Lush Vlad

Still our only proper attacking threat. Wilson relies on service and doesn’t really get any. ASM is dangerous from the halfway line and possibly even deeper. What is a bit disappointing. Is that he seems to have gone back to running down blind alleys and not releasing it quick enough. He certainly had a spell where he would look for the pass or cross. Sometimes a bit prematurely. Not sure he fancies playing on the wing any more. But out wide is where he is best. Has just sulked there under Howe. File under moody mercurial Frenchmen that have played wide for NUFC. Love them.

Hayden put a foot in, unlike Willock. The problem was, he usually then followed it up with a shit touch or pass and just gave it straight back to them. Right call bringing him in and Willock has hardly been great. But I thought Hayden was absolutely atrocious last night.

I think he has been pretty solid, if unspectacular since coming back in. Certainly a better option than Ritchie. But I thought he was getting torn apart by Salah last night. I mean, who doesn't, TBF?! Ritchie came on and Salah had more space to operate in behind. But he was also on the receiving end of a few sly digs from the angry Gordon Ramsay lookalike and I thought for once, Ritchie actually grew into the game a bit and wasn't as bad defensively, as usual. Second half we seemed to close that space down a lot better and they weren't destroying us down our left side every time they went forward. Still, if he is playing in a back 4 for the foreseeable. Then I reckon we'll be in even more shit than we are currently.

Not even the worst mistake in the post. Everyone knows that it is 'three cheers for Ramirez'

I thought he was great again last night. Has found a yard of pace from somewhere, his attitude and application have both improved massively. He's played in a number of different roles already and bar Arsenal, he has been pretty decent in all of the games under Howe, regularly being one of our top performers or MOTM. All that said, I can't see him ever living up to his price tag and we had Mo Diame doing similar for a season and he cost what, £2m? But it's not really his fault that we spent so much on a player and then totally misused them for 2 years. So I will just try to enjoy the improved performances. I'm not sure what the future holds for him and he still feels a bit position-less to me. But absolutely loving what he is doing and long may it continue.

I feel more positive after last night than I did after Leicester. We didn't collapse after chucking two goals in and offered the occasional threat at the other end. The players seem to be buying into what Howe is trying to do and I fully expected us to get pumped 4 or 5-0. Yet despite them having plenty of chances and probably having a bit in reserve, if required. We've ultimately been undone by a mixture of shite refereeing, shit decisions and mistakes by our players and then an absolute shitpinger special from TAA. Also, I am not saying they are better players, or that we will always line up like last night. But the team is much more balanced with genuine width and having Murphy and Fraser playing. Murphy in particular hugs the touchline. Which isn't always ideal when the ball keeps running under his foot they are more direct, quicker and offer us more in an attacking sense than Almiron or Joelinton playing there. Plus it seems like ASM needs to be further forward in a 3. As he is just sulking and not really helping much when he plays midfield.

I know it’s not always fair to look at records with other clubs. As circumstances will be different, with different players. But didn’t he have a really bad away record at Bournemouth? Admittedly it is still early days for him and we have played Arsenal and Leicester in his two away games. But both have been pretty crap. I mean it’s been crap for ages, so I guess not much has changed there. But we are going to need a good few away wins to get us to safety. So Everton and Southampton away now look massively important, the same as the Norwich and Burnley games. Still really like him and given time. I think he’ll do well here. Even if we go down.

I have been thinking about this one for a while. No idea if we have been linked or how he has done for Bournemouth of late? But it would just be nice to have an actual midfield at some point in the not too distant future.

Not a leader of the defence, looks far more immobile and hesitant than I remember from previous seasons. Absolutely woeful on the ball. Fine against shithouse teams like Burnley. Not really many of them in this league, unfortunately. Plenty in the one below, mind!

Pretty pathetic showing after 2-0 yesterday. Really worrying that we got battered 4-0. As it was pretty competitive, despite us not offering much of a threat. we weren’t really troubled up until the penalty. The defending all over leaves a lot to be desired. The high pressing doesn’t work. Seems a bit stop and start and certain players go and others don’t. The midfield just gets played through. Shelvey is immobile and Willock still refuses to put a foot in. As for the defence….. well. I can’t say I remember seeing a team at this level concede 3 goals. Off what were fundamentally just 1-2’s and players running through unmarked like that. I wasn’t getting too carried away after Burnley. But the state Leicester are currently in. We should have been giving them a game. Yet despite looking ok for large parts. We didn’t lay a glove on them. We created fuck all and they’ve ended up scoring 4. Two of which they have basically walked into the net. We are in deep shit. I’m not particularly confident that we are going to spend loads in Jan. Or that we would be able to get the right players in, regardless. Due to our current predicament of being utter shite and in the bottom three.

I thought the one on Alisson could have been given. Surprised it wasn’t looked at. Maybe a Slight touch on the ball first and not loads of contact. Looked a pen 100% in real time. That said, I thought the one on Robertson in the first half was a pen, as well.

Not seen the others. But the Liverpool one wasn’t dodgy, at all. It was two different fouls in a row

Would rather Tielemans sat out another week. But they already have injury problems and sounds like there will be a load more missing.

Covid fears, I read. I thought they were restricted to 15000. But seeing and empty stadium again is weird and depressing.

An absolute danger, this lad. Really don’t get his deal.

Aye. Bring back proper football. Where you can stamp on players heads on purpose

Can’t be sure if he meant it or not. Totally normal to look at him and extend his leg out intentionally and then come down with a stamping/kicking motion in someone’s face

How’s that not a red?! Clearly deliberate.

I thought he was pretty poor on Saturday and often is when playing wide. I think he has to play behind the striker or not at all, from the start. I'm not really a fan of him always wanting to cut back and slow the play down. Rarely takes his man on these days, either. I think if he is going to play right wing, then I would genuinely prefer Fraser or perhaps Murphy. Although I think there is an argument on those two being better as impact players off the bench for us, at present. His work rate and pressing is pretty impressive, mind and he was probably our top performer for a good while, despite being played in numerous positions under Brewcie. So I think he deserves a bit of leeway and I might be being a bit harsh.

For being there live, I'd say HBA's at Everton. Just in general, it would be between Martins against Spurs or Cisse at Stamford Bridge.

I thought they looked quality going forward in the first half v Villa. Really should have scored 2 or 3. Second half, they were crap and Villa looked pretty comfortable and decent on the break. Absolutely useless at defending set pieces and leave plenty of space on the counter. I'd say either or both of those would be our best chances of getting something. As I think they are going to cause us real problems with their attacking players. Barnes and also Maddison in particular are going to find plenty of space between the lines. Daka looked really lively and I'd fear him just as much as Vardy, based on yesterday's game.

Wow. That’s outrageous.

Mad that they’re winning. Looked pretty poor and Leicester should have had another couple. Leicester really can’t defend, mind.

Daka looks quality. Been all over their defence the first 15 minutes.

Still think he is good on the ball going forward and his late runs into the box offer us something that nobody else brings from that position. He seems shit scared to put a foot in or challenge for a header, though. Considering he plays centre mid, that’s unacceptable. I still really like him. But feels shoehorned into the team at the minute. The 2 of him and Shelvey leaves us massively exposed. Lost count of the time and hooked clearance or random hoof up the pitch would land straight on a Burnley player’s foot. The space between the back 4 and midfield was huge.