GideonShandy

Fully and enthusiastically endorsed the appointment after being told he'd be sacked if he didn't. Or maybe that it was going to happen whether he endorsed it or not.

Roberto Cabbaggio Or Esteban Cabbaggio, I suppose.

Looks like joint 6th for goals scored and also for goal difference over that period. Still far better than anything we've managed since under Bruce. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/formtabelle/wettbewerb/GB1?saison_id=2018&min=21&max=38

Brilliant free kick routine https://www.facebook.com/ESPNFC/posts/10158559959459821

Brighton and West Brom next

It infuriated Ashley that Rafa wouldn't sign off on the Joelinton deal. He expected Rafa to be overflowing with gratitude and instead Rafa told him it was a bad idea. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7290821/Mike-Ashley-insists-impossible-hold-Rafa-Benitez-Newcastle.html

He's such a cunt that if he sees you calling him Madison he might start calling you mids.

BBC: " . . . little bit of quality . . . difficult run of games . . . difficult against these top teams . . . something we have to learn from . . . we will keep working on it." Sky: "We are having a difficult moment . . . have to keep working away . . . it's getting that balance right . . . The one thing we have to do to win a match is to score a goal . . . have to be more creative in the final third . . .you will have tough moments if you're in the Premier League and in the bottom half. We have to dust ourselves down . . ."

Need a bigger board Back to basics Didn't do enough Can't do that at this level Brutally honest Walked through the door Lacking that little bit of quality in the final third (might be too long to fit in a square, like)

Yes, I'd totally forgotten that.

He's our second-top PL goal scorer so far this season.

Last 16 PL games of 2018-19 W 8 D 3 L 5 = 27 points GF 26 GA 17 Only four clubs -- Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Wolves -- got more points from their last 16 games. Took us up from 18th to 13th. Then Rafa left.

Another verbatim Bruce quote tonight: "We didn't do enough and it's as simple as that." I genuinely think that's the extent of his tactical sophistication.

Bruce actually said this after losing to 2-point bottom club Sheffield United: "When you play the big boys back-to-back you have to accept these things can happen in the Premier League. But it is what it is. And yes, we have to be better."

LOLro and the bookies all predicting a Sheffield win.

Not sure I can ever remember seeing him smile. Even after he scored that screamer against Burnley almost two years ago his expression was more like "Take that, motherfuckers." Looks like he's just permanently cheesed off now.

Hope you're right, but I can easily see Brighton finishing ahead of us. They're a better team. I suspect we're going to be fighting it out with Fulham for 17th & 18th. The bookies have us 7/2 for relegation. FiveThirtyEight's model is predicting a 17% chance -- about the same odds as rolling a 6 on a dice. Think that's about the range.

"We gave the ball away cheaply on both occasions and Leicester punished us. . . It's something we have to improve on. . . . We just lacked that bit of quality in the final third. . . I can't fault the players' efforts. . . . I can't see there being much transfer activity in January if I'm being brutally honest and that will be the same for us probably." Good compendium of Steve Bruce's Greatest Clichés.

I hate Lee Ryder too, tbh.

Can't wait to see his obsequious grin when he shakes hands with Pep, thinking to himself how unbelievably lucky he is to be a member of the exclusive 20-member Premier League managers club.

And Jamie Redknapp and Jamie Carragher.

Except that he was good enough for this level when playing alongside Hayden during the last half of the 2018-19 season under Rafa. He's been Bruced, and as a result lost his confidence (and maybe some of his motivation too.)

Before the game he was spouting the usual media line about how well Bruce had done and how unfair all the criticism was. Totally changed his tune at half time. He seemed shocked at how clueless we looked. "No Plan A and no Plan B."

Man U looking for a new Director of Football. If they listen to the likes of Savage and Sutton I expect they'll be approaching Cabbage Heed about the job imminently. www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9069149/Manchester-United-narrow-search-director-football-Luis-Campos-joining-club-shortlist.html#comments

Luck 1st