Novocastrian

Everton were the big losers of the PL in my opinion, they were instrumental in the formation of the PL as part of the 'Big 5' but immediately fell away as soon as is started and were immediately taken over by teams such as Keegan's NUFC and Blackburn. They've always had a chip on their shoulder and for years were flirting with relegation before Moyes had them briefly pushing for the top 4.

No worse than Bellamy.

Following a similar pattern to recent games, our final ball is rushed or lacks quality. Need someone to step up here an take a chance.

Got tickets for Athletic Bilbao v Real Madrid on Sunday. Anyone been to San Mamés? Any tips, good places to go on the lash?

Fantastic game today, my MotM. Makes defending and coming out with the ball look effortless.

Let's get the draw done before midnight this time.

Let’s see!

Not nervous about this in the slightest. We’ll win comfortably.

Only silver lining is the bounce back on Tue. No way we’ll be as poor against Leicester.

The Trippiers, Brunos and Joelintons wasting their time here with Wood, Murphy et al.

Nothing in the Arsenal line up to be too worried about IMO. They are playing well but so are we. They’ll be worried about us on the counter. Let’s hope we turn up and cause them some big problems.

Disappointing but we would have took a draw at Leicester and a home win today. Can’t win them all.

True I suppose, I remember them going down and how they were bragging about coming straight back up. In the end it took them about 15/16 seasons. They’ve had their punishment. Same goes for the Mackems - they can stew in champo fit another 4 or 5 years.

Don't get this Leeds love in at all - awful club with even worse fans. Maybe it's some younger fans who can't remember them following their extended sojourn outside the PL? Best place for them is in the lower leagues, the lower the better.

Absolute personality vacuum. Painful to watch.

Burn scares me at LB.

Watching Burn try to head a ball is like watching a kid heading a ballon.

We’ve took the piss out of Everton for spending 500m and yes their recruitment has been suspect but it shows how difficult it is.

Potentially yes, he was bought with that profile. Jury still out for me.

Always said we need another 3/4 ‘Bruno’s’ to challenge top 6. We got one (Isak).

After 14 years of not trying we absolutely wanted a team that tries. We got that very quickly. Ashley has gone now, the new owners want to create an elite club. ‘Trying’ is great but it’s the least we expect now. We tried today but didn’t have the quality to make it count.

I’ve said all along there’s a soft under belly to the PL, we proved in the second half of last season we were already a match for pretty much anyone outside the top 6 on a game by game basis. The peripheral European places are within sight. Yes we’ve invested and we also started from a much lower base than some of our contemporaries. Those who have done the FFP sums have suggested we can spend, so if that’s true, and I’m no expert, maybe the owners favour a conservative slower build for whatever reason. I’m happy with that but feel we are in danger of missing out on an opportunity. BTW I was in the Gallowgate/Leazes when we had 16,000 and we really were shit so fuck off with the ‘expecting too much mantra’ I just want us to maximise our potential and maintain the momentum from last season.

We huffed and puffed but the management settled for mid-table when they didn’t bring in the inventive players we need in attack. Bournemouth snuffed us out and there was no-one to take a grip in the final third. Most passes outside the box were ‘I’m not sure what to do here, you have it’ followed by a hopeful punt. We lack ‘door openers’. Trippier did well holding that high position on the right.

The Chris Waddle effort off the post against West Germany in the World Cup Semi-final.

I’ve calmed down now, loving how the high press has unsettled these elite teams who are used to knocking the ball around at the back. They didn’t like it up them. Another 2 transfer windows and we’ll be able to match them for the full 90 mins.