Lush Vlad

He’s a Real fan. It’s fairly clear

Nah. It was a nailed on pen. He’s running at a right old clip and Lenglet just grabs hold of him. Won’t take much to knock you off stride and he’s getting the ball if not. Hope Atleti pull this out the bag. But I’m sure Real will spawn their way through as usual.

I know Mbappe is magic in those situations. But the absolute state of that defending

Are our fans in the same end as last time?

He was a solid B for his first season and a half here. But he hasn't looked the same since the shoulder injury. Without checking, I feel like he's made more mistakes that have led to goals in his 20 games or so of this season, than he did for all of his games prior. I think he's a C. Sadly seems like he is going the wrong way. But still time to turn his season round and hopefully regain something like his old form.

Not so sure. To use TCD's 'BOTH BOXES' x 4 line of thinking. We need someone that is going to deliver in key moments if the opportunity presents itself. Barnes was basically our sole threat in the first half against West Ham. Very unlucky not to score and had 3 shots, 2 on target. The Willock from two seasons ago, I think it's a no brainer. I was saying I thought Howe would go with the Big Joe/Little Joe combo, but not so sure now and I don't think I'd want us to. As I don't think the current version makes it worth while losing that output at the business end of the pitch. I'd imagine chances are going to be few and far between, we might rely on long shots or just a half chance coming off a ball breaking our way. Barnes being on the pitch greatly increases our chance of scoring, I would say.

Looked nowhere near fit last night I didn't think. So hoping that is the case, as he has been good for them this season.

I watched the game with a few Liverpool fans last night and they thought Diaz was poor and indecisive and that he has been for a while. I hope that is the case on Sunday. As Trippier's not renowned for his defending.

I’d rather they went through. They’re going to be aggy as fuck on Sunday now and desperate for a trophy now they’re out.

I sometimes wish he would be a bit more Chris Samba with his defending. As he is a very good defender, reads it well, quality in the air, positionally he is good from crosses and a whole load more. But when he tries to play a bit or make cute interceptions that aren't really on, he gets found wanting and often makes a mistake getting caught out of position and then struggling to get back. It's hard to criticise the high pressing from him, as well as Schar to a lesser degree. As they are obviously instructed to follow their man in such a way. But even against a shit West Ham team, it caused us issues at times and the lack of mobility and cover in our back 4 is starting to get exposed regularly when teams go direct and bypass our press altogether.

Ah yeah. That's nonsense But TBF, he has been bad well below par for a while. So despite me expecting him to start last night and the final. I can't see it now. Howe went with Barnes and then when Willock came on, he looked like how our subs often tend to look. Nowhere near what is expected and a couple of times he appeared to just give up tracking back after getting beat or not receiving the ball from a pass. Very unlike him and shit to see. As someone said in the match thread. You can see why Howe is often reluctant to make changes, even when we're dead on our feet. As the subs that come on are often so far off the level required and rarely seem to get up to speed with the pace of the game.

Yes. Everyone is basing their opinion on him from those 15 minutes last night

Starting to agree. I love the bloke and his qualities suit this team, for sure. But he hasn't been anywhere near his best for a while now and I also think/hope we might be trying to progress and evolve tactically. So that we need a bit more than just runners in the side. If we are looking for another midfielder or two. Then you'd imagine Longstaff and/or Willock will be on their way.

Not as easy to tell from the camera angle in the second half. But I thought he stayed wider and it helped Tino. First half, Barnes seemed noticeably narrow. Out of possession, it was almost back to that 4-4-2 shape, with Barnes pressing up with Isak. On the ball, he was often infield offering Tino the overlap, which he never really tried and looked massively lost and isolated out there. It all got a bit congested with their flat back 5 and flat 3 in front of that. Second half, it seemed a bit more traditional, Tino was a bit better and we had more width. Hard to judge, really. As they had so many men behind the ball and that really doesn't suit many of our players. As I said in another thread, that doesn't suit many teams, TBH! But we really do have a lot of athletes who thrive on open spaces and a game that is stretched. We're a free range team, if you will We'll get that sort of game on Sunday. The problem is, we are starting to look very creaky and exposed at the back and that's where we're likely to come unstuck.

I think he was better second half and despite some of the issues with him playing there. He is our best option at LB for the final and the foreseeable. Seen a few mentioning that Trippier would be a better option there? On what basis? Less help for Burn defensively, he’d get less help from Barnes in front of him that side would be massively exposed and too reliant on Joelinton. We’d be back to Murphy and Tino on the right. Attacks break down all the while with those two and a general lack of quality on the ball from both. Also, I have it in my head we moved Tino to LB mid-game a couple of times last season. As Trippier was so bad there. Dortmund away against Adyemi I have in my head as one, for sure. Finally, have people watched Trippier at left back for England? He stops and plays sideways or backwards even more than Tino does there.

Ah. Show’s how much attention I’ve been paying

Was Bunce in the dressing room photo and in the video of them all walking back in? Certainly looked like him. At least him and Howe don’t hate each other after all like was made out earlier in the season, the same as with Mitchell.

C. Has the tools to become a more than solid B. If his attacking play was even anything close to his defensive ability. He’d end up as an A. But then he wouldn’t be playing for us if that were the case.

He was fine (by his standards) on his right. They weren’t pressing high. So he usually got it somewhere near an NUFC player or just moved it on to Burn or Schar. But FFS. When we pass it back to him on his left

I feel like he has a lot of intangible qualities that won’t show up even if you were looking at advanced stats. To use a cliche. Setting the tone would be one. Scaring the opposition would be another His recovery runs are really underrated, as even if he doesn’t get across. He is often there to shut off the cut back or pass back inside. He often becomes a bit of an out ball with some mid-range passes aimed into him at chest and head height. We miss that from the back when he is out. As nobody else in our team seems capable of holding the ball up back to goal. He can play out of trouble when facing his own goal because of his size. It doesn’t always work. But it often wins us a free kick or gets us up the pitch. Bit of a rogue and brain dead at times. Not the best technically. But I feel like he embodies all that has made this Howe team great, since the move to midfield.

Fair play to him. If there was any doubt about the final. I’d say he’s bagged himself a starting spot.

Yeah. Some brain dead fouls and his customary row Z shot. But that’s just Big Joe. Got to take the rough with the smooth. Hard to pick MOTM. No real standout and more flashes here and there. But he is up there with Trippier and Barnes, for me.

I don’t think he ever does much in general play. Not great on and off the ball. Pretty weak. Not got a trick. Quick’ish without being proper fast for a winger. But then comes alive near the box and was unlucky not to score tonight, to go with his assist.

It was bad. But you must have a short memory. Some of the Allardyce stuff was disgusting and regularly far worse than that. The Fulham 1-0 away when Barton scored a pen late on probably the worst offender.

Who’s coming in ahead of him? Willock? Osula certainly isn’t. We don’t have any other wingers with Gordon suspended.