Gallowgate Toon

Interesting that they got in twice as many tackles us. Mitro had no joy with aerials either - so not many outlets as we struggled to keep it. Saivet got most tackles in for the game, out of both sides, somewhat encouragingly.

I agree but I think McClaren would've got just as much stick for playing Mbemba LB and starting Lascelles. But he had limited options. I think it would have made perfect sense. He had to play Lascelles anyway right? Besides Aarons starting today seemed very optimistic, especially ahead of Perez, and in a wing back position. Really disappointed in the manager today. All the time we were stinking it up earlier int he season he never tried this system, and now we had put together some good performances he starts messing about with it. Mbemba had never played FB before he came here. I would've had him there today, tbh. Yes, he has played full back before. He said after the game he played FB that he'd never played there before.

Even Championship sides in England will shut down space and press you. It seems a bit pointless spending millions on players if they can't cope with the opposition trying to win the ball. Stretching the pitch is pretty important, like. They might be internationals but most struggle when there's a lack of space.

It ended up too central, like. Not quite sure what our final team actually was

I agree but I think McClaren would've got just as much stick for playing Mbemba LB and starting Lascelles. But he had limited options. I think it would have made perfect sense. He had to play Lascelles anyway right? Besides Aarons starting today seemed very optimistic, especially ahead of Perez, and in a wing back position. Really disappointed in the manager today. All the time we were stinking it up earlier int he season he never tried this system, and now we had put together some good performances he starts messing about with it. Mbemba had never played FB before he came here. I would've had him there today, tbh.

Our shape wasn't that negative, tbh. Both Aarons and Janmaat's average positions were in their half and only Saivet was near the back 3. We just couldn't find a rhythm, Watford shut down central space very well and pressed us.

Quieter than last week, but I still thought he did some good things. As has been mentioned, he was asking for more forward movement at times as he obviously wanted to play the ball quicker.

Some good, some bad. He's going to need time which is why Tiote shouldn't be sold if we're to have a competent DM between now and the Summer.

Aided by a fair amount of s**** on the pitch. All he had to do was make one f***ing change. Jesus. And then what? Our centre halves still would've been mugged off by Deeney and Ighalo being able to out-muscle them. So might have been an idea to play to our strengths then rather than rely on a defence that got raped by the same front pair at St James. The f*** are people watching? The same thing but trying to view it with more balance, maybe? Balance. Christ. Have you actually criticised any players today, by any chance? Or is it just your usual McClaren rant that you've been regurgitating every single week for about the last 7 months? We're back to the Pardew days again are we? Manager gets it all wrong so lets blame the players, or perceived lack of them. Last week was McClaren, I don't recall anyone taking it away from him. Today was McClaren too, f***ing s***. Every decision wrong just like most of his time here or we'd have more points. Why do you only view this as one way or the other? That's my point, I only ever see you criticise one person out of the staff in our whole mess. Because we go through players like a hot knife through butter while holding onto managers for years. It's simple stuff to me. Get a better manager the players will play better. Today was the worst I've seen of McClaren, basically Pardew vs Reading levels of absolute s****. You blame whoever you want but I said before the game started we were beat with that formation and selection and that's how it turned out. And you don't think there's a decent chance we'd have been beaten in a 4-2-3-1 with 2 physically poor CBs against 2 of the most direct forwards in the league? I think today was reminiscent of early this season with Anita playing at 3rd CB so things looked good until everyone realises we had no attacking intent and we lost. I really don't think I'm alone in thinking if we'd played the same formation as WHU with Aarons at LB we'd have given a much better account of ourselves. You praised the Anita thing and gave him pelters when he stopped doing it Meh. This won't go anywhere. We didn't look very good going forward today even when people were in their more conventional spots. The only time we looked threatening was that opening 20 which was with a 3. Excuse me? Ah yeah, total nonsense. Cheers. Not total nonsense at all. I vividly remember us having a discussion a few months back and you definitely criticised him for stopping the Anita dropping back thing. You pretty much said every decision McClaren made was shit and the only good thing he'd done, get Anita to drop back and pick up the ball, was something he'd abandoned.

That was the oddest bit. We've got some decent technical players and surely the midfield being closer together should've seen us able to keep it better.

Aided by a fair amount of s**** on the pitch. All he had to do was make one f***ing change. Jesus. And then what? Our centre halves still would've been mugged off by Deeney and Ighalo being able to out-muscle them. So might have been an idea to play to our strengths then rather than rely on a defence that got raped by the same front pair at St James. The f*** are people watching? The same thing but trying to view it with more balance, maybe? Balance. Christ. Have you actually criticised any players today, by any chance? Or is it just your usual McClaren rant that you've been regurgitating every single week for about the last 7 months? We're back to the Pardew days again are we? Manager gets it all wrong so lets blame the players, or perceived lack of them. Last week was McClaren, I don't recall anyone taking it away from him. Today was McClaren too, f***ing s***. Every decision wrong just like most of his time here or we'd have more points. Why do you only view this as one way or the other? That's my point, I only ever see you criticise one person out of the staff in our whole mess. Because we go through players like a hot knife through butter while holding onto managers for years. It's simple stuff to me. Get a better manager the players will play better. Today was the worst I've seen of McClaren, basically Pardew vs Reading levels of absolute s****. You blame whoever you want but I said before the game started we were beat with that formation and selection and that's how it turned out. And you don't think there's a decent chance we'd have been beaten in a 4-2-3-1 with 2 physically poor CBs against 2 of the most direct forwards in the league? I think today was reminiscent of early this season with Anita playing at 3rd CB so things looked good until everyone realises we had no attacking intent and we lost. I really don't think I'm alone in thinking if we'd played the same formation as WHU with Aarons at LB we'd have given a much better account of ourselves. You praised the Anita thing and gave him pelters when he stopped doing it Meh. This won't go anywhere. We didn't look very good going forward today even when people were in their more conventional spots. The only time we looked threatening was that opening 20 which was with a 3.

We played a system which was never going to work as we actually reduced our threat from last week by dropping Perez who wasn't brilliant but offers something in front of goal. We packed the team with defenders and midfielders and played a bloke up front who looks like he couldn't score in a brothel, it was destined to end in failure and did so. Fair enough. By the looks of it, a couple of our players going forward looked pretty off it today so I really don't think it would've made that much difference.

Really not great today. Just didn't seem to impose himself at all. He's had a solid run of great games, mind, so can't be too harsh on him for one no-show.

It's mental they don't think we need a good CB, like. It's just as important as getting a striker in, IMO.

Aided by a fair amount of s**** on the pitch. All he had to do was make one f***ing change. Jesus. And then what? Our centre halves still would've been mugged off by Deeney and Ighalo being able to out-muscle them. So might have been an idea to play to our strengths then rather than rely on a defence that got raped by the same front pair at St James. The f*** are people watching? The same thing but trying to view it with more balance, maybe? Balance. Christ. Have you actually criticised any players today, by any chance? Or is it just your usual McClaren rant that you've been regurgitating every single week for about the last 7 months? We're back to the Pardew days again are we? Manager gets it all wrong so lets blame the players, or perceived lack of them. Last week was McClaren, I don't recall anyone taking it away from him. Today was McClaren too, f***ing s***. Every decision wrong just like most of his time here or we'd have more points. Why do you only view this as one way or the other? That's my point, I only ever see you criticise one person out of the staff in our whole mess. Because we go through players like a hot knife through butter while holding onto managers for years. It's simple stuff to me. Get a better manager the players will play better. Today was the worst I've seen of McClaren, basically Pardew vs Reading levels of absolute s****. You blame whoever you want but I said before the game started we were beat with that formation and selection and that's how it turned out. And you don't think there's a decent chance we'd have been beaten in a 4-2-3-1 with 2 physically poor CBs against 2 of the most direct forwards in the league?

I'll repeat, we lost to Watford in the cup, was his plan to lose today? So what we lost? I said we played it to decent effect. That means we put in a decent performance with it and your point that 'they don't know what they're doing' isn't entirely valid because they've played it before. FYI, I don't think he should've changed it today but I don't think the result would've been that much different if we'd have played a 4-2-3-1, our deficiencies are there for us all to see when we come up against physical strikers.

Aided by a fair amount of s**** on the pitch. All he had to do was make one f***ing change. Jesus. And then what? Our centre halves still would've been mugged off by Deeney and Ighalo being able to out-muscle them. So might have been an idea to play to our strengths then rather than rely on a defence that got raped by the same front pair at St James. The f*** are people watching? The same thing but trying to view it with more balance, maybe? Balance. Christ. Have you actually criticised any players today, by any chance? Or is it just your usual McClaren rant that you've been regurgitating every single week for about the last 7 months? We're back to the Pardew days again are we? Manager gets it all wrong so lets blame the players, or perceived lack of them. Last week was McClaren, I don't recall anyone taking it away from him. Today was McClaren too, f***ing s***. Every decision wrong just like most of his time here or we'd have more points. Why do you only view this as one way or the other? That's my point, I only ever see you criticise one person out of the staff in our whole mess.

2 weeks ago we lost to Watford in the cup, are you taking the p*ss? Again, the performance was supposed to be a decent one. Same old story with us this season on that day, had chances, played some decent stuff but missed out on the clutch moments. They're not alien to it.

The players don't know the system we're playing, it was a pointless screw up by a manager who is massively out of his depth. Didn't we just play it two weeks ago to decent effect? Doesn't seem like they don't know it, we're just not that great a side still. To decent effect? We lost and went out of the FA cup, man. The performance was meant to be a pretty decent one, no? Just the usual can't take chances but played OK stuff.

Still need some players in and it's good in the long run for us that today showed it. Need a proper defender and striker in, pronto. Not good enough on too many levels today.

Aided by a fair amount of s**** on the pitch. All he had to do was make one f***ing change. Jesus. And then what? Our centre halves still would've been mugged off by Deeney and Ighalo being able to out-muscle them. So might have been an idea to play to our strengths then rather than rely on a defence that got raped by the same front pair at St James. The f*** are people watching? The same thing but trying to view it with more balance, maybe? Balance. Christ. Have you actually criticised any players today, by any chance? Or is it just your usual McClaren rant that you've been regurgitating every single week for about the last 7 months?

The players don't know the system we're playing, it was a pointless screw up by a manager who is massively out of his depth. Didn't we just play it two weeks ago to decent effect? Doesn't seem like they don't know it, we're just not that great a side still.

Balance comes up again when discussing a s*** manager who was sacked by Derby. Eh, yeah? We're a soft team at centre half (which they have the perfect combination against) and nobody to play at left back. I wouldn't have switched it but I don't think it's the main reason we're losing this game.

Aided by a fair amount of s**** on the pitch. All he had to do was make one f***ing change. Jesus. And then what? Our centre halves still would've been mugged off by Deeney and Ighalo being able to out-muscle them. So might have been an idea to play to our strengths then rather than rely on a defence that got raped by the same front pair at St James. The f*** are people watching? The same thing but trying to view it with more balance, maybe?

We seemed to start pretty attacking but got pegged back. We're hardly very good going forward, man