Coffee_Johnny

Reread what I said. Or don’t. Always happy to promote some research activity!

I don’t know re what happened before the ball got close to our goal. In our final third, it was Botman who moved away from the scorer/left ‘his’ man, or at least the attacker he was closest to, who was then freed up to receive the ball and score. Point I was making re the penalty (..ties) is that they were pretty pedestrian. Central, not at high pace. If you read the player correctly and wait you save both. Some penalties you have to guess and go as the ball is stuck to stand a chance.

Just watched the goals back carefully, after the furore expecting to see Burny basically knocking the ball in our net 4 times. 1st Botman gave away free kick, clumsy challenge from behind in dangerous spot, which led to goal. Ball into box dropped between Burn and Gordon. From set-up don’t think scorer was Burn’s ‘man’. 2nd Poor challenge in midfield by Longstaff. Dubs pushed ball back to centre of six yard box and directly to scorer. 3rd Burn foul, the (second) pull started outside of the box so soft penalty. Scored penalty at second attempt. Both saveable, Dubs could have kicked it away if stayed on his feet. Not into blaming keepers for conceding pellers, but it was a soft one nevertheless. 4th Botman was drawn across centrally to help with Barkley. Left scorer on his own to receive and slot home. Appreciate there were moments in match which put Burn in the spotlight. But the most game changing moments are when we actually concede. Haven’t heard Botman or Dubravka getting any grief. Not that I’m advocating any players getting excessive stick. Errors are part of the game; everyone makes them.

I assume that it is always a bigger earner for agents if their client moves. Careful where you take your counsel!

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I love Big Joe. I think his time here may be done. Broke through to ‘noticeably good’ levels in the PL, probably not going to go beyond that. Hope I am wrong, but there’s a whiff of believing the (best) headlines and overplaying his hand. Be delighted if he stays. Wouldn’t bend over backwards, contractually, to keep him.

Nah, they’d have been cleaning the terraces and doing his garden until at least 21.

Fella on the left.

Can’t recall the numbers, nor do I know how reliably the assists were counted then, but if he only scored 6, they must have been worldies!

I’d crawl over broken glass to see someone with his sublime ability play for us again.

… do we hell, do we shite, we support the … surely one of the worst chants ever!

Totally agree. I still think the vision for Tonali and Bruno (Brunali?) combo was a fluid flexible midfield pairing, I.e. both interchanging and doing both attacking and defensive duties. Still need a destroyer in there, as part of the mix, I think.

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To be fair, even taking account of an unexpected season long ban for a big signing, the catastrophic amount of injuries we have had will be the determining factor for a lower than a realistically expected finishing position.

Yep, nowt wrong with a discussion. Makes it a more valid one if people retain some memory of managerial, and player, performances over the course of a season.

You could evidently earn shitloads more than you do then. Or just suggest the current, exceptionally high performing manager, watchs from his living room.

Burn helped us win any? Or had any role in us having our best defensive season ever?

Not that I don’t expect to see them, I just think some are fucking ridiculous ramblings of the hard of thinking.

Like I said, it’s an easy game isn’t it. No consideration of context or consequences of decision making. No opportunity for the player to correct things/regain confidence. Just chuck the fucker under the bus because he was done for pace. Doesn’t matter about recent man of match performances.

However exposed Burn was today, he has still put in some stellar performances recently. I also think he hasn’t cost us as much as Trippier’s little spell if fuckwittery cost us.

Lots of negativity re Howe on this thread. This football management malarkey is an easy game from your armchair.

This update is for end of January, so doesn’t include today’s game. Basically despite disappointing run, win at Villa means we are only 3 points behind expected points return for a sixth place finish (difficulty of games and home away etc., over course of season, taken into account). We now have 1 point from required six to get in February. We’ll need to win all three (or two wins and a draw is pretty damn close) remaining February games to get back on track, but we don’t need to catch-up in just one month.

Aye, right.

Good to hear, King. You can still have first pick from his breakfast plate though.

Gameweek 23 Everton 1-2 Spurs Brighton 2-2 Palace Burnley 1-1 Fulham Newcastle 3-1 Luton Sheff United 1-2 Villa Bournemouth 3-2 Forest Chelsea 2-1 Wolves Man United 2-1 West Ham Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool Brentford 0-3 Man City