STM

Can someone direct me to where I may be able to view this?

How?

What did he say?

Whose captain? Should be Richie, probably Shelvey.

Dummett had a good game midweek and there is no legitimate alternative, since Lazaar is an unknown quantity in defence. Gouffran doesnt offer enough going forward, admittedly.

I think Diame will be key.

Lascelles on bench. Can't be that injured. Good team. I like the look of that front two.

I think Mitrovic and Diame would be a refreshing change. A bit of power and pace.

It's the players who are required to get this result, not the fans.

He will get backed in the summer but how much money and how many of his targets will Charnley and Co get?

I need to hear from Rafa's mouth that everything's okay. Even better, I need to hear from penfold that he is sorry and that he made a mistake. That would be progress in my eyes. I fully expect Rafa to dampen the fire in this press conference but ultimately give us no reassurance about the future. Which means it will haunt us until the summer, when things will come to a head.

You meeting Rafa Nut? Tell him not to gan and that my boss is a wanker too.

Rafa is class, he walked into a mess and sorted it out top (well almost top) to bottom. He's done a good job, with a relatively inexperienced squad. The games we have lost can't really be held against Rafa. He's played the same players, the same tactics and the players have been inconsistent. Look we are still second but we need to take a mental breather and sort ourselves out. Perhaps the manager could look at his tactics slightly, it would be nice for him to mix things up from time to time. Let's remember Brighton have been utterly relentless and we are still in touch with them.

They have to match what McClaren got like. Any less is a joke.

Funny enough I think, if we go up, he will get money to spend. They have just taken a massive and unnecessary gamble by not signing anyone now.

I think he will make changes. Darlow Yedlin Hanley Clark Dummett Hayden Shelvey Richie Diame Lazaar/Ameobi (Rafa seems to like him) Mitrovic

No manager has full control, it's about compromise. He wanted a couple of players and they are penny pinching again.

Jesus. Watching that, he's not a happy bunny like. Blatant pop at Charnley and Co. Rafa goes and I'm done.

I think he's a good player bit bah he was awful last night.

Aye that will be the team.

Starts what? Learning how to play football? I will be shocked if Murphy isn't back in.

To make a decent go of it - which Rafa will want to ensure - we'll need 2 centre backs, 2 full backs, an attacking mid, a winger and a striker. That's if Krul returns, too. What's a decent go of it?

Sometimes I think it's lost on people that it's a team game. There's no chance in hell that we got relegated last year with Rafa in charge for the full season. He would have has us solid, disciplined and organised. I don't think we would have been pulling up trees but we would have been comfortably lower mid table. If we get promoted I'd expect similar. An organised side which doesn't throw away daft points, gets some decent wins away and generally is pretty comfortable. Even with the squad we have now. Rafas sides aren't about individuals, it's a team thing and I think we'd need an awful squad not to survive with him at the helm IMO. Give him the money that McClaren got (83m was it?) and I see no reason why wouldn't be around mid table next year. Anything more than midtable is fantasy world, for now.

The truth is, I just don't KNOW what happened. We are all scarred from memories of the past and worried that previous transfer strategy is back with a vengeance. I'm not so sure. I don't think it was ever the intention to spend big in this window, not unless our promotion push was severely under threat, which it isn't. I think we were very much in the "if the deals right", area, which is a dangerous place to be if Charney is doing the negotiations. He's a tight cunt and isn't going to spend anything he doesn't need to spend. I also think some of it has to do with WHEN they spend money. I'm no finance expert but they seem to have strict rules with the accounts. Probably something to do with wanting to be balance sheet champions again. I suspect Rafa isn't particularly concerned that we haven't signed anyone, despite saying he wanted a couple of players (all managers want players). I'm sure he has every confidence on gaining promotion, especially with the ACON lads back and Gayle returning from injury soon. I think Rafa will be content for now but if they are tight twats in the summer, we may have problems.

Didn't want the cunt anyways....Where's the tissues?