Lush Vlad

Yes. I watch him regularly and think it’s not a foul. But he is convincing and he sells it even when it’s not and the refs give it. Do you honestly think they’re thinking who the player is when they blow the whistle?! Longstaff is the polar opposite. He goes down like a sack of spuds when it isn’t a free kick and it’s clearly a dive. Then when it is a blatant foul. He stays upright and he gets fuck all. Like I said. Fuck all to do with ‘names’ getting the decision and Longstaff not getting the rub of the green. He is just no good at gamesmanship.

I don’t think it is tricky at all. In our next two games. We can expect the lion’s share of possession again. Which as demonstrated today. Really isn’t Longstaff’s type of game. So he comes in for him, no question, IMO. I was in the minority that would have started him in place of Longstaff today. Because I don’t believe in the cliche ‘you can’t change a winning team’ and I don’t think it was a Longstaff kind of game. In the end, we won convincingly and it was probably our best performance of the season. So what the fuck do I know compared to Howe

He is just bad at it. It’s not even an argument. He throws himself to the ground a second too late or goes down unconvincingly under no pressure too early. It has fuck all to do with him not being a name. He is just terrible at it. Sad state of affairs when we are effectively talking about how good or bad someone is at cheating. But that is modern football, I guess.

He really is worse than the others. He goes down like a mortgage. Can’t buy a free kick to save his life.

I wonder if there has ever been a player more universally despised than Ryan Yates? Absolute hatchet man that somehow gets away with murder because he has the armband on. I was watching with a load of neutrals today and they all said similar. Useless fucker that somehow gets away with 2-3 yellow card offences per game. Today was no different. I think he got booked after his 4th or 5th foul. With most of those proceeding that being yellow card worthy. No idea how the refs let it slide and he only has 3 yellows this season. Every game I see him he is up to no good and starting shit.

Fucking class man. In the pub steaming. Joelinton went through and I said “I hate him on the right wing. He needs to be back on the left.” Then he scored

This is superb

That was fucking class.

That’s a pen on Willock, no?

I wasn’t even referencing our usual bad away performances. But I agree. It was more based on the last 2 games where everyone seems to think we have stumbled upon a winning formula. We had about 30-35% possession at home against two teams that want loads of the ball, slow build up play and opportunities for us to press and counter. Two clubs that are bigger than NUFC. I don’t think tomorrow’s game will be remotely similar and the same setup and possibly the same XI will not be anywhere near as effective.

My worry is us just going with the same XI and tactics. Forest will play a totally different game and it won’t work. I’m not saying Howe will do that. But I don’t think the same team will work well against them.

So a few weeks ago, according to most on here. Villa were miles better than us, Emery had done a far better job than Howe, they’ve bought better (they have in fairness), the club was better run etc etc. Win tomorrow and we go above them. Funny old game.

I remember my first beer.

The way they’ve played all season says otherwise.

I can’t blame him for leaving, at all. Maybe felt like he could have waited until the end of the season. But the club was a mess from top to bottom under Ashley.

Pope. Given made some outrageous saves. I think Pope makes a lot of world class saves look routine because he’s a big fucker. Alisson is a bit like that too, IMO. Pope is better controlling his box and off his line. I also think his deficiencies around his kicking wouldn’t have been so obvious back in Given’s day and vice versa.

Obviously doesn’t tell the full story. As he has made a few mistakes with shots. Fulham was a real howler. Spurs was poor and then crap from Burn to top it off. Chelsea he should have done better, but it was also criminal defending. Without looking into it, I don’t fully get the stat? Has there just been some bad finishing when it was a high xG chance? Isn’t there another one they use called post-shot xG or something? Either way. I still found it interesting. His kicking has always been crap. I think him punching it is over-played as well. Everyone seems to be copying Arsenal with loading the 6 yard box this season. Followed by loads of grey area fouls on the keeper and other defenders. Fair enough if he wants to punch in a lot of those situations. I do think we take for granted what a good ‘keeper’ he is.

No chance. Bruno is the first name on the team sheet when it comes to league games.

Well, I know through a few good sources, as in direct from players or those that are close to them, friends or family members. That top level footballers (our players included) do in fact get pissed up during the season. I’m not saying I agree with it or that it is ideal from an optimal performance standpoint. But the season goes August to May, then assuming no international tournament. Back in for pre-season in like late June? To quote Sir Bobby “They can’t be monks, we don’t want them to be monks, we want them to be football players. Because a monk doesn’t play football at this level.”

I was at that one. Met @Scoot and @Terrymac1966 after. Was meant to be back at the missus’ grandparents in Seaham (her family are mackems) at 4:30 for Sunday Dinner. Got back just before MOTD2 absolutely nailed

Just seen Van de Ven is out injured again. His hamstrings being made of cheesestrings and mainly being a great defender because of his freakish pace is not a good combo.

Can’t disagree there. I’m sure he used to be automatic at them and has actually been worse since that stupid run up. Based on absolutely nothing other than my shit memory