ExiledGeordie

The signing makes perfect sense, has a point to prove and if anyone can get him back to top form Howe can. I think our lack of a 6 type player is one of the reasons we’ve struggle away from home with teams playing through us far too easily.

I suppose how he does the next few weeks before Jan massively impacts what we do in Jan.

If they win we’ll literally never hear the end of it. If we win or even if we give them a pasting they’ll play the “well we were never going to win this” but they’ll definitely go quiet and their bollocks will be put on the back burner for a while. Lose and it’ll be constant crowing.

?

hardly a surprise really

Maybe not but say they lose Watkins or another key player that will affect them. Theyre a quality side but football changes quickly and we’re only on December. Our brass hope is kind of a reset in Jan when we’ll know where we stand with Europe injuries and potentially new signings. You stick even half of the injured players on the bench and we’re a totally different prospect.

As bad as the current situation is things can and probably will swing round in our favour. Villa are flying and may well be having the kind of season we had last year but it only takes a couple injuries and a drop off in form, there’s a way to go. if we have a good run next year with both Isak and Wilson fit plus most of the squad available we’ll be a totally different team and far better away from home. There’ll also be a couple of additions I think. Long way to go yet.

Yep agree with that.

Dubrakva was rusty but he’ll get better with game time. He's never going to be as commanding as Pope on crosses and commanding the box but he’s a solid enough keeper. I guess if he really struggles through December we might look at options.

Yeah it’s a really tough balancing act, bring players in but the team becomes so weak that you are almost nailed on to lose. I was surprised Hall didn’t get in at all last night to be fair. I felt we might hold on for a 0-0 or one team might sneak it due to a mistake. The way we conceded and then fell apart has all the hallmarks of a team completely on its arse. I’m not absolving them of any blame but if you look back at the games we’ve had and big big games with minimal squad options, results like last night will always be possible. I thought our attacking play was poor in the main but Isak looks completely shagged too. I mean howay look at the players out, like a possible full starting 11 eleven, key players. With even a modicum of a bench we probably win that last night and would normally batter that side which we’ll do at home. Shit result compounded by the fact it’s to those cunts but hey ho this stretch was always going to be really tough with the situation we’re in.

Yeah my worry is some of these starters get injured just before the other lads start coming back.

Howay man give him a chance ffs ? I agree he looked shaky but he wasn’t shite and was bound to be a bit rusty. No doubt Pope is bar better though.

Yeah RW is glaringly obvious. Definitely need another option to Bruno too creativity wise.

Have to take it on the chin and move on. Results like this can happened when you have half your fucking squad out. Bery frustrating particularly as they’re complete wankers.

No chance with these injuries. If the injuries clear up second half of the season and we sign a couple players then we can have a strong second half of the season though.

So there’s absolutely zero link between playing so many games recently with so few options? Come on. Yeah we’ve been shite but some perspective needed man.

Its mental mate, avoid Twitter or X tonight ffs ?

Arrogant? I think we’ve just been poor in front of goal but looked like a fucking knackered group of players which is exactly what we are.

This place is going to be horrific after this result

People losing their shit with Trippier eh ? Aye he’s a mad a mare but cut them some slack man. We’ve got fuck all subs to me with a ridiculous injury list. The lads and club are doing as good as they can do.

Yeah some perspective is definitely needed. I don’t see the injury situation easing at all until Fulham or Chelsea away in the cup

Gabbiadini and Anderson were saying something similar on total sport last night. It was a decent discussion. The consensus from ‘Marco’ was that they like to play it out from the back but don’t actually have a plan B and lack physicality and scrappers in the team. Anderson was saying he couldn’t see how they could match our intensity, physicality and press particularly as they only seem to be able to play it out from the back. It’s a derby and a one off but there’s no way we should be losing to this lot and I just can’t see us being complacent. The Geordie lads and the likes of Trippier/Gordon as well as the Brazilian lads will be well up for this. We just have to avoid doing something stupid like a red early on.

All with smiling faces podcast is class Corby whether he’s on true faith or occasional guest above is class

Wilson would absolutely fucking love the Derby too ?

Yeah I think Pardew for whatever reason just got those derbies completely wrong. We never played our game and they often wanted it more. The number of local lads in the squad and side with the experienced heads like Lascelles and Trippier means I think we’ll be ok mentally for this and keep our cool. There’ll be the usual mental first 5-10 mins with their crowd going mental but once it settles down we’ll take them apart. Nobody should be underestimating this at all tho.