timnufc22

Don’t see why people would be vicious about him, he’ll be feeling the pressure for than anyone being a local lad, but he lacks the sharpness and quickness of play. Partly confidence but partly it’s his style of play. I don’t necessarily agree with playing Anderson & Wilock in this formation as I think they’re no.10’s more than anything else, but if Anderson can be disciplined enough defensively I’d play them both and take Longstaff out.

Livra/Krafth____Shar___Burn____Hall Murphy__Longstaff__Bruno___Barnes _________Anderson/Wilock_____________ __________________Isak________________ Once again Willock is slow to read the danger and track his man for one of the goals, like Palmer v Chelsea who drifted behind him unnoticed. He’s a no10 and playing him deeper is going against his instincts and costing us goals. We need to play with a partnership in the middle with proper midfielders imo and Wilock/Anderson can be the link between them and Isak, going off Anderson’s performance I’d lean towards him. Ideally I’d take Longstaff out the firing line but I feel shoehorning no10’s into deeper midfield positions is undermining us and needs to be changed, granted I understand Howe is unlikely to do this.

The solution is to have a slight leeway - if the technology can implement this. By the nature of the offside law itself, we instinctively know what can be classed as an advantage or not, there's a middle ground that could easily be settled on. This new proposal is too much I think but to be ruling goals out because a spec of their kneecap happened to be ahead of the play before going through one on one also goes against the point of the rule in the first place.

It's so frustrating because I think he's a great player to have in the squad and has been a brilliant signing overall but to play every single game regardless of form puts a totally unnecessary negative spotlight on him. It's like Howe has crafted this situation himself - I don't think many would have much bad to say about Burn at all if he'd been rotated this season, but the situation sticks out like a sore thumb when he's playing LB every single week and not offering the pace (defensively and offensively) and technical capability of Livramento or Hall. I know Howe insists he's never loyal to players for the sake of it, but if he thinks Burn earns his place through his height and leadership then I think he's just plain wrong imo, when it's offset against other elements. They are human beings and I can't help feel that when they're in the trenches together and form those bonds, Howe has been blinded by it when it comes to earning your place in the team, when balancing all competition players for the position.

My two cents worth are I first of all totally disagree with playing injured players, injections etc or not; surely it's the creative remit you have as a manager to find solutions around this, whether it would be other personal or formations/tactics. Looking at Hall at Chelsea, I don't see why he couldn't have done a job for a few games in left-centre mid to replace Longstaff who can then get fully fit. That's if you don't want to start Miley, who I understand you want to protect, although at least a few more games wouldn't be of harm you'd have thought. The handling of Botman seems to have been poor and if he's playing like this as the result of any discomfort whatsoever, he should be taken out straight away. The lack of game time for Hall and Livramento has infuriated me. It was the same with Target, who is a very good player and should have started more games in his time here imo. Hall looked at home in the PL for Chelsea. Look at his performance away to Man U in the cup... he was brilliant. He scored a peach of a goal ffs, you don't score that if you're lacking confidence etc (at the time anyway). I was genuinely looking forward to see him play this season and rotate in games at LB and even the odd game in midfield. I just don't agree with the policy of no rotation/subs of the defence. I know Howe said he likes that area to be settled, I get that, but I don't think you need to limit rotation to this extent. Wolves away being one blatant example. I think we're ultimately trying to fit square pegs in round holes in midfield at the moment. The flat 3, where the middle player presses high up, is leaving us far too exposed. Granted Joelinton is a big miss in this regard, but when you watch Chelsea's second goal when Palmer drifts behind our midfield, Wilock doesn't see the danger, who's job in that position was to come across and do so I would have thought, with Burno ahead of him. For me, this is not Wilockd natural game - he's a no.10, ultimately. He should be playing off a striker, he's basically in the mould of Kevin Nolan but more skilful. Anderson is also a no.10 from where I'm sitting. These players are not suited to playing inside left spending half the time running back in their own box. Perhaps if we had a holding midfielder instructed to sit in with them, then yes, but thats not the case. I know Wilock did play there last season a lot of the time, so I'm quite aware there's a clear argument to make that I'm wrong based on that. I'm just going off what I see at the moment and moving forward. I'd like to see something like the following in midfield/forward ________________Isak_____________________ ______________Wilock____________________ Barnes__________________________Gordon ___________Bruno___Tonali______________ or ___________Isak_____New Striker____________ ____________Wilock/Gordon_____________________ _______Joelinton_______Bruno______________ _________________Tonali____________________ If Tonali has the intelligence to play that role. If not, we need a new no6 imo. I say all this with the deep desire to see Howe become our SAF. It's clear he is amazing with the players and his dedication and time put in with the players both on a footballing level and human level should never be forgotten. He goes in to win every game and my god it's so hard to argue against some decision after last season. This is why it can be so infuriating to see, what I humbly perceive, as mistakes because I really, really want him to succeed. I'd hate to see nothing more than support for him inside SJP. In this regard I wish he'd read the room a bit more with the likes of Longstaff; people are starting to lose patience - rightly or wrongly- and he needs to be taken out before the murmurs of discontent get louder. I know you can't run a club and team based on fans' every fickle emotion but you've got to be a little savvy at times too and protect any knock on effect to the team as a whole. Ideally he's given the full 24/25 season and we can judge from there. There needs to be some loyalty and honour shown. But I do hope things change with injured players and rotation.

We needed to try and get more of a foothold in the game and having Hall on the left could have helped with that. He’s a fine technical player with good pace. I don’t see why he couldn’t do that job on the left playing with Tino behind him. Even though we were relativity comfortable defensively and putting in a fine showing at the back, if you’re constantly defending you’re always liable to a mistake, like Trippier made. We needed to reduce the defensive workload and having more technical players on the pitch would help with that.

Why was Gordon put on the pitch second half to limp around and make his injury worse? Why was Lewis Hall still ignored? He surely should be ahead of Ritchie to slot in on the left and do a job… but you could have used both with Ritchie on the right to take either Wilson or Almiron off (Almiron could have went down the middle and been able to push Chelsea further back with more pace). Please don’t say Botman is injured again, if so, questions have to be asked on how the fitness of the squad is being managed and I find the in-game management frustrating. I love Howe and would look for him to build his own dynasty. I think his attributes are at the training ground, making players better, drilling in the team shape. But I think, at the moment, he leans too much on particular players he favours and simply doesn't rotate the way he needs to imo. Bruno was immense but needs more help with better technical players around him to keep the ball, Miley amazing for a 17yr old. Lascelles and Burn brilliant. Dubravka has been a quality player for us over the years but I wish he’d adapt his game to sweep up more and he command the box with communication. Can’t help but think another keeper should be in the thinking.

Please lads & lasses, if you’re going - be singing with gusto and engaged with every kick.

Best game in a long, long time.

I’d scrap VAR in general and try two officials behind each goal instead. Anything that happens in the box, they have a close up view and the ref can consult with them and go off their opinion if he’s unsure. It would bring extra help to the ref, get more decisions correct while also keeping the flow of the game, removing the wait while a video it being checked over and over. As a compromise I’d maybe keep VAR for offside on the condition that a leeway is introduced and can be programmed into the technology, say 15cm. This is to preserve the whole point of the rule, that was to stop attackers having a clear advantage while preventing goals being ruled offside when they’re such a tiny fraction ahead it has no tangible advantage. Either way, no matter how much VAR is getting right (which is probably most the time), it is changing the culture of the game aswell as the flow of the game, which underpinned why loved football in the first place. If something is preventing you from celebrating a goal - the supposed peak of supporting a team - then you know whatever ‘benefit’ it’s for is at too greater cost.

Ah yeah. Tears wont change the score for me. Would love it if that was belted out.

Tune?

I understand the idea behind Tripper LB & Livramento RB, but in my mind ideally Hall would slot in at LB. He was brilliant vs Man Utd, its his position and Livremento can rotate with Trippier.

People will say this is negative and OTT and maybe I’m venting and want to get it off my chest…. But this is what can happen when you freeze players out for so long, they’re going to be be more liable to injury when they finally do play. There’s absolutely no doubt Targett should have been played more games, simple rotation here & there. He should not have been frozen out and it pisses me off now we see him go off like that.

Was an great night that was, complete domination on and off the pitch. The camaraderie in L7 was absolutely brilliant.

He marked Ginola out the game in the FA Cup semi final and was generally a good full back for us. Was always a little baffled why Robson dropped him for Hughes, who came through as a centre back.

Pope Livramento Lascelles Dummett Targett/Burn Longstaff Bruno Hall Almiron Gordon Joelinton For me, I'd be playing Willock vs Arsenal in place of Joelinton and I'd be weary of him playing two games in a short space of time after a long lay off. I'd also be playing Targett vs Arsenal and after a lack of action for a long time I'd be tempted to play Burn vs Man Utd if it meant Targett was ok to play vs Arsenal.

I find that quite amazing considering the money we spent on Livramento & Hall. We’ve been crying out for some changes during this second half, some players look dead on their feet. Crazy not to use the squad that we have left fit.

I don’t understand Howe’s reluctance to rotate, despite spending big money on the likes of Livramento. Why burn players out like trippier until you decide to play their ‘backups’? By the time Livramento plays he could be in a rusty situation. I think it’s really going to hurt us to is season with such a congested fixture list.

I agree, a by product of going off precise video replays instead of the naked eye is that we're forgetting what the purpose of the offside rule was in the first. There's no way some of the goals chalked off have had any advantage from being a millimetre ahead. So in conjunction with VAR offsides, a very small leeway should be brought in to help bring back and emphasise the original purpose of the rule. Even though VAR has got more things right than wrong, at this stage I may actually be in favour of scrapping it completely if it was an option. Simply because it is gravely damaging the emotion and spontaneously that underpins the excitement of the game.

I actually love that home kit mock-up. It's a great balance of traditional while having its own slant - I agree with the designer in general that you don't want near enough carbon copy kits each year. I think the blue and gold work together as it's subtle enough but serves a purpose (blue piping brings an end to the stipes, the gold serves as lush trims on the adidas stripes and both colours are reflected by the crest). It has a lot of nods to many different kits over the years as oppose to an on-the-nose homage to one. Would be chuffed with it.

I agree that the reputation we have for great support / atmosphere - something that the club plays on - is a commercial asset too. It’s part of our positive identity. Therefore it needs to be preserved or bumped up to match said reputation. We also want it to be an attraction for players - granted there’s many other things higher in the list decision wise, but even if it’s that extra 1% advantage to sway a player. We can’t be pumping out official videos all the time and likely asking players to do promo vids saying how amazing the atmosphere is, while at the same time refusing to listen to fans who are incredibly frustrated at not being able to generate one and even getting letters sent asking them to sit down. The point I’m trying to make is that in amongst the ever increasing soulless aspects of football, it’s more important than ever to protect unique, personal aspects of the club. I also agree that we can’t have rose tinted specs on and pretend every single game at SJP used to be amazing atmosphere and there’s always going to be a levelling off between big games and low key games. What I would say is, at least put seating/standing plans in place to find out what our levelling off baseline is. It may improve things a lot, it may not. But let’s find out.

I've always been staunchly against a blank back but I think I feel the same about this as well. I think the patch here it actually lends itself to more traditional red numbered shirts, at least one back in the 70s/80s sticks in my mind watching old clips, where the red number was against a small white patch.

Turn the speaker volume down from the ridiculous level its currently at. I know someone said about regulation issues which is weird how every other ground - seemingly - dont have their speakers anywhere near the same volume. If there are regulation issues the club should be challenging these. Change up the songs every month or so (but keep Fortuna & Local Hero obviously). Extend the standing section and pinpoint it as a singing section. You could have it sprawl across into the middle of the Gallowgate end, around 5/6k total allocation. Create a second designated standing/singing section next to the away fans in the Leazes corner - whether it be L4 or L7. Even if its 2k allocation, that would be enough to give robust responses to the away fans and bring about some great banter. If the club deem it too problematic to move people around in the Gallowgate end due to ST holders, then create one big standing/singing section in the leazes L4 corner. Above all, this is for good of the team and thus club aswell as catering for as many different match goers as possible. With this in mind, the club shouldn't worry about moving people around.

Needs to spend less time moaning at the ref and focus on the game.