest any changes to the team that happen are more fitness/physical and data driven than much else. To say Howe "now knows" like everyone saw something he didn't is disingenuous IMO, everyone and their uncle knows Tonali is more gifted than Longstaff but he just wasn't physically (and maybe tactically) ready.

 

And yeah an 80% Tonali may likely still be a better player than 100% Longstaff but he's also more likely to get injured playing at less than 100%, they'll have all that data too calculating probabilites etc etc.

 

I don’t think Howe did know that his best midfield was Tonali in the six role and Bruno back in the eight, or he would have tried it sooner.
 

I’m glad he has given it a go as it appears to the best way to get the best out of them both in his preferred 4-3-3. The other way might be to play both of them sitting in a 4-2-3-1, but we don’t have the personnel to play that way - a proper number ten, in other words, and Howe has shown no signs he wants to set up like that.
 

One thing is clear - Tonali looks much, much more comfortable in the deeper role than as the right sided eight, where as Bruno can seemingly perform both roles brilliantly. The team, which is the most importantly thing, functions best the way Howe has it set up now.

[Toonpack 11370]

3 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

I don’t think Howe did know that his best midfield was Tonali in the six role and Bruno back in the eight, or he would have tried it sooner.
 

 

Sorry, I fundamentally disagree, I would contend he tried it as soon as Tonali was ready enough for it to work.

 

He's talked previously (last season even) about wanting to release Bruno into a more advanced role.