Lush Vlad

I think Krafth maybe comes in for Trippier. As I do genuinely think based on his time here. 4 games in 11-12 days or whatever it is. Would be too much for him. I think we got fairly strong. 4-5 changes. But ones that don’t necessarily weaken the team. It’s a nice position to be in for a change. Not long ago, our first XI almost picked itself and then you were struggling to find 3-4 good options off the bench. Barnes, Elanga, Tonali, Ramsey and Ramsdale could come in from the start and it’s not like the team looks much worse off than Sunday, for example.

On a similar note, I'm sure there is a law that actually mentions deliberate shirt pulling or pulling back of a player being a yellow card. Perhaps when in relation to an attack. Forget how it's worded, but something along these lines. Yet players regularly just pull players back on a counter and get away with it. I'm sure it happened in the Fulham game a couple of times when we were away.

The only minor concern I have so far is that he doesn’t look like an instinctive and natural finisher. He’s had three snap shots since joining and all have been sitters. All have hit the woodwork. I think the Forest and Arsenal ones wouldn’t have counted, TBF. Handball and offside, from memory. But just an observation. Obviously he offers much more than that and I still think the team as a whole will perform better than before. Once we fully understand how to play with him. Carrick’s analysis on MOTD is very promising and exciting moving forward. I thought it was one of his quieter games. Yet he was still heavily involved in a lot of our dangerous attacking moves.

Surely be back in the Germany squad soon? He’s been very good for us and yesterday he was brilliant. MOTM by a street, I thought. He really took the game by the scruff in the last 20 minutes or so. Went full Bruno in trying to put the team on his back and win us the game.

I try and have this approach. I just accept that they’re mostly crap and the way VAR is implemented is even worse. But I he was shockingly bad. I’m not even that annoyed by the Woltemade ones. As quite a few he was trying to pin Diop and he had a double handful of shirt, as well. It was more how inconsistent he was with how much contact warranted a foul. It just seemed like their players could just go down and it was a foul. Usually 3-4 seconds after the ‘foul’ had happened. Almost like the ref didn’t want any controversy if we went on to score. So took the easy decision every time. Our players would often try and stay honest. Then nothing. Or we’d lose the advantage. Yet when Traore ran about 10 yards before Burn tackled him. He pulled it back and that wasn’t an advantage apparently They were shithousing and committing snide, cynical fouls to stop breaks from the first minute. The ref seemed happy for this to happen all game and it’s laughable that only two of their players got booked.

Most pleasing thing for me from the last two games. Is the positive impact the subs have had. Won us the game yesterday. Totally dominant once Tonali, Schar (sloppy passes aside) and Barnes got on. Even better when Elanga came on. Then Osula’s directness leads to the goal. Must be good for morale and keeping everyone happy and it’s nice to finally have some genuine options for most positions.

Did he save that shot onto the bar? Looks like he gets a touch. Shame it didn’t count for anything.

Yeah. Proper mackem behaviour that. Most round me applauded at least. But there must have been a good few people booing for it to be that audible.

Atmosphere was better in the Leazes yesterday than it was on Tuesday. Like you say, a ref being shit really does get the crowd going more than anything else

Disagree. He wasn’t his usual all action self. But he wasn’t cheaply giving the ball away like the rest of his teammates. He was good at holding it up and was a great out ball to start off attacks and counters a lot of the time. He kept finding pockets of space centrally. He doesn’t look fit to me. Not radge enough and doesn’t seem to move freely. Went down 3 times in the first 10 minutes and all.

I was not advocating the use of drugs. I was talking to someone on their level.

Atmosphere was flat for the most part. Bit nervy to start with. Then almost a bit expectant. Benfica fans were superb. But quietened down a fair bit once we went ahead.

We’re loving these proper team, slick passing goals in the CL. The one against Barca, Union S-G, the first and third last night. Not clicking at all in the Prem as yet. But some really nice moves resulting in chances and goals in Europe.

He can play right wing after all Really happy for him. He is always the one that makes way. He’s an easy sub or someone Howe can leave out. I feel like he’s become a bit of a scapegoat with fans and all. His game is very basic and all about output. So I do get the frustrations with him when he isn’t scoring or assisting. But he’s the best finisher at the club and I think he gets a raw deal at times.

This was how I saw it. His off the ball work was better than I was expecting. Did really well to nick the ball near the halfway line second half that set us up for a decent counter. That stood out. Quite slight and a smaller frame than I realised. Certainly a different model to Joelinton and a nice option to have.

I’m one of his biggest critics on here. But he was back to his unplayable best last night. MOTM by a street. I liked that even when it didn’t come off. He would aggressively look to drive at the full back inside, but more importantly. He’d look to get down the outside, as well. He seemed to play much more central second half and linked better with Woltemade because of it. He can do some serious damage if he is that varied and unpredictable with his play moving forward. Feels like he’s been one dimensional and a bit tame for quite a while. Definitely a confidence player. So long may this version of him continue.

I said to a mate. He’s played the ultimate blinder keeper performance tonight. Cleano, assist, time wasting. The lot. Their fans must have hated him Even provided some comedy moments. Spooned it off for a corner, then gets an assist that any keeper in the world would be proud of. Followed up by then punting it into the East Stand. He got a standing ovation by quite a few in the Leazes for that

I still think for how bad the football was and with a squad that from memory, he mainly assembled. That Allardyce played the worst football I’ve seen in my time supporting the club. Maybe I’m blinkered as I was going fairly regularly when he was appointed. But Derby, Fulham and Wigan away are probably in my top ten worst NUFC games I’ve been to. Not in terms of the result. As I’ve seen far worse hidings and we even won at Fulham But just for how bad we were and how awful the game was. I remember home games against Wigan and City that were similarly shite. Wasn’t at the Pompey 1-4 thank fuck. I think it was as bad as Bruce. Possibly even worse. I find him even more insufferable than Souness and all.

Yep. They certainly travel better than Barca fans.

Paully should be a club ambassador for fan relations or something. Absolutely loves the game

Absolutely soulless that place. Turned it off after 5 minutes. I was getting depressed watching it.

Ramsey? Miley?!

Heading up for this one and the Fulham game. I was at the last Benfica game and I seem to remember their fans being quite lively and a small section of them in the Milburn as well as in L7? Flares going off when they scored late on.

They were 2-0 at home against the Azerbaijani FC Carrier Bag and lost 3-2. I'm sure there is more to it than that. But I think he was sacked after that game.

Isak really doesn’t suit their style and Salah has gone full Antti Niemi. Still think Liverpool really should have got something out that. Missed some sitters and hit the post 3 times. Funny that they didn’t.