Mistle17

Chelsea at home last game of the season. Rafa's last match with us. Hope the place is just one big protest, proper kicking off.

We're finished imo. Sinking like a stone whilst everyone around us is finding form. A long way to go but we're just so poor, and have some really tough games coming up that will put us- in every sense- in an extremely difficult situation. What's the fucking point, lads? Think back to when we won the league last year, and now look at us. We're a club that is intent on going nowhere, there is no aim to do anything other than yo-yo between divisions. Give it time and that yo-yo will be between D1/D2. We're out of the relegation zone on goal difference only, whilst losing tomorrow will put us in there with a difference of points. We then have to rely on not only other teams losing more than us from February-May, but on Dwight Gayle, Joselu, and Ayoze Perez scoring enough goals to keep us up. Our set-piece proficiency has deserted us, Shelvey doesn't contribute, which leaves us with the inexperience of Jacob Murphy and the reliable but un-prolific Atsu to get us over the line. I'm sorry, but we're just not good enough. Rafa has done a brilliant job, and may (hopefully) do an even better one come the end of the season, but this team is not built for the PL and it's showing badly. With tomorrow being the last day of the window, and us not signing a new ST or anyone else bar Kenedy, a loss tomorrow will tip the place psychologically into panic-mode/despair/fury (one can but dream).

'We had to shift one or two before we could get anyone in, and in the end we were so close but just couldn't get those players over the line.... '

People saying it was an 'all Premiership tie', but considering only Manquillo (who is of a Champo standard) and Saivet (not far off Manquillo) were not part of the squad from last season reveals that this was a match between two teams of different divisions. I know we're on the brink of falling into the relegation zone, but it's a miracle Rafa has worked that we aren't in there or cut adrift at this point. I know people get frustrated by him, but realistically we'd be completely screwed without him.

Newport had a right go. Don't care about how the goal came about. Stop with the lame excuses and any ounce of counter argument. They gave plenty yesterday. We are s****. I have said we're shit. But as I said we conceded both of our goals from trying to press Chelsea and build attacks in their half, Chelsea barely threatened us before the first goal. Our reaction has been absolute shit, I'm not denying that. I simply mean that before the first goal we looked within a shout of taking the lead.

Worth noting Newport scored from a set piece, not from trying to dominate the ball and 'have a go'

We won't get anyone in like. It's the same as every fucking window. Take the piss with other clubs and then leave it until the last few days and pump out self-pity propaganda about how we tried ever so hard but the prices just keep going up and up and it's too much for this poor little club to buy any one...

We conceded both our goals from trying to press Chelsea, play in their half and build attacks. The second goal especially was gross incompetence by a player of ours with the ball at their feet....I don't think we've exactly been negative about it. We're just absolute shit. Anyone who looked at that line up and felt positive was just kidding themselves.

I am really becoming apathetic towards this club now. I fucking hate it when we play, nothing but a complete misery.

Why does this club exist...

Gone for Millwall today. 4/7 at home to Rochdale in the FA.

Absolutely this. English football is rank these days.

I was lucky enough to get to a match at El Calderon last season. It's actually heartbreaking for that club how they have left it. I have a lot of time for Atletico but they have sold out in this case (imo). They were competing just fine at El Calderon- Simeone showed that it was actually a change in management and professionalism/stability the club needed to return it to the top of European football. As with a lot of stadiums that are abandoned, the Vicente Calderon was in the heart of an Atleti neighborhood and, from the time I went there, offered a really authentic matchday experience that so many new stadiums can't. It really is such a shame. An incredible old-school ground with a brilliant atmosphere! And El Frente create a great noise- going to matches abroad shows how the (top flight) English game has all but lost its atmosphere/character.

Approach with caution. Good to see an extra option being brought in. If Atsu's out it hinders us massively, so good to hear we're getting in competition.

Oxford v.good value, 21/20 I got them at. Went for a bit of Mainz as well, 13/8 at home to Stuttgart (watch this fail!).

Sick of this club tbh, there's no point in it anymore. (When) Rafa goes I'm completely done tbh, barely hanging on passion-wise at the moment anyway.

That's shattering. Fucking hell, this club really is going to rot. Very sad news.

Stoke's next 3 games are: - Man Utd, A - Huddersfield, H - Watford, H Assuming tonight is a loss that's 6 possible points for them in the games after. Considering we're going to lose next week if they beat Huddersfield we're absolutely fucked.

HTT, do you know where I could get my hands on that? Cheers!

"We're AFC Bournemouth, we've won a free kick" from the home fans. Go Premier League, family friendly chants!

Think he kept Ritchie on because he wanted that protection for Yedlin but also what he thought he might get in set-piece delivery. Murphy would have made a positive difference, though. My only real gripe is that we're not finding a place for Merino at the moment. Next week I'd start him as a CB in a 5-4-1 like he was when he come on vs City. The lad is a class act and Rafa needs to take a risk in playing him over Diame in games like today as we just need that bit of quality on the ball. I think Diame's physical traits are the only reason he gets a look in- Shelvey is so immobile that if you're going to play two in midfield you need someone with legs around him (although Diame wouldn't exactly be lightning...). Otherwise I think people have to realise that we're in such a shit situation as a club, and Rafa is simply stopping the bleeding to speak metaphorically. If we don't get sold and Rafa stays for some bizarre reason, it will be this all over again next season and by that stage I really won't be able to give a fuck anymore. Stay up and pray we get taken over. Every point will count.

Not sure if Southgate will pick him for the WC!

Doesn't help when the crowd shit their pants at the players when they're looking for the ball.

With that GK and back four we can't afford to try and boss the game with the ball- they aren't good enough to play out, but bar Yedlin are all slow and liable to get caught out on the break. I'm not a fan of our approach to these sorts of fixtures, but nonetheless we created some good chances in the first half. I think people forget how limited our team is. Rafa is doing a good job.

Shit result. Just a shit time to be a fan of this club, it's pretty grim. Perez scores that chance in the first half and we could be talking about a win. Rafa knows that points like Brighton and today will add up come the end of the season. If we survive it will not be by much.