UncleBingo

Very much this. I think this time would be very different.

It's all down to fine margins at the bottom, defensively we're sound but very little quality elsewhere. Sign/loan a decent striker and we'll stay up comfortably imho, probably about an 8 if we don't. I'd quite happily take another relegation, if it meant that Ashley was brutally murdered in front of his entire family tonight mind.

Agreed. But we didn’t and as such it was 0-0 at half-time. What we did second half was allow a totally awful Swansea side to take the lead, dominate possession and basically have the second half. When you are dominant and creating chances you keep going, keep knocking on that door, eventually one will go in. We just didn’t turn up second half, a complete contras to the first half. Again there is no excuse for that. If we go in 2-0 up then you can relax etc. Go in 0-0 despite having the best chances and unlucky not to lead and surely you keep going. But oh no, not Rafa at home. Negative, boring, counter productive and total nonsense. This kind of ‘result’ can send you down. Swansea will draw huge confidence from this, for us it’s another game in the league at home we’ve failed to win. It’s definately a ‘tactic’ of the manager because he was constantly instructing certain players to not get too far forward, to hold a line, to drop back and when the captain tells the keeper not to release the ball early and then bollocks him for even thinking about it, despite a break on and the crowd pushing for an early release... It’s like the manager is happy just not to lose at home. Me, I don’t get it or the tactics, it’s s*** and costing us big time. Swansea were there for the taking and one of the worst sides I’ve seen at home, yet second half they bossed it. First half only one winner and comfortably so, but only if we kept playing in the same vein... Second half. It was like a different team, a different game. I'll be honest. I always appreciate your opinion because I have this sense that you come from a similar footballing background to me, and I see your point. For me, 1st half we piled pressure and should have been 2up at least. 2nd half, we tried to let them come on so it would expose them on the counter. Given the results away from home that isn't stupid, but we paid the cost. At 1-1 we should have went hell for leather and instead we cautiously pressed. It was frustrating, but we've taken 4 points from Swansea this season which is good. All being said. We didn't win today because of a lack in quality (again) and not Benitez. He isn't void of criticism but after the last ten years of Ashley this probably the first team you can say you like and are proud of for a decade (at least). Naa prefered our last champo side that gained promotion over this. And our side with Demba ba Tiote Cabaye etc. Although managed by a cock end. Are you feeling alright? There's a difference. I enjoyed them. They did well. But we are now something to be proud of. Imagine if Benitez had that same crop of players man... Yes but if we are proud of them why if we are not blaming Rafa are we blaming them instead. Its constantly mentioned this is the worst side in years, only again today the worst in the league by some. Im not really proud of this side or much of a fan of the football, its dull boring s***, but im not daft enough to not understand Benitez trophy haul speaks for itself, if we lose Benitez we will never get a decorated manager again for a good while. But all the same there has been games where collectively Rafa has been as much at fault as the players. Benitez cant really be blamed for Dwight Gayle being a poor header of a football and missing good opportunities, he could be blamed for crap and poorly timed subs though. I hope he gets to deliver his true ambitions with us and is backed. But with the fat t*** still here this will be another window where he might just not be thick skinned enough to deal with more p*ss taking from the hierarchy. I think that his dull, methodical approach could be the difference between us staying up or enjoying one more game with a win that's all. 4 draws are better than 1 wins nd 3 losses. It's that sorta craic... Even though what I have said is over simplistic. FWIW I agree with the rest of your post. He isn't blameless but he is the smallest contributory factor. Any points are good points. I agree with all sides of the debates when it comes to us, thats why I can see with some members arguments that they are unhappy with our hopeless approach at home, and our cautious style, instead of bossing the whole game at home when you know a side is there for the taking. I love hearing the St James roar on motd when we go at sides and attack, its what most of us were attracted to in the first place. But sadly its missing at home atm because we are not going with that approach. [emoji1303] I appreciate your sentiment. However, on the subject of fans, it's the cat we have 26,000 there wanting to be entertained and sighing / booing at every opportunity that I'd also killing us. For every roar there's equal discontent. We knew where we'd be pre season yet some only remember the last pass. We're not alone like but there's no such thing as fans these days. Not in the UK. Just customers. Speaking in the majority of course. I know what you mean about some of our fans mind. Loads near me offer absolutely nothing in terms of support, but love to get on the team's back at every given opportunity, when they can be bothered to look up from their phones that is. The old goat in front of me spends the entire game sighing and shaking his head, I've had to bite my tongue as I'm there with my son, but he's getting right on my tits.

The home form is disgraceful especially when you consider there is only Man City who were a top team all of the other games were certainly what I would class as winnable games. And 2 points out of 21 is not good enough. The fact that there is probably no signings of the required standard to come in it’s essential we beat the teams which you would think we should especially at home. Rafa obviously doesn't trust this group of players to open up and frankly I think he's spot on. Maybe he doesn’t but then again it doesn’t hide the fact that 2 points out of 21 is not good enough He's playing the margins but the s**** he has available to him are missing key chances at key points in games. I don't know what you want, we probably have the poorest squad in the division, if we go at teams at home they'll pick us to bits. Almost certainly. Somebody like a Demba Ba in this side, and we would have been just about safe by now in my opinion.

The home form is disgraceful especially when you consider there is only Man City who were a top team all of the other games were certainly what I would class as winnable games. And 2 points out of 21 is not good enough. The fact that there is probably no signings of the required standard to come in it’s essential we beat the teams which you would think we should especially at home. Rafa obviously doesn't trust this group of players to open up and frankly I think he's spot on. Maybe he doesn’t but then again it doesn’t hide the fact that 2 points out of 21 is not good enough It's not good enough, but then again, neither are the players.

To think that poor Neesy was nominated for Worst Football Poster ahead of this relentless mong lord. The truth.....sometimes hurts. Nothing there today on the back of Brighton. f***ing rubbish. *Stoke And you're talking bollocks as always. So, lost 5 and drew 2 of last 7 home games! 2 out of 21 points. That Is f***ing rubbish. TBF we never even looked like getting anything v Brighton or Swansea today. Boring negative s***. Name his replacement or keep quiet you boring old windbag.

Utterly woeful again today, needs to lose his place to Murphy.

And bring in who exactly?

Hope so.

Indeed. They do love their Irish piss-heads there mind.

This is adding more weight to my theory that all teetotallers are absolute wrong 'uns.

Yep, doesn't make a great deal of common sense, but nothing ever does with this odious parasite in charge.

So much for the fierce rivalry... Indeed.

So no progress at all after 2 months, Ashley happy to gamble as always This isn't just down to Ashley though. His reported compromised asking price seems reasonable. You wouldn't take a low ball offer on your house after you've dropped it to a reasonable price... Dont see why he should go any lower. I want him out as much as the next man but we've got to be realistic on what he's going to accept. Total mess and jeopardising our ability to remain in the league. £50m and we could be set back years and years after a 3rd relegation. Seems really cheap and shortsighted to me from the prospective owners. Of course if it's true. Could still be all done, could still be all bollocks and we're being taken for a ride. My guess is they think Ashley is being unrealistic with the asking price, especially with the threat of relegation and the HMRC case hanging over us. And they'd be right in my opinion.

That's one of my main gripes with the way he plays, he makes a pass and then basically stands still asking for the ball again.

This. I was at Anfield that day and will never forget, regardless how outstanding he was as a player.

New boy Peter, runs like a cheetah, Beardsley's going to be a child beater. In terms of ability, probably one of my favourite ever players but I was there at Anfield........about time this fraudulent, lick-spittle shithouse was drummed out of the club in all honesty

Was only Upper Gallowgate & Level 4 Leazes tickets left on Tuesday, nothing in the Milburn or the New Stand. I reckon 45k plus.

Don't do that man. Hate w*****s that do that, remember the surprise on the face of an Everton that got sparked out by a toon fan for sitting right next to the away end in a mackem shirt. Agreed, it's a twattish thing to do......go to the match by all means, but no strip.

Walcott, yes please.

Hopefully these shithouses will disappear into oblivion. Shit club in a shit-tip town with neanderthal fans. Would be nice to see Hughes sacked too, the softly-spoken bellend.

In my day, all these glory-hunting cunts were Liverpool fans. Quite a few of them I knew suddenly became massive NUFC fans, when we were in our pomp under Keegan, and the Scousers were on the wane......unfortunately for them, some people never forget these things!

Courtney was slagging Joselu off yesterday as well at half time, I was honestly surprised when I watched the extended highlights on Sky to see he actually did some really good link up work, and lead the line pretty well apart from offering no goal threat at all....which I think we have to accept as a given. If he scored goals he wouldn't cost £5m. That Courtney is an absolute w***** mind, knows next to nowt about the club and is always really negative about us. FWIW, I thought Joselu was okay yesterday, would have taken Gayle off ahead of him in all honesty. Graham Courtney is old school, I can remember him from the Metro radio (?) commentary days. He was a gobshite then, and his views are pretty much stuck in a time warp like the brigade he used to share comments with, like John Anderson and Bob Concur. He's worse actually because he thinks he's a real fountain of football knowledge when he's actually clueless. IT'S A GOALLLL!!!!

Courtney was slagging Joselu off yesterday as well at half time, I was honestly surprised when I watched the extended highlights on Sky to see he actually did some really good link up work, and lead the line pretty well apart from offering no goal threat at all....which I think we have to accept as a given. If he scored goals he wouldn't cost £5m. That Courtney is an absolute wanker mind, knows next to nowt about the club and is always really negative about us. FWIW, I thought Joselu was okay yesterday, would have taken Gayle off ahead of him in all honesty.

Well it worked for us 2 seasons ago... I love how this is constantly peddled out to discredit certain players (Mitro, Elliot), when it completely ignores that 2 years ago we had Steve f***ing McClaren as manager and the likes of Taylor in defence and a midfield pairing of Colback and Anita. If you want to hold individual players to account for the relegation, you should probably look at them first. Anyway, it’s still beyond staggering that Joselu continues to play ahead of Mitro and we’re going to lose out on a talented youngster who could easily improve. Joselu - 3 goals and 1 assist in 1370 minutes (15.2 full games) Mitro - 2 goals and 0 assists in 179 minutes (1.9 full games) When you say 'talented youngester', could you quality what his actual talent is please.