Hughesy

Just as well Dummett never makes a defensive error.

Nobby wasn't a luxury player, he did a job at right back for a while and wouldn't shirk his defensive duties playing on the wing either. He was just a quality player, technically superb and a really intelligent footballer. He is a criminally underrated player - really made that team tick with his intelligence. Such a clever footballer.

You must know goals in Belgium don't count... In all seriousness - he has scored goals at pretty much every level and he's still young, so I'm remaining hopeful.

I find it really hard to debate Mitrovic - I feel there are counter-arguments on both sides to almost everything he does. For example, everyone has seen him miss some pretty easy chances and it's undeniable that his finishing needs to improve, but I'd counter that with three points: 1) if you look at his goals last season (and let's not forget 9 in 34 games (and not all exactly full appearances) in your first season in the PL as a 21 year old isn't exactly bad etc etc), some of them were taken really well. Even the penalties were taken well, but the headers vs Man City, Sunderland, Norwich and shot vs Norwich stand out. In addition, his goals per minute for last season was one goal every 235 minutes. This compares pretty favourably with pretty decent players - Costa was 198, Deeney 253, Pelle 197, Rondon 285. 2) I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding among fans (and I include myself in that) about how likely a striker is to score a goal. I linked to this article earlier - http://statsbomb.com/2016/10/xcommentary/ - when talking about the Norwich game which discusses how 'easy' chances really are. When I heard people talking about that first chance he missed vs Norwich, I thought he'd missed from a yard out - the actual chance wasn't an easy chance by any stretch of the imagination, yet people seem to expect strikers to score that 9 times out 10. As it was, Mitrovic hit it well and Ruddy made a very good save. 3) If he doesn't have a striker's instinct, how come he keeps getting in position to apparently miss a bucket load of easy chances? I don't know basically - he's definitely not as good as I had hoped he would be, but I genuinely think there is something there.

When you aren't playing well or a striker out of goal scoring form you concentrate on sacrificing yourself for the team. He becomes an intergral part in build up play and goals go in around him. All he needs is a couple of games with back to back goals and he'll be away. I can certainly see what he's trying to achieve. Spot on. Wishful thinking all that, imo. He's never displayed anything like a goalscoring instinct. Nothing like a bit of hyperbole.

You're basically right - so I wouldn't worry.

Especially given their style of play.

Did look a lot more lively and mobile yesterday - gave the Villa defenders something different to deal with and he held the ball up very well.

They're both shit - that left hand side needs to be ripped up next season.

I do wonder how many games we played well in last time round. I reckon there are probably quite a few shite matches that get glossed over by the passage of time.

Because statistically it would be highly unusual?

Rafa one is brilliant.

Win the next 2 and we're on 72 points after 33 games. Arguably we then only need 20 points from 13 games to go up. Maybe 24 points to guarantee it, but I think it'd be unlikely if 92 points wasn't enough - 96 would be a virtual certainty.

Totally agree. Lots of people are talking as if they're going to win every game between now and the end of the season, when they're not. We already effectively have a 6 point lead on them so can afford to lose 4 games and still be ahead or level with them at worst. Our game against them isn't must win, it's a must not lose.

Yep - thought I must have missed the chance when I first saw it. Mentioned it in another thread but I don't think people have a handle on what a realistic conversion rate for a striker is in general and what the percentage chance is of scoring a chance like that is. Don't necessarily agree with everything in the article, but this is decent reading - http://statsbomb.com/2016/10/xcommentary/

Just watched the highlights - clearly he needs to start converting some chances but I had assumed from the outrage he'd missed a load of sitters - just wasn't the case.

Get in!

Dummett has always played that aimless loft down the wing and, more often than not, ends up ceding possession.

My issue with Dummett isn't necessarily his ability going forward (although it would be good if he was better at that), it's more the fact that certain basic footballing tasks are beyond him like having a decent touch, being able to pick and then play a pass etc. He needs to significantly improve his composure on the ball and be able to pass the ball out from the back without losing possession and I've seen no signs that he has improved in this regard at all.

Not convinced getting subbed at half time is going to get his confidence up. Reckon he's done here personally. last game, last touch..a goal? Not a chance that was the last time we see him I'm sure we'll see his face again, but before today I didn't think it was a given that his days here were numbered. But I'm not sure there can be more blatant vote of no-confidence from a manager than subbing a player who is struggling for goals, at half time, minutes after he's scored. Was that not just because he was on a card and looking like getting another? What? This was brought up in TMDT and when the sub happened most seemed to think that was the reason. It was the reason.

Never understand why they allow ex-players of teams involved to be co-commentators.

He's able to go for that.

Officiating at this level is abysmal.

Sounds awesome - great move.