bobbydazzla

That’s option D. The “no comment” answer

Little bit or roleplay for the lads n lasses. You’re the CEO, you're doing an interview about end of year results. When asked by a journo about Eddie’s future, which answer do you go with ? A) This season has been mixed but Eddie's our man, no risk to his job: People shit their pants, Eddie's had the dreaded pre-sacking backing. B) This season has been mixed, we’ll save any discussion about Eddie’s job until it’s over: People shit their pants, Eddie’s getting sacked. C) This season has been mixed, the buck stops with the manager and we feel he could have done better: People shit their pants, Eddie’s getting sacked. D) This season has been mixed, but I’m not commenting on Eddie’s future: People shit their pants, Eddie’s getting sacked.

Free pre-match pints of Madri for anyone who wears a bright pink jacket ?

He’s 16 but he can’t come and play here till he’s 18. Did I read that right ?

On the flip side, we're also exposed to comebacks because we're weak as piss mentally and are prone to defend like clowns in a big top. If we're needing 2 goals just to be in with a chance of getting some points then that suggests there's a fundamental problem with our approach to defending. Of course, being more clinical up front would be great, I don't think anyone is saying we've been ruthless at putting the ball in the net. But for me, our defensive frailty and conceding soft goals at key moments has been far more painful to experience than our missed chances.

Wise man once say self praise is no praise.

It's posts like this that make all the other nonsense you spout worthwhile putting up with. Please don't ever change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce84xpdedpvo

Attack plays far more confident when your defence works.

I only put that caveat in there because the people who like the predictive stats that cannot be mentioned get all uppity about me pointing out why the predictive stats that cannot be mentioned are flawed. They see good natured debate as being an affront to their beliefs system. So I just like to make sure that people know that I'm very happy if other people have a different view to me and it's not a duel to the death. Variety is the spice of life.

Am sure it's a factor. Another factor is we defend like slapstick clowns.

Pretty much what I was saying, but better explained. A striker of Isak's calibre would obviously be a great thing to have, but it doesn't necessarily mean we'd have won more games this season given that we're weak as piss mentally and can't defend for shit.

I'm not saying our strikers don't have issues. I'm saying, it is my opinion, that our defensive issues are causing more pain than our goal scoring issues. I want us to go 1-0 and be confident we could see the game out because we're shit hot at the back. You're saying you'd want us to be 3-0 up and be confident we can see the game out because we're shit hot up front. Neither of us is wrong and neither of us is right. We just have different views.

It wasn't a joke, but it was hyperbole. Our issue this season isn't scoring goals, although we clearly miss a striker of Isak's quality when he was playing well and aren't as clinical as we were when he was here. A key issue for us this season is conceding goals. Conceding goals after we've got ourselves in the lead. We're the worst team in the league for throwing away points from winning positions. My point was, albeit made in a purposefully daft way, that we need to tighten up at the back and stop making so many basic defensive errors that cost us points. And by defensive, I mean the team defending as a unit. Which bit of that is thoroughly devoid of context ?

It was hyperbole. But it has its basis in truth. Our problem this season isn’t scoring goals. We’re 8th in the league for Goals For. But we’re 14th in the league for Goals Against. And we’re rock bottom of the league for Points Dropped From Winning Positions. You do the math.

Conceding goals changes games We’re the worst team in the entire league for Points Dropped From Winning Positions. Because we can’t defend.

No one in their right mind thinks like that now, never mind at the time. We sold a player who was well liked but never really performed for us and he played in a position where we have better players than him. He went somewhere else where he got loads of starts and did well and is now worth big money. That’s just football.

Premier League to introduce new emergency rule that any club that had to sack their manager a week after his dad passed away are exempt from relegation.

Just read on Twatter that Terry Venables was spotted at their training ground this morning

With the club committed to investing serious money in emerging talent over the next five years, they know they have to get it right. You only have to look at the success of Yankuba Minteh, sold at a £25m profit, to see the impact it can have. Says a lot about the plight of modern football when selling a player who never kicked a ball for you is a “success”. Success should be judged by a player making a positive impact on the pitch, not the fucking balance sheet.

Like lots of things in life, it’s about balance. Good things happen, bad things happen, try to enjoy the good ones as much as you can and try not to get too down about the bad ones. If something you choose to do for enjoyment becomes something you can no longer take any joy from, then either reassess your mindset or stop doing the thing for a while to see if you get your enthusiasm back. Don't be blindly optimistic, don’t be blindly pessimistic. Have balance.

Be careful if you decide to leave the house today, the sky might fall in. It’s easy to say PIF aren’t interested in NUFC if you mainly focus on the things you think they should have done that they haven’t done yet. I could say my lass isn’t interested in me anymore because she hasn’t bought me a Ferrari. Completely ignoring the fact that last night she let us play my favourite Cindy & Wicksy roleplay at bedtime. PIF are moving us forward. Maybe not as fast as some would like, but we’re moving forward. That is a fact. Just try and enjoy it. There’s better things to do in life than get your y-fronts in a twist coming up with theories about why PIF have given up on NUFC.

Don’t let the facts get in the way of your feels

Steps have won a Brit award

On the flip side, being a credible journo doesn’t get you far when success in the industry is based on sensationalism, peddling lies and generating clicks