TRon

I think we have to sit deeper if we are going to continue with Burn and Schar as the CBs. Then hopefully hit the likes of Isak and Barnes for the counters. I doubt it will work out that successfully in reality, but with the players we have, surely makes the most sense.

Hall and Bruno were the two others I thought had decent games, after that I'm struggling.

Thought Joelinton was our best player today tbh.

Said already I think we are going out. We won't win on penalties so we have to straight up win this game in 90 mins. I just can't see it.

I remember early on seeing him chasing between Chelsea players frantically without getting anywhere near them and thinkiing he looks like he knows he doesn't belong here. Then I never noticed him again. I think he just basically stayed away from the ball and scuttled busily around the pitch in other areas.

Yeah we aren't going to get better by selling our best players. The only reason we'll end up doing it is because we can't sell our shit ones.

Forgot he started today, don't think I can remember a single noteworthy contribution.

Honestly looks to me like the players don't even have confidence in the high line any more either. Burn just gave up the ghost for that first goal, he knew he was never catching Jackson. Howe has to address it at some point.

8-9th for me. I don't see us getting Europe unless Wilson miraculously plays the second half of the season. We are too easy to score against.

I think he'd almost certainly be a disaster here.

The issue for me is how you marry tactics to the players on the pitch. If you press high with two slow central defenders, and a DM who is also on the slow side, there's obviously going to be massive gaps if you lose the ball upfield. Pretty much every goal we concede has elements of that about it. Certainly both today did.

Going to agree there. Felt like however well we played when it ws 0-0 against Brighton, once we went behind that was that. Never really felt like we were getting anything today either despite Chelsea looking far from solid at the back. We were giving away far too many chances.

Defensively he'll always be a potential liability when he gets caught upfield, but with the ball he's still the one who makes stuff happen. Technically he's miles better than everyone else.

Yeah he did well to actually take the keeper out of it with some great close control, just felt like he ran out os space and time in the end. Not sure anyone else even makes that into a chance tbh.

He looked like he was relishing it which bodes well for the future.

It's a fucking goal man.

Gan on wor Geordie Spaniard!

I still think we used up all our goals in that 6-1 drubbing of Spurs. Every shot we hit was flying in.

Thought Joelinton was one of our best players today mind, far more involved than Tonali, although I do think Tonali moving the ball on quickly means you don't notice him as much.

That's what will happen. I don't really get the gone by Xmas talk, we aren't about to make such a rash decision with a manager who's largely overperformed if anything.

Agree. People can have a dig at him for not performing at CL level, but if he is sold, a CL club will come in for him.

I actually think the failure to put away the lesser teams is doing his reputation more damage than games like this one.

Yep. Because of his height, all he has to do is get his head on the ball to defend the box. But the loopy headers are useless at set pieces.

Weirdly, it feels like we had a more cohesive team in his first season when we fought out of relegation. We knew what our strengths were, and were very difficult to break down. Now it feels like every time we lose the ball there's a chance on a plate for the opposition.

I was pissed off to say the least when I saw Kelly coming on and it was to replace Hall instead of Burn.