Rich

Can’t knock it, really, but the second half was almost a monumental arse drop. I haven’t bricked it that much for years. The selection ultimately paid off. Burn scores and Murphy/Osula combine for one, then two subs seal it after two subs should’ve already sealed it. The celebrations on the bench when the third went in were as big as I recall seeing, it was a massive release of pressure. Safety secured, Howay the lads!

You’re a stupid cunt you like.

That front three is one of the most offensive things I’ve ever seen.

We are the loyalist…

Howe in the presser today effectively saying he thinks six transfers were ‘too many’ last summer and would be aiming for fewer signings this summer, and thereafter. Not really jiving with many of our hoped overhauls.

Not optimistic if we roll out the usual, but I do think Eddie might have a trick up his sleeve for this, as he’ll know as well as anyone that Brighton have had 10 days to prepare. I’m optimistically predicting a 5-3-2 on that basis, which will bamboozle Hurzeler and see us romping to a 3-1 win. Pope Miley Thiaw Botman Burn Hall Tonali Guimaraes Joelinton Gordon Osula

Was that an actual article? Thought Miggy was doing a bit.

It was 3-4-3 that day due to your manager being a mentalist. Palhinha was in CM with Sarr. Could've easily been four at the back with Porro and Gray as FBs, and Bissouma, Simons, or Gallagher as the extra midfielder (all came on as subs, it seems, along with Richarlison).

There do seem to be a good number who are more interested in being proven ‘right’ about him and will only give begrudging faint praise moving forward regardless of what happens, if we’re being honest.

It’ll be perfectly fine, the benchmark for those players is currently having us getting included on graphics for relegation in late April . There’s surely no way Botman goes on the back of the new contract, but I’d carry Gordon, Livramento, and Tonali to whomever will stump up acceptable money for them. There’s absolutely no way I’d be letting either of the Brazilians go, though, as that’s us losing our heart along with our best player and occasionally most talismanic player.

I think most pro-Howe people would argue to give him one settled summer and all of next season, unless things were looking terminal at any point. (I’d also be pushing for him to pay Simeone another visit or Enrique a visit in the summer if that’s what it’ll take to see him adapt/evolve our style.)

Howay Genuinely don’t understand how so many of you are this angry after one especially shoddy league season. I’m struggling directly after games at the moment, but when a day or two passes, I calm down and think about the bigger picture. Stick on the highlights from last season’s cup final is the best advice I can give anyone, or any of our best wins from the past few years. Let’s not completely erase what we’ve enjoyed under Howe, eh? And at the bare minimum, let’s at least speak about him in respectful terms.

This is the most erotic thing I’ve seen since that scene in Barbed Wire.

‘The "Unnatural Silhouette" Exception: As outlined in and discussed on, even if it hits another body part first, a foul can be given if the arm is extended in an unnatural position that disproportionately increases the body size.’

Seen this one before like.

After losing their only creative player to an ACL and seeing their main striker go off injured in that game, an’ all.

Sorted. I'm still hovering in 'yes' territory as far as backing him goes, but my gripes are growing by the week. As much as anything else, I'd just like to see us, as a club, stick by a manager through a bad period and see if we can come out of the other side smelling like roses. I do worry that Hopkinson's comments about 'expecting' a strong end to the season have painted him into a corner, though, especially now we've lost 3/3 since he made them.

Yorkie's grumpier than me these days, it's great. That's what fatherhood does to you, lads.

Then they just go short and score anyway.

What was your previous username? No serious human uses ‘toongranda@‘ as an email address.

Scott Parker duplicate atm, though that’s harsh on Parker. Tidy as fuck in possession, takes too many touches, doesn’t impact the game anywhere near enough in the bit of the pitch that matters. Thought post-PSG we’d got a gem, but he’s flattered to deceive more often than not since. Two goals and an assist in over 2,000 minutes (23 full games-ish) is woeful for an 8.

If we beat Brighton, I’ll show my bum in N-O’s window.

Respectfully disagree. Didn’t expect us to win, but having watched the game, a point was there for the taking for remotely competent side, which we currently aren’t.

Arsenal were buckling under pressure and scored from their third consecutive short corner, which we totally failed to respond to tactically. We created next to nothing, potentially could have had a red for Pope, and there’s no doubt that they let us have the ball as a tactical ploy because they recognised we were next to no threat in that scenario. It’s not the straw that broke the camel’s back, but it’s further evidence that either the manager is done or this group of players is.