St1pe

Should have been completely out of sight. Hoping for a Norwich style comeback.

I think Cleverly could be a good signing for us. He's more dynamic and faster to press than any of our current midfielders which would be ideal in the championship. Even if we get promoted I think he'd be a better squad player than Colback if the loan had a permanent option.

Sadly agree with this.

Not usually keen on Luke Edwards as he still feels the need to have a jibe at us at every opportunity since he was banned that time but this is a really good piece by him on Chris Hughton: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/12/30/chris-hughton-countrys-under-rated-manager-success-brighton/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw

I don't get this clamour for 442? How many teams play like that now and more importantly how many successful teams play like that? I don't even think we've got the personel to be able to pull off a formation like that since we still lack real creativity in the wide positions despite the signings. Poor performance today but the over reaction is just as bad by some. The season will continue to be a grind at times. I do find it interesting how we'll operate in the transfer window given Shelvey's suspension and losing the afcon players. A new face or two would be welcome.

I'm hoping we get a bit of revenge for getting dumped out of the cup by these last year. Not only did we get comfortably out played - Sissoko in particular offered one of the worst individual performances I've seen live - every cock up was greeted with the song "that's why you're going down". To be fair to those Wednesday fans they were absolutely right. I can even remember being mildly relieved that De Jong missed a last minute sitter to save me from extra time. Nevertheless, a revenge win for that shambles would be amazing.

Merry Christmas to all of the forum

So obviously flimsy yet the FA still seem to push ahead. So much for "they must have evidence" that people were claiming yesterday. I'll be massively disappointed if this isn't revoked on appeal but I just can't see the FA embarrassing themselves like that. Pathetic.

This is probably a typical football fan reaction when one of their own players gets a ban but this whole thing seems like a shambles. From what has been reported the player in question didn't hear it, two wolves players have given different statements to what they heard and Shelvey himself has denied it. How on earth can you suspend someone for 5 games and fine them 100k on that?

Reading back through the last two pages... people are willing to accept a Lascelles offer when we've had the best centre back pairing we've had in as many years as I can remember is pure barmy!

:lol:

Good luck to him. It's hard to say how much it will have an impact on us given you don't see a lot of what goes on behind the scenes but if he's as good as reported it has to be some sort of a blow. I'd half expected him to take over here if Benitez hadn't taken the job. It'll be interesting to see how well he does.

I really don't get people sometimes. Mitrovic is still young, he scored a reasonable amount of goals last season given his inexperience he is improving. More importanlty, for the first time in years we actually have real alternatives in play style so Rafa can rotate the strikers for the situation. I might be getting a bit ahead of myself here but if we get promoted I think both Mitrovic and Gayle will be at a stage under Rafa where they'll both be good enough for a Premier league level. Both need to improve but I haven't seen anything to suggest they won't.

Despite neither of those sendings off being red cards do you think we've got any chance of them being rescinded? The FA is never going to embarrass a ref like that are they?

Thought this wasn't worth quoting again. Brilliant post and much needed perspective.

Feels utterly demoralising.

People whinging about rotation because we lost.. He's rotated every game of the last 9. Who was complaining then?

Disappointed with the result. I thought Atsu and Ritchie on the pitch at the same time would have created a lot of opportunities for Mitrovic but by the sounds of things none of our players really got going. Not the end of the world by a long stretch and hopefully we're more alive against Hull midweek.

Replacing Townsend for Wickham then pushing him onto the wing... It's stuff like that which makes me thankful we no longer have to watch that sort of drivel and read those host of excuses. I take very little pleasure in it. I don't think I'll be happy until he's universally recognised as the awful manger he is.

Im getting a bit p*ssed with folk wanting to pull me because this is my favourite thread, yet he same folk post quite a bit in it as well. Its a simple process on a forum , if you dont like it dont post, dont moan man , its the internet. Mag posts in Sunderland thead shock Can I ask why this is your favourite thread and not the numerous NUFC-related threads on here? Shinton is just bitter as he used to be the pet mag on RTG. He must have fell out with them all and now spends his days whining about them on here. It all makes sense now.

Find these late goals we're conceding into nervy finishes an absolute nightmare to listen to on the radio. Although it's much better than the nervy end to last season.

I'm not the first person to say this but this thread is starting to read a lot like RTG.