LionOfGosforth

Aye, I think he does like. He's been shafted by injuries, huge player upheaval, international disruptions. Things will improve, they always do.

No I meant the implication that we signed them with no idea as to why we did. Ramsey will be a top signing in time, he offers a lot with ball carrying and getting in goal scoring positions, just needs to stay fit. The wingers need to improve and I think they will.

Are you just trying to get bites

Immune from criticism, no. But those passive-aggressive "I'm not saying he should be fired but..." posts, where the implication is you actually think he should be, will rightly be called out for being nonsense. If you look back in this thread, they've been there in each of his seasons. Would love to know who people would prefer, be good for a laugh.

Can't really argue with any of that

Million percent. We do start slowly, as if the interruptions of international football and other changes affect us more than everyone else. Maddening and costs us points each season.

Made the same point earlier. When you're used to building your play and centering on a focal point that entirely changes and has completely different strengths, it's an adjustment period and a transitional season is largely to be expected.

What do you consider "forging on in the league"? Finishing in the CL places 2 of the last 3 seasons not enough forging for you?

Massive problem in the modern game that never gets talked about, or if it does, it's referred to as being "streetwise". Fucking hate it.

Think I preferred him the way he was (except the disciplinary stuff), all raw fury and in full backs faces, constantly driving outside and trying to create or score instead of feebly drifting inside and laying it off. He is more refined now and capable of more subtlety in his game but I don't think he's as effective, certainly not for us and it's been a while now.

Conundrum this lad like. Talks a great game off the park but where has that aggressive, go outside his fullback 10 times a game and fuck it all attitude from his Everton days gone to? Strange one.

Joined September 20th, seen it all and just telling it like it is man

Fair. Gordon not reproducing for us what he does for England, Elanga hasn't settled yet and Barnes doesn't get a run which I doubt helps much. Think we also need to recognize a huge way of how we played centered around service to The Rat and now we have an entirely different CF and it needs time. Appreciate that it's hard to find much to smile about after a day like today though.

I think we are trying to become a bit more possession-based and not as high-press and high intensity. Honestly not sure if we're committing to it or not for evolution purposes though, we may just be trying to learn the lessons of 2 years ago.

To be fair, I think Bruno and Tonali are both very comfortable on the ball, Joelinton and that whole left side was a big problem today, plus our usual inability to deal with that prick up top for them.

We've always been streaky under Howe. We're a side that badly needs confidence and rythmn and that's hard to find with such a summer of upheaval plus all the international shit. Confident it will turn around quickly, Wolte is a brilliant signing as is Thiaw and I think Ramsey will show it given a run without injury. We might be evolving a bit and patience is needed.

So let's just characterize his entire career as such based on a half an hour in a fixture we always struggle in, after injury. Sweet.

rubbish

Ramsey please

You said it was rubbish, I said i'd missed the whinging when the game was barely 2 minutes old. Give it a rest

I just explained it. Maybe give the players longer than 2 minutes before jumping all over them. We haven't played well today, that's clear, it wasn't clear 140 seconds into the game. It's hyperbolic nonsense.

What are you going on about? Giving an appraisal for 45 minutes of football is quite different than immediately saying the whole thing is rubbish 2 minutes in.

No shit man, whinging and then whinging for being called out for whinging is something else

Well if you can't tell the difference between assessing an entire half as poor and immediately jumping on the first misplaced pass, not sure what to tell you