Lush Vlad

Yeah, we're banned

Yep. If there is any truth in this investment/takeover story. Then it has to be the latter. If Ashley is still around in any capacity, then things will never truly change. No way could a joint ownership work with that cunt and if anything, it could arguably make things worse.

I think we've got used to him looking so good, that perhaps we've set the bar really high and we're being a bit harsh on him? Best team we have played against this season, IMO. Spurs weren't that great against us, Merino only played what, 20 minutes and we were down to 10 for a half. He looked a bit tired towards the end, but we had even less possession than usual and Liverpool like to keep the ball moving. I would imagine it must have been knackering to play in the middle against them on Sunday. I thought he was fine on Sunday and was surprised at some of the criticism, albeit minor, on here? A bit subdued, looked jaded at times when stretching for the ball and his forward passing wasn't as good. But that is just as much down to the opposition and our gameplan. We weren't exactly committing men forward and Merino was sat deep, along with the rest of the team. I still thought he was great at staying on his feet and breaking up play. Basically, he looks like an absolute gem of a player.

Stop trying so hard.

I think (almost) everyone in the ground has bought into the whole Rafalution thing can see that we're massive underdogs in almost every game we play, and SJP is quality for the atmosphere when our backs are against the wall like yesterday. That's my take on it. Despite Ashley still being here and not investing properly for the umpteenth time. The large majority of the fans are happy with Rafa and what he is doing. The positivity around the place makes for a refreshing change. Gallowgate Flags seems to have massively helped, as well. The atmosphere they create is spreading around the ground, judging by the way it sounded on TV. Finally, I think that maybe we had a reality check with yet another relegation. We're not all as deluded as the media like to make out, after all. Perhaps some fans are just enjoying being back at the top level and actually competing reasonably well, so they're enjoying match days, again. You look at sunderland and how it could have gone. Had Rafa not stayed and we appointed someone like Nigel 'Ostrich' Pearson, then we'd still be down there, IMO.

Catts for me, like. He slides in and boots it into the stands. Nothing gets fans more excited than a good old fashioned slide tackle.

I actually tend to agree on the Stoke goal and possibly one of the Spurs goals, but I can't really remember, TBH. I've wiped that game from my memory! The Liverpool one looks shit in slow-mo, but after watching it again this morning. It is a bit of a banger and it is incredibly harsh to blame him. I do just have it stuck in my mind that he gets beat by a lot of shots that seem saveable, though. As for the Brighton goal? People thought he should have saved that? If I was one of them, then I apologise. I don't remember him getting blamed there. Pretty sure it was just brutal defending and a foul. I'm a harsh critic of his. I don't rate him, I think he is slow to get down and across to the ball, he seems to be badly positioned for too many shots and 1 on 1's, plus he never looks comfortable with crosses. All that said, he has been remarkably solid this season and I can't really fault him too much. There are a fair few positions that need upgrading before him, TBH.

Yeah, that 1 on 1 was class. I thought that was a pen or a goal, but he was superb in not just getting there, but also not spilling the ball.

As always, the truth is somewhere in the middle. But people will continue to over exaggerate to somehow make their point seem more valid. I don't think anyone is blaming Elliot for every goal? Nor are they saying some hypothetical, imaginary goalkeeper would have saved every shot he's faced

As for Rafa and how he sets us up. It really is a breath of fresh air (Partridge). We would set up defensively under previous managers. But there would be no shape or structure. It would just be sit everyone deep and punt it long. You could argue Pardew and McClaren actually had a stronger squad to work with, as well. The fact a manager actually has a particular style and a bit of tactical nous shouldn't really come as a surprise to most football fans. But we have been served up so much shit of late. It is just refreshing to see someone stick so rigidly to his guns. Yes, it can be a bit frustrating at times. I thought the conservative approach cost us a bit against Huddersfield and Brighton. Games we should have got at least a point from. But at least he isn't knee jerking, rotating loads of players and changing the formation every week, like his predecessors. Just to echo what everyone else has been saying. 3-4 more even half decent players in the summer and we really could have been having a go this season. The fact of the matter is, we are still about 4 players short in the starting XI and I don't see this changing any time soon. Unless these takeover rumours come to anything. Rafa is working wonders with the cards he has been dealt. I hope he is here for a very long time.

Is it really that? Or is it because he is a Championship standard player, that isn't particularly good at any one thing? Like a fair few of our players, TBF. He gets beat by long shots a lot and tends to be slow to get down. I thought he was decent today overall and it is being overly harsh blaming him for the goal. But I do think a prem quality keeper saves it. For all that it was a sweet strike. It isn't right in the corner and it is right near him

Despite what commentators say about him. He just isn't particularly fast. Makes the odd good run and when he is direct, he is dangerous. But he rarely looks like he'll beat his man for pace.

I'm sure it is for Atsu and it doesn't fit very well at all, if memory serves.

He is quite fast MOTM today. Pressed well, covered us a good few times and tried to get involved going forward in the first half. Good in the air for his size. He has a great leap on him.

Should have had a yellow earlier, aye. Shame that Atsu was so honest, as a free kick would have been more dangerous. He was really poor today. The actual challenge he got booked for wasn't that bad. Seemed harsh, if anything and the crowd made it seem much worse than it was. Yedlin MOTM, for me.

He's become a bit like Jonas, IMO. Obviously doesn't work quite as hard and he is a more skillful player. But the only thing he is doing that is positive right now is working hard for the team. His quality and decision making on the ball is woeful. Strengths - running around, accounts. Weaknesses - impact on a game, eczema.

Koeman seems like a dead man walking

Yep. Yedlin for how solid he was defensively, or Shelvey for the only moment of class going forward. Shelvey played well and was disciplined for 90 minutes. Long may it continue.

Fanboy wankers on twitter that have their twitter name as their favourite player. Usually with the profile pic of said player, as well. Saw one earlier "LacaRambo" with Lacazette and Ramsey as the pic

It's got too confusing for some. I remember half the crowd breaking into applause for the Remberence Day minute's silence at SJP last season or the season before. Horrendous.

He is a solid 10/10 compared to the two mongs either side of him in that pic

That video, man The bloke with the legendary tache seemed quite sensible. One of the 12 year old lads also seemed pretty level headed. As for the rest of them? Well....... The guy that can't wait to finish his cheesy chips, so is just stuffing his face mid-interview, the 4ft troll that looked like a human tomato, the Mackem Rag'n'Bone man. The list goes on. The absolute state of them As for that bloke that was so bitter, you could see it in his face, stating that we don't have the better team

That kit is so bad, man He looks like he works in a butchers. Although I doubt they'd let him come to work with his lip looking like that. Can't be good for business.

I think I've said this one before, but I have never understood it? "If Real Madrid had done that, we wouldn't stop going on about it." "If Messi scored a goal like that, everyone would be raving about it." Real Madrid do world class things on a game by game basis, because they're a great team. Messi seems to score an amazing goal every other week. So people rightly talk about them. So why when some bloke from Barnsley scores a belter out of the blue, do pundits and fans spout this shite? Just seen one on twitter about Kane's goal last night, complaining that it isn't getting enough praise. But if Barca had scored it, you wouldn't stop hearing about it. Fuck off.