Conjo

Fixed your post, but point still stands. The "doesn't suit the system" argument is something Mitrovic have said. For the greater good and team atmosphere I 100% support Benitez that he does not select people that are not performing in training simply based on ability. Imagine if all our most talented players stopped giving a fuck in training because they know they will get picked anyway. We've seen this before, and we'd already be down this season. I am very frustrated with Mitro because I like him as a player and person (based on what I know at least) and want to see him do great here. Suck it up and bust a gut in training, engage with Benitez to discuss how he wants to use him and try and follow his advices. Im sure Benitez is contacting Mitro after each match to give him some feedback on how his positioning would be even more optimal if he ran in 1cm longer leaps etc, while also congratulating him on his performance.

This

He'll be a big miss. End of an era for PFMs. Not as long as Allardyce and Moyes have jobs.

Both of you are correct

Basically we should just bin Rafa then. If it is fair that he isn't allowed to buy players of a higher value until he can prove to Ashley that the players of lower value he allows Rafa to purchase is as good as the ones that are valued higher, then why even bother spending more if we get the same for less?

It's pretty simple. If Rafa didn't have any integrity, Mitrovic would have been ahead of Joselu this season. Mitrovic was/is not being left out due to on pitch discipline issues. He is being left out due to lacklusture attitude to training between games. Whether that ends up hurting us in the end is left to see, but I believe Rafa has made the right choice in showing all the other players that what they do in training is rewarded. Even if we had better results short term, the attitude that it doesn't really matter what you do in traning as long as you are the better player will most likely have worse long term effect. I struggle to see how anyone can justify Joselu being a better player than Mitrovic, but I also struggle to see how anyone can be advocating using Mitro ahead of Joselu based on the information we have.

Oh lookie the cunt has actually scored a goal. I'd like 70k a week to score a goal once a year. Scored in his last match too.

Watched the taped game. Stopped watching at 1-2 just knew they would get one more. Fucking dissapointing.... Up until the goal we were so much better than Bournemouth.

Alan Oliver

Im in the keep him at all costs camp. The transfer fee (and only the transfer fee, nothing else) might be allocated to new players but that will as usual also have to include wages so we can at best get in a replacement that might or might not be as good, or we can get in 2 or 3 mediocre players to try and strengthen the whole squad who are unlikely to be good enough anyway.

Setting himself up for a "will rise again"-reference, either for WBA or himself, whomever drops first.

Wages, old players not delivering what they have paid for and young players not living up to their potential.

Random thought unrelated to anything being discussed, but I thought it was weird how Dyer was explaining and standing up for the "kid". Dyer was what, 19-20 at the time, and Bassedas was 29 and an Argentinian international player Don't know why, but that annoyed me a bit.

Not really. Fat Sam was manager then, right? He had a history of prolonging careers, so its no stranger than Hierro, Jay-Jay, Campo, Djorkaeff, Speed etc. at Bolton.

The first reply Fair play, that is really funny. Aye that's class Liked this one better

Im still impressed that the term managerial merry-go-round was invented by someone on this forum.

Yes.

If Dummett had the technique of Danny Simpson none would have an issue with him. In our current state and his current form, against some teams, he is an asset. In other games where we need to make something happen against perceived equal or worse opposition he is a liability.

Have to agree on this one. I think its absolutely shocking that any player in any starting line-up in the Premier League is allowed to have so poor control of the ball, but on his current form it's hard to justify leaving him out as he has been very solid defensively which is what we have needed more.

Confident of a win here. Away against a fairly poor opposition that will attack us. We can sit back and hit them on the counter or nick one on set pieces and grab a win. 0 - 1 Slimani

The whole conversation is about context. Though perhaps the world beaters below (chosen purely on appearances) are really ‘much better’ than what we have. Don’t see it, myself. 2015-16 (most appearances) Elliot 22 Janmaat 35 Mbemba 35 Coloccini 27 Dummett 24 Sissoko 37 Anita 29 Colback 29 Wijnaldum 40 Perez 37 Mitrovic 36 Subs: Darlow 10 Lascelles 21 Taylor 10 Tiote 22 Shelvey 13 Thauvin 16 De Jong 22 Cisse 21 To be fair, besides Janmaat, Sissoko and Wijnaldum, that starting 11 is so shite in hindsight it is no surprise we got relegated regardless of who the manager was. Mbemba - Was new to the league, is currently our 4th choice CB Coloccini - Was past it, no desire and wanted to be somewhere else Dummett - Still stinks the place up, treating the ball as burning lava Anita - Dwarf who currently struggles to get a game at Leeds Cack Jogback - Perez - Still bumbles around the pitch for us with the odd show of skill Mitrovic - Was new to the league, shows no sign of wanting to improve and has been shipped out on loan to a championship club I'd argue that our starting 11 now is stronger than it was purely because it is more balanced even though we had better individual quality in the one that got relegated. Edit: I still think its bs to suggest Rafa is doing poorly with the means he has to operate within as there are many other factors to consider in this shit discussion.

Copied from the poster below you: Sir Bobby Robson: “What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.” They will still have their history, lets not make it into something its not. Plenty of stuff to laugh at as it is.

Ah yes, who can forget the time of Shola on the wing with a ruined hip? I nearly did until you mentioned this.

Heart says to go for it. Graft and don't give Man Utd any time on the ball and steal all three points with a jammy deflected header from corner goal by Slimani. Head says damage limitation, don't pay much attention to what is happening until this match is over and focus on the next game.