Lush Vlad

Did he do martial arts as a kid or something? Tries some outrageous shit to win the ball or retain possession. He’s gonna roundhouse someone in the head by accident at some point.

He was better on the ball than Fraser usually is. Spotted some nice passes. Always works hard and he is as fit as a flea. Just not really a wide man that will carry the ball or look to get in behind too often.

Got a bit of space to run into and looked back to his old self. Felt he could have gone down the outside a bit more. He’s that fast and good. He’s have enough time to beat his man on the left and still cut back in on his right. Pretty much always gets crowded out when he drifts too far inside. Poor for an hour or so. Then he was really threatening when we got to play on the counter.

The Mortal Kombat style Liu Kang low leg sweep that set up a counter. Basically won him MOTM on his own. He was superb all over the park. Only really made the wrong decision 2-3 times in 87 minutes.

How many cunting advert breaks to Sky cram in FFS.

Full backs winning the ball back 70 yards up the pitch because of a high press. Managing to keep possession, even when a bit boring, before managing to work some space between the lines. Quick give and go from midfielders and players running beyond them. Even though we are limited and fairly poor in attack. It really is night and day compared to what we were watching barely 6 months ago.

Just to add. I think for all they have been shit. We have played well bar that final ball and decision.

We’re also missing 4 of our starters, after Fraser went off after 10 minutes. They look utter shite and this game is there for the taking. Not sure I have seen a worse first half from an away team at SJP this season. Pretty clueless and wasteful in the final third yet again, mind. Plus they did start to grow into the game the last 5 minutes.

Not a bad team, really. I worry about Shelvey being passed round and ran past at ease, again. Especially against a team who are good with the ball. But if Willock is injured, then I guess it is a no brainer. Hoping Guimaraes may be able to push up a bit. Try and liven up our toothless attack.

2004. Fuck, man. I keep feeling old when I hear songs from my teenage years and automatically think they’re from about 5-10 years ago. Not 18 years ago FFS

I don’t think it is done and dusted just yet. But I’m also not overly concerned. Despite last night’s result and our recent form. Burnley have barely won all season and just scraped past an awful Everton side at home. Everton look shot to bits and have an awful run of games. Watford still have to pick up a lot of points to get out of it and are Leeds guaranteed to keep up their recent results and stay out of it? It’s basically two really bad halves of football in the last what, 12 games? That have cost us. I know we didn’t get the points, so it is kind of irrelevant. But if we held on for a few more minutes against Chelsea and Everton. We wouldn’t be in such a flap and both would be viewed as good and acceptable results. That looks ridiculous reading that last bit back I suppose what I’m getting at, is how fine the margins are at times. I don’t think we have suddenly become really shit and we’re back to Bruceball. Get hammered tomorrow and then fail to get any points in the 3 games after that. Then I would be worried. As we do have a shit run in to end the season. I can’t see us not getting 4-5 points from the remaining 8 games.

He looked the best based on YT scouting. Seemed to be outrageously good at winning the ball without going to ground and reading the game. Hope we go back in for him.

On a similar note. I saw a Spurs fan describe Guimaraes as “one of the worst players he has seen this season.” Obviously wasn’t paying much attention before he came on. Or when they played Everton, obviously. The internet is full of extreme and OTT opinions these days.

Don’t see Brighton all that often. But he always looks like he has a howler in him and seems rash. The Wilson red he was in no man’s land, should have been sent off against Liverpool and I might be remembering it wrong. But I’m sure he has had some blooper reel errors for goals? If it is true that we are interested. I’m guessing it is due to him being able to play out from the back and Howe wanting us to change style even more for next season.

I like Conte. I didn’t yesterday, mind.

I do agree with this. We don't take advantage of gaps where players have been pulled away from to cover ASM. However, he is also partly responsible. As his passing and decision making is often absolutely woeful. I get that if his end product and passing were better. He wouldn't be playing for us. But it is still really frustrating to watch. As he gets in such good positions and invariably wastes the opportunity. A quick couple of touches, releasing it and looking to spin off would work wonders for ASM and Fraser. Spurs did it with their attacking players time and again. But we just don't seem capable of building attacks properly, regardless of the opposition.

They play with wing backs, don't they? If they do, after that mauling. I have a feeling Howe might revert to the 3 at the back. Hard to really pinpoint one problem area from yesterday. As we were dominated in all areas. But I just feel like we might try and match them up, the same as we did against Chelsea (albeit with them then playing a different formation).

Not going to lie, I had lost interest in the second half by the time he came on. So not anything particularly analytical from me. But the difference in quality between him and the other central midfielders we have is staggering. Just the fact he constantly shows for the ball and is always on the move is a massive improvement on it's own. No idea what Howe's plans are going forward in regards to formation and the midfield. But I thought Shelvey was utter wank yesterday and his lack of mobility was dreadfully exposed. He was back to playing on the toes of the centre backs and strolling about. Bruno might be wasted in a similar role. But I feel he has to come in. Whether that is next to Shelvey in a two, or for him. I'm not really that arsed. I just hope he plays and starts every game he is available between now and the end of the season. He is one of the only players that looks to have the quality for where we want to be in the next season or two.

He got crowded out second half. But I thought he had plenty of chances to run at Royal, who looks shite defensively, to me. I think it was also Romero a few times, as well, but no change out of him and he is a quality player. He just lacked his usual conviction running at players and was really wasteful. If Howe wants to play a high press and is all about work rate with this current lot. Which is how it has seemed most of the time. I'm not sure where ASM and Shelvey fit in. As I didn't see much of it from them yesterday. Hope he starts and gets more of a chance to impress on Friday.

I love that he is aggressive and wants to engage players early and high up the pitch. But a few people had mentioned this being a weakness at times. As he got done against Brentford and Everton a few times doing this. It certainly was yesterday. I thought he was brilliant first half. But in the second, he couldn't help stepping up and trying to nick it off Son or Kane and get tight to them early. I think he got rolled a good 4-5 times in a row, but still persisted with it. Bad day at the office all round and Burn has been brilliant since coming in. But I thought it was really noticeable how often he got skinned yesterday and was madness that he kept trying it time and again.

My main concern with yesterday was how quickly we fell apart. It's hard to single out individuals too much, as to a man, we were wank and the gameplan fell apart once we were behind and they were always going to rinse us on the counter if given the chance. But they just constantly had space in behind, down the flanks, whilst also bossing the midfield and having space to drive a Panzer through the middle of the defence. Just complete domination on the pitch. I appreciate they are a lot better than us, they are masters of dropping off into space, just a quick give and go and then they're off on another attack in a split second. But fucking hell, the defending for those goals in the second half was offensively shite. It wasn't even like we were sacrificing one area to protect another. They were just taking the piss across the park. I'm not sure the gulf in class has been that obvious since Howe came in. Even City and Leicester didn't feel this bad for getting raped. They should have had a few more, if we're being honest. You'd almost be more accepting of the result if we were 2 down after 20 minutes and then they just dominated. But the fact we scored just before HT and hadn't been massively troubled up to that point, despite all of their possession. Just makes the capitulation harder to take. Pretty awful day out, really. As I went with a couple of Spurs mates. Great stadium, but shite design in the away end. You couldn't even get a beer or food at half time, despite going in a good bit before the whistle. Tiny bar with not many serving and the floor was like an ice rink. Saw two old boys stack it and bust their heads open. Lovely polished concrete finish, not sure HSE would approve, mind. You could have had a nice game of curling on it. Need to right some wrongs pretty sharp'ish on Friday and I wouldn't be against a few changes. As that great run of form has suddenly turned a little bit concerning the last 2-3 games.

The assist was sexual. But the finish for the goal, man. Outrageous.

I don’t think he was ever listed as ill. It was a groin injury he was struggling with and has been for some time, I think. Hopefully this break means a few of them can get over their niggles and illness. 4 games after Spurs gives us a real opportunity to put some decent points on the board and go on another positive run.

Holy shit. I have been following his stats on The Other 14 and WyeAyeScout on Twitter. But when they are isolated using those FBref stats followed by "he is one of the best midfielders in the world" Just burst out laughing and I still have a big smile on my face.

Bruno Fernandes.