TRon

Even worse when you consider that Rafa usually had a much better second half of the season with us, probably due to managing injuries and using his squad wisely. Everton really should have given him the season once they decided to bring him in, but I can understand the pressure their horrible fans put on the board, very difficult not to capitulate once the players joined in. What a horrible club they have turned into.

Definitely. You need to have players who are good enough to improve you, but with someone like Targett who seems really keen to be part of the project, that's got to be worth a few million in itself. Doesn't look like he breaks easily either judging how he came out of that studs to the shin tackle in the Brentford game.

Cheers, didn't realise there was more than one tbf.

He's pretty decent going forward, I just think once you start talking about £20m plus, you expect to see someone who can swing in really dangerous crosses from full back, and that's the only thing I haven't seen much of yet. But I'm not going to complain at £15m, not only is he a very accomplished defender, he also seems like the type of player you want in your team.

I read today that he is signing a new contract with Leicester.

I think it's a fair fee tbh, he's a great defender, but he's not going to give you the attacking options of a Kieron Trippier type of full back. More than happy to have him here though, he's solid as a rock, and he's tidy enough going forward as well.

Pardew's 3-0 loss to the sliding cunt Di Canio. Never forget. Never forgive.

Can't believe how well we've done recently without a goal scoring striker.

Really don't want to see Liverpool win the title, Klopp's arrogance would go off the scale.

1-1. Shit.

Well that's always going to be the case when we play better teams tbh, because he's too slow to get anywhere near the best players. He'll have stinkers against all the CL teams as well. It's not his fault, he's done well recently, but that's because we have played teams in the bottom half of the table mostly.

Amanada Staveley should really be more careful what she says, Jonathan Northcroft writing in the Times has used that quote to have a go at her and the club's links to Saudi Arabia. She needs to take a leaf out of Eddie's playbook and straight bat every question she isn't forced to answer. It's not NUFC's fault that the PL has always took the money. Chelsea won what, 19 trophies under the Russian?

Was wondering when this game was coming around as they seem to be in great form, and getting results against some very good sides lately. I'd take a point all day against these right now, and I think we'll get it.

Those little dinks over the keeper are actually the mark of someone who knows how to finish. I think Howe sees a player in there, same as Rafa did. Reminds me a lot of when we had James Milner here, and he got slated for always being a nearly man. Murphy's not that different, he's got everything in the locker to be an amazing player, but never quite seems to produce when it matters. But look what happened to Milner oncehe left and the expectation was off him. I think at worst Murphy will be a good squad player, I can see us keeping him on tbh.

Yeah he doesn't really deserve to be lumped with those guys, and I did sort of say that albeit in a not very generous manner, but I think Moyes has a ceiling, but nothing wrong with that. It's higher than most, and he's earned respect in the game. I'm at a happy place with Bruce as well today. While I always like to see frauds lose, when they pick up the odd win it keeps the ride going a bit longer. Brucey destruction of a club is usually a slow burn, WBA fans will be feeling vindicated today, but they actually need him in charge for at least a year so they can be educated on the nuances of media presentation of a big name manager credentials, and the reality.

He might make a costly mistake or two even once he's up to speed, he seems to have immense confidence in his ability to hold the ball under pressure, and he does seem to look for the really ambitious pass through the eye of a needle. It's what makes him a danger for the opposition, but obviously those type of plays are a bit more risky than a Colback sideways pass to someone 3 yards away. This reminds me of the doubts about Diego Carlos and his penchant for sometimes costing goals directly, presumably because of his tough tackling, but the Sevilla view was that he was worth all that money because of the goals he saved for the same reason. It's what a player brings to the table overall that counts.

He is.

In the first half I actually thought Murphy was equally as menacing down the other side, he was getting behind their defence constantly. The difference was the end product. Fraser was causing havoc with his crosses, and got the goal, Murphy's threat fizzles out in the penalty area like a damp squib.

But Conjo is right, he did really well with his hold up and through ball for that first goal. This was a decent performance compared to others where we have had much more of the ball.

Yeah, said the same in the Joelinton thread. He was the only one getting close to the opposition.

He was the only one who was giving them the hurry up, I'll bet his stats were still pretty decent today, even in a game where the opposition ran rings round us.

I know it makes people nervous, but his willingness to take an extra second on the ball under pressure, and release the right pass is what will take us to the next level. He'll get better as he gets more time on the pitch from the start.

100% agree with this. Players who can hold the ball under pressure and find the out ball are what separate football teams from cloggers. We need more of these, not less.

I think if it's on the six yard line he has to claim it tbh. He flapped at two of those today, and that's two too many.

They play great football but have the cutting edge of breadstick.