Lush Vlad

Nah. Not having that. The Bowen one was just as bad as the Willock decision. Both are absolutely absurd and clearly the wrong decision. There is no grey area. Seems keepers are still massively over-protected.

I might be imagining it. But I’m sure when Lascelles is on. He is a bit more vocal and gets into the ref a bit more and the team follow suit. Trippier is a proper skipper. But he is almost like a Rugby captain at times. Always makes a massive point of pushing everyone away and having a quiet, respectful word with the ref on his own. I mean, that’s how it should be. But if all the other teams are being cunts and pressuring the officials. Then we should and all When it’s called for, at least.

Not upset with the performances most of the while. But the last minute goal for Liverpool and dropped points today. It is going to mean people are disappointed and a bit nervy for the next lot of ‘winnable’ games. Puts a bit of pressure on West Ham. Lose that and suddenly our start isn’t quite as impressive. Get the star players back over the next week or two and I think we’ll get some results and everyone will settle down.

Looked a bit off it today. Was left pretty isolated at times. But we annoyingly made Ayew look world class for most of the game and he played a big part in that. Olise got at him a good few times and all. First time I can really remember him struggling defensively on a consistent basis.

Didn’t get in the game much, bar the chance he created for himself and the delicious pass through to Willock. Again, he looked quick when he had the chance to open up. But didn’t get too many opportunities and we didn’t really give him any service.

He’s fucking class. Just has a canny knack of getting any part of his body in the way when making a save. There’s a calmness about him in everything he does, as well. That throw to set Fraser away on a counter. Who cares about his kicking when he can hoss it up there like Steve Brackley launching a javelin.

The system still seems flawed. Has there ever been a case of the ref going to the monitor and sticking to his original decision? it seems like another ref says “I think X. I’d advise you to have a look and change your decision.” The on-field ref then does exactly that. Surely it’s one person’s opinion and interpretation of the laws of the game and the incident, versus another’s? They still seem to arrive at the wrong decision a lot of the time.

Needs to start now. He seems ready. Should be in for Willock or Longstaff when Bruno is back. Possibly even out wide, even if ASM is fit. Almiron and Fraser both work hard and cause problems up to a point. But they just have no quality when it matters.

Thanks Captain Hindsight.

Not sure I agree, like. They had some decent chances. Pope made a couple of great stops. Which is becoming standard for him. But we have bombarded their goal at times, hit the post, Almiron missed an easy chance, Willock a sitter, Isak a one on one, Guita has made two top class stops that I can remember from Willock and the header from the corner. A lot of last ditch defending from them, as well. Ignoring the VAR howler. I still Thought we deserved the win. Even though we lost control of the game at times.

A lot of emotions straight after that. Mainly anger that VAR has got it so wrong and cost us 2 points. Dominated large chunks of the game. With a midfield that looked fucked from the first few minutes. Some quality keeping and defending from Palace. But woeful finishing from us and a lack of quality in and around the box, as per usual. Need to go on a run of wins somewhere. Too many dropped points.

I’ve seen some shite decisions in my time. But raging at that.

Been everywhere as per usual. Just not that good in possession and we lack any cutting edge from our midfield. Not his fault, per se. As it’s not his game. But I thought he was sloppy with the ball.

Strange old game. Midfield look leggy and seem miles off it at times. Yet we have had enough decent chances to go in at least a couple up. Not really many options from the bench. But Willock has done fuck all. Big Joe is below his usual levels and Longstaff has played some lovely balls. But seems to be in the wrong place all the while.

I wonder if he might get a start soon? Or at least start getting longer from the bench? Hardly spoilt for choice in the middle and he already looks like a better option to bring on out wide than Murphy. Purely based on the latter’s performances this season.

Thiago is injured and VVD was the other side. Think it was Robertson and Gomez. I was out with some LFC supporting mates tonight. All agreed the offside was harsh and also that “nobody in our squad would show that kind of composure to finish that chance.”

I was an 8 or a 9. I went 9, as I didn’t think we’d sign Botman. Pope was a pleasant surprise after all my mates from round here were saying we should sign him. Isak was proper out the blue. I think we are a CM light and could do with another genuine wide option. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. Howe has already shown he can get a tune out of most of this squad. Things are looking up.

Worked with Torres, who said similar about the English game. So fingers crossed!

So positive with commanding his box. Can always hear him from set pieces and the players seem to trust him when he comes for it. Spoke to his cousin on Saturday. Says he is loving it here so far. His Dad, so Nick’s Uncle. Has been to every game so far and is also loving it

He is good in a counter attacking side, where he doesn't have too much responsibility. The same as he was under Bruce and how ASM was often used. I think he is great at getting us up the pitch from deep with the ball and making those late runs off the ball into the box. It just seems like he now has a more defined role and he isn't particularly effective in doing it. He presses well, like most of the team do. But then that has seemed to take away from the attacking side of his game and when he has a bit less space to work in, he isn't that good on the ball with his passing or decision making. I actually really like him and what he brings, a lot of the time. But he now looks almost a bit positonless in this current 4-3-3 and I'd argue might even be the weakest link of our strongest starting XI. Which is why I have been so keen on getting another centre mid in, over a wide player. Willock can be ineffective and Longstaff isn't really a great deal better. Leaves us with the Brazillian boys and an injured Shelvey, who I don't rate that highly, either.

This is what I don't get. You think they'd be buzzing because of a last minute winner, in a game where they have played poorly and been totally shutdown for about an hour at home by a hlf strength NUFC. But instead it's all about how we're anti-football, worse than Burnley, the new Stoke, dirty players, cheats etc etc. You think they'd be a bit more thick skinned than that in their position. I guess most teams try and frustrate them and slow the game down. We just got it spot on and they hated it. They're feeling the heat due to being so far off Man City and seemingly even Arsenal at this point. I've liked Liverpool since Klopp went there. But they went on like a pack of absolute cunts last night. Fuck them, the Klopp 7 year curse can actually become a thing now for all I care.

I think bar maybe this Ashby lad, we are not signing anyone today. Has that stopped me coming on here and Twitter every 5 minutes? Absolutely fucking not.

I thought he started poorly, but grew into the game and played really well. Before tiring late on, the same as the other two midfielders he was playing with. He defended brilliantly and was great off the ball. I do think he is a bit limited in possession. But in fairness, I thought Willock and Joelinton were also really sloppy when they got the ball last night. Probably all just absolutely fucked from putting in such a shift. That when they finally got a chance to make something happen, they didn't quite have the energy levels. All round from the midfield, it felt like a lot of misplaced or underhit passes, scuffed clearances, heavy touches etc. To a man, the starting XI were quality last night and all put in a power of running. Love that saying

Was much better on the ball than usual. Clipped a lovely diagonal out to the left in the second half and also played a really nice curling pass down the line to someone, Miggy? Was under a bit of pressure by his standards, a good few times. But didn't get all panicky and just hoof it. He was good against Tranmere, but put it more down to the opposition. He was good again last night. Just quite an old school centre back. Loves a big challenge and coming for everything in the air. Won loads of headers on the penalty spot from set pieces.

We expecting Bruno to be back for this game then? Certainly need a bit of a change to the midfield, as they all looked absolutely fucked towards the end last night. Can't keep that intensity up if it's the same midfield 3, playing 3 games in 6 days