Shak

Really hate that team selection. Hope it works.

I'm worried that he evidently seems to have decided that Diame and Gayle is what he wants as the front two and he's going to just persist with it, regardless of the form/quality of Diame or the fact that they don't really link up well at all. Not really fair that Perez and Mitro had one game together and looked dynamite only to both be dropped.

You're joking right? Can't believe that. Also the idea that it wasn't a penalty. Gouff fucking hammers the guy in the back of the legs, getting nowhere near the ball. Doesn't matter if the Norwich player baits Gouffran into making the challenge, it's still a fucking penalty.

He's started one game man. He scored in that game.

I love the use of the term "fan boys", like being a fan of a player who plays for the team we're fans of is some sort of absurdity. Such a dimwitted viewpoint like, the idea that starting a big centre forward means you can only hoof it long all day.

Baffling that people seem to have developed a dislike of the guy based on a couple of poor sub performances. He's had one start so far and we won 6-0 and were excellent, by all accounts. Hope he gets a proper run in the team soon.

Mint. Got to be those two up top from now on. If not it should be that pattern, Mitrovic or Murphy with Gayle Perez or Diame with the larger one leading the line Yep, I've been beating this drum for a while. We simply don't have a quality #10 in the squad so we need a target man of some sort to act as a focal point.

Ouch.

Baby woke up crying three minutes into injury time. Just seen the result. Class.

He's started one league game for us and we won 6-0.

This'll turn out to be raising money for the IRA. Tiocfaidh ár Rafá! http://i4.irishmirror.ie/incoming/article7818943.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Liverpool-v-Newcastle.jpg

What delightful news. I bet he's cried loads today, delighted for the stupid fat cunt.

Cracking half that, great ball retention when Villa pressed us. Shelvey's passing has been great to watch and Yedlin gives us a whole new dimension. Still think we look a bit uninspired in the final third but we've had so much possession that we've eked out some good chances. Hope we don't take our foot off the gas.

Gayle up top alone is fucking stupid. Look forward to another game where we look fucking shite in possession. Hopefully we can nick a goal on the break or from a set piece.

Dave's years on dogging forums finally coming in handy.

It will be that with Diame in for Mitrovic I reckon. I fear you may be right, like I said I'm done with Gayle leading the line alone. It basically assures that we'll be unable to do anything other than try and hit them on the counter.

Sels Yedlin Mbemba Lascelles Dummett Shelvey Hayden Ritchie Gayle Gouffran Mitrovic What I'd go with, amazed as I am to be choosing Gouffran. Really don't want to see Gayle up top on his own, think he could flourish playing off Mitro.

Honestly think we should start Mitrovic or Murphy every game. You can't reasonably expect to consistently get the ball into good positions unless you have either... - A quality attacking midfielder/forward who has the touch, intelligence and range of passing necessary to find space between midfield and attack and receive the ball there, keep it and intelligently distribute it. - A target man who excels at receiving the ball with his back to goal and has the strength to hold in to it until the midfield gets forward to support him. While I'd prefer the former in an ideal world, we don't have such a player in our squad (De Jong actually fit the bill here, but he obviously couldn't be depended on) so I reckon we have to use the other one. You can still win games playing without either, we've showed that this year, but you're basically depending on defending well and pulling a goal out of your arse somehow. Pardewball, in essence. I'd like us to be able to take the game to teams a bit more. Personally think it should always be Mitro/Murphy with Gayle/Perez playing just off whoever we have leading the line. Dunno where that leaves Diame, competing for Shelvey's spot perhaps. Hayden/Colback/Tiote in the mix at holding midfielder. Ritchie, Atsu, Aarons and Gouffran the wide players. Obviously we need a new winger.

He'd have been competing for a spot against Gayle and Perez, he wouldn't have got much game time. I think loaning him out was the best thing for him, the regular football will stand to him later.

Emotions running high, people not thinking clearly. Also, the incessant need to overanalyze everything. To be fair some people have been saying it for ages. Gayle looks more likely to score than Mitro but the team as a whole would probably look better with Mitrovic in there to give us an outlet. It was the same with Cisse last season. I'd honestly have Mitro in the team every game and when he's out I'd really consider starting Murphy. We don't have a true #10 capable of linking midfield to attack so if teams can press us high up the field we're forced to go direct, which when Gayle is on the field is basically giving up possession. I really wish we'd just play two up top.

Perhaps I'm naive but I think Rafa will sort this. We'll get a point at least.

I don't like us playing with Gayle leading the line. Mitro might not be sharp in front of goal but he certainly gives us the option to go direct when needed as his hold up play is excellent. Not that I'm watching this game or anything, just a general feeling.

Really don't think Gayle up top on his own is any good for our general play, there's no outlet if we need to go direct.

Disappointed that we're persisting with Gouffran now that we've got better options.

But why? Hes been poor all season. He hasn't played on the left all season though, perhaps he wants to see him in a position where he'll get more of the ball at his feet. Aye, this basically. He's looked awful as a #10 and with the way Rafa likes his wide men playing on the "wrong" side so they can cut inside on their preferred foot I do think that the left might be where Perez ends up. In terms of ability he's one of our best players, we should be looking to get him playing well again rather than having him sit on the bench while we persist with Gouffran out there.