Shak

Suppose he's gone a full season on the left without taking on a full back, shouldn't be a surprise that he didn't fancy his chances against Stockdale.

Just score you wanker.

If he told Darlow to immediately come out rashly for a ball he might lose, it worked out perfectly. Obviously didn't speak with enough energy and passion, if he has done so we would have scored by now.

Poor finish there from Atsu. Think we've done pretty well after a crap start tbh.

Ref has been top class.

Diame has engaged donkey mode for the evening it would seem.

Pass it to Atsu FFS

A huge advantage of Gouffran starting up front is that it means no Gouffran on the left.

Don't think there's anyone left who thinks he'll come good for us in the long term. As long as Gayle is out though we're basically stuck with either him or Murphy so just have to hope he can find a goal or two from somewhere. I personally would like to see us start Gouffran up top with Atsu keeping his place out left but I don't think it'll happen. Partially smug about this but also partially convinced we'll get thumped and I'll look stupid.

Have said a few times that I reckon that might be the way to go with Gayle out so delighted to see it given a go. Looking forward to this, come on!

Don't think there's anyone left who thinks he'll come good for us in the long term. As long as Gayle is out though we're basically stuck with either him or Murphy so just have to hope he can find a goal or two from somewhere. I personally would like to see us start Gouffran up top with Atsu keeping his place out left but I don't think it'll happen.

Win you absolute cunts.

I hate playing shit teams.

Agree with that tbh. But I'm a small man in some ways, Bart. A small, petty man. Hope we don't sign him.

Would prefer we signed him and used him in the PL to be honest. Honestly think if there's money to be spent and we're in the PL we could do much better than him. He's a lot better than Gouffran obviously but let's not pretend he's some sort of superstar. I'd also be concerned that both he and Ritchie are best suited to playing on the right, would prefer a player who plays his best stuff on the left. If he came to compete with Ritchie then that would be good but if we go into next year in the Premiership with Ritchie and Townsend as our starting wingers then it'll be a long season.

I'm somewhat interested in seeing Gouffran up top tbh, he's more mobile than the other options. This is doubtless partly influenced by my absolute hatred of watching him try to play out wide. Atsu left and Gouffran up top is as good as Gouffran left and any of the striking options IMO.

Must say, I'd dearly love to see this lad playing in the Championship next year and us to have someone better than him tearing shit up in the Premiership.

I'd agree that he's being played out of position tbh, I wouldn't be at all against him starting up top instead of Mitrovic while Gayle is out. Gives us a bit of mobility at least. On the wing though he's utterly awful and a huge reason that we are so hopeless at trying to take the game to teams.

Apart from the odd goal here and there. Yeah, his one goal every 429 minutes he's been on the pitch this year has really made it worthwhile having an absolute hindrance to our general attacking play on the left wing. Ritchie has a goal every 312 minutes and Atsu a goal every 238 minutes by the way, and as a bonus neither of them are utterly terrified of being asked to receive or play a pass.

Seriously ? I suspect he's not talking about tonight's game, given he made the post a couple of weeks ago.

Not sure first season in the PL is going to be much more enjoyable TBH It has to be, tbh. It will, we'll do better against teams who'll attack us and we might actually play someone on the left who isn't terribly afraid of footballs.

Glad we won but we need to get out of this division and buy some better players. Can't be watching this shite much longer.

Not even in his free time because he enjoys it.

Gouffran is so bad man. I hate him.