Gallowgate Toon

In a team that's not got loads of quality, surely keeping competition for places legitimate is the most important piece in us maximizing performance? Unless there's a great tactical reason for an inclusion, I don't see why the team should change at all from West Ham.

He'll get loads of time this season. He's been brought in as a long term starter but an immediate short term option for competition that adds a different dynamic. Atsu and Ritchie will dip in and out of form, regardless of injuries, and we'll have an exciting player ready to step in that could make the position his own. Rafa, as always, is going with something a little more experienced first. He'll get lots of sub action too, mind. Next year, I expect he'll make the position his own.

A sad end to his time. Not really been a big fan of the way he's been treated, he deserved better than this, IMO. The timing is probably right, though.

I don't think he'll walk yet. He absolutely should, no doubt, because he's been fucked around twice now. His stance will be what he said the other week, we're no longer a long term project. I expect he'll be gone by next summer after doing his utmost for this campaign. Mike fucking Ashley, man. The bloke will just never get it.

He's an important tactical piece for us, like. Of our 3 strikers, he's the only one with mobility and the ability to stretch. Ayoze can perform that role to an extent but he's not athletic enough. If we've found an upgrade, fair enough, but if this is to fund other positions then it's not worth it. This year will only work with competition for places and tactical options for Benitez, unless our transfer strategy changes drastically for the last couple of days of the window. Gayle's not had a chance to settle this season. He's absolutely worth a shot but shouldn't come into the XI for Swansea unless there's a big tactical reason for it.

He's a solid defender that's playing well in a structured, settled and well-protected defence. Happy for him because he seems like a good lad and a bit of a leader for us.

The media I listened to and read last week seemed absolutely sure that we're going down. It sounded like we were the new Derby, after only 180 minutes of football. No chance that we might improve as games go on or that mixed bag results are pretty common in the first few games of the campaign. Nope, going down. Fucking thick. Coming back to the league, I've not missed this bollocks at all. If it weren't for us, I wouldn't ever bother watching the Prem.

#negativetactics #hatesgoals #play442 That play 442 thing is unfair. People just want a plan B if it's not working. Nobody says it has to be every game like. Did we not play 4-4-2 today ? If not 4-4-1-1. The normal "2" being much more fluid (by which I mean Merino). Going off the heat maps, we were closer to 4-4-2 last week than this week (presumably to have someone closer to Gayle for counters because he needs it). Today seemed a fairly standard 4-2-3-1 with Merino actually sitting deeper of the two & Perez certainly not playing like an orthodox 10. Anyway, it's really more about how you approach the game than anything else, IMO, we were very purposeful today compared to last week.

Looked much more up-to-speed. Because his game lacks athleticism, he needs that mental edge. He was much more direct today which suits him more when Yedlin is out.

Why? Merino isn't a soft touch, it'd be just like playing Hayden and Shelvey together but with someone who can pass better than Hayden (not a slight on Hayden, he's a good player). There are definitely matches where Shelvey/Merino could be brilliant for us, but I wouldn't break up the current partnership yet.

You'd think with the emphasis now being placed so much us needing to use our squad, nobody will walk back into the side if the team is playing well. As much as I like Lejeune and think he's very likely to be head and shoulders above our other defenders, he should start on the bench for the next one, unless there's a big tactical reason to play him. Same goes for Shelvey, Gayle etc.

Joselu was great, btw. He looks very reliable in his play, gets into good positions, challenges consistently, solid link up play. Think he's a really good squad option for us.

Excellent performance, like. There is attacking quality in this team to put lower teams to the sword, I've not doubted that. West Ham were crap but there are plenty of others like them, and we're good foil for this style of team. Certainly didn't look out of place in the league today. Let's keep taking a game at a time and hope to fuck the Rafa situation works itself out (obvs unlikely).

Does better with more space, as we saw that last season. He's looked sharp this year, his dribbling has been a good outlet for us.

Expecting this sort of performance a lot this season, too. Solid, patient, picking counters. West Ham were crap but I think there's more teams like them in the league, style-wise, than Huddersfield, which will suit us.

Masterplan. Always had confidence we'd get a win sooner rather than later.

What a performance.

This one's got some potential.

Solid. Again, look generally fine at the back. Joselu has made a difference for our midfielders, no doubt. Merino has been everywhere.

I think he'll stay on for the season out of duty to fans and players, but he won't continue on after that, whatever happens. Sad. So deflating. I was really looking forward to the season and now this shite, and there's absolutely no way that this won't transmit to our lot tomorrow. Mike Ashley, man. I honestly don't give a toss about him putting his own money in or whatever, I just really don't get what there was to gain from lying to a manager about a budget that the club apparently has on its own. I always feel like there's some tactical purpose to his thought process but he's just taking the piss.

Loved Remy, tbh, even though he was a total dick. Legs haven't gone but his head has which is worse.

We pretty much played 4-4-2 against Huddersfield, tbh. Don't think he's as rigid as many think. Edit: Tonight wasn't a good selection. Deserves flak for it.

Gayle and Ritchie need to start. This should be their chance to get themselves into a groove and their fitness up. If they can't, they can drop to the bench for West Ham.

Ritchie had a disrupted preseason, tbf. He doesn't look completely fit and needs to play into a bit of form. He's not a top Premier League wide man but he is better than he's shown so far this season and is good enough for a midtable/lower midtable outfit.

With Shelvey out, and Gayle not really in top shape, it makes more sense to have some kind of target up front to help us away from home.