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2 minutes ago, madras said:

Why couldn't teams do it last season ? What's the difference apart from loads of injuries and putting out weakened teams for months ?

Our passing and positioning seemed so much more effective last season and just hasn't been this year. A flick by Bruno this year goes out of play, last year it puts Wilson through on goal, a simple 50/50 goes Longstaffs way last year and sets Almiron away for an assist. This year it bounces to the opposition and they score. Last year Pope pays attention and saves a shot heading above and beyond....this year Dubravka manages to miss a shot which was actually going towards him

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1 minute ago, Aiston said:

 

Played poorly vs Fulham and Forest, a good win vs Villa and shit results against Luton and Bournemouth.

 

 

Ah, so you're changing the goal posts to fit your argument, got it.

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No criticism tonight but it looks like the best we can achieve this season is 7th in the league with underwhelming cup exits - albeit with mitigating circumstances and very tough draws. It’s been a really disappointing campaign and he’s going to have be very ruthless in the summer with certain players like Burn, Almiron, Longstaff etc being sold or marginalised and a larger focus on being solid / patient / creative in possession versus turning it over. He has my full support but the summer is the biggest test of him yet.

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6 minutes ago, Aiston said:

 

Played poorly vs Fulham and Forest, a good win vs Villa and shit results against Luton and Bournemouth.

 

 

We dominated and controlled V Fulham, should have had more at Villa and Forest. Luton was just mental and Bournemouth was poor. You can't say we came back as bad or worse from the break.

 

 

Edited by madras

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Didn't beat Man City at Eastlands nor go toe-to-toe with them only on account of not being equpped to and we only had five-six key players out and our hands tied behind our back financially.

For shame.

 

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1 minute ago, gjohnson said:

Our passing and positioning seemed so much more effective last season and just hasn't been this year. A flick by Bruno this year goes out of play, last year it puts Wilson through on goal, a simple 50/50 goes Longstaffs way last year and sets Almiron away for an assist. This year it bounces to the opposition and they score. Last year Pope pays attention and saves a shot heading above and beyond....this year Dubravka manages to miss a shot which was actually going towards him

The Dubravka instead of Pope analogy is telling. Why the duck did Eddie drop Pope ? Shit decision.

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4 minutes ago, Colos Short and Curlies said:


If he can’t lift them for 10 games to get a European spot then I think questions do need to be asked unfortunately.

 

i think a lot here are underestimating the risk of players leaving if we don’t get Europe. Not through them requesting transfers necessarily but we in a weak place when others come knocking

This is 100% my position. 

 

The season is absolutely not f**king over. With players returning to fitness, no other competitions to distract us, a favourable run of fixtures and European football still within our grasp I don't want to see any evidence that the squad as a whole are thinking "season is over".

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Just now, madras said:

The Dubravka instead of Pope analogy is telling. Why the duck did Eddie drop Pope ? Shit decision.

No need to be a smart arse about it, everyone is full and very aware that Pope couldn't play, but you can't argue that Dubravka has not had some shocking and borderline embarrassing performances 

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The tactical set up proved to be pretty sound, the first half could have been more fruitful if not for a few fine margins going against us (Willock not getting his head up to play a ball from out wide to Isak, the ball deflecting off Isak trailing foot when he would have been through, second half Isak getting his touch wrong). Plus two unfortunate goals that killed the game off. 
 

However this side and these players confidence looks pretty shot at this point, I described the second goal as unfortunate which it was but Botmans confidence has been lacking to me for a few weeks and him trying to get a glance on that shot to send it wide just proves it - no on form defender makes that choice and gets it that wrong, it was rash. The individual performances are so down from their potential, I will question Howes faith in changing the game plan so drastically even though overall it proved correct to do so it highlighted poor individual performances. Willock for example was far to narrow both times Bernardo Silva cut inside, Burn choked a shot from just outside the box because being that high up the pitch isn’t his remit confident or not and Lascelles took a potentially avoidable yellow and then let Doku past on his outside because he had to be careful. 

But again it boils down to Howe playing with a limited deck, if Joelinton is available we go here with the 4/3/3. This 5/3/2 looked alright even with low confidence and a limited selection.. Howe is making sound choices and decisions even under ‘pressure’.

 

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2 minutes ago, Keegans Export said:

This is 100% my position. 

 

The season is absolutely not f**king over. With players returning to fitness, no other competitions to distract us, a favourable run of fixtures and European football still within our grasp I don't want to see any evidence that the squad as a whole are thinking "season is over".

Yep, no shiny pots again this year but plenty to play for yet

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Just now, gjohnson said:

No need to be a smart arse about it, everyone is full and very aware that Pope couldn't play, but you can't argue that Dubravka has not had some shocking and borderline embarrassing performances 

He really hasn't, he just hasn't been as good as Pope......and what should Eddie have done ? 

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even if he wins all remaining games that won't be enough for some

 

I think losing these cup games really hurts him but he'll use it for extra motivation next season 

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5 minutes ago, Keegans Export said:

This is 100% my position. 

 

The season is absolutely not f**king over. With players returning to fitness, no other competitions to distract us, a favourable run of fixtures and European football still within our grasp I don't want to see any evidence that the squad as a whole are thinking "season is over".

Absolutely - season is far from over.

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18 minutes ago, Dokko said:

 

Miley for Longstaff

Livra for Trippier (Been shite for ages)

Anderson can rotate with Willock as they both get fit (I concede)

Hall for Burn.

 

Disagree?

 

We need to find a way to play both Trippier and Tino.

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Just now, madras said:

He really hasn't, he just hasn't been as good as Pope......and what should Eddie have done ? 

Given Karius or Gillespie an attempt? That first goal from Chelsea was a complete disgrace and he should have been ashamed to have not got it since it was actually getting closer to him

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Just now, gjohnson said:

Given Karius or Gillespie an attempt? That first goal from Chelsea was a complete disgrace and he should have been ashamed to have not got it since it was actually getting closer to him

No. Dubravka is far and away the best we have after Pope.

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Just now, joeyt said:

 

We need to find a way to play both Trippier and Tino.

 

I honestly don't think we do. Trippier is playing like he has the world on his shoulders. Until that is shifted, he's only going to decline (and rapidly)

 

I'd prefer him to sit out the rest of the season, luck after his injury, sort out his troubles, blood Livra at RB, and hopefully Tripps can come back next season for a proper send off season (as we won't get another one beyond that due to his age and Livra's ability)

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19 minutes ago, pubteam said:

Hopefully this tendancy to play injured players hasn't caused any long term damage to them.

 

It's pretty standard stuff in the Premier League unfortunately.

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1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

 

It's pretty standard stuff in the Premier League unfortunately.

Tripps has painkilling injections before every game. 

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Just now, Away Toon said:

Shearer seems convinced he will be here next season......

Good. Great backing from him and Shay, rightly so 

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Just now, madras said:

No. Dubravka is far and away the best we have after Pope.

Well if we're hoping to improve that should not be the case. He has been shown to be significantly worse than Pope, and even himself from when he was No.1. Can't remember if it was Neville or Carragher that highlighted it but his save % is about 10 % lower than Pope and is one of the worst in the league

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