Matt1892

Gordon is the best player on the pitch so I don’t think having a different striker on there makes a difference, what we need is a late runner in to the box when Gordon runs the channels.

We need more from Barnes and Murphy but we are looking comfortably passing the ball around.

We are passing the ball around well and Everton fancy themselves here. Should be a good game this.

Hardly any of the team they are putting out today would get in to ours, Pickford would and possibly Jack Harrison but that would be it. We need to beat dross like this if we want European football.

Miles off being good enough to start for us in the league. A loan to the Championship or League One will do him good, it will also get his confidence up.

Joelinton and Longstaff are regulars who are limited with the ball at their feet. The strange thing with Joelinton is that his control is excellent.

I agree with this, we were very good today and did a solid job of keeping City contained, whilst looking to hit them on the counter with the pace of Gordon. It would have been so easy for heads to drop when we went behind but we didn’t do that and pulled ourselves back in to the game. Someone made the point recently about how the opposition has figured out that some of our players are not very good on the ball, so are happy to let us have it. So building on this and keeping the same level of press and intensity going forward.

We don’t use Isak the way we should to get the best out of him which makes him isolated/passenger in some games. Gordon will almost double as an extra midfielder in this which is where the game will be won and lost.

I think we will pick up a point today.

I went to Anfield yesterday for the first time and Liverpool were ridiculously good on the counter attack, Iraola made a tactical change at half time and dropped Tavernier deeper so Lewis Cook could drop in front of the back four which helped leaving them as exposed but it was too late by then. Their attackers don’t necessarily link up well, but they have midfielders that can land long balls in to space and pace in attack to make the most of it. The acoustics in the stadium give an impression the atmosphere is better than it is, which is manufactured for the most part with long periods of silence, even the announcer on the tannoy and their 90’s techno music in the warm up go through you. I am off to Preston vs Blackburn today, it should be a good one.

If you go back to the tactics used during the 22/23 season we were outstanding, we played teams off the park and our press made us look like a well drilled unit. That was missing last season and it was put down to injuries, as we couldn’t play with that level of tempo without squad depth and Champions League. However, even with players back that style never returned and I genuinely do not see what tactics we are trying to play. The question now is Howe capable of turning it around? I don’t know what has happened to him from a tactical point of view but it seems to have gone out of the window. If we don’t get European football then he will be sacked, which I don’t think Mitchell will be too disappointed with. If the FA do want him for the England job, then I think the club will encourage him to take it.

'I have doubts about him' - Anderson "Holes" in Lewis Hall's defensive game "have been there for everyone to see", says former Newcastle United defender John Anderson. Hall joined the Magpies from Chelsea on loan in August 2023, before completing a permanent move this summer. However, the 20-year-old left-back has struggled to secure a regular spot in Eddie Howe's side since making his debut nearly 12 months ago, playing 22 times in the Premier League but starting just 10 games. "I have doubts about him from a defensive point of view," Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle. "Some of the positions he takes up aren't great. "I think it is mainly the case that he isn't defensive minded. He wants to get on the ball, he wants to get forward, he wants to join in, which I know is your modern day full-back and I appreciate that, but when it comes to defending you have got to do it. "You have to be in the right areas, you can't leave holes in behind you and, in the games he has played this season, they have been there for everyone to see. "He is still 20 years of age but whether he sees his future long-term as a full-back or not, I don't know. "The boy can play the game, there is no doubt about it, I just feel defensively, he doesn't think defensively. All his thoughts are about getting forward and joining in and when it is coming the other way, he doesn't think 'danger'." https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cy94jx820n2o.amp

I would look at moving away from the flat midfield and play Barnes off Isak in the #10 role with a pairing of Bruno/Joeinton/Tonali behind against the weaker teams in the league.

I’ve looked the article up and it is points deduction over multiple seasons going forward, it also says another proposal would be to expel them from the Premier League.

When you have a big club near the bottom of the league, they usually have a player that they can look to as a spark, someone who can create something out of nothing. Everton don’t have anything. The creativity has been removed for ultra-defensive, hard working plodders. Absolute shite.

Everton are so bad, hopefully this is the season that they go down.

It was bizarre in that he is right footed but he rolled it with his right foot on to his left casually like it was a training session.

It looks like he slowed down as the keeper was coming out to claim it.

Forest Green conceding an equaliser in injury time.

He was excellent in the first half as were all of their players, Brighton look like Arsenal used to where they completely dominate but try to walk it in. Been quite flat since the subs. Brighton usually sub their attacking players off by the way, in the same way that Bournemouth do due to the strength in depth they have.

Southampton defender about 5 yards behind play playing everyone on.

I think results on the pitch will ultimately decide who stays and goes this season but as I said prior to all this coming out that I don’t see both of them being here at the start of next season. I think PIF would side with Mitchell, they clearly have a view of how they want the club to operate and that involves a DOF figure. It doesn’t look good for us in footballing circles if 2 of the most highly rated DOF type figures leave the club in such a short space of time due to lack of control. Of course that has to be balanced with supporter reaction if Howe is moved on and that becomes difficult mid season, the ideal situation for Mitchell is that the FA ask for permission to speak with Howe and he lets them do that, which would be a clear indication to Howe that he is happy for him to move on. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mitchell isn’t plotting a replacement manager and transfers for next summer already, I thought Howe would be sacked if we don’t qualify for Europe this season but now I think that might be tightened up even further to needing to qualify for the Champions League to become untouchable.

Elanga is a really good prospect with a ceiling as high as Gordon. The frustrating thing would be the price and that we didn’t see his potential just over a year ago when he was going for a fraction of the price.

Southampton would replace Sheffield United wouldn’t they? Meaning we are up one point and - 4 on goal difference against those opponents. Championship winners replace 18th Runners up replace 19th Play off winners replace 20th

I think I’ve said it on here previously but I can see a situation where the FA approach us to speak to Howe and we give permission for them to do so, which will be as clear an indicator for him that those at the top are happy for him to move on. The club will then get someone in who is happy to work as a coach with the players Mitchell brings in, whilst seeing Howe moving on as a clean and amicable break.