Chicken Dancer

If Bruce, Pardew or anybody else had served up some of the shit we’ve seen this season they’d rightfully be getting called out too. It’s not good enough and hasn’t been for most of the season, doesn’t mean he should be binned off but we’ve been turgid in most of our games.

I take your point but why should we accept being shit there because we’ve always been shit there? Worse teams than us have got results and certainly put in better performances at both grounds this season, neither are what they were. Yet we go and get bent over year after year. It’s fucking pointless turning up at either ground, absolute shambles.

We are fucking pathetic. We’d have been better off playing the kids and resting them. Really hope we can figure out our league form else this could turn into a nasty season.

Brighton wannabes but can't deny it's working. There's no doubt a good few of their signings would have improved our squad and some likely would have made more of an impact than some of our summer business.

Not sure that washes tbf. We’ve spent a small fortune since he’s been here. All been worth it mind, but he’s definitely been backed.

Maybe you're right. Maybe the fact Villa played conference league in 23/24 allowed them the experience to navigate a deep FA Cup run, getting to CL quarters and missing out on CL football on goal difference the following season. They finished level on points with us and played a hell of a lot more games, despite us winning the league cup. They've shown now over a few seasons that they're much more capable than us at being able to not allow a European campaign to have too much of a negative impact on their league form. Hopefully we're able to replicate next season if we end up in one of the less two European competitions.

Yeah I agree. We're a very good cup team and can get ourselves for one off games, especially at home. The ties were favourable in that sense. But in the league we are as close to West Ham than we are to Villa - it's a fact. We may have a Villa 24/45 end to the season and finish top 6 again as there's still plenty time. I somehow doubt it though, especially given we can't compete on all 4 fronts as you say.

We're also as close to West Ham as we are to Villa this season so far. Whilst I agree the 2 clubs are at similar places on and off the pitch, they've been far better at dealing with consistent European football and not allowing it to damage their league form too much. They've also been extremely lucky at times this season, so there is that.

Happy with some major gripes at the minute. Too many games are a carbon copy of other games, and I can't really remember the last dominating performance we've had in the league. We have been good in the CL and as I said last week, there'd be a lot more anti-Howe noise if we didn't have that in the bank. We struggle to hold on to a lead, are pretty pathetic away from home and have became a shell of what we were. There's numerous reasons for the latter point, but it doesn't mean it isn't true. We've been pretty poor since the back end of last season imo. Thankfully, he will be given time as he's more than earned it, but it is a big worry that both of our European campaigns have resulted in poor league performance. There's still time to make it a (very) good season, but I suspect in 2 weeks time we will be out of both domestic cup competitions with an uphill task to qualify for Europe again. As much as I'd love some decent aways in Europe next year, I dread to think how we'd cope with Europa/conference league. It may be for the best we finish outside of the top 7/8, not that it would go down well.

Christ that’s pretty damning. I feel like my entire life we’ve been shite away from home.

We never win at Anfield so hardly a surprising result, but once again unable to put in a 90 minute performance. Seen it so many times this season where we will play well for 20-45 minutes and just be absolutely dog for the other part of the match. It’s a real problem.

Not because they’re particular good, just based off our record there I’m expecting a pretty timid display and comfortable home win.

Obviously I'd rather we won out there, but a sick part of me hopes it's a draw or at least in the balance so that SJP is rocking for the second leg. I've waited my entire life for knockout Champions League games. Saying that, if we get through the home leg against Barca/Chelsea would be unreal. Maybe it is best to have a boring yet comfortable 3/4-0 aggregate win here

We should use that system more over the coming weeks with some difficult fixtures. Got it tactically absolutely spot on last night and sort of proved why people who want him out should be hasty in their judgement. As I've said on here prior, he's got more than enough grace for a bad period and definitely deserves a chance to figure out the performances in the league. That being said, we do tend to perform better in 'big' games. It's the bread and butter we've struggled in, but there's still plenty time to make this another season to remember.

3-0. Be half tempted to make some changes ahead of Saturday, given Liverpool have a cakewalk tomorrow.

It definitely isn’t, despite what people might think in the moment. He deserves grace and the opportunity to figure it out - if we’re being honest he probably deserves a ‘bad’ season given what he’s achieved so far. However, it is completely on him to find a solution. I know people will point to results and at the end of the day it is a results business. But despite what people might not like to admit (or at least say out loud) we’ve been pretty dire all season on the eye - the majority of the wins seem laboured and the performances across the board have generally been pretty tepid. I think it’s pretty obvious that if we hadn’t done so well in the Champions League, the noise would be a lot louder. I’m still fully ‘Howe in’ but he deserves plenty stick at the minute, but he equally deserves a shot to figure it out, even if it takes another summer window. How patient the decision makers are is an another question.

We’ve nowt to lose. We look out of ideas in the league and I’d not be against at least trying it. With Osula I’d not be against giving him a run of games, and I can’t believe I’m saying that.

We’ve got fuck all to lose by trying Woltemade and Wissa together. It can’t be much worse. *insert Mick McCarthy meme*

The lack of creativity in the side is absolutely crippling us. Think most of us acknowledged we needed that type of player and many were up for giving El Khannouss a shot for that reason. We’ve a midfield full of runners and seem to persist with getting balls to wide areas, which tends to lead to nothing. It’s on Howe to sort, but we’re now late January and nothing is changing.

Was definitely booing the team imo. Not something I personally do but I definitely interpreted it as that.

Unbelievably, people still struggle to understand that loving Howe and thinking we’ve regressed are two separate things. You can still love the bloke and call it out for what it is. It’s not bedwetting to suggest we’ve been crap and the summer signings have been largely poor.

I do agree with what you’re saying but I don’t think we’ve played with nearly as much intensity as we usually would across the season. Only tends to be in certain games, though I do understand why.

At least we’ve got a nice run of easy games coming up to get some momentum. Second best - as is generally the case in the league - all over the pitch.

One things for sure - our resident mackems won’t be here this weekend. Stick your mortgage on them showing up a week on Tuesday if they beat Burnley and especially if we lose at Anfield on Saturday.

White shorts always reminds me of my first visit to the dark side and Shearer's last goal/game.