80

All depends on the quality of the manager e.g. using such things as an excuse for defeat before a match has begun. Lucky, ours is great!

Yes, it seems like everyone is willing this transfer to work. I can hardly complain, usually I'm pissed off with people doing precisely the opposite, as with Gordon, so I'm leaning on the grateful side. Still, it's an interesting phenomenon.

It wouldn't be anywhere near as good with Emery, I'm sure of it.

Given his record since, it really is unfortunate one of Miggy's rockets didn't go in that day.

Easy to forget he's only a year older than Gordon, too. I say that as someone who wasn't as delighted with his performance last night as others. He wasn't bad, just not amazing. The many balls he played into nowhere for no real reason would've had people screaming had it been Gordon six months ago. But I have faith, and it's definitely not the day for picking at things. Glad to see him looking more and more settled.

In spite of last night, I don't think we can give to much credit to Eddie Howe for the performance. You need to consider that the team won't really have adopted his style yet. We're only two years in and we'll still largely be piggybacking on Steve Bruce's vision.

...and the other was playing for Wigan Athletic in League One 5 years ago as a 26 year old journeyman. Remarkable.

I was watching his eyeballs closely for signs of reading

Had images of Murphy playing 70 minutes as a forward when Isak went down with that head injury. It was him, Anderson or Gordon, and I didn't really want to sacrifice Gordon on the left.

Probably his best non-attacking game for us last night, if you see that I mean. Gave everything he could.

Basically agree. The Champion's League has become a lot more mythical than it was 20 years ago. It's still magic to be in it of course, but some seem to see it like beatification. Including the professionals, not just talking about fans. So much of the football-industrial complex is tied up in it now, it basically is the upper rung of the caste system, so the serotonin levels are overflowing for many.

Amazing how petrified the human mind can be if you overload it with arcane rules and jeopardy.

What a creep!

I'm saying get rid of VAR because the entire phenomenon is shit and the conversations surrounding it are shit. It's as interesting as an overhanging trainer sole in a long distance jump attempt at a regional athletics tournament. Yep, without VAR it may* have been given offside and we'd have all moved on with our lives within 12 hours of it happening as was historically the case. *"May" as VAR has 1) forced changes to the offside law implementation meaning a stray nostril incurs an offside, and 2) because the on pitch officials know they are under VAR scrutiny and their performances will be judged by fellow professionals, it will likely influence their decision making re: not wanting to be seen as sloppy and 'missing' infractions. I predict over strict will be seen as more professionally respectable than over lenient in the referee trade.

Think there must be something wrong with the lad given he clearly has talent but never seems to be favoured anywhere.

Seem to remember it was originally his mother's.

I know, no offence intended. Just funny to think of this even crossing the mind of virtually any other Premier League club's support. It's harsh on the Dutch League, and I don't like what's happened to the modern game at all, but Minteh probably views his time there pretty similarly to how Anderson saw Bristol Rovers. Lovely, but not the destination.

Shows the damage Mike Ashley did that people can worry about our youth players having their heads turned by the development clubs they go to We're in the Champion's League, we're backed by filthy rich people who are setting us up to be squarely among the very best - there's nothing to worry about!

Says something that we won so comfortably given the litany of mistakes that were made today. I'm taking it as a positive. Nice to be able to screw up multiple game events and still come up with the goods.

Just saw a clip of him where he seemed to be ginger on a leg, but you'll know better.

Looked uncomfortable on his feet the other night so I'm not too optimistic...

Certainly not his best game but we're overlooking his turn and run which set up Joelinton for the winning goal...

Hard to see him not getting our player of the season award as things stand. Still raw but he's taking a lot of responsibility on and becoming totemic for us.