midds

It should have been enough, yeah but clearly it wasn't I also think we need to consider how the chances arrived tbh, the pen is a ridiculous piece of defending from Tarkowski, the Bruno shot came from a corner where it fell to him in loads of space and was unlucky. The only real time we opened them up through our own good football was the Gordon 1v1 imo. And all of that comes on the back of the Wimbledon game which also had a distinct lack of decent chances too. I'm just saying there's a legitimate issue with chance creation and/or conversion at the minute. We're not creating enough good chances and the few we do create aren't being converted. I'm not shitting myself about it but it's something that needs to be addressed

The Gordon chances were the big ones and he was poor for both of them in all honesty, the pen is weak and in the ideal spot for the keeper and the one on one should have been on target at the very least. The Bruno shot was unlucky and would have gone in 99/100. Other than that I didn't see much else that was close to being a clear chance really. I don't think it's any surprise that our goals from open play have dried up since we lost Isak, that's not a coincidence and him returning should help. A decent option on the bench wouldn't go amiss either

Whether we're talking about chance creation or chance conversion something's not clicking. We've not scored from open play for over five hours now, Barnes' (eventual) consolation at Fulham being the last.

Suns it up for me. Loads of possession, virtually nothing coming back the other way but still can't score. Best chance was obviously via a penalty yet again, just like Wimbeldon, just like City. We're not creating enough in the final third Wasn't a disaster today but it is 2 points dropped away from home and the same flaws are being shown up regularly now. We need to find a way to put dross like this away, Isak coming back will obviously help but we've struggled when he's led the line too. It's a structural thing and it's fixable but Howe needs to come up with something

That's absolute pigshit from Gordon. To not even work the keeper is criminal

Gordon's getting kicked to fuck here. Absolutely zero protection from the gormless cunt who's refusing to get a card out. Shameful stuff from this year

About as spawny a point as they'll get this season. Completely outplayed for most of the game and still earn a point through none of their own industry. Lucky as fuck tonight tbh

Just buys him a bit more time in all honesty. I think most neutral fans know he's just about done there now, it's all just a matter of when, not if, he goes now. He's been a dead man walking for months now, the Cup Final shock stalled things for a bit but he's now reverting to the norm. Man U in mid-table mediocrity isn't sustainable for him

Agree. And if Howe extends his contract then I'll put it down as a mistake on Howe's part too and he'll need to own it. Him staying or leaving should be based on his talent and what he will offer the club on the pitch for the next 4 years. Being a canny lad and a good pro just isn't enough

Yeah I get that, not disagreeing. I just fail to see the benefit of extending a player who isn't producing anything of note. He's trying his best but it just isn't happening and I don't think it ever will, we do need bodies in the squad to pad it out but keeping players who simply aren't capable of offering anything is just taking up a squad place for the sake of it. It's harsh but I'd let him go for whatever someone is daft enough to pay

This is the very reason we need to be brave and just let him move on. If he'd switched shirts at Ht and come out wearing a blue one then I'd be astonished if any of our fans would have realised. We've got to be aiming a bit higher. Surely??

I don't think we were ever in any danger of not going through but it would have been nice to see a bit more than what they produced tonight. I know I'm being picky but we've ripped far, far better teams apart over the last few years but tonight was just a boring slog from start to finish. Their keeper has had to make 3 saves all night, to not create more is just a bit disappointing to me, I just expected a little more from us. Maybe I shouldn't have set my sights too high

I'm just a bit disappointed we failed to create (m)any chances against a League 2 team at home despite having the ball for about 85% of the time. Them sitting deep is absolutely fine and I don't blame them one bit, I am however a bit frustrated we tried and failed to break them or open them up all night and I don't think I'm too out of line in mentioning it tbh. Had we created a load of chances and missed them and it finished 1-0 then it's fair enough, it happens but to slog away all night and not create anything of note is extremely disappointing like

To have so much of the ball with so much time and so much space and create so little is more than a bit concerning I can't lie. To need a pen to get past a league 2 side and barely working their keeper all night is very unimpressive. I know it's only the cup and the result is the only thing that matters but it's still a really poor show tbh. Never carved them open all night despite having about 85% of the ball but a win's a win

Really disappointing performance again, had loads of possession, time and space and created virtually nothing with any of it. It's always tough trying to break down an eleven man defence but we've been utterly toothless since kick off. We'll go through but it's been a complete waste of energy and zero entertainment at all

Ref is lagging to fuck

I'd like to think the club have learned the lesson of just extending a player's contract because it's either a) too much hassle to properly scout a better replacement and/or b) he's a canny lad so let's just keep him around. Seen it happen to Hayden and Gayle albeit under the previous regime. People will dispute what Longstaff offers these days, I'm firmly on the side of 'nowhere near enough'. I couldn't justify extending him and I'd take the best offer for him and look for his replacement tomorrow. It's harsh but I think the club needs to improve and I honestly don't see Longstaff being a part of that. I'd love him to be great but he just isn't

The only good news is that the larger clubs can't afford to ease up for the last 2 fixtures like they have been able to. Previously if a team wins the first 4 games they're basically through as winners and can start rotating players and probably drop a few points in the process. Now they can't really afford to do that. They will all want to be in that top 8 to get the bye and they'll need to win as many games as possible as the competition will be fierce, they'll not be able to ease off as another club will leapfrog them and pip them. Fully expecting a few utter drubbings as teams will look to pad out their GD as a tie-breaker if need be

If we get the new stadium I hope it's like the Wanda. Looks like a bit of a cauldron but the atmosphere is made by the fans, the ground won't do it by itself

xG was 0.97 vs 4.67

This is their 9th game of the season and so far they've only beaten Fulham and Barnsley at home and Southampton away. No idea how much more time they can realistically give this useless arsehole to pull out around. He's got no excuses left now

Didn't realise Trashford was still on the park, assumed he'd been subbed at HT

Brilliant finish Kulu

Ah, here he is. Mr Casemiro. He'll save the day

They couldn't have any complaints if they were going in 3 down and down to 10 men too. They've stunk the place out and the players look like they've just about given up on their boss. Chelsea have put this exact type of performance in a few times to get shot of a boss they don't fancy