timnufc22

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.

It sounds tedious dosent it, Hey Jude has been done to death and it’s sung by many others clubs aswell. Mix it up sometimes ffs. I’ve said countless times - the volume needs to be turned down massively both pre match and full time anyway. I can’t think of any other club that I watch on tv who’s PA system comes across as being played anywhere near as loud as ours is.

The fact your team is making progress into the oppositions box and you’re more focused on synchronised clapping and droning on with constant defeating drums is ridiculous to me. But it’s about different football cultures. The drum itself isn’t a bad thing if you’ve sparingly, like one used to be at Spurs and Blackburn.

Totally agree, the majority would stay in the strawberry corner anyway but others can move if they don’t want to be part of a singing section. There needs to be a fuss kicked up about the seating arrangements and the club need to know fans are frustrated they can’t generate an atmosphere they want. Imo an absolute must is a second singing section near the away fans. Interaction with them is a big way to get the atmospheres going.

Isak’s hold up play is better

Not overly keen on Jenas though there’s certainly worse. Completely agree about McCoist, he’s like a caricature of himself. Yes mate, you’re there to “be totally honest” and to “tell us something”. Minus the ‘off air’ racist comment obviously, someone like Ron Atkinson was a much more authentic co-commentator back in the day. Heck even the much maligned Andy Townsend too. A lot of commentary is so hyperbolic and childish it distorts the moment of genuine enthusiasm / analysis.

What’s embarrassing is all of the hype after the PSG game, which by all accounts was immense. Then all of the media are frothing at the mouth in excitement at the prospect of our next home game. Then when it comes along, with no doubt some tuning in/going to see what the fuss is about, they’re presented with that damp squib, pardon the pun. The players deserved more during a difficult moment, after everything they’ve given us the past 2 years.

We kept plugging away against an organised team but just lacked sharpness in the final third. Can’t fault the application. Isak massive miss. Targett did well when he came on and I think should have been rotated more. He’s a good player and has always offered good link up play and crossing ability. Burn has definitely earned his starting spot, but Targett should have made more appearances before now. Thought Bruno played well, Gordon was quality. Joelinton is a great ‘water carrier’ but lacks the quality and quickness of thought to be a precise midfielder at the highest level imo. I’m not being reactionary I’ve always thought that, not taking anything away from his turnaround. We need Willock to get up to speed asap. In hindsight I think Murphy should have started.

The drum was pissing me off watching on tv so god knows it must have been overbearing in the ground. I’ve always said European fans’ atmosphere is completely detached from the pitch and utterly mind-numbing as a result. Do they not want to join some kind of music band or something, it’s just a mundane chorus repeated over and over, nothing resembling ‘encouragement’ in my point. Still, if I was there I would have had the urge to drown them out with proper chants and encouragement to the players. If it was as low-key as it sounded on tv then that’s just downright weird and frustrating. I get PSG was there 20year ‘breakthrough’ game which was a lightning in a bottle moment, but surely second half you’d want to suck the ball into the net when losing 1-0? I agree with others they must scrap the balloting system.

FAO anyone at the ground, TNT Sport commentators are saying our fans are quiet and the teams needs more support. Raise the noise lads & lasses please!!

I think it should be emphasised what a goldmine they are sitting on atmosphere-wise if they had a second standing section in Leazes Corner L4 and really focused on getting like-minded fans together.

Request a paper ticket - they confirmed to someone I know that this can be done for anyone who cannot use or is struggling to use digital tickets. The switch is totally unnecessary and completely irresponsible towards fans who don’t use or have access to digital. They need to reverse it.

I agree it did work with Bruno the first half of last season and there’s definitely an upside to it in an attacking sense. But looking at the second half of last season when our defensive record declined, it may well have been due in part to teams working us out and targeting Bruno to give the ball away in dangerous positions. I do think Willock is a massive miss and I said at the start of the season he’d be in the first eleven for me. it’s not to say Bruno’s useless or anything when deeper, I know it works sometimes and he can be great in right areas but ultimately I think we’re more vulnerable than solid. If Tonali can’t play as a holding 6 then I do find it a slightly strange buy. Again I agree with Hope that performances can dictate future results and when you look at the defensive record slide during second half of last season, I would have thought it pointed towards bringing in that midfielder who can suss out danger when teams break on us. it just looks an obvious vulnerability for us. We’ve done amazing the last two years and everyone deserves immense credit, I’m just talking about this aspect in isolation. i think Bruno and Tonali are mentioned because they’re the star, go-to names for the starting line up, so it’s looked upon as a key combination with a +1 out of Longstaff, Joelinton, Willock & Anderson.

I don’t think Bruno & Tonali are clicking though? Don’t see anything wrong with that assessment. For me it’s as much the system as individuals; without a designated & disciplined number 6, the midfield are played through and split open as a result. Especially on the counter. if it was me I’d be telling Tonali to sit, end of. No rotating positions, he’s playing deep, getting the ball off centre backs, picking passes, being sensible and reading the play in front of him when we don’t have it. Instead he’s playing higher up and keeps getting balls played in behind in and Loftus Cheek had the pace to beat him in a race. Bruno dosent have the discipline or nous to snuff out the danger and we are then left exposed. Let Bruno & Longstaff make runs to support the forwards safe in the knowledge Tonali is sitting if we lose the ball.

That’s normally the case re fitness yet Joelinton hadn’t trained all week but was still selected. Why betray your own fitness stipulations when the player in question has had a poor couple of games and has an able deputy - Longstaff - ready and raring to go?

Whether he's on his own or with Tonali, I'd rather not see Bruno sitting deep and like to see him on the ball further up the pitch instead. Surely Tonali has/will have through game time the nous to sit deeper and be efficient with the ball in those area's? Seems like a no-brainer to me to at least try. Get Longstaff in there too.

Joelinton didn't train much this week apparently and is off-form. It has seemed like he's always picked to start regardless of form or fitness. I know he's been very good the last 18 months and I'm not taking that away from him, but I dont like this aura of players being undroppable. Longstaff was also very good last season and is seemingly fully fit, yet to have a crack this season. I don't understand why you wouldn't start hum over Joelinton today, considering the circumstances. Its no major slight on Joelinton, we're all human, but we need a more solid midfield at the moment and I think Longstaff would provide a better chance of that with his workrate and I'd say more sensible play as a more all-round midfielder. When we bought Tonali I thought it was with a view of releasing Bruno further up, especially after the second half of last season where we were less solid defensively. Again I've been surprised to instead see him playing higher up rather than Bruno, who gets caught out sitting deep quite a bit. He had a better set up with Shelvey sitting deeper behind him, I thought this was the idea with Tonali, granted there's always going to be some rotation during the game. Similar with Barnes signing & Gordon, as great as Almiron has done last season I thought there'd be more rotation with Gordon, with Barnes slotting straight in on the left giving us more cutting edge in the final third. I thought we had a great window with all this in mind but it seems the signings were made with other plans in mind. This is all within context; it is so important than inside the ground, the players & Howe get unconditional support & encouragement and we live up to 'we'll support you ever more'.

Tbf I agree its probably not wise to move Gordon for now, long-term I'd be switching him at some point to get Barnes in. Perhaps I should trust Murphy more after what he's given us the last few years, either way I think Almiron needs rotating. I think Joelinton needs to be rotated too, we need to keep the ball better and stop giving away needless fouls/yellow cards and only my personal taste but he can be too erratic/lack nous. Granted we have switching roles at times but in general get Bruno further up the pitch to link up more with the forwards. It may help rekindle his confidence to get back to assisting and being more risk-free when losing the ball further up. Tonali's passing from deep would be a safer bet right now, let him screen the back four more. Would be tempted to start Hall actually, he looked more than capable when thrown into the deep end for Chelsea. We have to start Isak imo, I really don't like this subbing of him every game, we need to start giving him 90 minutes and then rotate with Wilson when the games actually start piling up. He's one of the best strikers in the league, we're in no position to not have him on the pitch when needing a goal.