Yorkie

Before they punish ours...

Need to punish their sloppiness

Difficult tbf

Ah such a chance Willie

Need better from Sandro. Letting the side down ATM

Howay Hall, not with two of em there

Onside ffs

Need to test this goalie

Christ I thought that was in

Good start, howay get a goal

Stadium looking absolutely resplendent

Match thread

I suppose Gordon did ruin PSG when he came on the other week. Just relying on the game still being in the balance at that point.

Absolutely tragic that neither Wissa or Woltemade can get in ahead of Osula on a night like this. How long does Wissa need FFS? I've always thought Wissa made a lot of sense as a signing but fuck me it's been a disaster.

Gordon was gonna be absolutely crucial. Meh, just sums it up. If they're not crocked by the schedule they've got the shits. Typical. Confidence has plummeted now, I have to say. I like Willie but he can't lead the line, like. Buuuut you never know, do you.

To quote the late great Alan Pardew, thank god we're not in Europe next year

Think this is the most excited I've been this season since the last game against them. See that as a dress rehearsal and nail our lines this time, it could be special. We're gonna be absolutely pumped.

Glorious. @Mike @Rich time to let it go. Alberto's video needs an audience. FIFA 11/12 tracks, Alberto?

Thought Kounde was excellent at SJP so that's great news. Barnes had a chance on the counter which Kounde made it virtually impossible to score from despite being an excellent chance.

Please forgive this latest glass-half full take. I'm not sure what the future holds for Woltemade. I'm not convinced by him in either of the two positions he's played for us so far. However, I don't think he's being hard done by at all by being played in this position, and I think the 'Woltemade in CM = manager doesn't know what to do with him' thing is wrong. There's usually logic to everything the manager does; whether you agree with it or not is another thing. Woltemade has done well in that role a couple of times (excellent away to Villa and Qarabag) and less well other times; particularly the other night. But I think he was playing that role against Man City mainly because we had no Ramsey, Miley or Bruno and we wanted to keep Joelinton fresh for Tuesday. Just a body really, at least for him to have played for as long as he did. Howe has talked in press conferences about the guy needing to adapt to the league and maybe some stints in midfield is a deliberate choice to aid this apparently necessary learning experience. I certainly haven't missed him at centre-forward and can seen some value in playing him deeper; that way he's more actively involved in the patterns of play rather than an isolated observer. It's not bearing fruit for the team right now but maybe it's good for his own development and will mean more for the team in future. As is the case with a lot of things, I think there's a tendency to make judgements on the immediate term without considering the bigger picture and the longer game. I appreciate we should expect faster results given the outlays on most of these new players but, in absence of that, maybe there's an element of just waiting and seeing.

Not a doubt in my mind we come out like rabid wild animals and put them to the sword from the off. We'll know that the previous game against them could easily have gone the other way and the manager will have them pumped.

I've predicted defeats more often than wins recently but I've got a great feeling ahead of this. I'm absolutely convinced we reigned it in against Man City to some extent and that would be a means to an end. I think we'll do em. Whether it's enough over two legs, not sure, but we beat them at St James'. Can't wait.

Think we'll leave it there, man. I don't really know why you can't discuss it without being a complete arse.

Well like I said I don't want to put a number on it because there's more ways to measure output than basic stats, though clearly more goals and more assists is required. 'Acceptable' is regularly making a positive contribution to the team. He hasn't done that enough this season; you're probably counting on one - maybe two - hands the rules he's done that this season, which clearly isn't anywhere near enough for a first-teamer. I don't think I've continuously appealed for people to overlook the fee, unless I've forgotten. This discussion has existed over the last couple of days. He'll always judged against the fee - aye fair enough I guess. What I'm saying more than anything is that he's getting more pelters than he's actually due, on the basis of the fee, so maybe it needs putting to one side in the interests of being objective about his performances, and in the interests of being supportive of the players rather than calling them useless cunts when they're probably not really.

He contributed absolutely nothing positive last night but in fairness to him we were absolutely finished as a force long before he entered the pitch. He just joined the group of knackered players who were chasing shadows. Disclaimer: I know he's been a disaster, just not sure you can put much stock in last night.