Lotus

Wonder if we'll look at Will Hughes again. Probably better than Shelvey.

Who was it saying that Benitez used to get Ayala to shout and abuse the players who weren't trying enough? If so maybe Benitez is trying a similar method here. Lascelles is big enough to be intimidating even if he lacks any experience. Moussa is another one he could and maybe has recruited for this kind of 'foreman' behaviour.

So many of our players have been sh*te under Pardew, Carver and Mclaren it's almost enough to think that the standard of manager can have a profound influence.

Well, he had some excellent games for us and i'd say the EPL is tougher than ligue 1.

I didn't watch all of last night but, if we're going to sign a player for whom passing is their greatest strength you do need the other half of that to be functioning. He does NEED people to pass to. The movement was so bad yesterday and Everton had been tactically set up well to reduce our options. We didn't look like we had had any discussions on how to deal with this. Very, very poor preparation from us.

We really need a tall, powerful CB who knows what he's doing.

Gillian McKeith

Gap year scum..

He only had Fletcher to mark for the 3rd. Was literally no one else anywhere near him. One player to watch. Lost him.

I knew Ian W would come in here and take the heat off me. Phew!

I never thought he came across bad in the interviews when at WHam. Managers from other clubs never particularly endear themselves. Was awful when here though.

I liked it.

Agreed. Lascelles really doesn't look like much at all.

I can't stand the bloke but i honestly think he came across pretty well there. I remember he wasn't all that bad when he was at WHam either. He was just insufferable with us. I think the job was too big for him.

Agree, although I think they're different. Mapou is capable of some great stuff with interceptions and on the ball. Not that he showed it here obvs. I think they're more similar than different. Mapou perhaps quicker, Chancel stronger but both seem to be footballers first and defenders second. Both pretty weak in the air for CB's. Neither physically imposing. Don't think Mbemba struggles with the physicality of the league. His decision making isn't always great but it's considerably better than his predecessors.

Was there for a wedding last year. Quiet, leafy place, tbh. Aye it's very nice in places, I can't afford to live in Bromley proper, I'm trapped in the hinterland of SE20. Oh the house prices there are getting f***ing ludicrous. I used to reside in Streatham for a couple of years, and have spent enough time around Whitgift Centre to never have the rudebwoi slang leave my mind. You get me? In Wandsworth it's often 'you feel me?' Blatant Omar rip. Use it myself incessantly. Especially with the kids (mine, that is...).

Norwich gave him the complete freedom of the middle of the pitch for most of the 2nd half. He won't get very often.

Is that Twitter as a tool of the socialist struggle?

I think he's waiting for Wijnaldum to have looked like he's getting to grips to the way the games played here and De Jong to able to run around for 60 minutes while making a positive impact on the team. I'm sure it will come.

Looks like to me he's struggling with the intensity of the league a bit. Understandable. And i say that given he hasn't looked anywhere near as good as he did in Holland. I'm sure he has it in him and i hope he turns into a great player. Not really contributing much to general play at the moment though.

Worse than Haidara defensively last night.

How can people post this as a serious response? Speak your mind then.

Jamaat was not good defensively. Far from it. Mbemba headed a ball weakly into the midfield (twice), school boy error. Colback, and i don't particularly mind him tbh, really did nothing. Anita isn't good enough at one thing. Wijnaldum was ineffective. Our wide players, especially Thauvin always seemed to be double marked but despite that we had no one from midfield taking advantage of the space that will create. Cisse was awful. Can't even pass half the time.

I was gonna go but have to look after the kids instead.