madras

No need for him or Anita to play yesterday. He may be ruthless but he's taking his time about it. Should have taken Anita off for Shelvey too, thought we completely lost any control we had without Hayden because Shelvey just can't defend Shelvey defended OK for Swansea but they were better organised at that time. We looked ragged and seemed not to have any defensive discipline last night, especially in the second half.

You're right, I was a month out for some reason and thought that the tournament finished in June, not July. Standarad "outside of season lack of time reference". I'm the same.

Or why managers haven't dropped him ?

No need for Colback or Anita to play yesterday. He may be ruthless but he's taking his time about it.

If we absolutely have to go 4-2-3-1 then I'd be very tempted to go with Shelvey and Hayden, with Diame in for Perez. Aarons and Ritchie on either side.

He actually looked better in the Prem than he did tonight.

We went in defensive and it was all downhill from there. Thats the scary bit. Rafa got it badly wrong. Is he so attached to multiple sitting midfielders ?

Agreed. I just hope to hell Anita, Colback and Dummett are pushed to the bench somehow, even though I'd love them all to be gone entirely. Don't blame those players. There was no reason whatsoever for any of them to start tonights match.

Not for Rafa ? Not think his team selection/tactics are to blame for this ?

Don't think Rafa rates Mbemba.

On the one hand.....on the other it shows the lack of leaders in the squad.

It's true, happened about the same time Gazza married the Queen.

Can you seriously stop with the "RTgroom" stuff, its in really poor taste and as bad as them, if not worse. Mmmmmm no! Not for a while yet. I don't think anyone, us and fans of other clubs, should be forgetting they knowingly played a player AFTER he admitted grooming and sexual activity with a minor and many of their fans sought to make it a laughing matter and defended him. But yourself are making it a laughing matter by calling it that, and doing the exact same thing they did. Ok I'll stop calling it Ready to groom. Instead I'll call them "the club that knowingly played a player AFTER he admitted grooming and sexual activity with a minor and many of their fans sought to make it a laughing matter and defended him." That OK with you ? I'm not saying that what they did isnt wrong, it was f***ing disgusting and they should have been punished. But you yourself are making light of the situation by calling it that, it's just a bit shitty imo. I'm not making light of it all. I think they got off far too lightly and don't want it swept under the carpet so I'll keep reminding people about it.

Can you seriously stop with the "RTgroom" stuff, its in really poor taste and as bad as them, if not worse. Mmmmmm no! Not for a while yet. I don't think anyone, us and fans of other clubs, should be forgetting they knowingly played a player AFTER he admitted grooming and sexual activity with a minor and many of their fans sought to make it a laughing matter and defended him. But yourself are making it a laughing matter by calling it that, and doing the exact same thing they did. Ok I'll stop calling it Ready to groom. Instead I'll call them "the club that knowingly played a player AFTER he admitted grooming and sexual activity with a minor and many of their fans sought to make it a laughing matter and defended him." That OK with you ?

Can you seriously stop with the "RTgroom" stuff, its in really poor taste and as bad as them, if not worse. Mmmmmm no! Not for a while yet. I don't think anyone, us and fans of other clubs, should be forgetting they knowingly played a player AFTER he admitted grooming and sexual activity with a minor and many of their fans sought to make it a laughing matter and defended him.

Yet, possibly. He's a kid who shows lots of promise. I remember watching Lascalles early last season and he looked slow, bad decisions and poor on the ball, now he's possibly our captain and seemingly one of a handful of starters. In fact, the fact is there are few facts about kids who aren't the finished article. FACT!

TBF players say that sort of thing on every change of manager.

Probably easier getting the Metro.

Always had him more to the left of a middle 3 (thats the only way I saw him getting a regular spot). His coming to the right was because of McLarens ploy of Krul playing it out short , Janmaat pushing up, Sissoko going more central and Anita would drop into right back from centre midfiled. Had me going mental.

What's happening at Spennymoor ? Game abandoned after discussions at half time and club won't make a statement at this time

This is the first year in a long while that that I don't think they'll be in the relegation shake up. Lower mid table with little looking over their shoulders and they'll be chuffed with it.

Proven goalscorer at this level, seems like a good move for Norwich. I'd like to think we passed on him and have someone else lined up.

No Precious Mckenzie ?

Don't know the stats but I didn't miss many games home/away then and he rarely disappointed. Ferdinand wasn't as good a finisher I dare say. Ferdinand wasn't as good a finisher but I'd take him every time over Cole. Purely footballing decision aswell.

Bit of a mega bump but it seemed the most appropriate place. So, given the changes so far, what do we see as the strongest XI....and see how it changes over the next few weeks (fwiw I'm classing Sissoko as already gone) Krul Janmaat Mbemba Lascalles Gamez Shelvey Tiote Ritchie Perez Aarons Gayle Could quite easily place Darlow or Sels in goal, Thauvin for Aarons or Hayden for either in the middle. Even temepted to go 4-4-2 with two from Mitro, Perez, Gayle up top.