Gallowgate Toon

Good player with a good attitude but lacking fitness.

I feel a bit more optimistic than most, after today. 6.5. If we can win at Norwich, and I think we'll perform better in a less intense game where we're 'underdogs', then that gets us right in there and we have some very winnable games coming up.

Fuck off, you shit twat.

So annoying in the final third, but a more committed performance from him. He just looks so uncomfortable at the idea of going on his left foot

Annoyingly safe, today. He dribbled through their ranks very dangerously a few times and then just seemed to stop doing it and started just passing it sideways a lot. Wasn't great defensively, either. I'd persist with him at CM, tbh.

That striker coach obviously taught him something valuable this week

As a 10, I agree. Perez was really poor in the middle, today, just couldn't compete with more physical opponents.

They rattled us early and we just couldn't get it going, you could see our lot lose confidence straight off the bat. We were feeling sorry for ourselves and they just weren't competing in key areas - CM was a joke, in particular. Confidence was the thing, though, you could see a shift after they'd laid off us a bit. We need to take that into Norwich now. Some very winnable games coming up. Not losing that could make a huge, huge difference to us.

Not entirely sure what to make of that, tactically. I thought Perez simply wasn't doing his bit as a 10, when it came to the defensive work, and de Jong instantly improved our flow with his retention and positioning - this stopped their midfield getting so much time and space. Perez was much more dangerous when out wide, he just couldn't move in the middle and didn't seem up for the battle; Kirchoff owned him on 3 or 4 occasions. Not keen on Sissoko left at all - we need to have at least one winger on his correct foot to get balls in, Sissoko slowed so many moves down by not wanting to get on his wrong peg. Still, he recognised what was wrong as we went on and had a plan, that much was obvious at least.

Massive, massive moment in our season, that. Our players are massively gutless and I thought Allardyce let us back into it. We grew, though, and you could see us getting a tiny bit of joy. Hope Rafa stops Sissoko out left, waste of his abilities as someone that can get past his man and whip it in. Confident with Rafa we can use that as a springboard. Howay!

This could be my last home game for years. What a minger. Out with my Dad for lunch and we feel too sick to eat

Attacking but cacking my pants about that central mid

If the players show the confidence and drive they did vs. West Ham and Brom, I think we'll win 2-0. We'll make life a lot easier for ourselves if we grab the first goal early. I know Rafa's a somewhat cautious manager but I'd like to think he'll try and get at them from the off, get the crowd going and put pressure on them. Then try and control the game from there. I can't see them starting quickly, I imagine it'll be sitting back with their wall of DMs and countering with their pace up top.

I'm not nervous but I'm also not at all confident Benitez has played it smart, IMO. He'll have been hoping we could nick a draw last night but I imagine the main aim was to preserve overall confidence and get some defensive team spirit going. Encouragingly, he said they'd be working on player movement this week. As long as they don't fanny out again, I don't think we'll lose.

To be fair to him, he has been out a while. Just doesn't have enough presence needed.

Looking at the derby, it's encouraging he's a calm manager. We always play better when we don't play the occasion. Convinced he'll prep us right for it.

A shame, a draw would've been a great result. We looked like we had a decent plan defensively but completely wasted the few opportunities we did have, frustratingly.

We've done OK. Be interesting to see any HT tweaks.

Fucking plank, Sissoko.

Don't panic, lads.

I don't really get the hate against it. Seems to get a bad rap for being 'negative' but any formation can be defensive, it depends on how the manager sets up within the framework.

He sounded disgusted

Some of their results against the lesser sides have been surprising - provides an extra ray of hope. I expect Rafa will know they best way to combat them is sit deep and counter, they're not the most creative of teams. We'll get bummed if we stretch the game. The only big worry then is Mahrez - I expect to see some quick doubling up on him from the off.

We've won 6 league games in the last 18, IIRC. I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility to suggest we could win 4 in 10 under RB, maybe even 5. It's imperative we start to at least turn some losses into draws, though; starting tonight! Feeling cautiously optimistic about Benitez, now. My concerns about McClaren were from a man management point of view and I still have doubts as to whether RB has the charisma to get this lot going (obviously to a much better standard than SMC). His 'follow you' quote sounds good but I'm worried he might be looking at it a bit simplistically. He is used to dealing with proper professionals, after all. I think this challenge might bring a different side out of him, mind, he's probably not had to rely on man management too much in his career because of the calibre of player he's generally dealt with but this could see the other side to him. The big hope is that his calmness and plan allows the players to be less anxious and naturally more up-for-it. All we need is a bounce, at this point, and I hope his name alone provides that and negates any potential issues that might come if he's not the best at motivating difficult players. If we stay up, he'll get us a cup in the next 2 years, I'm sure of it.

If Mitro's up for it - which might be down to the state of his ankle, to be fair - he might give them a bit of a game. He's done well up against some physical opponents, when he's really gone for it.