Conjo

At least we're moving in the right direction. No Clarke or Darlow today. Next match we'll see how it goes without Ritchie and Lascelles.

If Ashley was still here together with Bruce I'd say you have a good point. We looked like winning against Brentford. We got a new competent manager in. We can buy players in January no other team in a relegation fight has ever had the privledge of getting in before. I'm not concerned yet. Especially not a because of a 2-0 loss away to an in form Arsenal.

It's fair to talk about it, but there's a lot of people that are way too reactive and categorically stating relegation is inevitable

At least we'll get to see the team without Ritchie and Lascelles next match. Let's hope they're replaced by Lewis and Fernandez.

We're finishing this match with 10 men if Ritchie stays on in second half.

just came on to ask why that wasn't a pen. Good to see I'm not the only one.

That's how I remember it too. He was out injured when Liverpool bought him as well. He'd be just as injury ridden here as anywhere else. In hindsight it was a really good deal for Newcastle.

That possibly makes our club media puppet the football journalist with most integrity in the world. Imagine asking a question that all fans wants to ask him, and answering truthfully when Jonjo asks him why.

He's featured in 6 games, 1 goal so far this season. He'd be an interesting player to take a gamble on if the price is right. I don't know how he has been utilised by Sheffield U this season, but in the PL he was never used in his best position where he excelled at Genk. At Sheffield he was playing on the right hand side of a midfield 3 with more attacking duties rather than his preferred central defensive midfielder position.

Anything from this game is a bonus imo. Just hope we put up a good fight and cause them problems at the back to gain confidence that we are improving from game to game as the players gets more and more used to Howe's philosophy.

A Laurent Robert special, especially when we were chasing games.

By his own account he has turned down jobs after leaving Bournemouth, so it's not that he hasn't had opportunities. He's just been waiting for the right one to come along.

15/16 at the time was really exciting signings. All four among Europes most sought after talents.

Please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please

Nothing wrong with man management as the main tool to get results as long as you know how to do it. Based on player interviews I've seen throughout the years, I never get the impression that managers like SAF, Keegan, SBR & Zidane relied that much on systems and tactics, but they knew/know how to get the best out of their players - where to play them, who to play together, how to motivate them to put in the work in training and matches. There is much more depth to it than I and many others are aware of I'm sure, and that is what made/make them great managers. Scribbling down some random Ikea inspirational poster quotes on a whiteboard and reading them out loud, giving your players extra days off training, starting training late, letting players off the hook if they are late etc etc probably makes players like the likes of OGS & Bruce but that's about it.

Harry Winks, creative midfielder? Seems more like a nothing player ala Colback, Hendrick, Tom Davies etc, only slightly better in every aspect. We need someone better.

West Brom in 2004-05, Sunderland in 2013-14 and Leicester in 2014-15 all had 10 points by Christmas, was bottom of the table and stayed up. We have a better manager, better players and most likely will bring in better reinforcements in January than any of them.

rather turn the clock back 2 years?

Some spectacular doomers on here. Things haven't looked this bright in years. We just put in the most entertaining performance since Rafas last game in charge against Fulham and we have a transfer window with ambitious owners coming up in a month. Are you guys just dooming so much in order to make the feeling of staying up even better? I'm more confident of staying up now than I ever was with Bruce in charge up until the points where we were mathematically secure.

Haven't seen any highlights or otherwise after the match, but can't help but feel, as the right sided CB, that he should have been better positioned to prevent Brentfords second goal?

Is he really right footed? Look at "Joelinton - Top 5 Goals" on yt from his Hoffenheim days. In 3 of the goals he does practically the same thing as he tried today. Getting the ball onto his left foot, and shooting in the far corner.

Point I am trying to make is that it was unlucky as he would have set himself up for a better chance to score than shooting first time if his leg hadn't given in. So it wasn't a "brainfart" as you say. It was a calculated decision. I don't think you'll find anyone saying we were average or good defensively today, but main blame lies with the keeper.

Joelinton wasn't a brain fart. His leg literally gave in. Yes he should have shot first time, but if his leg doesn't give in, he's just successfully dribbled the Brentford defender on his ass with a clear shot on goal.

Can't believe people think we're going down after watching that match We are getting Dubs back in the net. We are getting new players in January. We will play better once the players gets more used to Howes philosophy, tactics & training. Lots of points still to play for.

Good game. Shame our keeper sucks.