Mattoon

10 and it'll take a Pardewesque losing streak to convince me otherwise. We'll probably lose a few more along the way and have some frustrating draws in the mix too but I genuinely cannot see what other team can match our form for the entire season with our strength in depth and Rafa. You know he has more tactical awareness than probably most if not all the other managers in this league combined.

I didn't even draw that, I found it, such is the depth of my laziness.

I actually managed to turn a PNE supporter and 2 Liverpool supporters against him with facts from SP and here. I must admit it took a little work on the whole agreeing with me and going back to the media line on him before accepting my view on the cunt and I wouldn't say these are particularly thick people. It's bizarre.

Never been a time like it for me. Keegan was different in that it was an emotional high and something that will never be topped, he just fit. SBR was the same if slightly less giddy. Rafa is different though in that it's the first time I've ever seen such a master tactician at this club, one of the all time great managers and he's here. I almost feel pity for the opposition because you know that as the game unfolds he will dismantle them with a tweak here or a sub there. Honestly, usually I think I know more about the game than some of the managers we've employed, but I'm in awe of Rafa. I'll actually be surprised if by the time he leaves we haven't won a major trophy unless he falls out with the hierarchy. The only thing that bothers me this, Ashley would be fucking stupid to do anything but we've seen him screw over managers like Keegan and Hughton, I just hope this time is different and that Rafa gets the chance to leave his legacy on our cloob. The only cloud I see on the horizon is Rafa's ambition. I've no doubt Ashley is desperate to keep him right now, he's basically given him a free licence to run the club from top to bottom. But when we are back in the premier, Rafa will want to win trophies and that will mean buying the best players like we used to back in Keegan's day. That will be the acid test. Honestly, if he just releases the funds the club makes back to him then that should be enough, we've seen he's been willing to do that with McClaren so why not continue with Rafa? With all the money swirling round the PL now any team should have ample funds to spend so long as they spend them wisely. The only test will be that first season when we don't have this year's share but we are sat on a tidy profit from the window.

I think that once we leapfrog Huddersfield we'll stay at the top for the rest of the season, so long as we keep ourselves grounded, but we have the best man in charge to do that.

Pap is like a porridge they cook in Africa. Maybe TCD was force fed it as a kid and ended up with a severe dislike of it. I was like that with rice pudding at school it made me want to puke. Semolina for me like

They're just digging their heels in about us, how most of the PL would smash us and that we've spent more than any other club in the league and Rafa should be beating all the other teams, any manager could. Also that we should be licking Ashley's boots for "bank rolling" the club bunch of inbred, paedo-loving, neanderthal cretins. Anyone that suggests they'll be relegated after 4 games is either a bed wetter or a mag too.

Never been a time like it for me. Keegan was different in that it was an emotional high and something that will never be topped, he just fit. SBR was the same if slightly less giddy. Rafa is different though in that it's the first time I've ever seen such a master tactician at this club, one of the all time great managers and he's here. I almost feel pity for the opposition because you know that as the game unfolds he will dismantle them with a tweak here or a sub there. Honestly, usually I think I know more about the game than some of the managers we've employed, but I'm in awe of Rafa. I'll actually be surprised if by the time he leaves we haven't won a major trophy unless he falls out with the hierarchy. The only thing that bothers me this, Ashley would be fucking stupid to do anything but we've seen him screw over managers like Keegan and Hughton, I just hope this time is different and that Rafa gets the chance to leave his legacy on our cloob.

He did a fantastic job in building a full squad with options for each position which are more than the sum of their parts. Anyone can come in and play to his game plan and we'll look competent, hell even Colback looked semi-usefull in his last match ffs

Can't see anything but another win here, not being arrogant, anything can happen on the day, but at home we should be breezing games like this and fully expect Rafa to have whoever is playing fully drilled for the match.

Snap your hand off at a steely 2-1 loss #Progress

5 or sack Rafa

No 7th? Beeeewwwwwwww

Bobby's first home game? 8-0 can we equal it?

I said they were shit and we should win this.... but fuck me!

That's not really based on anything imo. Man United was a poison chalice and everyone could see that they needed a massive overhaul/massively overachieved with the team from the season before. Real Sociedad aren't the sort of team to be pulling up trees in La Liga and even though he didn't do well, it's not unlike them to be in those positions, and he was only given one year in a country speaking another language. You can't just write off his 11 years at Everton because of 2 seasons at other clubs. Whilst I agree with the general sentiment that there's not enough evidence yet to write him off as done, he's made a lot mistakes. Going to the press and telling the world you are in a relegation fight in August, just to get extra funds (you would presume) was stupid and counter productive. The business he did in the window was curious to say the least, it's not like they had no money they spent a fair chunk and brought in what ?? They have one PL quality striker who is about 104 now. He's critcising his players in public, that's a huge indication that the pressure is getting to him. The man is just a dour individual, does not inspire excitement at all and his teams play that way too. His body language was all wrong last night, he just sat back in his chair looking thoroughly disgusted. The clock is ticking I think. Everton played some cracking football at times, so I don't agree with the whole dour football thing. He's obviously not Guardiola, but he's hardly Allardyce or Pulis either. It seems to have been a criticism that's stuck with him. Personally think the things he's come out with at Sunderland are honest, that club is a complete mess and has been for ages. We've effectively saved them from the drop for 3 seasons in a row. The Everton fans that come on here from time to time can correct me if I am wrong, but there were significant grumblings about the style of play under him towards the end, certainly that first season that Martinez was in charge for they were all banging on about how much better the style was. He plays a functional style, I think he relies a la Pardew on a few individuals with real quality to form the attacking intent of his teams. His methods take time to bed in, he hasn't been given that time at his last two clubs. The two big questions for him is will he be allowed enough time at Sunderland and are his methods still relevant today, not sure this was the right appointment for either party to be honest. Sunderland's squad is about as bad as they come for a PL club and the additions he's made haven't really helped that, I think he would have been better off at a Swansea or Southampton. I really don't get why Sunderland fans would moan about the style of football, trying to play attractive football at a club like that is liable to get them relegated. Those sort of players won't go there, they are far better off with a muck and nettles manager like Moyes who will collect mostly hard working players who will graft and win enough points to steer clear of relegation every season. Provided they can survive this one. Nothing wrong with aspirations, other fans said the same about of with Pardew....he had us playing the worst football ive seen in Newcastle's prem history. As for the mackems they've tried the bump n grind brand of football for years and all its done is stave of relegation. Sunderland fans shouldn't just have to accept rubbish football and being in the bottom 5 every season. I'd totally accept this if it wasn't for the fact it's the exact same thing they try and mock us for.

Are you sure about that? erm, yup?

They are gash and we should win this.

It's always worse on the radio, they get so hyped up at the slightest chance you think everything is going in.

He's not a bad manager, he's just on a downward spiral and I think a job in a place he's clearly not happy at with a team he clearly doesn't want wasn't the best career choice for him. He looks defeated already, sounds defeated and it's rubbing off on his players. Sunderland could do with sticking with a manager like him for once and give him a chance to build something, even if they go down. Short won't let that happen though, he'll be gone before March, maybe even before Christmas if he doesn't start picking up points.

I'm working in Blackpool until 6:30 so it may be a push to get there I reckon.

This live anywhere tonight?

Isn't it lovely to just trust the manager for a change? I genuinely don't remember the last time before Rafa I did that. Got to be Bobby, it's been too long.