gjohnson

Mbwia was actually decent before the Pardew training set in. Under Howe he would have been a Rudiger for us

The Thumb gets a rough deal on here. I think I'd struggle if I was promoted 5 grades above my ability and had to do the work of 20 odd people too. On the flip side he'd be respected here if he told MA to stick his job, or actually stood up and said what was needed instead of just bending over and taking it

Well having just watched Aliens...in the words of Ripley. I hope you're right....I really do

Not arguing he can't be decent, but are you genuinely confident and not remotely worried when a half decent/quick player is against him?

Well to be fair Bramble never looked embarrassed after a howler. Just stood there looking gormless

Got plenty time for Bellamy. Off the pitch he comes across as a decent person...(seem to recall he owns/runs various community charity projects), and was the only one with the nerve to call out Souness for the p***k he was

I dont recall specific games, but theres countless examples of Burn passing the ball straight out of play under no pressure, and probably just as many of both him and Krafth completely losing markers and following the ball.

No, you are right I havent, but I've seen enough of Burn and Krafth to know they can be effective in the centre while at the same time capable of making mistakes Bramble would have been embarrassed by

Confident in a Burn/Kelly/Krath central defence? Not one of them would be first choice in there barring injuries and suspensions. Virtually no pace in there and we know from experience Burn and Krafth both have a howler in them.

Absolutely. We've made them look like prime Barca in the past down there, we're down to the bones of a defence (already), and the Southampton performance was not exactly confidence inspring

Obviously thought he was destined to be one of the best and the step from Forest to us would be how his entire career would go. Unfortunately for him his ability wasn't at the same level as ego, as at the time only really Arsenal/Chelsea/Man U was a real step up...then enter Souness

Can only see a rout or scruffy win for them. The South coast is rarely kind to us... Hope I'm wrong

He wasn't really. Just wasn't cut out for the pressure that Bruno seems to revell in. Some players love being recognised and adulated but he wasn't one them. Obviously had ideas above his station and ability and was showing it by the end, but we did make a decent profit on him and it went downhill for him the second he left us. Been a total prat since but not on Owen levels. Another one to be forgotten, only to come up in random pub quizzes in 10-20 years time

Can't wait for the fewm when they accept 5m for him

No I wouldn't, but then I don't earn enough in a month to set me up for life, and a few weeks wages wouldn't make a difference. Fair point though

Can't be giving up those 7 figure 'loyalty' bonuses...after all a footballers got to make ends meet don't they

I dont personally know, but I refuse to believe there isn't one. Remember when people took the piss out of Man U for signing that random unknown Vidic?

That could have gone to every ref and VAR in the league and it still would have been red

Get ready for some comedy then....not a chance in hell this will be overturned. The real comedy will come in the media tomorrow slating Schar for his violent conduct, and how good Diaz was for giving his team a chance 👏

Extended more likely

It was win plain and simple. 3 points are 3 points. Not exactly a great advert for how the season may go, but promoted teams do have a tendency to spring shocks in their first game purely down to excitement and adrenaline. This was a massive banana skin....we might have wobbled, buy didn't actually fall despite the the officials best attempts

Kind of made your own point there. He's had a half decent international tournament, so is now seen as one of the best CBs in the world, despite everyone knowing there's obviously better out therd

Next Sunderland manager? Heard he was a mlf. They've not had a new manager for a few weeks

Give him a break....who knows what the Mysterons are telling him to do

It won't get overturned as we're not one of the slippery six. By the letter of the law it was completely correct. Unfortunately it won't even be looked at in any detail as it ultimately didn't stop us winning. A competent ref would have blown the second Diaz shoved Schar over which was a card at least in itself seeing how deliberately he did it. In a common sense world with the amount of footage available Diaz would have been off, for the foul then Simulation