midds

Huge game in the grand scheme of things. Can't really afford to lose it but I've got a horrible feeling we will. 2-1, Berahino x2 probably.

Can only imagine the stick Pardew would have taken if he'd described that as magnificent. It was a pretty gutsy display and they had a go but ultimately was all fart and no shite, can't fault the effort but there was loads wrong and lots of mistakes, collectively and individually for all of the 89.7 minutes. It's bollocks and it needs to be ridiculed.

When was the last red card, that's aeons as well? Same game. Stoke (H) edit: technically Norwich had Johnson sent off in the same incident as Remy saw red too so Stoke was the last time we had a numerical advantage. Fucking hell, so two years ago (or at least 17 months with the Norwich game)? I'd love to know how that compares to every other club in the division. Was Jan '14, so 23 months ago mate. Alright Mr Chips, I've been on the drink all day.

When was the last red card, that's aeons as well? Same game. Stoke (H) edit: technically Norwich had Johnson sent off in the same incident as Remy saw red too so Stoke was the last time we had a numerical advantage. Fucking hell, so two years ago (or at least 17 months with the Norwich game)? I'd love to know how that compares to every other club in the division. Was Jan '14, so 23 months ago mate. Looked into this a while back and I'm sure we've had 13 red cards since we last had one in our favour. Something like that anyway.

When was the last red card, that's aeons as well? Same game. Stoke (H) edit: technically Norwich had Johnson sent off in the same incident as Remy saw red too so Stoke was the last time we had a numerical advantage.

You like to moan a lot. I do. Find it cathartic.

The most galling aspect of it is the fact they all know it's the last attack, there's 30 seconds to go and the ref's about to blow up for full time. They take an age to get it in the box, "come on, just defend this one set piece for a clean sheet and a point. Get your man, stay with them, keeper - come and claim it if you can, nice and loud, get organised......." Absolutely no excuse for not defending that, no Everton player is close to getting on the end of it, how have they fucked it up that badly? It's not bad luck, it's unprofessional.

Thought he was dreadful. Not biased against us particularly, just got loads of decisions wrong. He's not the reason we lost but that performance needs to be looked at again by his bosses.

1 point from Villa and Everton at home undoes the 6 we got from Liverpool and Spurs. We're right back in the thick of it and we've got to overhaul either Norwich, Swansea, Bournemouth or West Brom. I think we'll do it but it'll go down to the wire. I'll go 4 but a loss on Monday means 1 less team we can reel in.

If it's Townsend in and Sissoko out then it's a dreadful move. If it's Townsend in to provide a bit of competition for places and more options in the final third then I'm absolutely fine with it. I'd normally mention the fee and providing value for money etc at this point but it's utterly futile. The club will be awarded over £100m just for competing in the division this season and next, it's not my money and all I'm interested in is strengthening the team and squad and if they more than I would to do it then so be it. Can't imagine there won't be an outgoing to fund it but this is where we are.

Hope everyone has a nice day tomorrow today.

That's all well and good until the famine. Then what? If it was just the potatoes that were affected, at the end of the day you will pay the price if you’re a fussy eater.

Been fairly impressed by him since he came in. Was fully expecting him to he absolutely hopeless and conceding hand over fist but I'm not afraid to say he's proved me totally wrong, fair play to him and I'd go as far as saying I'm not sure Krul shouldn't automatically come straight back into the team as long as Elliot keeps this form up.

Aye, he's just about done. Two or three more poor results or performances and he'll be out.

How many times did he say "can't compete"? If it wasn't so ball-smashingly excruciating it would be hilarious.

Barkley vs Colback too. They're comfortably better than us in all departments.

That Melo red was about as stupid/magnificent/unique as you're going to get. Absolutely absurd.

Do we actually have any proof they fixed his lung btw?

It was a massive, massive moment in the game, and indeed the season, and he blew it. Those 2 points could be huge in May, no excuses at all for that miss.

2 points worse off than the season we went down in 09.

We don't have a David Batty, this is the main problem. Just can't understand the obsession with 2 defensive midfielders. Especially at home to rock-bottom Aston Villa currently without a league win since opening day. He picks the same team and formation each week, there's no thinking about doing something different to shift the onus and pattern of play. There's nothing new for opposition managers to deal with, there's no wild card to be played, it's defensive, functional, fairly ineffective, rigid systems every week and without a bit of variation it makes us very easy to play against. We're crying out for a bit of spontaneity but if we're not going to get it in the easiest (on paper) fixture of the year then we're never going to get it.

That miss was worth 2 points imo. That goes in and we go on and win and probably relegate Villa in the process. Huge moment in the season for both teams.

Hadn't realised Villa are on their worst winless run in their entire history. They're due a win.

I think they'll lose but not get hammered. If the Chelsea players flip the switch and score 4 or 5 then it'll just a bit too obvious that they just gave up on Mourinho. Broadcasting their unprofessionalism. I'll go 2-0 Told you. Saying told you after 25 mins

I think they'll lose but not get hammered. If the Chelsea players flip the switch and score 4 or 5 then it'll just a bit too obvious that they just gave up on Mourinho. Broadcasting their unprofessionalism. I'll go 2-0 Told you.