ExiledGeordie

Shows the utter folly of our lack of further defensive recruits. Taylor always injured, Colo questionable form (rubbish most of the time) and Mbemba new to the league.

Did look pretty sparse in places on the highlights

Doesn't matter now anyway, we need him to stay fit until January at which point he'll hopefully cease to exist. True, good point. Desperate for a quality centre half and left back to come in with a proven striker. It's definitely damage limitation until January to give ourselves a chance of staying up.

Should've been replaced with proven quality but the cheap option was to hand him a year extension and "hope for the best". McClaren has backed himself into a corner by appointing him as captain because it's now extremely difficult to drop him at any point. We're it not for Taylor being so injury prone Coloccini should be dropped for a Mbemba/Taylor partnership.

Little Mike is utterly clueless and irrespective of the ever present Ashley factor which will always exist, we lack knowledge, drive, decisiveness and a clear plan at board level. Ashley will never appoint a proper figure to run the club meaning we'll never truly progress.

It's been fucking rubbsh so far in all facets of our play right through from defence to attack. What the fuck has he been doing in preseason ffs?

Like Cisse, Tiote doesn't give two fucks. Doesn't want to be there

Comfortably 7 probably more an 8. Proven quality (goals) needs to be bought in Jan to keep us up.

Given he's meant to be a good coach, it's worry that we look so inept both going forward and at the back.

Good quote from nufc.com which sums things up nicely: "There was a total lack of intensity, total lack of belief, total lack of organisation begging the question; what has McClaren actually brought to this side?"

Wanted a final big money move in the summer and basically isn't interested

Not convinced by him so far and starting to get bored by his speak already His credentials are questionable and our squad is weak = painful road ahead

I was expecting a draw but wouldn't have been surprised by a defeat. It was the manner of the performance though, completely abstract and inept.

Neville summed it up pretty perfectly when he said that the midfielder neither creates anything nor stops counter attacks. It's completely redundant at the moment.

Think he's going to have to sign Austin (or another proven striker) and another defender in Jan at the very least.

Yep a combination of past it, disinterested and not suited to the way we're playing. Awful

I agree, this will always be an issue while Ashley is here. We'll never see true progression until he goes, whenever that is.

Agree De Jong and Perez HAVE to come into the side and Aaron's can really offer something on the wing. My worry is that McClaren will just be too cautious, constantly persisting with Anita/Colback options. Needs to change it up for sat.

I know we are only 5 games in, but he really should have twigged far earlier that the midfield formation he favours wasn't working. Very worrying, especially as he was criticised as an England manager for insisting on pairing Lampard and Gerrard despite the criticism that they were two of a kind. He seems too scared to make decisions when it comes to dropping big reputation players even if they don't fit together. Bilic isn't even a particularly good manager, but he seems to enjoy making McClaren his bitch and the bitch doesn't seem to have too many objections. Spot on, the midfield and formation needs sorting as it's clearly not working.

Yeah you'd have to hope last night has made him realise that certain players need to be starting now. 50m spent in the summer was a start but even though the four signings have the potential to be good they're all unproven in the premier league. Given the ramifications of the next TV deal and the lack of spend in recent years 50m is a drop in the ocean and failing to bring in another striker given Cisse is nowhere shows they dropped a bollock really. I think we really needed to bring in some proven quality together with potential, eg players like Austin. We've been so bad in recent years that it was always going to take time but McClaren is going to have to start finding a winning formula soon otherwise we'll be in deep shit soon enough. Watford game is massive. Have a feeling that January is going to be crucial now to secure premier league status. Given the absurd money involved in the next TV deal they're going to have to buy proven quality to make sure they stay up. No haggling, just identify targets and buy them. If they don't I think we're in major trouble.

I lost interest in him a while ago to be fe fair. All piss and wind, goes missing far too often.

A key position that wasn't filled in the summer.

That awful Colback/Anita combination needs rid straight away and Perez needs to play. Was a stand out player last season.

Don't be so naive. Only way he ever gets sacked is if we get relegated. It's not naivety we're bottom of the league with 5 games gone. Of course he won't get sacked nor should he do anytime soon. He's still under major pressure to get some wins so though

Under some real pressure now.