Shak

I can understand his reluctance to start Shelvey and Diame in CM so I can deal with Perez being benched. His loyalty to Gouffran on the left is fucking annoying though. Atsu has looked good in his recent cameos, he deserves a chance given that Gouffran is absolutely shit.

Hoping for that too. Perez has been better recently but Diame is a better foil for Gayle. Sick to fucking death of the double donkey brothers down the left so hope to fuck Gouffran is out for this.

He'd be dreadful there. Spending his whole week trying to prepare for some shitty left winger that plays for Hibs or some shit, playing for 1-0 wins at Ibrox against relegation candidates.

You obviously haven't been paying attention to how inept Perez is at tracking back and defending! Dummett would have his work cut out trying to defend 2 v 1s all game if Perez was on that side of the park. Anyway, not going to happen as Rafa knows how exposed we'd be down that flank with the prancing show pony there. You must have loved it when we were starting Ryan Taylor on the right wing ahead of Ben Arfa. Dat tracking back, the single most important attribute for the left winger in a 4-2-3-1. Perez is no Ben Arfa though, is he? In fact, there is no guarantee that he'd give us any more offensively than Gouff on the left is there? Like I said, never going to happen! He's no Ben Arfa, I agree with that. Just would like to see him given a go out there. Just to clarify your following point... you're saying you are against trying to improve the team because there's no gaurantee it will work?

I've just seen this. Such fucking bullshit.

Which would be all well and good if we had someone on the left who works hard AND can make things happen in the final third. We don't though. We have Gouffran and he's an absolute shambles as an offensive force. It's a large part of the reason that we're so bad once we go behind or have to take the game to our opponents, one of our three AMs is basically worthless. In an ideal world for Rafa we'd have another Ritchie type to play down the left, someone who's good going both ways. That's why he wanted Townsend back so badly and was pissed it didn't happen. So the choice is now a grafter who offers nothing going forward but will do what's needed in defense or else a player with some ability who isn't as reliable defensively. I can see why Benitez is making the choice, doesn't mean I have to agree with it and doesn't mean I think I know more about football than him.

You obviously haven't been paying attention to how inept Perez is at tracking back and defending! Dummett would have his work cut out trying to defend 2 v 1s all game if Perez was on that side of the park. Anyway, not going to happen as Rafa knows how exposed we'd be down that flank with the prancing show pony there. You must have loved it when we were starting Ryan Taylor on the right wing ahead of Ben Arfa. Dat tracking back, the single most important attribute for the left winger in a 4-2-3-1.

Exposed to what? Did the Championship become awash with world class attacking full-backs when I wasn't paying attention? Literally the only thing Dummett can do is defend, we don't have to play a second donkey on that side to protect him. A far bigger issue is that both of the players down our left flank are absolutely dreadful attacking threats and it's basically pointless trying to go at teams down that side. I'd actually prefer to give Atsu starts there but Perez would be worth a look too IMO.

What you getting at ya daft little s****. You guys have such a romance. Ronaldo the power bottom?

His best position is probably alongside a big man in a front two in a team that uses real wingers IMO. In Rafa's system out left is the only place I can see him being of use. He's too slow to lead the line and gets caught in possession too often to play the #10.

What does that have to do with anything?

Perez has been a disaster out on the left tbf. Would rather he sticks with Diame at CM, Perez number 10 behind Gayle and Ritchie and Atsu out wide. He was a disaster wherever he played though. Maybe now that he's actually in a bit of form he'd have more joy. I don't know, I just really don't want to see Gouffran and am up for whatever to make that happen. No idea why Atsu hasn't had more chances there. Not sure Diame and Shelvey in CM is the best idea tbh, at least not when Hayden is available. It's better than Colback starting though for sure.

Be interesting to see how Rafa approaches the Perez/Diame issue over the coming weeks. Perez has finally found some form but Diame has been better there this year and is a better partner for Gayle. Really wish Rafa would give Perez a few games on the left in Gouffran's place. The way he sets up the team doesn't really call for pacey wingers who can get to the byline so Perez's lack of pace wouldn't be a big issue IMO. It's not like Gouffran is doing anything out there anyway that we'll miss.

Can just picture them in ten years, relegated from the football league and going into administration, still adamant that it was hilarious. They remind me of these guys. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEy2byPu1cM

Was Ritchie injured or how on earth did this guy stay on instead? Desperately need someone who isn't rubbish out there for the coming games. Rafa seems to not trust Atsu but honestly what the fuck does Gouffran do? I wouldn't mind seeing Perez out there with Diame off Gayle. (I didn't see the game obviously, feels a pretty safe assumption that Gouffran offered absolutely nothing out wide as ever though.)

Dion Dublin

Looks from that we probably should have won three or four nil. Two awful howlers to give away goals and then missed a load of chances ourselves and were unlucky with a couple of others. Hopefully we won't regret it in May.

What the fuck does he see in Gouffran man? Absolute waste of space.

Messi has been absolutely awful.

Taking off Di Maria for some reason.

Ruining your bets?

glorious The man in the plastic mask on to save the day though.

Barca just getting absolutely walloped in the arse.

Agreed. Anyone else does that while on a yellow card and everyone would be calling them stupid for it. He'd been booked and swung his leg hopefully towards a ball that the keeper was clearly going to claim despite the fact that a defender was shielding the ball from him. I don't think he was trying to hurt the keeper but does that matter? It was incredibly thick of him.

The ball was utterly unwinnable. Had it been a 50/50 ball it would have been rash but understandable for him to go in and catch the keeper and risk a yellow. This though was just fucking dimwitted, no good was ever coming from that challenge and we were very lucky that he got away with it. Not arsed about him anymore tbh. Still reckon there's a good player in there and when he's playing well he's a fun player to cheer for because he's a bit mental. However, he's an awful fit in Rafa's system and seems to be a bit thick. He's also prone to the whole feigning injury shite which is embarrassing for a guy with his size and playing style. Cons probably outweigh the pros for me at this point, sadly.