The College Dropout

He had a good career all things considered. Almost 500 professional appearances at the highest level. Represented France. Won Ligue 1 a number of times with different clubs. As well as a bunch of cups. He didn't go on to become a giant of the European game like Karim Benzema and he definitely had the ability too. But he did have a good career. He gets lumped in with the likes of Taarabt but HBA's career is a level above.

I agree it’s not automatically the right thing to do. Especially in our circumstance. Howe has a track record of sticking when other managers might twist. Against PSG I don’t think he had any really valid options. Wolves - I think he needed to twist. This injury crisis has made him trust more players which I think is great. Livra has earned his total trust now I suspect.

But it was the right move by Enrique. The lad missing chances doesn’t negate that.

His defensive positioning was excellent.

It would help the lads gather their breathe a bit more. It looked inevitable until about 92 minutes. Then it looked like they would just keep missing every chance they get.

It was a VAR decision really. Reviewing the screen is a formality these days. I wouldn’t have minded half as much if the ref gave it in the moment and VAR didn’t overturn it. It’s the fact VAR interfered when not only was it not a clear and obvious error… it was clearly not an error at all. The Miley one was more a handball than that. It bounced off Miley too but Mileys hand was outstretched for no reason.

He was as good as big Joe. Which is a massive compliment.

He was very dangerous and more of a threat than Dembele and Muanie.... he just didn't have his shooting boots on. Again we are looking at things in terms of outcomes rather than the thought process. Dembele and Muanie had quiet games and deserved to be subbed. Our players tired so fresh legs coming on would create more routes to goal. This was successful for Enrique, it just didn't convert to goals due to poor finishing and excelling GKing.

Fairs. You do have to question what he means by balance when the balance of play is firmly in the opposition's favour. Like I said. If he's got the best team out there - he will stick even if the opposition is in the ascendancy for a considerable amount of time. As we get more players back fit, we'll have more players he genuinely trusts. Miley, Burn, Murphy - these are all genuine options off the bench now.

Hmmmm... this is true. He wouldn't have been able to barge Jamaal out the way like he did Schar. Mbappe is quality to watch man. I enjoyed his performance.

Where has he said this?

I don't agree. We kept conceding good chances. It's not like we consistently kept them at arms length. It took some effort but they were able to play through us as they intended. We did well to make the chances a little harder than they could have been but Barcola lad could have had a hat-trick by himself. It wasn't really working. But PSG didn't look like they could capitalise on it anyway. Take the result/goals out of it. We were fantastic in the first half and caused them trouble. They started well but didn't offer a lot after that. We had good spells in possession and looked a threat. The last 35 minutes of the second half, we were knackered. Couldn't string 3 passes together, kept inviting pressure and conceding shots on goal. Absolutely hanging-on. The same thing happened at Wolves. except they scored much earlier and then lost the initiative. Yesterday was much more understandable than Wolves though. Wolves he had Livramento the extraordinaire sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. Yesterday he only had Hall and Hall hasn't looked convincing.

Aye but you have to let him beat with quality. Not a little movement like he did on the left. The one where he turns Livra - no problems with Livra but Schar behind him shouldn't have been fooled by the same move. The turn, Schar barge and shot - that was just class and elite athleticism from Mbappe.

Most people thought we needed a RB and that he would be an excellent signing imo. He was great pre injury at Soton. But he’s actually better than most thought. And the bar was high.

They were so bad in front of goal they didn’t deserve anything. They were never scoring from open play. I told my wife, as much as we look like we want to concede by constantly giving them the ball and inviting chances. PSG look more determined not to score. Half chance - miss. Good chance - Pope is going to save it.

Very composed on the ball. Given the fact he can dribble and pass, it just gives him so many options. He makes those neat little passes around the corner that aren't obvious that Trippier makes. But he can also say fuck it, and just run with it straight through the traffic. Where Trips has to find the pass out.

Especially when nobody else can pass it anyway. Everyone just hoofed it every chance they got.

The left doesn't suit his passing angles. A couple bad left-footed passes. Tried a bad right-footed switch too. Was it Schar who was behind Tino but got bamboozled by Mbappe's turn all the same? A couple of times, Mbappe did a few things you would anticipate our players would be watching out for. He had one down his left wing. He passed and moved into some space.... he's Kylian Mbappe, he shouldn't be allowed to pass and move so freely at the edge of the box. Then the turn down his right. Took 2 of ours out. This is nitpicking - we largely kept him quiet and didn't give him a clear sight of goal all game.

He should've twisted then too. Eddie doesn't seem to mind riding waves and waves of attack if he's got what he thinks are his best options out. Other lads have to make themselves options when they get the chance. Eddie's not going to just give them minutes because so and so is knackered the way Rafa would. I think he had to wait too long but Tino took his chance. Murph took his chance. Lascelles took his chance. Edit: This is aimed squarely at Lewis Hall. Got time on his hands and loads of quality but he's going to have to earn his minutes.

Isak didn’t look capable of running at full pelt for longer than 2 seconds tbh. I counted 1 success pass in the last 15 minutes of the game.

PSG should have scored loads though. We were knackered and offered only decent defending for the last 20 minutes and PSG created chance after chance after chance. And Eddie just let it ride from what I could see. Little change in shape or tactics from what I could see. There wasn’t anything on the bench apart from Lewis Hall and Matt Ritchie. So I’m not going to be too tough on Howe. I could tell in the first half the players will end the game on their arses. Most teams that end like that end up losing 3-1. We have that bit of steel that makes us lucky.

Playing a full season of men’s football at a good standard is better than being our 19th squad member for his development.

Aye for all the ‘plastic club’ stick the fans are real and created a magnificent atmosphere. Dare I say - much better than what you get at SJP when the team is faltering.

He was great. My only disappointment is he was the one player I would hope would find another team mate in those last 10 minutes.

Wouldn’t swap him for the other guy in nets tonight. One of the most disrespected players in the squad.