TheBrownBottle

I just checked - and while I’m sure most are already aware of this it somehow had slipped my mind - the lad is 25 this month. He should be in his prime, he’s not a kid anymore. Somehow I had it in my head that he was about 20/21. Needs shipping out

Yeah, I’d genuinely be interested in seeing how Willock gets along up top

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t remember anyone calling for KK or BR’s heads - I haven’t seen anyone calling for Howe’s - but there was a fair bit of anger. Wolves in particular- after coming back from 2-0 down we chucked that away. edit we did also play first XIs in those games

He’s done a fucking superb job at NUFC, and I hope he’s here for a decade. And I also hope that during that decade he starts playing stronger starting XIs in the FA Cup

I was on the coaches back from Luton in 94 and Wolves in 03 mind - plenty were fucking furious

I don’t know what has happened to the lad - he was highly rated when we signed him. He was really poor against a third tier side here. If anyone can get the lad up to speed it’s Howe and his coaching team - but I’ve seen nothing so far to suggest that the lad has what it takes

Yeah, I remember that. You can almost see the confidence flood from the player’s eyes and body. I’ve seen it with a few forwards - though the worst of all I’ve seen wasn’t a centre forward, it Des Hamilton away to Derby on Boxing Day many moons ago. He was put through on goal and literally tripped over his own legs - the away end went crackers, but for some reason I just stood there and watched him. Poor lad just looked like he wanted the pitch to open up and swallow him. He wasn’t a particularly good footballer, but fuck me I’ve never felt more sorry for anyone on a football pitch (barring an injury)

Yeah, poor today - still an absolute diamond of a centre half though. Lewis and Lascelles either side won’t have helped, but even his passing was off today. Can’t be perfect every game

Under normal circumstances I might agree re the three games in a week being a struggle for this side - but didn’t most of them just have a six week break? I’d have been ok with resting the WC lads for this one - but I’m unconvinced that fit athletes need another break so soon after an extended one. The result doesn’t take away anything from the rest of the season - Howe and the players have been magnificent- but as with all FA Cup exits (particularly upsets) this one does sting.

I wish Rivière and Wood really were the worst centre forwards I’d ever seen in B&W

No, I think that’s right tbh. I’ve seen it with other centre forwards in the past. I think he did a decent job (albeit a low scoring one) last season for us, but his credit in the bank is now running low. The lad needs to be moved on, for his sake and ours

I’d tried to defend Wood for yonks, but Leeds was the end for me. He’s almost exhausting to watch - he just needs shipping out at this point.

Yep, that was a real positive. Looks (understandably) rusty, but I’m still really happy he’s back

Jamaal Lewis is the one who really makes me scratch my head. He was highly rated when we signed him - it wasn’t just a poor Bruce signing, Liverpool had been in for him to. What has happened to that lad? I know some players just don’t develop, but he just looks so poor …

Who is declaring a crisis? The club is third in the table and in the QF of the League Cup. It’s miles away from a crisis. That doesn’t mean what we’ve just witnessed wasn’t a shit performance from a poor team selection and an embarrassing exit from a competition plenty of us absolutely love.

Who’s turned on Howe? Haven’t seen a single comment suggesting that anyone has. Any NUFC manager should be open to criticism for losing to third tier opposition in the FA Cup. That’s hardly the same as calling for his head. Is not a single word of criticism allowed?

The FFP one is odd, and it does come from the club a lot. We shouldn’t yet be in the sort of danger of punishment that the club bangs on about

Yep, ultimately you’re right like

Ooof - not sure about that one, Yorkie

Aye, fair enough

The FA Cup means far, far more though. I’m annoyed rather than angry - and Howe has done a superb job and I wouldn’t want anyone else at the club - but I will still criticise starting line-ups like that one. The result felt inevitable from kick off to me.

Agreed 100%

I agree, but that was too many changes and changes which seemed more scattergun than you’d normally see from Howe.

Stop. Playing. Reserves. In. The. FA. Cup. Sick and bastard tired of going out to third and fourth tier sides. No respect shown and we got what we deserved. I’ll be happy when some of these players are permanently shipped out and I don’t need to worry about them coming off the bench. Murphy, Lewis, Manquillo, Lascelles etc simply aren’t good enough. And my patience in watching Wood’s snatching of chances - the lad might as well play blindfolded - has now run completely dry. One positive was Isak returning. Onward and upward - this is still an incredible season. I just get really hacked off when the tournament our club is built on is sacked off.

Wood is absolutely fucking dire