Lush Vlad

I hate Hindsight Hinchcliffe on co-comms. But I don’t mind the main guy. Him and his Scottish mate that loves the phrase ‘got through a power of running’ seem to get a lot of our 3pm games. Both always seem to be enjoying themselves and maybe I just associate their voices with a lot of decent memories from recent seasons.

The game has moved on a bit from a sports science POV, mind. Wages, as well. I don’t think he should be getting hung, drawn and quartered because of this. But players getting wankered whilst injured is not really optimal from a recovery standpoint that’s before you even consider the optics.

Yeah. Agree with this. Cheating on your wife and mother of your children is pretty reprehensible on the face of it. But I don’t know all the ins and outs and it’s hardly a rare thing in society. I’ve made terrible mistakes and done things I’m ashamed of in the past (not that, thankfully). Not sure just assuming he is a scumbag and wanting the club to jettison him is a stance I would agree with at all. If he is going to be disruptive and constantly ‘injured’. Then fair enough, you get rid. But nothing he has done has really suggested that. It was only a month or two ago most were saying we’re a much better side with him in it.

Unashamed King Lewy fan boy, BTW. One of my favourite non-NUFC players since his Dortmund days and my Grandad was Polish. So have a massive soft spot for their national team, too.

I see he still actually got alright numbers last year, all things considered. Just looked finished at that level when I saw him playing. Can’t stop scoring now and looks sharp, again. Plenty of tap ins. But just shows the system is working perfectly for him.

Lewandowski on 99 CL goals. Think that’s 19 overall for the season already and all. Looked like he was on the way out at this level last season. But he’s scoring for fun again under Flick.

Not sure I would go that far and it is early’ish days still in some ways. But if the blue chip (gambling pun intended) signing from last summer. Who cost around £55m. Can’t displace Longstaff out of the team and start games and contribute on a consistent basis. Then doubt he’d stay here too long if he was sat on the bench most weeks. Like I say though, it is still pretty early on with that discussion. But plenty of people seem adamant that we are better with Longstaff in the team and we know Howe is a big fan. If Tonali can’t replicate that and more, then it would have been a monumental waste of money more than anything.

Kind of agree. I think his off the ball work at both ends of the pitch and his engine do get overlooked. But that is why I think he is great for games like the last two at home. Not so much as against, say an Everton or a Forest (I know they’re doing well. More their style).

I hope you joined in with absolutely losing your mind about where throw ins were taken from. But otherwise sat in silence the whole game

No, not really. I think he will start, but I wouldn’t be against him coming out. We are about to play a team who have the 3rd worst average possession in the league and like to sit in a bit of a low-mid block. Horses for courses and that is not Longstaff’s type of game at all. Again, no. Not black and white or binary, at all. So many variables to consider. Joelinton going left. Willock coming back in. Isak finding some fitness and form. The teams we have played. Loads more, as well if we wanted to sit and go right through and analyse each game. I don’t want to FWIW, I thought he was quality the last two games and looks like he has taken on a slightly different role and tactical instructions. But we did play 2 games at home with about 30% of the ball, which certainly helped him. As that is where he excels.

Completely anecdotally and I don't have stats to back it up. But Schar does try that 'between the lines' pass into feet a fair bit. Just nowhere near as good or as accurate at doing it as Trippier and it gets us in trouble when he mis-places them. He found Willock in the centre circle a few times with it on Saturday. Agree on your broader point, though. Our build up is cumbersome, predictable and usually harmless. That said, I actually thought at times in the first half against Arsenal. That we moved it much quicker and the midfield interchanging worked a lot better than it has all season. Popping up in different areas, 1-2 touch passing and looking to get up the pitch. If we can build on that, then it's a start.

Really? I thought him and Burn both looked a bit indecisive and shaky. Again, sounds ridiculous when we kept a clean sheet. But I thought they were below the levels they usually play at.

Not to try and put a dampener on a great couple of results. But Schar has been pretty bad the last 3 matches. Sounds unbelievably harsh typing that out after 2 clean sheets in a row. But he has been too loose and casual with some of his play.

I expect us to see a lot more of the ball than the Chelsea and Arsenal wins. Theie possession stats this season are some of the lowest in the league. Hard to leave Willock or Longstaff out after two decent performances and results. But it isn’t Colts football. You can change a winning side. I’d like to see Tonali come in for this one.

There is a whole thread on Twitter highlighting all his fouls and how bad the ref was. I mean, of course there is. Arsenal lost a game. So they have to blame someone

Yep. Rata taking that free kick early on near the East Stand. Was fucking about for ages and took forever to take it. They’ve been like it all season, mind. Probably a lot to do with being down to ten men and also in games where they’ve shut up shop after getting a lead. But they’ve still been keen to slow things down. More fool them. Helped us yesterday.

That’s the beauty of the Big Joe/Little Joe left side combo meal. Joelinton does often tuck in and appear in central areas even when he’s not playing CM. He covers 2 positions and also pops up as an auxiliary fullback at times. He didn’t do it as much today. He stayed pretty wide, with Willock getting more of a free role and taking up the central areas. But they compliment each other so well with the positions they take up. Worked like a charm.

Combination of both, I think. Some of their passing in the final third was atrocious. But then again, when we get it right. We often hear opposition fans say how bad they looked. So our setup certainly does nullify teams.

Yeah. I wasn’t really referencing the questions or people wanting him gone. More just my thoughts on the teams we have played and the performances we have seen in those games. Versus what those other teams have done since. We have had some poor, flat performances for sure and some questionable tactics, subs, lineups etc. But just trying to put some objective opinions up as best I can and not subjective.

Not to try and be smart after the event. But some of our results and performances don’t look quite so bad in hindsight. Bournemouth are looking like a bit of a monster at home. Outplayed us for the most part, beat Arsenal, battered Chelsea and somehow lost, easy win against Southampton. 2-0 against City with 20 to go. Brighton still winning at Anfield and should have been 2-3 up at half time. That first 35-40 was dominant against them and we still had chances we should have buried second half. Everton we know we should have won. Chelsea wasn’t great, but again, a close game. Hopefully we are finding our groove and can start replicating the home performances away. Or at least improving them, as we have not been good enough on the road for a long while. EDIT: The Brighton score went well but my point still stands.

Mirroring the twat in the dugout. The same as their fans.

The bitterness oozing out of Arteta after the game. Referring to how we play, their ‘big’ chances and that we didn’t create much. Implying we play a stop/start physical game and they don’t FFS. Awful bloke.

Just come in to say this. Mad that our best half of the season is still probably that Brighton game. Not looking so bad that result and performance. As it stands, of course.

I dunno like. If you want to go back 20 odd years then you might have a point. But they were blatant and always going to get called. Pulled back Saka when he could have started a break and bodied Saliba I think we are also ignoring Bruno. Who won at least 2 fouls today that were never a foul in a million years

Yes and no. That setup and XI won’t necessarily be the best for every game. I’ve not checked. But I bet Forest have some of the worst possession stats in the league, for example. We would have more of the ball and better territory. The high press probably wouldn’t be so effective. So perhaps a game for Tonali to come in from the start and maybe even try to get a more attack minded player in like Barnes. Who can score goals out of nothing. Nice to have those options and a decent’ish looking bench.