TheBrownBottle

Christ, just checked when you wrote that - it expires in 2027! Fucking Ashley, Jesus wept

Feel for the lad tbh. He grafts and tries, obviously he isn’t good enough. But he’s one of our own - another for whom a move in the summer would be best for both parties. I think he’d do a good job for a good second tier side.

Weird take by a weird man - telling people you’ve never met how they should grieve someone you’ve never met while having no idea what either party’s relationship was like with each other is just fucking bizarre

He hasn’t been in his career to date. He’s a very talented player, but you wouldn’t be relying on him scoring loads of goals.

Yep, there’s no way he’d have been judged as being in a ‘second phase’ of play. He was offside. So was Wednesday’s opener.

Straw man argument for me. It’s hardly one or the other.

The lad didn’t play well tonight, but he’s far too young to be written off. I’m not saying he will make as a top level player, but saying he definitely won’t feels premature

We have - though at some point we’ll go all the way* * citation needed

Semis of the LC would be the first time in nearly half a century in that case Get to the SF and you never know. Hope springs eternal

He doesn’t even need to take it first time - he could have taken a couple of touches he has so much time with it. No excuse for that finish

Has to be a full strength XI and I assume it will be. Feels like a genuine chance of achieving something which we haven’t been able to in over half a century.

Liverpool were after him at the time - but Norwich were asking for more than they were happy to pay. Liverpool bid £10m but it was turned down https://www.rousingthekop.com/2021/12/16/jamal-lewis-set-for-thankless-task-after-nearly-signing-for-liverpool-in-2020/?amp

I thought he was ok tonight. It’s a shame that there’s a few of these players who were given ludicrous contract extensions by Ashley - if Ritchie had left around 2018/2019 he’d have secured a warm fuzzy place in the memory banks - not as a great player, but one who worked his balls off, clearly cared and got the club back to somewhere approaching where it belongs. Instead, every passing season takes the sheen off that. I doubt he’s too bothered by that, but it matters to me

He’s mind-meltingly bad atm. Every game seems to drain his confidence further - he’s a mediocre centre forward who simply doesn’t fit our game plan, and chucking the bloke on every game just isn’t helping.

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