The College Dropout

Merino with a really poor ball. Ayoze with a real lack of conviction. Sigh,

Seems like Rafa gets more criticism than any of our previous (British) managers from pundits.

The second half would make Mourinho proud. All the possession to Napoli, but the match could have continued on for several more hours without Buffon being seriously threatened. Thought the last few (Mourinho & Conteless) games between the big teams have been very good this season imo.

Any club he’s been at with an ounce of self respect has hounded some out for his dour pile of shit. Mourinho is a bit more honest too. He’ll get his 6 footers in and you know - win trophies. He’s a bad winner. Sam acts like he has to play hoof ball because of money but that’s his one and only style. And he won’t get close to winning any trophies while he does it. He’s a good loser.

England. Senegal. Nigeria. Panama.

Not hated no. Got sacked before he could. When things got really bad he was sacked. While of course with us he should’ve been sacked several times over.

I'm sure that was the season when he said we could push for a Champion League place after we made our summer signings (De Jong, Riviere, Cabella, Perez etc) then quickly back tracked about 4 games into the season and said we'd do well to stay up or should be happy with mid table or something. Boiled my p*ss at the time! He was smoking crack if he said that. Like now... we desperately needed a striker. I think Cisse scored 2 league goals the previous season, Remy went to Chelsea. We brought in Riviere..... awful at CB too. And CM. And RB. He was too cowardly to fight Ashley and he couldn't fight the crowd either so he slipped out the back door. We were due another crap run of results and it had just started when he left. But he did well to fluke those 25 or so points he got. SMC and Carver both proved to be even less able than Pardew. I think he'll keep them safe for this season and get sacked next season.

He did well to get those points the season he left tbh. I thought we would struggle all season but Perez,Cisse fires us to a decent 6 or so game unbeaten run with mostly victories. That side was truly awful.

all set pieces? Might as well play him AM.

Chris Wood cost Burnley £15m. Think Gray was similar to Watford. Our striker cost £5m. Wow.

Aye. From the first game they looked much better. And they play nice stuff too. Look much more like Puel's Nice side.

That's the sort of centre back he is - blocks, clearances, aerial battles, deep defending. It's not a backhanded compliment. Are we talking about the same defender here? He's an organiser, a leader, great in the air in both boxes. "Blocks, clearances and deep defending" is you trying to put him in a box. He's no Sergio Ramos but he mostly plays the ball on the ground.

Always feel like there's backhanded compliments with Lascelles. Wtf is a "proper stopper"? He's a defender, a good one. And seemingly a leader of men and an organiser too.

Both being hailed as heroes as they keep two teams not currently in the relegation zone out of the relegation zone is far more likely. Nothing short of a miracle if Big Sam keeps up a squad not in the relegation zone that had £140m spent on it in the Summer. Spent buckets at Palace and had excellent loans. Feel like he also spent a fair bit at Sunderland. Managed both of those teams from December. Only got out of trouble in April = Big Sam working wonders. He'll start slowly, spend £50m in January. Pull away by March and the plaudits will roll in.

Nah, think that’s too simply put. Needs a full match but has to be with Merino. I think we should try and start with our most talented team and that includes Shelvey. But I have a suspicion he could be more impactful when the game is stretched and he's that bit faster than the other players.

Premier league experience though. These guys don’t build good sides man. A lot of these have manage aides that they’ve relegated or were relegated within a couple seasons of them leaving. It’s a cycle of shit.

Yep, some lovely touches between them hell we were even good to watch for the last 15 mins or so Aye, that period was all us and we were unlucky not to win in the end. When everyone is back fit, particularly Lascelles, we have a canny bottom half PL side that can play decent stuff at times. Mainly down to Rafa's ability as a manager that though. Think most of the sides down there can play decent stuff with a fully fit team in confidence. West Brom's goals were nice for example.

Maybe people will just call it as they see it? He was utterly diabolical at times and has improved considerably in the two most recent games. Unfortunately those people are often what is wrong with the modern day football supporter. As long as you show support and encouragement I don't see the problem in pointing out afterwards a players performance. People shouldn't moan and groan in the stands but at the pub we can say "that Murphy looks like a deer caught in the headlights". Now he's starting, he's relaxing and showing his ability. At some point I can see him going on a run of goals and creating a load of chances. He's growing.

When Matt Ritchie is your most creative player you are going to struggle massively

Might be better off the bench when there's more space for his balls and the opps are tired.

Aye confidence is massive in football

Rot stopped. Goals - plural - scored. Away points in the bag. Happy with that tbf.

All 4 from our CB's from set pieces right? We are turboshit from open play.

Lascelles obviously had more influence than most of us realised. Mbemba at left back seemed to help also. The confidence we had built has gone. With Lascelles injured the confidence to defend and apparently - his ability to defend and organise also went out the window.

Our front 4. Joselu. Ayoze. Ritchie. Murphy. How many league goals between them? 4? Maybe 5? When we concede, everyone's head drops. We know we'll struggle to get anything from the game.