Lush Vlad

As I said the other day. The result massively dictates how we judge the players and the performance. I don’t think anyone was particularly bad tonight. Although I think Murphy, Ramsdale and Burn had below par games. Along with Hall from a defensive point of view. Woltemade also faded out of it. But if they don’t score that comedy second goal. Nobody cares and there aren’t really any complaints. I’m trying not to boot off and remember my own words. But it is hard after that. Feels like a defeat and fully self-inflicted. Fine margins at this level.

It must be hard for a big fella. But it feels like he sometimes gets caught a bit flat footed. Which means he doesn’t quite get tight enough to his man, he reacts late, he doesn’t block the cross in etc. I still love him, mind and would start him at CB next game.

Big miss. He was everywhere first half. Kudus gave up trying to run him a couple of times.

He always wants an extra touch under pressure. Like he is trying to draw the foul like Bruno. The problem is, he never does. I thought he was alright tonight. But he slowed down a lot of our attacks and lost the ball a good few times from trying what I mentioned above.

Bit of a worry that we’ve gone from usually converting leads into wins under Howe. To losing 11 points from winning positions in the league already this season. 4-6 points more and we’d be top 4 or 5. Needs sorting out. Not sure how we have become fragile. It’s like we mentally switch off. How many late goals have we conceded in stoppage time now? Liverpool, Arsenal, West Ham, Brentford and Spurs? Late’ish at Brighton and all.

11 points lost from winning positions is abject, like. I can’t remember what season it was. But we were the opposite under Howe not so long ago. Two shots on target and two pathetic goals to concede. Gave up 3 ‘chances’ all night. All whilst wasting plenty of our own and being wasteful in wide areas and in and around the box. This season is so stop start and I don’t know how we chucked that away. Feels like a defeat and Wissa can’t come in soon enough. Decent CB’s know how to play Woltemade and we still seem clueless at times about how to get the best out of him. We just ping it into him and expect him to always make something happen or make it stick. No black and white shirt within 20-30 yards of him.

He is definitely using creative licence with his height, like all keepers do. Barely looks. 6ft Either that or he just has bad posture.

It’s the trade off that was mentioned for ages. You lose some of what Pope is good at. To gain a keeper better with his feet and I suppose the question is. Does that improves us overall? I’d say yes. As Pope has been poor for a while. But tonight just shows to me that Pope isn’t as shit as made out. I don’t think either goal goes in with him in nets. However, we’ll get used to playing with a keeper that is good with his feet. Plus Pope was making howlers in other ways. So it’s not ideal either way.

Good with his feet. Apart from when his feet need to take him off his goal line.

Solid keeping that. Wow

Looks like Messi compared to the other two forwards tonight.

Brilliant for 35. Then dropped off with the press and the intensity as per usual. Which is kind of to be expected. Need to make more of these openings. Getting loads of space at times around the edge of the box. But rarely translates to a chance. Set pieces are back to being wank.

It’s almost too convenient that injury. But it seems mad that we would go to such lengths to cover up him being dropped. Risky not having him in the matchday squad and all. Ramsdale’s time to shine now. Unlike with Dubravka, who did play well in Pope’s absence. I can’t see Ramsdale having a decent 6-8 games or more and Pope coming back in once fit.

I thought the 2 yellows equaling a red cancelled just the second one out. But I've just looked and seems like it is both. As Burn is only showing as 3 yellow cards in the league. Burn and Joelinton have 2 yellows in the CL. So both one off a ban, aye.

Heard on the radio a Spurs fan from a fanzine or podcast, was saying how bad they are when attacking. The presenter mentioned a stat about them playing the lowest number of through balls in the league. The numbers were different wherever I looked and guessing they all have slightly different criteria. But for completed through balls on Fbref, Arsenal are top with 44, we are bang in the middle and have 21.... Spurs have 6! I'm not saying that is the be all and end all with enjoying watching your team and how they attack. But I still found it quite interesting.

I appreciate his stock isn’t high at the minute. But you’d imagine he is on decent enough money already and be will be wanting a pay rise that put him well into 6 figures a week. Which would put him close to our top earners. His injury record is an issue. It’s clearly impacted his game, as well. Be looks less mobile and he was never that fast. Schar and Burn don’t have that long left as starters, I wouldn’t have thought. Not sure looking to completely change our CB’s from last season over one summer would be wise.

Everyone saying keep Ramsdale AND sign Trafford/a decent new keeper. £50m+ on two keepers this summer?! Sounds unlikely and a bad use of resources. I think it will be one or the other. With Pope leaving for a longer contract somewhere else. We’re going to need a CB or two, at least two full backs and I think a CM and/or a different type of wide player. Not sure we’d be spending so much on two keepers. Maybe a younger player or someone as a bit more of a stop gap, but who is more than capable of filling in. Similar to how Dubravka did last season. I think Ramsdale gets a chance to prove if he is worth the option or not.

Got Leverkusen and the mackems before Fulham. He’ll get minutes before then if he is going to be on the bench on Saturday, as rumoured.

Chelsea played Chelsea Dagger after they scored yesterday. Assuming it’s a new thing as I’ve never noticed it before.

I just wanted to shoehorn in that classic line. As I did find it amusing and a bit sad that you went back and quoted them all I think I went full Switzerland and was neutral on it. Thought the club were trying to make it difficult for him to be selected. But you’re right. Hope, Downie and I think Edwards have said for a while he won’t be off to the AFCON.

Dear me. What a sad little life, STM.

I don’t think they are as bad as being made out. Even with a changed side at SJP. They created some decent openings and dominated the ball for spells in the first half. We’ve hardly been convincing all season. But better at home and the form and performances seem to have improved. So hopefully another early goal and we’ll have too much for them.

Interested to see what Howe goes with tomorrow. We played so well on Saturday that it must be tempting to just go again with a very similar lineup. Plus Burnley 'should' be the easier game where you could perhaps rotate a bit more, ahead of another CL game and then the derby. But at the same time, I suppose he has to be careful with the likes of Hall and Tino, who are only just back from injury. Then just the players workloads in general when it is two games close together. Bruno has barely had a rest since he signed, either. It would seem incredibly harsh to leave Miley out. But then you'd also want Tonali back in for this and I think it could be a Joelinton type of game. I don't think we'll see loads of changes. At a guess, Tonali and Murphy to come back in. Maybe Burn at left back with Schar at LCB.

The maniacal, sort of evil bad guy laughter after we score or the opposition fuck up