Tsunami

Atsu is nowhere near 172cm. You have to absolutely exceptional in every other area to make up for this. Have people not seen what Championship sides have done to us down our right? If we are going to settle for this type of signing we've got problems. Does anyone think that Atsu in front of Anita at fullback would be acceptable?

Don't think it's a 'size' thing like (think: Messi, Keegan, even Wise, McCreery and Batty if you want pint sized players with bite) Size does matter when you have no physical presence to impose yourself. At the top level it is very rare to become a regular if you do not have either. Atsu lists his height as 5ft 8, he's nowhere near that so why state that is your height. Rafa is 5ft 9. You decide. Not his fault but it counts massively against him. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=atsu+benitez&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=niv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjlhK6J1vLTAhXBLMAKHeAQCucQ_AUICigC&biw=1024&bih=649#imgrc=XH3PiroJUOV4GM:

Not happy with this, he's just too small and offers nothing defensively. If we have him and one of Anita or Yedlin at full back behind him we'll get overrun down our right. Seems like a canny lad; I just can't see him tearing up PL defences and I can see him leaving gaps behind him. Our right hand side was getting targeted in the Championship god knows what PL sides will do.

Haha, idiots.

Clear handball that mind lol

Didn't see this coming

Good news - change of thread title needed

Looks like a baddie from Doctor Who, had a head like Humpty Dumpty.

Great finish that

Get in!!!

Pools are rubbish, carry no attacking treat whatsoever. They'll struggle next year to mount any kind of challenge.

S'land were 6/1 to win today, I was sorely tempted by that, pressure off, Hull desperate for the points. Mind you sounds like Pickford is having a blinder. Shame.

Canny read but 5ft 8inches really is taking the piss. And I still wouldn't buy him (though I'd think about it if he really was 5ft 8 inches).

Anyone looking to take us to win the league next weekend might want to look at backing Villa at 11/4 and the draw at 27/11 as opposed to us to at 11/10 to win it.

Aye

Their love in with Feyenoord is very strange; Feyenoord are about to win the League and there are S'land congratulating like some kind awe struck kid brother wishing it was them; no make that it should be them and if it were they'd do it better. I'm sure these Feyenoord fans love the adulation they get from an English club. Very very strange.

Ben Gibson will be away from 'boro. No idea I if he'd be realistic. Looking at our squad we're lacking quality in every position, Ashley has an expensive summer coming up.

Unlucky Leeds haha

Doon

There'll be an Our Fans thread on RTG later - best in the world, well done for staying away, it'll interesting what the official attendance is, are the empty seats stay away season ticket holders or non takers if free tickets?

They won the league in the same year we were granted entry to the 2nd division, so in terms of being able to compete in the top league we've actually won it more times than them........

He needs to improve, hopefully we can work on him and make a player. He's got the attributes needed just needs to generally improve his game - in most areas if he is going to have an impact in the PL. Good hit for his goal even if it was with his swinger and he had absolutely no control over it (wouldn't expect him to accept that but it's quite clear from the way he it's it).

See Warnok blames the referee for the loss, no mention of the 2 penalties we could have had and a possible sending off. Morrison was all over Clark and Atsu was pushed; he's probably judging it wasn't a free kick in the strength of some of the other decisions they got away with.

Great goal, not good enough to be a PL starter; he physically not up to it.

Wow we've had 3 clear free kicks not given in a row and then have one given against us for nowt