Altamullan

I get the point re man management of Mr Shelvey. Making him captain, building a team around him, expecting the very best from him, would I suspect help him be better and maybe even reach the dizzy heights expected of him at one point. No evidence, I just get the sense he is that kind of person/player. Make him conform; slot him into a role; give him a hard time for things that he doesn’t do well, and I reckon he’ll slip all too easily into his ‘fuck-you-edness’ default. Make him believe he is God’s gift to football, the most important player in the team, and he might well get close to playing like that.

Probs a story out of nothing, bastardising his comeback to Guardiola and commentators bemoaning the parking ‘the entire vehicular range’ tactic.

I know there are a lot of points to play for and the tantalising/tortuous (delete as appropriate in Feb) Jan window but I genuinely think we are f***ed if we don't win games like this. For me, it falls into the same category as the three games against fellow relegation contenders towards ends of 2015-16 season we got one point from (was it Sunderland, Villa, Norwich?). Same manager, similar scenario. Different result?

I'd swap him for Cairney.

Nah, more indicative of really poor company.

Fuck me, catching up on this thread is ten minutes of my life I wish I could get back. Thank goodness for the Rafa quote near the end.

Me too.

Anyone got a link for Guardiola’s post match comments? I’m keen to see what he said about Rafa. Just had a look and can’t find.

(What a) GOAL!

I cant argue, that is true. But I watched Stoke City dominate Man City a couple of seasons ago, and they just went for it. That City side apart from KDB last night was weaker than ive seen. Especially throwing fernandinho into the back four. Pep was laughing inside fully aware we had bottled it. Fernandinho can step into defence if needed and I very much doubt it.

This might sound daft, but that doesn’t usually stop me... . There was an earlier post spectulating that he may be one of those players who doesn’t do what they’re told; this rings true for me. I also suspect that on the stats/technique in training he probably looks worse than, for instance Joselu. Both are likely to be red flags for Rafa. No judgement, either way, that is just not how he sees the game/his team playing. However, some players have a more intuitive approach and what they lack in technique they make up for in being a right nuisance to the opposition and when their confidence is high they can be very effective. To be fair, whatever he brings it hasn’t done him much harm to date. He’s forged a good career for himself and looks good as an international striker. It is clear Rafa and his team don’t value him, and that is not doing him or us any good. I will be one of the people to wish him well.

He did the right thing, and did it well. Low probability of scoring with power from there, imo.

Anyone know how many topflight goals Shearer got pre-Premier League? Presuming he got some, and seems like branding-madness that they are not included in his total (...unless they are!). [edit: 23 First Division goals: 1987-92. So 283 English top flight goals; 260 after re-brand].

Just looked at last ten years relegation and top-ten points totals. Lowest to stay-up (17th) is 35 points (Hull 2009; WHU, 2010). Highest total still to go down (18th) is 39 points (Birmingham 2011; followed by us in 2016 with 37 pts). Total points for 10th range from 45 (WBA, 2017) to 50 (Citeh, 2009; Blackburn, 2010; Chelsea, 2016: spot the odd one out!!). Average 10th place total is about 48 points.

I predicted we’d have 30 points by end of December and 51 at end of season (see 4 November post, this thread for detail). I was optimistically assuming creeping into a top ten finish and basing the monthly totals on preseason ‘perceived to be’ relative difficulty of games. If we beat Brighton, best we can have is 21 points, 70% to date, which if the difference/form continued would mean 36 points. Draw and it is 19, 63% of expected, and 32 points. Lose and it is 18, 60%, and a total of 31 points for the season. I know there is no reason to see the expected results as particularly valid, but it did look like we had an easier start (given who we had when and whether home or away) relatively speaking, than finish. Basically, not a dazzling insight but looks really dire unless there is a marked change in results. (Even if just take 18 pts from 20 games and extend, irrespective of who we play when, then it looks like a 34 point total).

Howay post it... https://twitter.com/lynnmira0809/status/945308496421113856 Oh dear... way too much thigh and gusset for family viewing.

You’re not Mrs Colback’s parent are you?

Tough luck lately for Gayle; unlucky not to score in last couple of games; and getting dogs’ abuse for making perfectly understandable split-second decision to go down. Wrong decision, but hindsight is wonderful. Hope he’s able to pop back into shape mentally for Brighton (On which, I wish Shearer would ‘curb his enthusiasm’ for making harsh personal criticism of current players: Thauvin, Mitrovic, Shelvey, Gayle. Ranting like a random, doesn't help). Gayle still our best bet to score. I think he missed both Brighton games last year?

Very difficult game to eventually get your chance. In that context thought he did ok. Would have liked to see him stay on the left, with Atsu on the right. More for my curiosity and his confidence, than anything against Murphy having more time. I wonder whether Aarons linking-up with Atsu might bring out his cockiness a little; which I think he needs to be at his best. On which, if only that beautiful chip had gone in ... hope he doesn’t give himself a hard time and hope he gets another chance soon.

Disappointed in JJ tonight. We really needed him to be our DeBruyne. No contest..

Sometimes the opposition is a lot better than you, You can get it right and still lose (and FFS I'm known as a Rafa critic!) Sometimes (always) the game isn't played on paper and the best team on the day wins. We never gave ourselves a chance to be the better team on the day and that's the frustrating aspect. Are you 12?

Probs not; rumours were Jon Dahl was the best finisher at the club (in training) and Mitro worst (same). Former was clearly confidence (as with Tobin, FWIW). Latter, fair bit of both. I do think he’ll feature at the top level, somewhere. But not here or comparable. Really wish him well, love the radgy-passion combo; hate the relegation-sealing chance missing.

Obviously, the problem is with people like Gary Neville sulking at the negativity of the tactics as if us opening up a bit more would definitely have been of benefit to us. He just wanted a more open game so he could wax lyrical about his Manc brothers. ... Gary Neville pretty much could have written this Manure ditty and no doubt sings with gusto (even if under his breath): Build a bonfire, Build a bonfire, Put the Scousers on the top, Put the City in the middle, And we'll burn the f*cking lot...

Think it is harsh to attribute blame for the goal. Position seems fine, Sterling did well to make contact/keep on target, but was studs low angle off left foot. Don't think it was placed/any precision about it, but fair play for scoring and what a fucking pass man! Personally I thought Rob E had a good game, again.