Heron

Hammers being nailed. Back in the toolbox, Irons.

Cole Palmers barber absolutely stealing a living.

Longstaff starts. Tonali starts next week.

West Ham are awful out of possession.

That was a blatant penalty, surely.

I think we need someone like Regis LeBris if we want to really get anywhere and win something tbh. Lad makes a fair point.

Me too.

I'm not sure any manager does significantly better over the same time period as Howe tbh.

Love Eddie Howe just shutting down stupid questions now like. He really has mastered these interviews somewhat. Keeps driving the unity message, love that. What a guy.

Oh no. #AddedPressure

Could do with a comfortable win here but in reality it's likely to be a scrappy draw or scraping a win. Getting in to play City at home, unbeaten, kind of gives us a free hit a little bit, get anything from that afterwards and really the sky should be our limit and we should start to believe in ourselves a lot more.

Hasn't that been said for like 4 years now

Then why wouldn't it be across the board if that was the case? I mean it may explain it somewhat but I doubt it to be honest. I personally think 4 is a tad harsh but I think it's a lot more reasonable (and acceptable) than a 2.

What? Playing 2 out of 10 is literally doing everything like 80% wrong in that game. He absolutely doesn't. Average is not 2 out of 10.

The debate is whether he's a 2 out of 10 every week or average tbf. He's absolutely not a 2 out of 10. I don't think anyone is saying he's prime Zidane.

As mentioned previously it was referring to people giving ratings of a 2 and being entirely unreasonable in their analysis of him. So I guess it's no surprise that folk being unreasonable get met with similar lack of reasoning. It doesn't upset me, but it does annoy me. I don't get what people achieve from it. As Tron said and hopefully was later discussed, there was reason met with reason.

I know. I'm not asking you to

Not at all. However, my point remains that folk aren't achieving anything by going over the top in their criticism of Longstaff, and it is quite simply scapegoating and bullying when people do, because ratings of 1.63 on the BBC for example are entirely unjustified and people just being deliberately arsey.

It isn't a given though, cause some players don't. I see the point you're making. Teams need more to be successful, you're not wrong. However, it is not good practice for folk to try and ruin the lads confidence whilst he is continued to be selected and continues to give his all. What are folk trying to achieve by being overly negative about his performance? It is disingenuous to suggest he has played anywhere near a 2 at any point his season. 1.63 for yesterday. That's not being done with any objectivity. People think Tonali should start and are now looking to crucify Longstaff at any opportunity. Why?

Sissoko didn't give his all for us that's the difference. You can have a go at folk for not putting effort in, it's an easily changeable metric, try harder. You're not gonna make an average player better who's giving you 200% better slating him weekly. That's the point (not aimed at you but generally).

Saying shit like he was a 2 is literally pathetic. Like I say, it wasn't aimed at anyone in here, just all the shit I see online. It is clear what Longstaff brings and that someone like Tonali brings more, Longstaff is steady, hard working cog in the labour intensive Newcastle machine. He's not a world beater, he hasn't got the range of passing Tonali has, the physicality of Joelinton, or the pace of Willock, but he's got stamina and he fills the gaps that enabled the likes of Bruno and others to work their magic. People aren't being reasonable saying it was all his fault for the goal, or he was a 2 or owt like that, it's almost pointless discussing it with them people cause they clearly have an agenda.

Just giving him ratings of 2 and such like man, online and that. What a bunch of absolute fucking doylems. I'm not saying people can't think he's not as good as Tonali, he's our weakest link, he's an average midfielder, aye - whatever, but at least be objective and fair about it. Not necessarily on this forum but social media and even in person - people at the games or watching in bars. He's just a scapegoat and an easy target. He clearly isn't the most confident of kids and he adores playing for his home, his city. What do people want?! It's not his fault he's picked and when he is picked he gives it his all and more. I'd have 11 Sean Longstaffs over 11 fucking Sissoko's every day of the week. Absolute piss take. He's our player, from our home.

The way people go on about Longstaff is almost tantamount to bullying. People need to fuck off.