Minhosa

I was just about to post the exact same thing. 'So you're absolutely delighted then John?'

I didn't want him and didn't rate him but thought the treatment at the end was unprofessional from NUFC to say the least. I've nowhere near the levels of hatred for him that I have for Pardew, Allardyce, Dagliesh, Carver etc. Good luck to him in wherever he goes next.

Also, don't be surprised if he's watched over 70% of our games this season already. Hes strikes me as a very studious bloke. I wouldn't even be surprised if he knows his rough starting 11 already.

Norwich 1-1 Man City Bournemouth 2-0 Swansea Stoke 0-1 Southampton Aston Villa 1-3 Spurs Leicester 1-2 Newcastle

£10 on SMc to go at 10/1. Thanks for being shite Stevo.

Didn't watch it.

I was a bit worried about the jinx of this thread. Thanks Andy. I looked at the field and fancied it so stuck a ton on. Much appreciated.

Injured. Hamstring i think. Yep - it's a hammy.

exactly, just do things right, for once! Agree with this. The longer this goes on, the more wider sympathy there will be for SMc and rightly so.

Not disputing that. It's the timing and the general fit given the shitfest above him and shitfest below him in terms of playing staff. I'd say we're still nailed on to go down even with him.

No - I totally agree. My gut instinct is that it'll be a disaster of an appointment.

Think he's a really good player personally. He's certainly better than a relegation fight every year.

I think we'll go down anyway. There's a massive danger in making a ten game appointment. Benitez doesn't even really put his reputation on the line because, if we stay up, he's held in higher regard and able to command more money from his next employers (if not us) and, if we go down, then he can tell the world what a clusterfuck we are and everyone would be sympathetic to that. That will be the appeal I would think. There's so much fundamentally wrong with NUFC, I maintan that we'll go down. It's an entirely failed institution.

Was always going to be the 'fall guy' but the responsibility for their handling of this AJ incident should go right to the top.

We're clearly trying to do a deal with one of those available managers and are hanging on to SMc incase the deal falls through or we can't get one of the handful of replacements we'd actually want. Worst case for them I guess is pegging SMc and then being rejected by his possible replacements. I'd also guess there being a vacancy strengthens the hand of any applicants in doing a deal as they'll know we're even more desperate.

Silence from the club is deafening.

He was there on Saturday. Was he not on the bench?

He hasn't really though, has he? Gini, Mitro, Mbemba etc were all clearly lined up for whoever they appointed. I'd say Townsend and Shelvey were his signings. Well no, but it is money that has been spent on the squad during his tenure. Of all the things to aim at him, transfer spend is probably a bit unfair given he asked for a commanding CH and a forward and got neither.

It makes you wonder why they keep starting him then. If this is a guy who doesn't work hard or can't cross, why is always one of the first names on the team sheet? It's either muddled thinking or trying to blame the player for their own lack of authority and direction. Perhaps their frustration is with the lack of alternatives. Fuck knows why he always starts when his contribution in so many games is close to fuck all. Because he still contributes more than anyone else bar Shelvey? Except Gini's 9 goals and 2 assists. I'd change the system/formation to remove him and make him an impact sub. Who would you play in the right instead? Townsend? Probably - yeah. With Perez on the other side. I'm not sure you would get better service to the forwards with either. The best crosses coming in are consistently from Sissoko IMO. I think the problems are from the other wing, defence and the strikers. A major problem is the lack of movement and 'showing' for a pass. Townsend (who I didn't want btw) at least looks for the ball and comes inside to receive it. Sissoko sticks to the line continuously (not sure if that's the instruction from the coaches or not?) but his inability to come inside and pick a pass means his only contribution is bumbling down the line, knocking people out of the way, and getting in some service from the touchline. If the opposition double up on him (and why wouldn't they when there's no threat on the other side?) then he's rendered pretty much useless. If you think back to the days of Solano, he'd often cut in and whip a ball in. I've hardly ever seen Sissoko do that. He's not quick minded enough. I'll give him a partial pass for the woeful movement and working the of the channels from central midfield and up top though. That can't help any wide player. We're desperate for a Bellamy-esque runner in and around Mitro.

He hasn't really though, has he? Gini, Mitro, Mbemba etc were all clearly lined up for whoever they appointed. I'd say Townsend and Shelvey were his signings.

Tend to agree with this. They've been very quick (to the point of aggressive) to deny any rumours of discontent previously.

This wasn't injuries per say. It was general fitness levels. Honestly I'm amazed Perez made it to the Shelvey throughball as moments earlier he was blowing out of his arse chasing shadows.

It makes you wonder why they keep starting him then. If this is a guy who doesn't work hard or can't cross, why is always one of the first names on the team sheet? It's either muddled thinking or trying to blame the player for their own lack of authority and direction. Perhaps their frustration is with the lack of alternatives. Fuck knows why he always starts when his contribution in so many games is close to fuck all. Because he still contributes more than anyone else bar Shelvey? Except Gini's 9 goals and 2 assists. I'd change the system/formation to remove him and make him an impact sub. Gini has played even worse than Sissoko for the last about 6 weeks tbf Sissoko has been turning up for one game a month for years. It's hardly comparable.

It makes you wonder why they keep starting him then. If this is a guy who doesn't work hard or can't cross, why is always one of the first names on the team sheet? It's either muddled thinking or trying to blame the player for their own lack of authority and direction. Perhaps their frustration is with the lack of alternatives. Fuck knows why he always starts when his contribution in so many games is close to fuck all. Because he still contributes more than anyone else bar Shelvey? Except Gini's 9 goals and 2 assists. I'd change the system/formation to remove him and make him an impact sub. Who would you play in the right instead? Townsend? Probably - yeah. With Perez on the other side.

It makes you wonder why they keep starting him then. If this is a guy who doesn't work hard or can't cross, why is always one of the first names on the team sheet? It's either muddled thinking or trying to blame the player for their own lack of authority and direction. Perhaps their frustration is with the lack of alternatives. Fuck knows why he always starts when his contribution in so many games is close to fuck all. Because he still contributes more than anyone else bar Shelvey? Except Gini's 9 goals and 2 assists. I'd change the system/formation to remove him and make him an impact sub.