Lush Vlad

I can't remember changing my opinion so much on a player since.... Well, probably Mo Diame. Big Joe is the new Big Mo and I'm all for it. He was everywhere yesterday, he's got fitter and stronger, seems a yard faster and is just bowling round the pitch getting stuck in. And they say box to box midfielders don't really exist in the modern game.

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It's good to see that most the fans are on board and fully behind him. See a few mongs on Twitter trying to suggest it's no better than Bruce but we had the same drongos spouting this shite about Bruce being the same as Rafa. So not really paying attention to that nonsense.

If we can get those and the winger is more of a wide forward type, that could play 9 when Wilson is inevitably injured or needs a rest. Then I think I'd be happy with that. Absolutely mental that watching yesterday. I realised we only really have two natural full backs at the club and with both missing, the options were uninspiring to say the least. Just a chronic lack of investment over the years to end up in this position.

I do agree on the individual mistakes. But putting Clark back in was a mistake on his part, mind. Not sure what he was expecting from him, the bloke is finished. May as well have played Krafth or Hayden at centre back if Schaer wasn't 100%. It's hard to judge at this stage, really. As we have had a mixture of tough games were we expected to get fuck all and subsequently got exactly that. Then Norwich was ruined after 10 minutes, Brentford was a different system and Burnley was just a slog. Nobody looks good against those shithouses. I think we'll know a bit more mid to late Jan. Got an ok run of fixtures coming up after Man U and hopefully the players will be getting more comfortable with the new tactics and set up. Got to start getting some wins to go with the positives.

I think so far. Bar an awful 20 minutes or so against Arsenal and the Leicester game after we went 1-0 down. I can see a lot of positives and I think there are reasons to be optimistic. The shape is better, a lot of players have upped their game and now look like useful members of the squad. The fitness levels are definitely up, we often press in numbers and commit more people forward. There is the semblance of a gameplan at least, unlike before. I think my biggest worry is that the defence looks just as bad, if not worse, than it did before. I get he is limited to who he can pick, we have played some tough games and the back 4 is now more exposed. Mainly due to the fact we don't have 8-9 players camped on the edge of our box like we did under Bruce. But we struggle for goals as it is and don't really have anyone in the team bar Wilson and maybe ASM, who you think are going to have decent opportunities and score. So if we keep conceding soft goals, which have been a theme so far. Then we're well and truly fucked.

Thought we played well for good portions of the game. But ultimately, we have gifted yet another goal to the opposition because of shit, individual errors. We're plenty shit enough as it is and will usually lose to teams like this (well, most the league this season), without basically having a -1 or -2 handicap every game. Due to us letting the other team have a goal or two for free.

It’s not really begging to differ. I just still find it strange that you are using Declan Rice, A DM, who has played centre back. As some sort of yardstick for ASM’s way of playing the game, mentality wise. BTW, I don’t think ASM is flawless. People have already mentioned his decision making. He clearly does have a few fitness issues, it has been said he’s been hard to work with in the past and he does love a sulk and a roll about. But the latter is true for about 80% of modern footballers I’m just not sure transplanting another player’s personality is the way forward.

You think ASM didn’t spend god knows how many hours perfecting his craft? Now you just suddenly want him to have a totally different attitude and mindset and play the game like Declan Rice?! It’s almost as if all human beings are different.

They are wide open. Arsenal have actually been really wasteful in some dangerous areas and should have 1-2 more already.

I actually started typing about how maybe ASM has been instructed to conserve energy in the past. But that would have required some sort of tactical thinking on Bruce’s part.

I doubt he will, mind. If he did, he’d be playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. It is why he is here and not playing for someone like Liverpool or Real Madrid. It was the same with HBA. Most flair players are inconsistent. They often seem to have that maverick mentality and are often referred to as being hard to manage. They are also trying low percentage/high reward passes or moves that basically only 1-2 players on the pitch are usually capable of pulling off. So bar the true world class players. They are not going to be brilliant every game and will be infuriating at times. I’m biased, mind. Some of my favourite NUFC players have been rogues like HBA, Asprilla and Martins

If Declan Rice had the same ability on the ball and dribbling quality and skills of St Maximin. He could be the best player in the world.

We do seem quick to turn on players of late. I don’t think it’s always this way. Not many players have set a high standard here the last year or two. But two that have, are Willock and ASM. Yet they’re going through a below par run of form and they’re getting called crap by plenty of fans. Tough crowd.

It does feel like it has the potential to pick up. Better chemistry, some decent guests, maybe they will give a bit more away into the ins and outs of football. Although I guess they are massively limited with what they can say. Just all a bit crap at the minute. Both seem like nice fellas, mind. Wilson sounds like Sully off Top Boy on this.

You tried the one with Callum Wilson and Antonio yet? It’s not the best, is the politest thing I can say about it

I liked Carr. But didn’t he just pretty much only sign players from one agency? Mundial Sport or something? I’m sure someone put a link up on here once.

Yep. Tend to agree. I know it’s not the best barometer to go by. But a lot of fans on Twitter seem to be politics out, banter about child poverty IN!!!! A lot of young’uns in the away support who are probably ‘anyone but Labour’ types. Just due to the media world they have grown up in. I heard the chant on TV and saw the banner online. 100% would have joined in.

Still seemed genuinely buzzing when he signed. Must be quite a good actor, if he wasn’t. As we have had plenty of signings doing their promo stuff, who look like they’re being held hostage here

whoops. See my reply to your other post

See, I tried this one a few times and just couldn’t get into it. More shit, unfunny banter than Pod on the Tyne and TF put together. Maybe I need to give it another go. As I have pretty much ran out of horse racing ones now the flat season is over!

I listen to it when walking the dog. I like a few of them on there, Hurst is a good host, despite me not agreeing with a lot of his views or methods. Norman is brilliant, a few of the others seem sound and all. It’s the best one I have bothered with. But some of the inaccuracies and strange analysis at times do my head in. Feel like I am being a typical bloke and moaning about women in football. But Charlotte does seem to go off on mad tangents, waffling on about bollocks. Never really have a clue what she is on about or supposed to be getting at?!

I know people overplay body language and seem to think they are amateur psychologists. But someone on here said the other week, that they thought he looked depressed and I totally agree. He was a breath of fresh air last season. As he seemed to be buzzing about everywhere and his application was spot on on the pitch. Then he gave really enthusiastic and energetic interviews off it. He’s barely even cracked a smile this season, I can’t remember hearing from him post game and his performances have been poor by his standards.

It’s almost as if people and players have different personalities and attitudes. Abilities, attributes and styles.

Aye. The shite I’m reading. It is getting dangerously close to Carver and his “a team of 11 Jack Colback’s” comment