Gallowgate Toon

Dummett whipped one in beautifully within the first 5 minutes, like, should've happened more.

We tried to keep it tight for the first 20 minutes of the second half and could easily have ended up regretting it Don't think that was the tactic, tbh. Simpson was constantly telling them to push out. They were a nervous team without a win, sagging back was going to happen when the squad has the lack of character it does.

It's been a sort of 4-2-2-1-1 with plenty of fluidity and some genuinely great movement off the ball. Have doubts about its longevity but it's a system that should see us do well through the next run of fixtures. It's quite flexible for when we need to either go more possession or counter-based too - Wijnaldum's both comfortable dropping in pockets and sticking further out wide etc.

He's mint. Thought he seemed to be carrying a bit of a knock as he appeared a bit less keen to challenge for aerial duels, but some of his play was still absolutely excellent. A couple of really nice bits of link up (deft touches with his feet were really impressive), lovely finish and some cracking movement. Actually covers ground well when he gets going too. You can tell our lot like having a target. Norwich struggled with us as we were quite fluid at times but they couldn't really predict how you're going to attack, sometimes we passed it from the back, sometimes balls over the top, other times straighter passes to Mitro's chest. Think it bodes really well, granted he doesn't get crocked

Intrigued to see how he develops from here. Every week, he seems to look more and more suited to the league and up-to-speed with his fitness. I hope we get a proper CM to play alongside him in January, I think he'll be brilliant alongside someone suitable.

Feel like today's performance has been coming, tbh. We've strung together some really good periods of play in the last few matches but just haven't had the consistency for various reasons. We're not going to be perfect defending, there's too many gaps in the squad for it, so I'd stick with this approach for now, even if it is a bit chaotic. We've mixed it up between possession and countering in the last 3 too, so there's reason for optimism there. Confidence is still a huge problem. We had to ride our luck at the beginning of the second - you could see them sagging back - but that was necessary with the current character of the squad. Today will have made a big difference, we just need to obviously push on. Fitness is still a bit weird, mind, they don't look fit enough to me. Some good pressing in the first but then a few seemed to lose their legs quickly into the second.

Gini and Sissoko definitely pulled in. Ayoze was working the channels a lot to compensate. Worked really nicely, in periods.

Think he'll score and win us the game.

In the 90s, there were Spanish, English, Italian, German, Dutch, French and Serbian winners of the CL. The last decade, we've had only English, Italian, German and Spanish sides win it. 8 occasions that's been between Spain and England There's a lot less diversity and I'd agree the football is generally much more tedious across the board.

Really excited to see him against Norwich. Think he'll make a big difference attacking compared to our usual shite against these sorts of teams.

They're fairly equal, IMO, Hazard perhaps just edging it. To say one is 'much better' than the other is absurd.

Oddly, I'm more confident than I was a few weeks ago Admittedly, that's still not particularly confident. We've got some bodies back for the Norwich game and if we can get our last 2 first half showings across a longer period then I think we'll win and get a run going with some more favourable fixtures. I know we usually play awfully against 'lesser' sides but we've got a big difference in Mitrovic, his presence will help to open teams up and he's an option for a scrappy goal against packed defences (presuming they do what everyone does and counter the s*** out of us). Watch him get injured during internationals

You can't look at today and say there wasn't a plan. There clearly was, the players do lose fight too quickly. It's not fashionable to admit but it does matter.

If we can actually play for 90 minutes over the next couple, I think we'll be OK. If we don't, we're doomed.

Hope he's chinned some of the plebs in the changing room. He was so good in that first half as well.

Conceded 52 in 2015. The defence remains dreadful and prone to collapsing far too often imo. Been the same whether the manager has been Pardew, Carver or McClaren. None of them are good managers but that says it all about the mentality of the club. We're programmed to not compete. Despite what Ashley and his dickhead MD may say or think, you can't just turn that around overnight by spending a few quid for a change. This has been coming for years, and it's exactly what they deserve. He has my sympathy for today's collapse, to a degree (Gouffran decision aside). The side seemed well motivated and organised and we were up for it but turned to utter shit as soon as it wasn't going all their way, seemingly abandoning any sort of plan. I imagine it's because of the exact thing you've highlighted, a core of uncompetitiveness for years.

I'm at the point where I just don't care who the manager is. This lot are doing the same things now they were 3 years ago, collapsing under a hint of pressure and it's not changing any time soon.

I hate too many of them. I actually think they've tried today but they're just so pathetically weak as soon as something goes against them.

It's not perfect, but there's no way it should be bottom. McClaren is s****. Have you not seen this lot, man? They concede a quick goal and shit themselves and lose the ability to think with any logic. We've got a soft centre and an even softer mentality. They seemed well prepared for this one but as soon as the going got tough, they do the same thing they always do. They're embarrassing.

Fuck off. Midfield disappeared again.

It's amazing. To go from what we did in that first 45 to this. The players are so weak mentally, as well as us having a weak spine.

Why do we persist on fucking around at the beginning of halves? Haven't they learnt? We've conceded from ridiculous, casual mistakes at the beginning of halves all season.

Honestly. Such a bunch of actual fannies.

Of course. Fuck off, lads, fuck off.

Stupid from Mbemba. Had such a brilliant game too. Flat-footed Sissoko too.