BleedBlackAndWhite

I noticed that as well, makes a big change to pardiola. And I completely agree, it's done so there's no point whinging about it, just focus on how we played and on the next game.

ah right, well that's that fucked then

He had a very decent game IMO, just a couple of high profile blunders. He's one of the few singled out by Rafa as having a good game. Noticeable that he didn't get subbed either for all the criticism aimed his way on here. I think part of that was also psychological on Rafa's part. He knows that Sissoko, on his day, is probably our most influential player. He NEEDS sissoko to start playing at his best, consistently, so he's probably trying to boost his morale and get him playing again.

Wasn't Thauvin actually in the Ligue 1 "Worst XI" last season? My friend who's a Ligue 1 fan said he was, also said nobody who watched ligue 1 could actually believe he had been bought, let alone for the price we paid. Graham Carr, the genius, strikes again..

Hull and Boro with a game in hand though. I have to say, sacking him was the thing that really made me hate MA and the board, on a personal level. Maybe because we finally had a team and a manager who cared, who we could be proud of. Would be great if he gets promoted with Brighton, keeps them in the PL for a couple seasons, meanwhile Rafa sorts us out, then he goes back to Liverpool and Hughton comes back to us - yes, I know it'll never happen, but a man can dream...

Nah not having that he totally f***ed up all he had to do was roll it into Townsend path and he would have had a great chance to score. It was he right thing to pass the ball due to the angle and the fact that he can't score for toffee but he defo totally f***ed up that ball - Townsend run was perfect and all he had to do was roll it to him but as usual he had his usual 'brain f***'. I know some on here rate him and fair dos but can't wait until he f***s of out of this club and I think he will be very disappointed when no top teams come in for him either - cos they won't. 0 goals from an attacking midfielder is an absolute disgrace. I actually don't rate him and I can't understand why we haven't sold him yet. But I don't think the pass was a bad one, I think townsend overshot the run when he should have held back and waited. I like townsend and think he was a good signing, it's not like I'm having a go at him, just on this occasion I think his positioning was off. There should ALWAYS be somebody in that area waiting for a cutback, just like there should always be somebody running to the far post when a winger zips a pass across goal. If nobody is there to tap it in, it's not the wingers fault.

Disgusting. Unfortunately every team has fans like this, when they get together and start drinking, they lose any sense of basic human decency.

Me too, awful. However, this is exactly what city should do. No need to work too hard, they have a 3-1 lead so just need to protect it and try to keep some energy for the rest of the season. DKV just haven't been good enough to break them down. Although, city losing Kompany and otamendi is horrific news for them. They MIGHT not even make top 4, which would be one of the most hilarious things ever as Guardiola is coming in the summer haha.

That's just not true though. The angle was tight for sissoko, if anybody waits at the edge of the box for a cutback it's a guaranteed goal. So many goals are scored this way and imo he did the right thing, I just think townsend was a bit too keen and didn't have the composure to hold his run. Look at how barcelona scored their first goal against arsenal, neymar was through on goal, but he cuts it across to messi who easily slots it away. If it's good enough for those 2 I think it's good enough for us. Sissoko had a great opportunity to shoot and score, absolute rubbish was the angle tight. He was nearly at the edge of the 6 yard box, not on the touchline. Townsend would have had to shoot through three or four bodies to score, Sissoko had a free aim at goal. He bottled it and hit a lazy pass across the box. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this. The angle was tight and the keeper looked to have it covered, if Townsend had held his run he has the entire goal in front of him, with no keeper, and a few defenders on the line to beat. It's a MUCH easier position to score from, which is why you see players score from it so often. If townsend had held his run it would have been a goal and we would all be praising the work of sissoko. Unfair to put any blame on him imo. I do think we need to get rid of him however, he's just way too lazy. Let him do a Cabaye, go a champions league club, sit on the bench, come back to the PL with his tail between his legs. We could probably get decent money for him and bring in a hard working winger who would appreciate playing for us.

Armstrong Why not? at least as an option from the bench. He's in great form, whereas mitro and perez are not and doumbia can only get 5 minutes on the pitch due to fitness I guess.

That's just not true though. The angle was tight for sissoko, if anybody waits at the edge of the box for a cutback it's a guaranteed goal. So many goals are scored this way and imo he did the right thing, I just think townsend was a bit too keen and didn't have the composure to hold his run. Look at how barcelona scored their first goal against arsenal, neymar was through on goal, but he cuts it across to messi who easily slots it away. If it's good enough for those 2 I think it's good enough for us.

What I don't understand is, why the hell were palace fans so sure we were wrong? Did they not see our league positions? And surely we would know more about the guy and how he manages as we watch the games week in week out. Always has a good first year (for them that was second half of last season and first half of this season) then will go on winning runs, losing runs, winning runs, losing runs etc. I give it 1 more year before they try to buy the SackPardew url haha

We are a better team, and have been for years. The difference has always been, sadly, than s*nderland have wanted it more. I swear if those players in black and white don't give 100% I'm giving up on caring. Defoe will score, but I do think we'll win 2-1, MAYBE 3-1. I would recall adam armstrong from his loan spell and play him up front.

It wasn't sissoko's fault when he passed and we didn't score. None of our other players had the football IQ to realise they should slow their run down and wait for the cutback, which was the correct thing to do. Pretty much a guaranteed goal if they had done this. It's like when a winger puts in a perfect cross but no one is in the box, it's not his fault that no one else was doing their job.

Suárez would have to sue them for breach of contract I suppose. I don't think he's bothered right now. Honestly, I'm pretty sure Suárez or his agent would have pressed the clause if Suárez really wanted to go to Arsenal. Wasn't there some ambiguity in the clause that Liverpool exploited? Something like it said that Liverpool had to allow Suarez to talk to any club that bid £40m, but it didn't spell out that they had to sell him. that's what a release clause IS. You can't actually force a player to leave, he can just refuse to enter into contract negotiations. But if his release clause is met, then if he wants to go he can go for that price. Liverpool did tell arsenal to fuck off, which technically they weren't allowed to do, but Suarez will just say he told liverpool he wasn't interested if arsenal ever tried to do anything about it. Interestingly enough, when Messi was 17 he had a release clause of 140+ mil, and it was met by AC milan but he decided against the move. Whoever that talent scout was, get him to the toon please.

Notice how he doesn't mention the handball...

Grandad's coming on

FUCKING FUCK SAKE MAN

wtf?1?! handball surely :/

what a volley from sissoko

Gini looks totally shot of any confidence, always looks up, thinks about passing, decides against it them turns around and passes back :/

mitro has been fantastic today imo, perfect hold up play.

wtf is pardiola doing there?!

noooooooo

that looked like a dive to me>?