Kid Icarus

Just hasn't been anywhere near the player we know so far this season.

We're a point ahead of 22/23 btw.

Fender gigs are very much a celebration of Newcastle. An alien concept to a fanbase that largely defines themselves by who they're not.

That scuffed shot from the same position he bent one in for England sort of sums him up at the moment. Likewise Bruno's performances for Brazil.

I take the point you're making but I think our problems today go way beyond that like, particularly as I think Burn going forward was probably better than anyone else, which probably says it all. There was no mitigation for the defence to midfield gap either, Welbeck was free in there all afternoon without anything changing, I still can't quite believe that.

I always forget him for some reason. Awful first half, a bit better second. Probably a 5, Barnes a 6.

Very easy like, first few matches our ex-striker was a cunt and we therefore didn't have a striker. Since then we've been a work in progress and some of your others are just not right basically, for example Bournemouth aren't a midtable team, they've only lost to Liverpool away this season. Today was the only time I think Howe has really made a clear error with our approach to a match. The Bruce and McClaren point is just completely insane - we would react differently because it would have been objectively worse and because we know they're shit, whereas Howe isn't. Can't believe I'm even justifying it with a response tbh.

One of those very rare times where I don't even know what was being tried, never mind whether it succeeded.

You and shearergol already told us so the other week. Still early days and it still couldn't be clearer that you're both more concerned with being right than Newcastle doing well.

Burn!? Yous are singling out Burn!? Wtf

Absolutely hated that like. I hate this lot. 9 times out of 10, my gripe in games we lose is mitigating reasons for why the plan didn't work: poor player performances, injuries, getting up to speed etc. Today was the 1 time out of 10 where I question the plan, because it was clear early on that it wasn't working and very little changed in terms of the things that looked wrong about us, most notably with our insistence on not sticking someone on Welbeck, despite him always playing that role against us and scoring. Even during the game, when he was playing that role well and had scored, we did nothing about it and lo-and-behold, he played that role again and scored again. Just a completely baffling approach and lack of response. Really pissed off with that tbh, Brighton always play us in this way too, strong and hunt us in packs, go down under the slightest bit of pressure themselves and get away with it. All vindicated, imo, by far the worst top-flight referee out there. Yet time and again we never look like having an answer to it and seem to persist with a sort of 'our system will supercede yours' approach. Even our goal only happened because it was a bit of genius. Feels wrong rating the players tbh, there were some okay and poor performances, but for me this is one of the very few occasions where I think the result is squarly on Howe, unfortunately. Can't ignore yet another disgraceful performance from Pawson though, you can always guarantee he'll be terrible before the match and he never ever fails to disappoint. Pope: 7.5 Trippier: 6 Thiaw: 6.5 Botman: 7 Burn: 7 Tonali: 6 Bruno: 6 Joelinton: 4 Miley: 6 Elanga: 4 Murphy: 6 Woltemade: 7

Worse than Coote

He's a textbook dirty player who dives defender, and refs always fall for it.

Like why do we do this? Just stick a player on him ffs.

Absolutely ridiculous that we continue to play against this lot and completely ignore Welbeck.

Ref's gonna win this for them

FUCK OFF!!!!

About as clear cut a pen as you'll get.

Pawson gave the onfield decision of no handball, which is par for the course. Shouldn't be a ref.

Of course it's a pen and off course it won't be given.

It's unreal, it's like they've worked out a formula to do it. Every time they're like this.

Setup hasn't worked or been changed like. Brighton aren't having to do much.

Can someone not just man mark Welbeck ffs

Every challenge on them: foul Every challenge on us: no foul It's unreal

Pawson is such a cunt