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I would say speculative than weird like the kid we signed from man city who was meant to be training with their first team. His age and lack of first team action should have been a red a flag. Had decent loans so cant say we haven't given him a chance to excel. Wonder how long he has left on his deal?

Targett was slightly different I recall him getting a chance and then breaking down to a long term injury. Followed by issues getting just fit enough for selection and then turned into an expensive forgotten man. Agreed still a long season to go and plenty of games i do wonder if come the summer if playing time continues to be limited if he would accept another rolling year or not with us. Seems really settled here and still can offer us something if he accepted a back up roll.

Assume his chance will come this weekend or spurs. I am sure based on where he is at carear wise he knew the day would come he wouldnt be an automatic starter. Great for the new lad but didn't do anything to be dropped other than taking a head/brain beating.

Is Wissa more of a "fox in the box" type striker? Might suit Elanga's game more. At the minute with big Nick dropping deep sometimes feels like our wingers are crossing it in to no one in the box. Sure Gordon and murphy passed it into the box and no one was in and around the box so it just fizzed away. Obviously fairly meh showing late on from Elanga him and osula chasing down the keeper into making a distribution mistake is all I can remember him doing of note.

Would need to see it again if Bruno was also doing some holding the ref may have felt it was proportional blame for Bruno going down. Like I say the ref was awful they just needed to fall over in a duel to get the ref to call a foul. Only thing I was pleased with it didn't result in a load of bookings for us. Also secretly pleased we won with open play goals not just a pen/s if that makes sense.

Its soft when you watch it back in terms of Bruno going to ground a little too easy commentators were going on about a lack of leg contact which is a load of shite as its ignoring the arm holding. I would say its a pen but I am bias.

The gordon was I would see as a given the issue was the player was attempting to push gordon and ended up falling over with him probably because gordon had decided to go to ground as soon as he felt contact. The ref was just massively inconsistent for both sides that gordon duel 1st half where there player got a yellow for arguing with the ref was poor for them. Likewise the Bruno tackle near their box they didn't get a foul for but Murphy's shot went wide.

Thought he did ok obviously just coming back from injury but good to get minutes in him. More to come hopefully. Not a stat nerd at all but showing his passing was good his duels not so much. But in the first half particularly they were attacking his side quite a bit when they weren't going long. https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/matches/benfica-vs-newcastle-united/3bh9xp#4947189:tab=lineup

Agreed all pen calls were soft but in a world where staying in your feet is punished I dont blame them. The ref was awful for both sides last night but the bar they set for most of the fouls on the pitch didn't allign with what was allowed in the box.

Agreed Howe liking Tino there and having Kraft and Trips for the other side seemed ok when there was a chance to save all/some of Targetts wages for his final year. However biting us in the bum some what at this point in time missing a good enough rotation option. Did Ashby leave? And what happened to Alex Murphy I know neither may be good enough but its a big ask to make the same full backs go again and again for possibly 3 or more weeks.

Not sure if your joking? He had a good enough effort around 51st min it was going in but defender got in the way and went out for a corner. His general involvement in play is really enjoyable but maybe sacrifices as much goal mouth action which i guess depending on the game and opposition is better than seeing him isolated up top waiting for the ball to come to him.

Yeah the away fans sounded great on the tele particularly that 10min spell in the first half.

I would need to see it again was it really bad or just a bad bounce for him and obviously good for us?

Easy to say I guess sitting at home and realising he was unmarked and it was a free header. I am sure out there on the pitch it must feel like you have no time and no clue if anyone is around you.

That bendy pass/low cross he does put in at pace which the rat benefited from last season is so nice on the eyes. Also has a good thunder cunt of a strike on him great display. Hard to argue him not continuing to be our starter out on that side despite putting barnes out there working this game with his 2 goals (dont remember it working so well for Harvey out there last season),

Maybe should have come off to save him a little when we went 2 up but excellent "all for the team" performances from him. The lay offs and the no look quick passes/triangles being tried by the side since hes joined is a joy to watch when they pay off.

Agreed I am sure he loves getting plenty of game time and still being involved in the "big" games. Hes never going to be as good as he used to be but a 35 year old trips is still excellent to have to call upon just annoying we cant seem to give him a break the full backs are constantly up and down in our system so its full 90s for our aging BDB and trips with still plenty of games to play before players are back. Might be my glass half empty outlook to life but feel something will have to give eventually calling upon them time and time again.

Shame he didn't score the free header but thought he was solid. Keep this up and its easier not for me to totally panic when needing to rest tonali.

Annoyed me the commentary made a thing if him trying to "buy" that penalty when he was clearly having his arm pulled and held. Superb recently feels like he drags us through tough spells like any good captain should. Seems to get everywhere always there for the ball it doesn't always work but its not always safe which is what the side needs.

Not to be negative for negative sake tonight but thought he was poor passing directly to them on quite a few occasions, did manage to recover the ball a few times too to his credit. Hes probably playing too much through lack of quality alternative looked visibly knackered by 80mins. Not sure we can afford to rotate for Fulham with kraft but worry we are asking too much of him.

Maybe the step up and price tag are affecting him? I hope he comes good prem proven and hit the ground running is part of the premium price you have to pay and right now and early doors as it is we aren't reaping the rewards for it. Yet...

I didn't want it to come across as arrogance or complacency in an ideal world you need to have an eye on the next fixture playing sat tue sat with the same 11 for the full game or 70+ mins asking for trouble. We need to rest/rotate/manage minutes for as much as possible especially as we light in full back and striker until hall, tino and wissa return. There is never going to a good game to do it but thats where good in game management comes in.

Craig No Hope rocking in with some good news shame we could have given him a break till Saturday but guess the squad isn't there yet

True but games come thick and fast Ramsey clearly needs mins but time to get back up to speed and miley is our current rotation but if say big joe needs to drop out the starting 11 and sandro needs to miss a few games you need to rotate. Also dont want to flog Bruno either. Even if willocks days are numbered he needs to play to remain in the shop window so a congested fixture period is what hes still hanging around for. No point having 6 midfielders for 3 positions if we instantly disregard one of them.

Do we see willock on Tuesday or Saturday hes not getting on the pitch for reasons obviously but if big joe is out of form and sandro nuring something the midfield could do with more rotation.