HaydnNUFC

Yep, feels like an opportunistic buy that we made out of desperation. Bit of a contraction there but I theorise that he wasn’t on our list of strikers as he looked Bayern bound. Bayern were fannying about with Stuttgart so they in turn let us know he’s available for the price they set. We were getting desperate for a striker with any kind of reputation so paid it, regardless of how he may or may not fit into Isak’s position and role. Feels to me that there’s going to be no attempt to change for him. Hasn’t been all season yet. (And he’s still managed to get the goals he has) I assume you’re thinking Woltemade would be dropping deep and being almost alongside an AM in build up, nah not what I meant, the AM would be making runs beyond as well as getting near him when the opposition turns the ball over to us. On top of wingers doing similar things from wider positions. Think we’d need more technical wingers for this though, especially on the right. AM isn’t exactly essential either. Could be two technical wide men either side of him a la Klopp’s Liverpool with Salah, Mane and Firmino Not especially, or that I can remember. The wingers often have chalk on their boots and he’s on his own centrally. It’s no wonder he can’t keep possession whilst he waits for either the wide men to make a forward pass option or a midfielder to get along side him.

As the central striker of a front 3 but he needs the wide men and maybe an attacking midfielder near him and making runs beyond him. His game isn’t pace, ability in the air or his physicality. It’s his close control and dribbling skills, ability to create space and maybe chances for others. I see him as a lanky Firmino-type basically. Plays centrally but not going to be the main goal getter, but certainly chips in. I think our wingers are too far away from him and the midfield the same. Especially away from home.

Don’t think he’s being utilised correctly and both he and the team are suffering as a result.

Expectations, arguably rightly, inevitably rise when quite a bit of coin gets spent after a period of success. And inadvertently so when the club are charging the prices they charge at SJP now for tickets.

Of course, but many and totally different circumstances.

NWOAT There’ll always be uber negative, miserable people and head-in-the-sand positive people both in football and in life. Same with football fans; some spend matches waiting to jump on the manager or a player’s back at the first opportunity and there’s those who think the sun shines out the club’s or manager’s arse. With us this season however the truth is somewhere in the middle. And to not get worked up about it.

Man City have a young lad at CB, a midfielder at RB and have been playing at walking pace for the whole second half as the game went after 33 minutes.

Fuck me how’s he missed that

Excellent from Elanga. Shame his first goal means absolutely fuck all. Happy for him though.

That and that the first choice eleven is nigh on exactly the same one 2 seasons ago. PSR mainly to blame for that one but also the totally wrong profiles signed in the summer in every regard beside Thiaw. (who tbh the jury is back out for for me. Makes too many goal costing mistakes)

Solid half. Enjoyed that.

Always was a big ask tonight. But 3-0 down in half an hour is just beyond tragic.

Never expected anything tonight but to be 4-0 down on aggregate before the half hour mark. Come on, man.

Wish I could get excited about free kicks in decent positions.

Agree and I almost believe it’s intentional. If so, you need good passers in the team who can use and retain possession. Relying on high turnovers from a press is daft when you’re competing on numerous fronts.

2 big chances tbf, like. Have to be taking those.

I’ve not known us be this poor at passing the ball until this season under Howe, like.

That Blue Moon shite.

Meine Generalplan Gallowgate was bring more safe standing in and if they don't like it due to being a mint fan by being inherently miserable in the same seat for ages then tough. Main point I raised throughout however was ticketing and ticket prices. Bringing back the L7 corner another. Also had a pop at the prematch music. Hey Jude, Blitzkrieg Bop (with 'hey ho lets go' appearing on the advertising hoardings) and Freed From Desire can get in the sea. Tinpot as fuck.

Schrödinger’s capacity to spend.

AI slop.

Wrote a fair bit.

Looks a small or reduced away Chelsea following?

No more now left standing from the 2016-17 promotion team.

Wissa maybe (given Howe tried to keep Wilson for another season come last season’s end) but unsure that Elanga was a backup. He was through the door early, before all the Isak stuff kicked off and we also bid for him in summer 2024.