Heron

Not surprised. People talk a load of s*** on here, he's a decent target man, and his link up play would be decent if he could score goals to go along with it. But he doesn't, and since the rest of our forwards are pretty goal shy as well, we need a striker who can score goals. He may win a lot of aerial battles, but usually its not benefiting us as his headers wont find one of our players. Its a bit the same from throw-ins. Its hilarious/sad how many times he has tried to pass the ball back to the thrower on the first-time touch, but just ended up totally misjudging the pass and shooting it straight back over the line. This says as much about our positioning, anticipation and movement as it does Joselu's aerial distribution for me. If you're winning that many aerial battles surely players should be getting tighter to pick up scraps and / or gambling on him winning it. We have a packed out midfield a lot of the time and if he is dropping it in with his back to goal (which he is most of the time as a result of the way we play) then an intelligent number 10 would be in and around him or one of the accompanying midfielders. That's not to say his distribution isn't partially to blame like but there's more factors than simply that.

Swansea (h) - 3 Man City (a) - 0 Burnley (h) - 1 Palace (a) - 1 Man United (h) - 1 Bournemouth (a) - 1 Liverpool (a) - 0 Southampton (h) - 1 Tottenham (a) - 0 Huddersfield (h) - 3 Leicester (a) - 0 Arsenal (h) - 1 Everton (a) - 0 West Brom (h) - 3 Watford (a) - 0 Chelsea (h) - 1 38 points and just safe. By my reckoning. That's taking 3 cumulative points from 3 big teams like and probably goes a bit against our home and away form. We might see a win at Palace or somewhere and losses at home vs Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United.

get in Alan

We just have to be sure to back Rafa all the way through to the end of the season if the deal doesn't go through in January. Our main priorities are remaining in this division if we want a sale to go through and to also keep Rafa. If he does that with minimal or no money, I think we'll be bought in the summer. If we go bat shit crazy it might effect our ability to remain in he top flight. With us not in he top flight we'll be stuck with the Fat Hitler and Rafa will walk...

Tbf you can't really blame Spurs fans for the lack of attendance what with it being just after Christmas and new year when money is low and on the Thursday when most people go back to work. We'd have got 52,000

takeover is happening on the 20th man. I've already said.

That's not what I meant but aye.

TBH like if Rafa leaves we could well be in a similar predicament. Cause chances are that if he does leave its cause we haven't invested or been bought. We'll possibly be relegated with no investment and even with Rafa and if that happens he'll go. Similarly if we stay up and there's no investment I think Rafa will walk. Then quite a lot will turn their backs to the club and the downward spiral will begin.

My dog has one of them.

I posted similar in the RB thread. So short sighted at times some people.

Has us 2 places higher in the league and assuming Swansea are going down that'd be us safe, thanks to his safe and steady tactics...

For me like, no reporter has a clue and they're all theorising and criticising. If it wasn't happening by now we'd know. Something is going on and until the 20th we won't know. It'll be a deal then though and we'll sign someone big. I know. Because I am in the know.

Sounds great, feels good to believe this will be the case so let's go with that Seems like everyone puts their hat in the ring on Twitter. I might tweet it as fact and see if Sky report it.

Wouldn't surprise me if it is announced at the same time as a top quality signing. It'd probably be hard to achieve the same thing at the same time, but there'd be no better way to burst on the scene than with 2 or 3 signings so that the business is all tied up and it would be a real statement of intent. I reckon it's almost done now like. Will be announced on the 20th.

I agree. I just think the blind faith approach from the stands also helps in or current scenario

There's that and the fact away from home we benefit from the home team having to push on, giving us the chance to counter attack. Aye. A win against Swansea would be good, for the sake of morale more than anything.

Think there's a lot to be said for us having confidence away from home and not at home. No fear of being booed for making a mistake, etc.

Game over. Hughes sacked.

Our fans blasting out Rafa, Rafael....

Need to show some experience here and be clever. Get the ball out of our half and keep it.

He's a goal poacher, not a number 10. Yep Pretty sure Pardew is the only one to play him up top so far until now...maybe he was right about at least one thing. You do realise to say as much on this forum is a banable offence don't you...

We never, ever get iffy decisions in our favour like

I sincerely hope it's not the same people complaining about 442 as it was 4231 or whatever it was... FWIW I don't think anyone thinks Rafa or the team are beyond criticism so I'm kinda sick of hearing that. People are just rationalising why they aren't they actual issue and that's actually 100% rational, given we are making the same mistakes at board level as we have for the last decade...