Lush Vlad

It varies a bit in quality depending who they have on and the source material. But BBC 5 Live Football Daily can be pretty good. It’s an easy listen and a solid round up of the previous day. A few decent journos get on there and Nedum Onuoha is a superb pundit.

I think people were fine with his lack of attacking threat and ability on the ball. As he was always pretty solid defensively. I don’t think a lot of the views on him now are overreactions, personally. He certainly looks exposed basically every time he plays against a fast winger now. Everyone has been saying this and it’s true. He can’t do it without Willock or Joelinton on that side. He is getting left with a lot of space to defend and he just isn’t agile enough to do it. It’s going to continue to be an issue and teams will keep targeting that side until the end of the season. As we just don’t have the right types of players available to assist him. Plus it gets even more difficult if Gordon is out for any length of time. In this current setup and the players available. I do think he’s become a bit of a liability. Hopefully it might improve when Willock is back if he can stay fit. But like you said, I’d also prefer Tino to start, regardless.

People mentioning Targett leaving. I think we might struggle to shift him. He surely won’t have many suitors after not being able to play ahead of Burn last season and not getting many minutes. Then being injured for most of this one. Supposedly on big money and all. Which makes it even trickier.

They were doing it earlier in the season as well as last season. I feel like the lack of legs in front of them and not having Pope behind them. Has seen the whole team drop deeper or at least play with more space between the lines. Botman has seemed a bit sluggish since coming back from injury. He usually has that role of stepping out. Schar loves doing it. But usually only when we’re in possession I’m sure Lascelles has been the more aggressive one doing it this season. We reverted back to it at Villa. So fingers crossed.

“Dr Newcastle will see you now” Hoping that Villa game and the two cup wins have sorted out our shocking away form.

I feel like we’ve got to the point where what Burn offers tucking in to make that 3 and his height for set pieces. Is not worth the trade off for him being continually beaten by anyone with pace. Doesn’t get the help he needs without Big and/or Little Joe on that side. He is also offering nothing going the other way and not helping us play out from the back. Now that we have a keeper capable of helping with passing round a press. But working the ball to left back seems a waste of time. You would think that there might be some tactical adjustments to accommodate Tino and more time to work on them now we are back to one game a week. Burn will still start, I’m sure. But it didn’t end well against Elanga last time and the Luton game was probably his worst in an NUFC shirt. Feel like him coming out of the side now would help the side and Burn himself.

Did you watch when the fresh legs of Parkinson against Bournemouth and Diallo and Ndiweni against Chelsea were introduced? They looked miles off the standard and pace of the game. Even in the 30 minutes and 5-6 mins they got on the pitch. That’s before factoring in Howe’s system supposedly being very complex and demanding. Along with the fact he has his favourites who he trusts and for better or worse. He has historically taken his time to bed players in, where possible. If they’re some of the better options we have in the youth ranks. Then it’s not looking great for the future. Our U23’s don’t even seem very good at the level they play at.

That's fair and my point about them having stronger squad depth compared to us still stands. But Zaniolo looks like all fart and no shit whenever I've seen him. Lenglet is a downgrade on Mings, based on Brummie's comments on here. They obviously have half-fit players like Ramsey and Torres, along with some decent ones missing. But compared to some of the injuries Man U, Spurs and obviously ourselves have had to deal with this season. It's hardly a crisis.

They had 2-3 long term injuries early in the season, TBF. A couple of season enders. But looking at their squad and the players they are picking. They look a lot stronger than some of the sides we have put out this season.

Chelsea running riot. Full backs have all the time in the world on the overlap.

Great finish from Gallagher. He‘s looked half decent whenever I’ve seen him this season. Right until he gets near the goal and he turns into Riviere.

I’d have him a rung below Bruno, Isak and Trippier in regards to wages. Assuming they are our highest earners, of course. But I do think he is worth being next best when it comes to his salary. He is such a unique player and I feel he has quite a few intangibles that wouldn’t necessarily appear on a stats sheet. If we are going to continue with this midfield set up. He needs to stay here, IMO. If we want to evolve and genuinely become a more technical, possession based side. Which Howe has alluded to. Then I could certainly see him moving on if his demands are fairly high.

It’s like when people say we just sit deep and stop playing after we score. I’m sure it is sometimes partly due to our tactics, partly down to players being knackered of late, along with less risk taking and having something to defend. But I would say it is equally or more down to the opposition changing their approach, formation, making subs etc. I can see the gripes with sometimes being too reactionary with our own changes to combat these shifts in games. But I feel like that is a different argument. I don’t think we score and Howe suddenly tells them to drop 10-20 yards and stop doing what worked. How many football games do you watch all over the world. Where the first half is totally different to the first. Because of changes in system and personnel?

He's 20 and had a full season out on loan at Bolton. Now playing in a team littered with elite players and full of confidence. He does look shit hot, mind.

He’s not a genuinely two footed player. But they seem few and far between and always have been. I always remember Santi Cazorla being equally as good with both. Would even take set pieces off either foot. Then you have players that will dribble with both feet. But not necessarily shoot or cross on their weaker foot. Then you have players like Martins and Dembele. Who don’t know what their stronger foot is and are equally as erratic with both I might be mis-remembering. But I’m sure Barnes has scored a few on his left over the years. Like he’s happy to take it on and put his laces through it or try and place it like yesterday.

They have a bad home record. But then they took us to the cleaners at SJP. Howe has shown he’s been able to make tweaks to the system and learn from previous defeats/mistakes. So hopefully we can tighten up a bit and not get killed on the counter every 5 minutes.

Same again keeper, defender or both?!

Just seems mad. A game you’ve been so dominant and you try to overplay 3 yards from your goal 30 seconds before half time

Agree with the last paragraph. Which is kind of what I was getting at. Didn’t have the legs in midfield to get about the park and we also lacked that focal point. Even though I thought Gordon played well. Murphy and Almiron had to tuck in and drop back a lot to help out. If we had one or both of the Joes fit they wouldn’t have had to do that so much IMO.

Feel like they’re both shit there. If in doubt, punt it out.

Is that bad keeping or defending. Maybe both? Trying to shield the ball there seems mad.

He does love the dirty side of the game and doesn’t shy away from it. But does he have the athleticism to screen the defence and get across to wide areas when required? Does he have the discipline to actually sit in and help keep our shape? Is that even a requirement or an instruction in Howe’s system? With Miley and Longstaff either side of him. Our complete lack of pace and power in the midfield is dreadfully exposed. Bruno also has to play further forward and force the issue. As we don’t have ball carriers or midfielders capable of playing a through ball or unlocking a defence other than him, really. Although Miley is already showing he’s pretty good with his forward passing, TBF. I’m not sure how you’d quantify it. But that midfield 3 yesterday must be the slowest and weakest in the league when it comes to physical attributes. Basically at the minute, get past our front 3/first wave of our press and our team is slow as fuck across the board.

I wonder if Howe has, as well? I hope so.

From what I have watched live and also on the tele, yes. But I’m sure FBref or someone who is a scouting nerd will come on and tell me otherwise!

I suppose this is where Howe might have to change the way we play. Probably next season now with the players we have available to close out the season. Do we get a more defensive minded DM to make that 3 at the back when in possession? Or do we go and get yet another left back who is capable of tucking in? Who would also hopefully get more protection from Big Joe/Little Joe/A New Midfielder. Perhaps a more balanced player with a view to not being so heavily reliant on Trippier playing as a right sided forward? Whatever we do. If we go into next season with Burn still as our first choice left back. Then that would leave a lot of fans, pundits and experts alike scratching their heads.