Hughesy

Cool under pressure from Mitro.

Our crowd is dreadful today. The constant groaning is pathetic.

From an article in the Guardian: "Newcastle outcast Sylvain Marveaux’s move to Lorient was hardly given a second thought in the summer, given how poor he had been at Guingamp two years ago. When he started the season injured and Lorient struggled, that indifference seemed validated; how much could 30-year-old whose reputation was built on one solid season impact a struggling team? The answer was quite a bit; all of Marveaux’s five goals and six assists have come since the dismissal of Sylvain Ripoll, establishing himself as the team’s creative fulcrum. Faced with a match against relegation rivals Metz – who have also been boosted by a veteran in the form of Cheick Diabaté – Lorient could easily have been worried about Marveaux’s absence through injury. Not wanting to disrupt Lorient’s tactics, Bernard Casoni called on the youngster Jimmy Cabot to take Marveaux’s spot on the right side of a 4-4-2, and the former Troyes man responded brilliantly, recording a brace and two assists in a demolition of Metz that sees Lorient up to the dizzy heights of 16th. The good form of Romain Philippoteaux and Marveaux mean that Cabot has often been on the bench this season, but the youngster showed he should be given more of a chance come next season, provided Lorient’s seemingly impossible bid for survival is a successful one."

Saw some speculation (admittedly Skybet driven) that we are interested in Tammy Abraham next season. Think he'd be a great signing, whether on loan or as a permanent. Would be surprised if Chelsea were happy to let him go though.

Agreed - thought he was absolute quality. He'd have had an exceptionally good PL career I reckon.

He wasn't particularly good last season like. Happy to keep him on as back up because of his versatility but when everyone's fit he shouldn't be anywhere near the 1st team assuming we are in the PL. Nah - he played pretty well at right back last season. Would be more than happy to have him and Yedlin was our RBs next season, given the need to strengthen elsewhere. Shouldn't even be close to a priority.

Wow - so sad. Always thought he was a quality defender and seemed like a great guy.

This.

They do but often it's because players stop listening to them. Or become tired of them, or lose respect if they've ballsed up elsewhere. Rafa had no respect at RM. But the players at NUFC should be delighted to be working with someone like him, which is why this job is a good fit. Completely agree - the cloggers we have in our squad should be grateful to even have one coaching session from Rafa, let alone have him as their manager. I'm just hoping that our current players are too stupid to understand what he's asking them to do and that he is permitted to rip the squad up and start again.

Think most managers do tend to have a shelf life. Feels wrong even typing it, but I really hope Rafa doesn't, given his tactical brain and coaching ability.

Way bigger problems to solve than Anita at right back. And his versatility is useful.

This.

We will be fine.

Genuinely think the rose tinted glasses come out a bit for 09/10 - just looking at some of the fixtures I remember seeing live in second half of that season. We were lucky to salvage a draw at Bristol City in March, absolutely terrible in a 3-2 win at Peterborough and scraped past Doncaster by one goal. And I seem to remember us being pretty bad on last game of the season vs QPR, although a dead game. We really weren't smashing teams to pieces with amazing football.

I don't necessarily think the football this season has been great (leaving aside the control argument), but I sometimes wonder what people expected. Even decent Premier League teams don't batter Championship teams when they meet in cup competitions and certainly very few teams in the Championship have seasons where they wipe the floor with other teams each week - it just doesn't happen and didn't happen in 09/10. I personally expected better than having to endure Gouffran playing CM in April, like. I don't really blame Rafa one bit but we've needlessly made this part of the season a bit of tense scrap to grab points and go. Don't disagree with that - but that isn't what I've said.

I don't necessarily think the football this season has been great (leaving aside the control argument), but I sometimes wonder what people expected. Even decent Premier League teams don't batter Championship teams when they meet in cup competitions and certainly very few teams in the Championship have seasons where they wipe the floor with other teams each week - it just doesn't happen and didn't happen in 09/10.

Pretty much spot on.

I think this is accentuated because the stakes of getting straight back up are so huge.

That's also a load of bollocks. In terms of style of football it isn't, we're boring and f***ing awful to watch but managed to win games by scoring quite a few. Baffling to be honest how we managed it with the way we set up. Love to know how you could possibly know. How much of the recent promoted teams have you watched? All played scintillating football, did they? Lots, and we are f***ing awful to watch. How can you even defend it, you're eyes don't lie do they. Sure you did. All those championship games over the last 10 years of each of the promoted teams that you've watched.. I watched tons, i actually did and do. It's all i really do, watch football. Any country anything that's on, football is always on no matter what. And none of that changes the fact we are f***ing terrible to watch. Face the truth, we are f***ing awful to watch. Attack me if you like, might want to turn that on the manager, players and coaching staff after watching that shower of utter s*** we just put up with. There haven't even been enough games on TV in recent years of the promoted teams for you to make a reasonable assessment. Looking at the goals we have scored this season and comparing it to past seasons, I struggle to believe we have been one of worst teams in recent years..

Brighton fans on their forum have been staring for quite some time how badly they've played and how lucky they've been. People on here seem to think they play like the 1970 Brazil team.

That's also a load of bollocks. In terms of style of football it isn't, we're boring and f***ing awful to watch but managed to win games by scoring quite a few. Baffling to be honest how we managed it with the way we set up. Love to know how you could possibly know. How much of the recent promoted teams have you watched? All played scintillating football, did they? Lots, and we are f***ing awful to watch. How can you even defend it, you're eyes don't lie do they. Sure you did. All those championship games over the last 10 years of each of the promoted teams that you've watched..

That's also a load of bollocks. In terms of style of football it isn't, we're boring and f***ing awful to watch but managed to win games by scoring quite a few. Baffling to be honest how we managed it with the way we set up. Love to know how you could possibly know. How much of the recent promoted teams have you watched? All played scintillating football, did they?

Passing has been dreadful today. Not giving each other a chance - every pass is behind people or at an awkward height. Really sloppy.

That's also a load of bollocks.

And rightly so they are the best team in the league by a distance Well that's a load of bollocks.