Dr Jinx

I didn't say i'd keep Wilson out for him, what i mean is when Wilson comes back in, let him play on the right side of the front 3. We're stronger with Wood in the team

I was watching him yesterday and he is absolutely integral to the high press, barking orders at Almiron and Murphy on when to move. Watch him next time and you'll see what am talking about. Don't think any of our players were amazing yesterday, we were up against very good opposition and we matched them for 99% of the match. Chris Wood is sacrificing himself for the team, he's got the right attitude and his work rate is second to none in this side. I would not take him out of the side even when Wilson returns.

It’s all well and good trying to cover for someone who won’t do the things his teammates are doing if he is doing good things up the pitch, but we didn’t see that yesterday. Again I’m not overreacting, he has good games and then bad ones. Yesterday, not so good. ASM finding consistency has been the running theme ever since he signed, but for the games where he finds his rhythm, there’s nobody better in the PL imo. The natural thing is to look for a scapegoat when we lose, but we’re looking in wrong place, it was Dan Burn who lost his concentration that lost us the game after all and nobody is criticising him (rightly so)

We did really well today. Result leaves a bad taste in the mouth. First they should be a man down, that changes the game.. second the penalty that never was. Let’s not be surprised here.. how often has that happened this season against the top 4 sides? Disappointed we didn’t keep concentration to at least pick up a point. First real mistake Dan Burn has made so not going to go overboard about it. I think what I will find comfort in is that the current European and World Champions were celebrating that win like they’d just beaten Man City. That shows how far we’ve come as a club.

When I saw the team sheet I didn’t expect that performance, but that is why Eddie Howe is who he is. Every player has improved under him and he obviously has confidence in the squad players that we didn’t. Still a lot to happen in this match but we can win this just as much as we can lose. Impressive.

Looking at the table, you’d pick out Leeds, only a point above Everton and played 3 more games. However, Bamford is back for them for the run in. I think they’ll pick up enough points, just. Everton are just so bad at the back, it’s easy to imagine any team they play going after them. If they lose to us at home they’ll be in massive trouble. Norwich and Watford look done, as do Burnley really but they do have it in them to pick up points, more so than the other two and Everton.

I was 27, old enough to have seen the good times thankfully and I remember being so hopeful when the deal happened. We’d slipped into that mid table nothingness after SBR was fired. That had left a bad taste and what followed was a club that was losing touch with its fanbase. We’d hired Sam Allardyce which was supposed to be a great appointment.. he did do well at Bolton after all. I think in hindsight we’d have been more suss to Mike Ashley much earlier if it hadn’t been for having Chris Mort there who was very likeable. Life events.. a failed 8 year relationship, several jobs and holidays before finally settling down 6 years ago. Bought a house and have a 4 year old lad now and looking forward to bringing him to the games in a year or so. I would say when Ashley took over I lived for the weekends and extracted as much fun as I possibly could from those hours.. I barely drink anymore now ?

His companies have quite literally provided the steel used for Russian tanks. He’s supplying the war but still wants to play the patron here and have his kids go to school here. By stating this I’m in no way condoning Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, but I’m not going to pretend to know all that much about the history of that conflict. Similar to Ukraine and Russia to be honest but where it does concern the rest of Europe and the UK is where this war is going. This will affect all of us, it’s started already. World War 1 and 2 didn’t just kick off overnight and this one will be no different. We can’t be seen to be allowing Russian oligarchs free movement and unrestricted business dealings while they are a cog in a lead up to a world war. Newcastle could well be in the chopping block at some point if those Middle East nations take the wrong side. But for me I don’t care about that, they’ve done something I worried would never happen which was getting rid of Mike Ashley. Our future is going to be golden no matter what happens going forward. Chelsea will be ok but right now the party is over for them. If they don’t get someone shrewd to run the club, at worst they’ll slip to a Leicester City level.. their youth setup is too good even if the senior players decide to bail.

Would be surprised if he didn’t win it this month too. What an appointment!

This is a free hit and absolutely zero pressure on us. Pressure is on them from the turmoil around them. We've gone to West Ham who are flying and arguably had the better there, gone to Southampton who have been solid at home and won. We’re in good shape mentally. We’ll either find out that we’re competitive against all but the very best teams in the league or we’ll get spanked and realise we’re still a bit off there yet. Chelsea are comfortably leading that second tier of clubs.

To think we were (and we were..) less than enthusiastic when this deal got announced ? what do we know eh Class player and class signing.

Amazing! What a run we’ve been on. That team has real grit now.

Just goes to show how good Joelinton has been when a player regarded as one of the best in Europe at retrieving the ball, and making progressive plays is seen as a downgrade ? He’s not though, and he’ll be fine.

I wouldn’t change things, we will have more control of the ball than we did against Brighton where it was obvious Bruno should have been in instead of Shelvey. However, Chelsea will be a different matter and that’s when we should bring him in. I also think Murphy has done well, if ASM isn’t 100%, just bring him on at 70 mins.. if we have a lead to defend, he will scare the shit out of anyone on the break.

I like him and more importantly, the other players seem to love him, he's missed a few chances, tends to be when he's got too much time to think about what he's going to do which is not something I've ever seen coached out of players. If he's happy to be a squad player here we should keep him, what we don't want is players coming in who are going to bring negativity about not being involved all the time.

What are Everton going to bring that we didn’t already brush aside a few weeks back?

The limited edition one without a shirt sponsor is class and will do for many a year.

He’s a top lad, early in the interview he unintentionally buries Steve Bruce, they were talking about the squad being unfit and he said something like “if you have lots of time off, that’s how it’s going to look on the pitch” Even typing that out I’m getting angry thinking about Bruce trying to defend that by saying it’s what his “sports scientist” advised.

He’s played far far worse and not said a word. If he’s turned a page in terms of attitude then fair enough. It wasn’t his worst game at all yesterday, we didn’t really have much of the ball and he chased down their players as much as Willock did, created a nice chance over the top for ASM. If he’s identified that he’s hitting that slump and is working to re-motivate himself, great, hopefully it doesn’t take months like it previously has. It’s not as much of a concern as it has been previously with Bruno waiting for his chance. I’m aware that I sound like am being harsh on him but leopards don’t change their spots etc

McTominey was (pre Howe) Shelvey there at one point, Pogba with a slightly loose pass which he should have got to really and then just sauntered back, even stopped running when he could clearly see KDB ahead of him taking up a position to get a cut back or a rebound. He could see this and still decided to stop. As long as teams have people like this in their starting 11, they’ll never win anything.

Maguire is one miserable looking cunt

Me too, I’ve never enjoyed playing them. Shite stadium, awful supporters. Inferiority complex with their neighbours. Even an influx of cash couldn’t polish that turd. Scouse mackems is so accurate.

Burnley spent 15m on him, there was no way they’d have just sold him to us for a similar price so the extra 10m, it is what it is. If we stay up it will look cheap. Going back to November we looked done for, so bit of perspective and all that.

Looking good for us now, although one or two slip ups and we could be right back in it. Would have liked Norwich to have picked up points today as Brentford would have been dragged into it.

I kind of remember a few times where he came a bit deeper and seemed to be able to hold onto the ball and pass it which at the time none of our midfielders were capable of doing, it seemed logical to stick him in there as he wasn’t scoring goals up front. It was the game earlier in season when he played that ball to Wilson outside of his boot, then he just looked absolutely natural there.. yet it was still a few games later, maybe the one where Clark got sent off that the penny dropped for the new coaching setup. You also have to factor in confidence levels, since he came here he’s had zero.. badly coached and like the rest of the squad, off the pace fitness wise. All changed thankfully. On the flip side I’d wager if stuck up top again, he’d do a far better job than he did the first time. He’s a totally different animal now. Absolutely one of my favourite ever players for us. Love his attitude.