Gallowgate Toon

Our numbers prior to the injuries taking hold were really good, weren't they? At decent strength, every team will have games or small runs of crap performances.

Assuming Gordon is back and Willock makes the bench, I'd start the same team as Luton apart from Tino for Burn - it feels pretty likely Elanga starts RW.

They play 3-4-3 don't they? Or 3-4-2-1?

Barnes had 2 decent chances after his goal and then the Bruno cross too but Luton shithoused excellently to take the sting out. We were through another time too but the ball bounced and Murphy headed it to nobody iirc. I think Luton played a massively risky strategy all game, tbh. We had players free nigh on 1v1 quite a few times in the game but the passes didn't arrive or the final ball was poor (mainly first half). Refreshing though after years of promoted teams sitting deep and countering.

I get that he's not the sexiest winger about in terms of being pua dribbly but some of his finishing and ball-striking is ludicrously good. Delighted he's back.

Really depends on the tactics for Forest, tbf. If the plan is to sit deeper and work counters, Burn is fine. If we're going to try and dominate and pen them in, he should be taken out of the firing line for it because they're a big counter threat.

Miley is definitely getting better off the ball but it will be a slow burn. 7 tackles yesterday iirc against some really physical players.

Interesting comments from Howe on BBC Newcastle, talked about how the team personnel isn't the same (basically, midfield) so we may need to adapt to regain defensive control. Forest will happily give us possession next week and look to counter.

Fucking maddening what he did there. He knew there was a big gap if he missed it and he looked to half-arse it rather than ensuring if it wasn't ball then he had to take the man. Does have credit in the bank after scoring 2 tidy goals though

He's improved a lot. Still not a first choice these days but very serviceable.

Bruno is combative. He puts in very similar defensive numbers to Joe. Today didn't feel like a DM problem to me, what Joelinton is absolutely class at is winning the ball in the opponent's half which helps to pin teams in and resort to pumping long more often. They managed to get it to Barkley from GKs well and he was able to slip by a fair bit. Miley gets flak for off the ball work but Longstaff feels like a non-entity in this regard at the moment.

And recover faster too.

I think he's pretty great for defensive ones. Improved his attacking this year as well.

Great goals, tbf. Wonder is he's playing through something. Feel like he never makes tackles these days or doesn't really commit to them. Swear he used to do the odd cruncher at least.

Someone, at some point, said he didn't have a left foot. Or at least it was a swinger at best. That was a beautifully controlled strike.

He's doing what is probably technically correct in that he's giving them some distance to have a go and use his body to block them, as if he gets too tight he's absolutely done for considering his agility, but it feels like against Forest and today they could just knock it past with a 5-yard headstart and he's done in seconds. I feel like last year he'd become a lot more tactical as games went on against tricky players but he seems to just do the same thing now despite it not working.

He's so much better on the right. Did put in some fantastic deliveries. Nowhere near enough guile on the left though.

Proper KdB-style strike, watching it back.

Another trivela assist?

Think he's steadily improving off the ball, like. Some of his vision is lovely.

He won't overreact which is good, and 4 points from the last 2 is more than I thought we'd get. We are looking more like our old selves in many ways too but not quite there defensively which is a combination of factors. Got to start learning lessons about Burn now though. The targeting of him these days is a very, very evident pattern and is getting regular success now.

Class, like.

We had some iffy home performances against relegation-threatened teams last season too, it doesn't have to define the season. However, the lack of control today and vs. Forest is so different to those results. Partly the midfield problem but also Burn being a very easy target these days. Actually, Burn is being more exposed due to this but it just means we have to play someone who is better at defending pace 1v1. Our continued lack of tactical fouling when teams break is weird. If you can't get the ball, take the man ffs.

Teams who sit and counter have figured him out especially. Not so bad away when we are generally more compact but he's massively exposed with how high our line often is at home. His distances and when to make contact are all over the shop.