Lush Vlad

Henry is the best Prem player of all time IMO. Suarez and De Bruyne probably close out the top 3. Haaland's numbers are just outrageous though. It is a cliche with him. But the whole 'he looks like he is built in a lab' and the Ivan Drago comparisons are spot on. He's an absolute monster and just relentless with getting into those scoring positions.

Just keep it tight until late on, unleash the FINISHERS™ and then score. Can't be chucking more points away when leading. Not sure my heart can take it.

Probably looked at some of our keeping this year and thought "I'm better than these"

The more I see it, the worse it gets. Post and in and Bruno didn't jump. So it's not fair to fully blame Ramsdale. But he's just clipped it up and over with no power. He looks like he can get there and then does his usual despairing dive and not getting near it. Ramsdale's positioning isn't what I always have issue with. It is how late he seems to react to shots. Regularly diving when it's too late or already past him and like he has no spring or power in his dives. Just sort of collapses on the spot and always seems flailing and at full stretch. To reiterate, I can't get over how impressive his distribution was on Saturday, first half in particular. So I feel like I'm now used to that and take it for granted. He was pinging it about like Ederson. It will be even more noticeable how bad we are when Pope comes back in and he'll cop even more flak for his crap passing. So is it a case of that skillset being more of a net benefit to the team than the fact he's an average at best 'keeper' at this level and I think should have done better on a number of goals conceded already? Not actually sure, TBH. Shame they both have such polarising strengths and weaknesses. The current back 4 is full of ball players, at least. So we shouldn't have a big issue playing out and finding forward passes for the next however many games. But the extra man behind that is still a massive help when playing round or through a press.

Back from the AFCON already?

Guessing it will be Casemiro and Ugarte? Hardly screams ‘mobile’.

I feel like more than any other position. The demands of a goalkeeper have changed more than any other. Especially in such a short space of time So I feel like comparing over eras, even as recently as 10-15 years ago, is quite difficult. Given’s longevity and shot stopping was unreal. But Pope at his peak, which was basically the whole 4th placed season. Is clear of Given IMO. I think injuries and becoming inconsistent counts against him here.

Given I understand. But Krul? His kicking was just as bad and after a couple of good seasons. He went to shit.

Yep. Also, it’s not exactly ground breaking to highlight we need someone like Rogers FFS. Saka is what we need from our right wingers.

It’s the whole ‘you can’t say that these days or you’ll be cancelled/free speech isn’t allowed anymore’ argument and all. Well, people keep slating Howe and bringing their dreary, depressing takes to every thread. So you clearly can. But they get annoyed if they’re in the minority or they get pulled up for some of their points. They then just resort to saying you’re not allowed to criticise Howe on here

Nuggets galore on this place of late.

Ramsdale’s not been good. But Kelleher was never the answer. Glad we didn’t go for him.

I thought this yesterday. As I’ve found some of Ramsdale’s keeping so far quite offensive TBH but his distribution was a huge positive for us and we wouldn’t have had such a dominant first half without him. They weren’t strong from set pieces either. So there wasn’t a worry there. For teams renowned for high pressing and ones that take risks defending man to man. Ramsdale is a big help. If we’re playing more of a brute force, set piece, mid to low block side. Then you’d rather have Pope in. Not that it would ever happen or that games always go to plan like that.

Just sent the below to a mate, discussing the ref yesterday: Thought the ref lost the plot in general. They had 6 yellows and one for Maresca. Diving, cheating, moaning all the while. Ref had it sussed first half. Then just gave them everything and us fuck all in the second.

Why are people still engaging with this absolute dullard. Page after page of mind numbing shit.

FYP

Don’t worry. You’ll get used to Rod

He’s a Chelsea fan, I think. He is saying he thinks it’s a pen.

I agree in part with this bit. Noticed he was regularly too slow to get to the ball, the man etc. He wisely didn’t try and take his man on too much, either. Their midfield are all athletic as fuck and it just highlighted how slow he is. I thought the midfield was a problem collectively yesterday. Tonali’s passing was atrocious. Bruno got caught upfield too often and Ramsey had long spells doing fuck all. I do think a fully fit and firing Joelinton would have helped. Especially second half.

You can still like him, Rod. Even though he is talking utter shite on the penalty decision

Just put him on ignore, Rod. Not worth your time and effort.

He’s a wizard. You’ll see.

I know their stadium looks like an airport terminal. But there’s no need to wheel him out on a luggage trolley.

I’d be fine with this approach. If refs actually returned to making the big decisions. Instead of just dogging it off and letting VAR sort it out.