Kid Icarus

James and Wood in a mental post and for once it isn't James Woods

Dortmund are the only team in our group who have won away.

Would have capped an otherwise very good performance.

I love myself a bit of Loftus-Cheek like

Didn't think he was terrible (set pieces aside) - he was sloppy first half but it was hardly just him. Just needs a rest really

See I thought Brighton were the team that did a number on us despite us not doing a huge amount wrong. They were fantastic tactically, as were Man City. BD didn't feel like a tactical downfall, but yeah agree to disagree

I just disagree basically. I don't think those other chances were half chances (particularly the clear pen not being given) or that we were outdone tactically. I just don't see it at all, I see fine margins and needing a bit of luck.

Last match we hit the bar twice, had two one on ones saved, and a blatant pen waved away. Tonight Joelinton headed wide an open goal. I think it's fair to say Howe did enough at his end to expect at least a goal in each tie, especially the home tie.

Fine margins like. Imo he adapted in-game and had us do enough with the available players to get results in both matches, particularly at home.

The return of Oakie Doke

As I always say to these posts, give it time.

Remember less than 2 years ago when we were talking about what the best result for us between like Watford and Burnley would be?

Draw is ideal imo

A mixture of pride and frustration. Pride because it doesn't matter how well equipped you are, Dortmund away is still always going to be difficult, let alone when you're not equipped because of an unprecedented injury list and a steep learning curve. For us to compete and have been a Joelinton sitter away from changing the tide of the game is nothing to shake a stick at. Frustration because both games against them have been frustrating in themselves and you feel that with better finishing and a little more nous, everything changes. They have a knack for looking vulnerable in certain situations out of possession but then pulling off high risk clean tackles in the back line, bumbling on the ball but somehow having the ball go through a pinball machine of tackles, misplaced passes, deflections and it land straight at their feet, and being canny when broken on (aided by a ref who I wouldn't really mind not giving yellows if he hadn't inexplicably cautioned Hall and affected his game) I thought Brandt fucking up his step over, falling over, only to get up and for the ball be exactly where it needed to be for him to get it again kind of summed a lot of their attacking play, and obviously very much the first goal too. I don't particularly like or really admire the way they play, they didn't beat us like Man City, Brighton, or Villa did, but ultimately you have to accept that they're good at what they do, even if they flew very close to the wind - with us missing a litany of chances across both ties - which you can only look inward on, even if I do feel like a lot of it falls into the unlucky category. Lots to work on but you can't ignore the context of the match, Trippier and Wilson are tired and you can't really blame them for the consequences of that, or Howe's hand being forced in playing them. We knew the squad would be stretched, but we're really being run through the mill. Our resilience is admirable and fills me with pride, but it's no less punishing and I imagine will get more punishing. Pope: 7 Trippier: 5.5 Lascelles: 6.5 Schär: 7 Hall: 6 Bruno: 7 Joelinton: 7 Longstaff: 7 Livramento: 8 Wilson: 5 Willock: 6.5 Gordon: 5.5 Almiron: 7

Much better after conceding. They're a very annoying team to play against like.

I've never seen a team like this for deflections and clearances just constantly falling to them.

Here we go, not even a foul let alone a yellow card

I would imagine you'll find somewhere no bother. Man City don't kick off until 8 and Man United is tomorrow. You seen them live before? Seen them a few times now and they're great like.

Even before this it's an absolute joke how long he's gotten away with being a hysterical little dweeb outside of his technical area.

I love Shola's toothpaste smile

Pretty much spot on. It seems like Tifo are understanding how we play a bit more.

Sky Sports talking about strike partnerships, put up the table of top scoring partnerships with Cole and Beardsley on top...then analysis of Cole and Yorke, Bergkamp and Henry, Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo. Is there an embargo on talking about that partnership or something? It's mad, they were absolute dynamite individually and collectively and are top of the pile, they scored like 66 goals in a season ffs

There's no way anyone can use that match as an example for anything man Once in a lifetime match