Away Toon

Hanging on against Burton Albion, just think about that.

It's been obvious all season that we lack quality in midfield outside of Shelvey and i include the 3 behind the striker in that. I know everyone loves him but i never understood the hype around Ritchie tbh, flatters to deceive far too often IMO and the others are worse. We lack quality everywhere outside of Shelvey who is the only proven premier league player in the squad. The others have either been relegated or hopeless or unproven and often all three.

What's up with these smart ass rotational managers? Pocchetino in mid week, Rafa today, just pick your best team and get on with it.

That is a very lush goal

Lucky still to be ahead, give save by Darlow

You aren't comparing Moyes and Benitez are you? Unlike some on here I've never rated Moyes, it's unbelievable he can still get a job. However seeing Gayle/Mitrovic isolated up front next season is not something to look forward to. What in the hell are you talking about, man? I'm talking about only playing one up front, something I'm fairly sure you don't like either.

You aren't comparing Moyes and Benitez are you? Unlike some on here I've never rated Moyes, it's unbelievable he can still get a job. However seeing Gayle/Mitrovic isolated up front next season is not something to look forward to.

So Moyes an overly cautious manager, grows some balls, and starts two out and out forwards together and look what happens. When are we going to see the same thing?

This is not Rafa's current formation and tactics, there is nothing current about it, this is the way he always plays. I personally would play them both but then again I like 442 or 352, attacking formations, however this is not the way Rafa plays. It's working in this league but next season if we are going to play with one striker up front they are going to have to be a lot better player than either Gayle or Mitovic or we are going to struggle.

When we are losing and chasing a game we'll end up with both on the pitch together, probably not going to happen much this season.

Hopefully Puel will bring him back to the Premier League in January.

Yedlin playing on the right a long way forward for the US against New Zealand. More a right winger than a wingback even.

I quite like Rafa and he's obviously quite a good manager, but this one forward only and general defensive setup is not only boring and unnecessary but might cost us promotion. This is definitely not 2009 again.

Everyone seems to be saying cup win, including me, and yet the vote ...............

Titus was stronger, faster and much better in the air, and could pass out from the back with both feet. He should have been a great player but his concentration consistently let him down. Mbemba is average and I don't think he'll ever be better than that.

This transfer windows Saivet by the look of things.

The bottom line is that we are by far the biggest club in the Championship, support, revenue, the lot. We have also just bought more players and spent more money than all of our competitors. We should walk this league, certainly most people on here seem to think so, we have the biggest squad, most of the best players and Rafa Benitez as Manager. And yet we've lost 3 games including 2 at home already, we look fragile if we go behind, nobody including the players has any idea who will be playing in the next game, we have no idea of what are best starting 11 are, and we look no more likely to be automatically promoted than Huddersfield or Norwich. So what's up? Teething problems or something much more worrying?

You should have cottoned on by now that Rafa always sets us up defensively. He's a defensive coach, that's why he plays 4-2-3-1. Always has been.

Can we amputate his ear lobes and his stupid fucking ear rings with them?

Could be back to the evil trio, Dummett, Anita and Colback. Not a good omen.

What is this constant "tearing the league apart" I keep seeing written about various players? Thauvin, Mitro, Sissoko etc. Messi or Ronaldo might tear it up but nobody we have will especially one goal a season Sissoko

.com saying Gamez is not match fit. We had the holy trinity against Fulham, two of them against Huddersfield, and probably all three of them on Wednesday. No wonder we are shit so far.

Saivet linked with St. Etienne for a seasons loan with an obligation to buy. They would pay half his salary. Would Gibbs consider dropping down a division? Doesn't get to start for Arsenal anymore, only 26 and a serious upgrade on our hopeless options.

The point that I was making which I'm sure you realised, is that nobody on here as far as I know thinks Rafa should be picking Colback to start and very few think he should be picking Anita and Dummett especially as a RW in Anita's case and yet he has consistently picked all three of them. I don't understand why and I think most other people agree. Then again as I mentioned in another post, maybe we are all just footballing idiots, and Rafa isn't.

Tony Green and Jinky Jimmy Smith are the two best players I ever saw play for us, certainly the two I remember the most. Always loved Nattrass as well.