The College Dropout

The Croatian lad is always so deep. He gives the ball away so much. Why is Casemiro ahead of him positionally. No idea where Bale is meant to playing.

I don’t even know what formationtheyre meant to be playing.

Real are doodoo.

Aye. Honestly, that was the least of his problems. He couldn't defend and he didn't seem to care too either.

I could swear this lad is pap but he makes the team better and has contributed.

Absolute bollocks. Had he played 10 more games we would've stayed up. Fucking Vurnon Anita was the deputy ffs.

Aye he’s very slow on the turn. In one of his early games. He did actually get rinsed by Jesus Navas, so slow on the turn. It doesn’t get exposed as much anymore but that’s a weird weakness. He’s pretty quick once he gets going. He tends not to get too tight. Simpson > Santon. For us. Davide lad cost us goals on a weekly basis through sheer laziness. I don’t think Santon could have played at FB and Leicester win the league imo. Although he’s better suited to a possession based team than Simpson which we’ve not been for a long time.

Real have won the CL 3 times in a Ronaldo dominant side. It's a lot more too it than just the star thing.

Why did he take off Cavani?

No he wasn't. Santon was awful. Cost us so many goals, out of position loads, jogged back, let runners go, rarely contributed going forward etc... but he had a nice first touch, comfortable moving forward with the ball then passing it sideways so he didn't get stick here. The only merit this post has is yes - Simpson was likely goal side when you needed him to be unlike Santon who would saunter back. For a team always more likely to concede more goals in a season than score, it is helpful. Santon was so bad defensively and purposeless going forward I thought Haidara would be a better option ffs. He were pap too.

If Simpson wasn’t a particularly good defender what type of defenders are Yedlin, Janmaat, Santon et al? In the relegation season Janmaat got 6 assists. Yet he directly cost us many more goals. Iirc he was eventually dropped by Rafa because he was a liability. Janmaat didn’t get nearly as much stick for being a crap defender because he could play some which is hustling backwards imo.

I seem to remember Simpson getting rinsed on the regular tbf. You can't really accuse Dummett of the same for a good while now. On Simpson being a hoof merchant, you remember the pass he played to Sissoko to set up Cisse's goal away at Benfica? Glorious He didn’t really get rinsed regularly. He would back off a lot but constantly rinsed? Nah. Aye I think he had another one in that tie. Amazing stuff lol.

It isn’t easy to find a FB as good as Dummett defensively Who is considerably better going forward. Usually they will just be much better going forward. LB is one position Rafa hasn’t signed a first choice. Dummett with a couple others are the rare who are rarely rotated when fit.

I’ve long said Dummett rarely costs us goals. Compared to Janmaat, Yedlin, Manquillo, Santon etc.

Lots of revisionism here. Simpson got stick primarily because he was a hoof merchant.

I can’t name many a PL full back that are as good defensively as Dummett and are pretty good going forward. You’re more likely to get a Davide Santon. He was solid in the relegation season and had he stayed fit would’ve earned us some points. In the last 15 years the only left backs better than Dummett we’ve had are Bernard and Enrique. The stick is OTT.

Our stats are always much better with him in the team - probably wouldn't have gone down last time if he hadn't got injured. I agree with this 100%. For a team battling relegation, clean sheets and low conceding is massive. The last time I think we tried the Ginger one and the big booty one at LB and they cost us goals.

Felt he should've intercepted that first Martial chance. Other than that - solid as ever. Miles better than Manquillo and Mbemba at FB.

Aye where he and Diame have got this energy from - I don't know.

Love the catch seconds after the first Martial save

Still think it's too easy to play balls behind him. But it's great to have a reall ball playing CB to relieve pressure.

Smelling danger, putting in great challenges. And great in possession. Not a flashy game but this is up there with his debut. Brilliant.

With Palace - I feel like at some point Benteke will turn up and get some wins. This year he's been awful. Been in the PL 5 seasons, averages 13 goals a season. He's managed 2 all season.

You’ve got to be a dour bastard to have a strong dislike for Shola. The last time we were good, the lad played his part. Nice Geordie lad. He lived the dream. Ultimately was never good enough but he had some great moments. Put his body on the line when needed. Provided us with some great comedy too. Let Wor Shola live.

The name Shola Ameobi makes me smile.