Tsunami

Shows the weakness of the squad. Btw will someone tell Shearer that Bruno scored from a different phase of play.

Murphy has a bit speed, had 5 yards to run at the last man and didn’t. Unacceptable.

Just run at him

Grey Friar’s Bobby pub on the very left of the photo.

So, shirt pulls. Longstaff is being howked to the ground as he’s trying to shoot.

Thought he did ok with what was always going to be a thankless task. I think we all knew they’d try and get Burn isolated with Saka and we addressed that pretty well after the first 10 mins. Got away with the shirt pull and that needs to stop.

Not winning 2nd balls. We can’t allow either full back to get isolated

We’ve got Sky Glass and the streaming on UHD keeps freezing so I’m having to watch 402 with the kids. I’m going to have to turn the sound off, it’s lifting.

Pardew had far better players, had no plan b, nutted a player and called a far better manager an old cunt. He blamed science, he cried at Stoke and he blamed the fans for being too supportive which in his head led to us conceding a goal at home. We couldn’t compete with likes of Southampton, who were also more intelligent than us. Nothing was ever The King’s fault. I don’t think Bruce did anything other than prove what was already known. Pardew became increasingly cuntish and clearly comfortable with it. Pardew will always be on a different level for me.

After getting wetter than I’ve been since a Charlton game where Keegan scored a late winner I’m all for a new ground on Leazes Park. The concourses in the Milburn Paddock areas are also ridiculously narrow to the point where people queuing for a piss are almost shoulder to shoulder with people queuing for pie/ pint in another queue with everyone else trying to force themselves in between the 2 queues to get to where the tv is or back to their seat. it was ridiculous on Saturday.

Wonder what bits of magic he did that were never caught on film? He was the complete player, the quick feet of a Messi, the balance and strength of a Maradona and leap/ heading prowess of a CRonaldo. I’m sure he had some stinkers but just imagine what had been missed and what we’d have seen with today’s tech.

Back in the day Joe Harvey used to visit my mother’s best friend’s house in the west end of Newcastle and he’d arrive on his bike, trousers kept away from the chain with his trouser clips.

Do that and they’ll have space inside. We can use Miggy for our counter attack focus, I think we can get in behind them down their left. Got to hope Wilson can start. It’s not a game I’d fancy Wood having an impact.

Start ASM and you run the risk that Arsenal exploit the inevitable space between ASM and Burn and Saka can run riot. ASM is a better for me off the bench against this lot.

Odegaard, Partey v Bruno, Joelinton will go a long way to deciding this. Keeping Saka quiet/ stopping service to him and Martinelli will be key, if it’s Tripps and BDB at full backs they’ll both need help. Martinelli is rapid and you’d fancy Saka against whoever, we play at LB. We can’t start ASM but Wilson has to come in if he’s ready. Arsenal look like they’re getting better and are really starting to believe. I’d be half tempted to stick Longstaff onto Odegaard though I’d be worried he’d not be able to match his pace when he runs into spaces around the box.

https://imgur.com/gallery/mybiKSH

Gnonto should have booked inside 20 minutes. I think he must have committed something like 10 fouls without being booked. He eventually was booked for taking the piss over a free kick and almost immediately was substituted. The ref let far too many things go and yet early on gave Leeds 2 free kicks for players hitting the deck for no reason. He wasn’t the cause of lost points but, he didn’t help.

Fantastic today

Think it’ll take me until tmrw to get dry after that. Standing up getting soaked is bad enough, sitting down in it is far worse. Anyway, great flag display, awful referee, shocking finishing.

RIP, greatest ever imo. He took the game to another level in just about every aspect of the game.

The additions of Trippier, Bruno and management of Howe have transformed his play. Bruno’s appreciation of Miggy’s preferred runs and Bruno’s ability with weight of pass to feed Miggy in is almost unstoppable. I think every opposing side now know what the link up play is trying to lead to and the only way sides are going to stop it is for a central defender to step across and try to block Miggy off.

Willock & Longstaff are doing fantastic at the moment. Longstaff’s got a really good engine on him & his lack of pace is covered by those around him. Maddison would be great and if we can stay clear of injuries we’re top 6. Got to hope that when Isak gets back to fitness he stays fit, we know Wilson won’t stay fit and Wood isn’t at the right level (put a real shift in today).

Attitude and fitness. You can have all the talent in the world but without those 2 pretty basic attributes you’re fucked sooner rather than later.

Welcome back and Merry Christmas to one and all.

I’d take Wolves/ Soton at home, Charlton at home to Forest and Man U home to City.