madras

More balanced possibly, better, nah!

Still think you're taking the mick.

Not a chance in hell we'll be better than the squad who dicked Spurs on the last day, like. We will be in 12 months time, hopefully. I typed a reply then paused. Didn't know it he was taking the mick.

There were some who spoke out. The vast majority went with the Rafa is God so all is good mantra. I hope he shoves it down my throat and these players come good but, nailing colours to the mast, I'd have kept Mbabu rather than bringing in one of Clark or Hanley, I'd rather give Toney first team time than Murphy. I'll be up on Wedneswday night hoping theres the impressive signing, a player for now and hopefully next season.

Not a bad team. Not that that will be our standard tesam but if someone had posted that as our team the day Rafa agreed to stay there'd have been calls for the contract to be withdrawn. Not on here. You must be thinking of some other forum. If you change the centre backs to our first choice pairing and stick mitro up front with gayle then its a good side. Then it would be maybe a "good enough" side but the likes of Murphy, Atsu, Yedlin. If you'd mentioned them before we were linked you'd have been slaughtered. The WBA winger is just about the first player we've been linked with that the forum in general don't want andf that has nowt to do with his playing capabilities.

Not a bad team. Not that that will be our standard tesam but if someone had posted that as our team the day Rafa agreed to stay there'd have been calls for the contract to be withdrawn.

If square pegs means playing Perez on the left as opposed to the WBA winger then I'm all for it. Good to have some direct wingers though even if limited. The main objective at the moment is getting out of this league and building foundations. He wouldn't be my choice of winger but him and Atsu at least offer something different I can see about building a squad to get out of this division, I don't see how Murphy and the WBA winger are about laying foundations. If anything it's the opposite.

If square pegs means playing Perez on the left as opposed to the WBA winger then I'm all for it.

Aye (5 out), Nah (3-4 in....2 in at most IMO).

Wish I hadn't clicked that link. Never seen so many ridiculous posts in close proximity. How can our wage bill be an issue when we've shipped out the majority of our highest earners like Colo, Wijnaldum, Townsend, probably Sissoko and a whole host of other big contracts like Krul, Thauvin and SDJ? Do they not understand the concept of a squad and a need for rotation? Even from an objective point of view the only obviously s*** player we've signed is Murphy and as a backup in the Championship where he's scored goals isn't exactly a disaster for the nominal fee that was paid. Mate, barely any of our fans understand the concept of a squad. Harsh, many just think we can attract better than Murphy and the WBA winger to build that squad. I don't mind building a squad good enough to get us out of this division and I know we had a bloody good season with a defence featuring Griffin, Bramble, Andy O'brien but I'm looking at this squad and think it will be good enough to go up. I also think it'll need a similar overhaul next season (should we go up).

Given's OG. Ha fucking Ha!

Imagine if they gave it to someone like Pardew or Allerdyce.

Re this penalty claim in the Spurs Liverpool game, could the reason is wasn't given be due to the Liverpool playing hurling himself to the deck, yes there was contact etc but nowhere near enough for him to hit the deck like that.

I thought for the first half hour we played some of our best football this season. It looked similar to how Liverpool used to play under Rafa if a bit less polished. We barely gave them a kick until we went two goals up and let our foot off the gas. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk Wonder if it looked different there as opposed to on the tele (I watched in the pub, on hols). Seemed very bitty till we scored to the point where first goal was vital as we werent exctly all over them. However with Gayle and Mitrovic out the three points were the most important thing. I'll be happier come mid september when we know our squad and the window is gone and we feel like we can actually get on with things.

The game was very similar to to some of the home games at this stage of the season last time we were down here. We weren't great, overall we weren't particularly better than the opposition...but there was only ever going to be one winner because we seem more capable of taking our chances.

He does look mint aye i don't dare to hope... (I know it's youtube) I was bored so watched a couple of the vids. Looks very good on the ball but nowt of him defending. I know these days that isn't the be all and end all for a full back but it is a bit more at this level than the prem. Are you saying you have to be better at defending in the Championship than in the Premier League? No, that defending is more a priority for full backs as you go down the leagues. Higher up full backs have to be more footballers.

He does look mint aye i don't dare to hope... (I know it's youtube) I was bored so watched a couple of the vids. Looks very good on the ball but nowt of him defending. I know these days that isn't the be all and end all for a full back but it is a bit more at this level than the prem.

Everyone fit and in form ? The second team walks it. It's not as easy as that though is it.

Shit! Knew I'd be watching this in the lakes, didn't realise Man Utd/Hull was on aswell. May make it more difficuilt to find an accomodating pub.

Wow my radio stream must be delayed. Wtf so delayed. Like listening to a live speach from Hitler. Not true just ask Johann Georg Elser. I do that regularly aswell. In my head it's funny/clever but when it gets out (online is even worse than ou loud) it turns out to be eurghhh!

Please happen. It will make all the difference. I'm slightly worried by the "more defensive" players angle. Footballs moved on, full backs are now expected to start play and build play more than just defend and take throw ins.

I remember a Dennis Martin.

The issue remains that Judge will miss at least another 2-3 months and that's really a 4-4-2. Can Rafa do that ?

Aye but didn't Dr Tony Xia say "We need more skin and less sock"

Looked decent on the few games he had. Can cover all the way across the back line. I'd have kept him here......what do I know Eh ?