HaydnNUFC

siuuu

Desperate to get my old seat back next to my dad which no one has bought yet since I didn't renew at the end of 2018-19, dunno if getting a membership now is worth it as may they give precedence for STs to members? Probably not but I've been fretting about all possibilities for months.

Why? They scrapping it after this season?

We were never going to go down in 2019-20 tbf. We were safe after beating Southampton away, the last game before COVID, put us on 35 points with 9 or 10 games left. Bruce however did live off of defenders scoring goals and Benitez' defensive tendencies not wearing off. We were 17th when we kicked off the last game of last season. Every result needed to go our way to finish 13th, the highest possible finish at kick off, did. Such a false position.

Fucking hate the abuse line. In 2019-20 when fans were in the ground it was never hostile towards Bruce. In 2020-21 fans weren't in the ground and Bruce isn't on social media, so the only 'abuse' Bruce got was what his bitter cunt of a son selectively told him. This season the crowd turned at Southampton (h). Even then it was just 'we want Brucie out'. Hardly vitriolic. Such a myth that'll be perpetuated to the nth degree.

Can someone explain what this means to dummies? What have they done or trying to do and how have they done so?

Had a little look at 2018-19 as we had a similarly awful start to the season then, and did just as dismally in the cups. We had a 3 game winning streak in November (Watford at home, Bournemouth at home, Burnley away) but then after went on a run of 1 win in 9. That was up to matchweek 22, matchweek 22 for us this season is Everton on Tuesday. Big if, but if we can beat them and Villa at home, there's 3 back to back wins a la 2018-19. If we can do that we're only 1 win behind 2018-19 at the same stage, a season where we finished 13th on 45 points, 11 clear of 18th. Which was also after a January where we brought in a signing which transformed the mood around the club just as well as the team.

A sick part of me wants them to come up as long as we stay up. That game at SJP.

Was reading Sky Sports' article on our window and I was intrigued by how they set up our team with the new signings; did so in a 4-1-4-1 a la Rodgers' Leicester in 2019-20. Although that's basically 4-3-3 anyway it's still a good thought. Bruno will change that side.

Unsure on what counts as a progressive pass tbh but for a CB to be winning less than half of his aerial duels is absolutely shit.

Posted this a few times now but this suggests that Schar is our worst CB.

I have faith he'll come good and all the rest of it, but I was reading the Athletic's article on our transfer window and it seems like the deal to sign him kind fucked up some potential dealings.

Fulham are guaranteed to come back. Personally want Blackburn and QPR to follow. But if Bruce goes there, gets them up, we stay up, he rocks up at SJP with them and we have nigh on a new squad under Howe. That has the potential to be unreal.

I'm putting Bruno in there, not Shelvey. Shelvey will stay in his position in that midfield 3. Either way, we had more chances going forward after Joelinton went off v Leeds. When he's on the pitch we don't get numbers in the box. It sounds like I'm having a go at Joelinton who has been magnificent lately, but I'm not. Horses for courses.

I don't think Shelvey will be dropped and tbh I don't think I would drop him. The midfield 3 I'd go for this will be him, Bruno and Willock. Even though Joelinton has been class under Howe he's best used in games or situations where we don't expect to win or have the lion's share of possession. He doesn't have the instinct to break into the box and that's been a problem for us so far this season as the stats and heatmaps prove: we simply don't get enough players in the box. Bruno should be able to add quality on the ball as well as protection from midfield that Joelinton has been providing whereas Willock's game is making the runs beyond the forwards as we saw in the latter stages v Leeds. For this game I'd go: Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Burn, Targett, Bruno, Shelvey, Willock, Fraser, Wood, ASM.

4. Given ourselves a hell of a chance. We have a better squad than 3 teams so must stay up.

I'd say a 7. We've signed 2 players in Bruno and Trippier that are the quality of players you'd see in teams challenging for the top 4. Never thought we'd get the former. We're still lacking in forward areas but we've improved in other areas. Fingers crossed its enough.

So much for the surprise.

pashun Either way let's just hope Howe's made the right choice. I have faith in him so hopefully he has.

I do trust Howe's judgment, mind. But I've always had faith in Lewis once he received decent coaching so it is disappointing.

I'd rather players that try and potentially aren't shite than do try and actually are shite.

I agree him turning down games is shite but not in place of the corner flag pashun merchant.

Ritchie being in the squad ahead of him is a bit ridiculous imo.