TheBrownBottle

It’s why I don’t feel great criticising the lad - I don’t think it’s an attitude problem and he isn’t hiding in any way. What you’ve said is spot-on - he needs far more time than he’s going to get; and needs several touches to get the ball under control, by which time any opportunity is gone.

Thiaw tracked his man really poorly for both, though the back line was badly exposed by the midfield when both happened. Shame as it was a good performance from us generally

On a forum? Sure. I’m not onboard with shouting shite at players at the match nor abusing them on social media. But what’s the point of a forum discussing players if we have to pretend that poor performances are good ones?

Ramsey was pretty much always the same for me - a solid PL player who isn’t a marked step up from Willock. He’s not a terrible signing, just not necessarily the most economic use of the resources available relative to his talent. He’s been perfectly fine rather than shite. Wissa on the other hand just looks like a terrible signing - and he’s already a failure, given the inflated price tag was for immediate results, not on the premise that at some point he’d start showing something.

He’s paid to be a fucking idiot tbf, a role he inhabits well

Only player I can remember who didn’t get better in people’s minds when out with a knock

I’m happy to go with exactly this tbf, without withdrawing any criticism of Elanga (and his signing) thus far. Elanga doesn’t scream ‘we are looking to change to a more possession-based game’, either. If Elanga had been the only poor signing last summer it would be a bit easier to take, too. I think the only player we’re likely to cut losses on in the summer is Wissa tbh.

I suppose the difference would be that Howe made a silk purse from an inherited pig’s ear - not sure that signing pigs ears is a great policy.

Poor sod was kicked to buggery today. He had my sympathy as he is a nice lad

For all the ‘juice’ and daft lad antics, Murphy is an intelligent footballer. I don’t think I can remember an NUFC player making more of his talent. Elanga might be a really clever lad off the pitch, but he doesn’t appear to have a good football brain

Nowt would make me happier. Love a good redemption story. Seems unlikely though.

If Gordon had Barnes’ finishing, or if Barnes had any of Gordon’s other qualities, we’d have a hell of a player on our books

Absolutely in terms of today’s game - but not generally. I don’t think Man City are a rival in any case.

Our resources compared to Man City are scant, but we’ve spent a lot of money on wingers compared to the majority of clubs in the division, and ours don’t look much better than most of them.

There’s nothing there to suggest that hidden talents are under the surface. There isn’t a single basic of the game that the lad seems to have a handle on. Forget next season - we should do what we can to get him off the books and take the loss.

We tried that two years ago in the other direction

I’ve always found his tiki-taka shite to be exactly that. Have virtually unlimited budgets to sign the best players and then train them to play defensive football in the opposition half. Modern day catenaccio

Yep, it’s against midtable sides that we’ve struggled

More green shoots today. Good performance at a nightmare ground, look a lot better - shame about the result, but can’t be many complaints about the set up or effort levels. We were the better side here.

Better side lost, nowt wrong with the general performance there

Great double save that

I wouldn’t bet on it

Though if Guardiola has owt between his ears it’s Hall he should be chatting up

*please be Elanga*

Ho’way you mad sod, bundle one in