blunther

1 minute ago, Tommo_b said:

Actually thought Sanson and Coutinho have been the best players on the pitch first half. Surprised at the Coutinho negativity. 

He's the scapegoat du jour on this forum is all it is. It was Mings before, it'll be Bailey next. 

41 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Yep.

He won't come back, but if he did everyone would love him again. It's quite funny seeing people try to pretend they wouldn't.

Yep, I definitely say no way will I welcome the little turncoat shite back...

... but I know I'd love it.

1 hour ago, Johnnyp said:

You can clearly, I mean clearly see daylight ( a gap ) between the ball and the outer line ? “ Recreate the angle with a line and tennis ball “ Are we listening to ourselves here ? Seriously ?? What the actual ****. 

You are aware balls are spherical?

On 23/11/2022 at 22:05, Hev said:

No the kids were away as well

Guessing the £60 fine doesn't really matter to them!

Missed the match Saturday and only got round to watching highlights yesterday. My take...

That's more often than not a foul on Luiz. I was expecting a proper howler from what I'd read. It wasn't great, but he got between the player and the ball and was brought down.

The 'penalty' for Digne's tackle I was expecting to be stonewall - I didn't think it was a penalty in real time or in slow mo. I think it could equally have been given as a foul against the Brighton player to be honest the way he came in and clattered Digne (and with a bit more momentum could have broken his leg the way his weight went down onto Digne's knee). Seen them given, sure, but I don't think I'd be screaming for a pen if it was against us.

Some more fantastic one-touch passing and moving into space for some of our chances. Our attacking play looks worlds away from where it was

The defensive shape looked great towards the end. I actually enjoyed MOTD2's analysis of it, which is a first.

Young did well I thought. 

Manager, as much as I love him, gets a poor from me for the keeper choice. He's not good enough for this level. I get giving the second choice a run out if he's a competitive keeper, but it's not a **** charity. Martinez should be in goal in the cups until we get a second keeper that cam push him for the right to play. 

44 minutes ago, It's Your Round said:

Feels great to wake up this morning and look forward to the extended highlights. In a season where I’ve purposely missed watching games and not bothered with the highlights, I’m finally glad to have my enthusiasm back. 

I know it’s only one game, but it means so much as it effectively resets our future course and gives us all so much hope and enjoyment. Soak it up lads! It will be four days until we do it again 

Are extended highlights available anywhere?

It's been so long since I've actually wanted to watch some....

I wouldn't play a 'weak' side as such but I think we can expect a few changes so Emery can get a look at some players. Young in for Digne (maybe 30 bring Digne on at 60 mins to keep building up fitness), Chambers for Konsa, Sanson for Ramsey and Ings for Watkins is arguably as strong a team as we put out yesterday, but keeps players happy and lets the manager see what they're made of.

I'd keep Kamara on the bench for the first hour too, let's not rush him back in too fast.

If we use all the subs it means we can bring on players like Digne, Kamara, Watkins, Archer. It's been a while since we've been able to bring on subs that can make a difference.

That was sensational. Can't ever remember seeing us have a man in space so often. All the little one-twos, the movement, the calmness at the back. He's drilled them hard and achieved that in only a week. I can't remember ever being this excited about the next match. 

Eery player was brilliant and played their part, but Mings was an utter Colossus at the back and gets my MoM.

Ref an utter clearing in the woods, but what's new. 

2 hours ago, Mic09 said:

I get criticising particular practices in certain countries, but calling them shitholes is verging on something not particularly cool. 

Nah, I don't think so at all. See the previous page for the article on gang-raping a bloke for being gay. **** backwards shithole mate.

Verging on something not cool? Assume you're implying a racist element of sorts? You can shove that if so, frankly. If as a country you have a fundamentalist tendency to oppress, for a couple of examples, women or gays for being who they are, then you're a backwards shithole. same goes for Russia as it does for Saudi Arabia. 

1 hour ago, astondalston said:

 

KSA, Egypt, UAE. Same practices in place here for a long time

Those are all backwards shitholes too though.

27 minutes ago, Tubby said:

I disagree with the comments suggesting that he doesn't have an identity.

I posted the below in the tactics thread.  Emery uses a range of formations but they all fit within a philosophy of how the team plays together as a unit.  His teams play a high line, are compact and purposeful. 

I also shared a link to this video of him explaining how Sevilla tactically defeated Liverpool.  The guy is a tactical master.

 

Imagine a tactics chat like this with bloody Steve Bruce.

Just now, a m ole said:

Horrific match of football

Again. The theme of the season. Utter garbage. 

This is shite. **** him off. 

Buendia our best player as usual. We at least had some shots on target but we're just....poor. 

32 minutes ago, thabucks said:

One thing which has been mentioned a couple of times of Skyscrapercity is the possibilitie a redeveloped Witton stand be changed to single tier to match up with the New stand stand.  It sure if the rakes will Match up but it’s an interesting suggestion. 

I'm enjoying the SSC/VT mashup of late.

When we're drawing they let man city score from ten yards offside. If we try and win we'll get our goal chalked off illegally. What's the **** point. Bent as ****. 

Would have thought he could do better than the Scottish second tier tbh.

42 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

Helpful.. plan your journeys in advance. So what if you plan to drive instead, but every car park you could reasonably use is full? Or every road is congested to the point your bus runs late and you miss kick off.

Looks like they are expecting all 40k to make it to the ground by their own means. Buses will be overloaded, roads will be overloaded, car parks will be overloaded. I see no other outcome aside from a significant number missing kick off.

The really should be offering a shuttle service.

only the same as a boxing day match I guess.

59 minutes ago, Villastine said:

Chelsea offered him the pay/guarantees he wanted

How do you know this? Do you really believe Chelsea have guaranteed him game time?

Moneywise, maybe they offered more than we did, maybe they didn't. But we can't go offering ridiculous contracts to 18 year olds who have achieved very little. It'd be a terrible precedent to set. He has potential, but that's it. Until he's proved himself in the senior game he shouldn't be getting paid like a senior pro. If that means we've lost this player but avoided setting a poor precedent for the future, so be it.

3 hours ago, Villastine said:

I think more could have been done more earlier to get him to sign. 

That means a better contract offer earlier and guarantees around game time. 

The £15m isn't a huge achievement as we'd likely of got that in compensation if he was staying in England. 

Anyway I'm just disappointed to see us lose one of the best young players in Europe.

We've lots more talent coming through 

By all accounts he was offered a very lucrative contract as soon as he was eligible. He didnt want it.

Guarantees of playing time?? **** that! You earn your place on the pitch, the same as everybody else. He had plenty of chances to make himself undroppable and don't take them, which is fine because he's young and no one should expect too much. He'd have had more chances this year. He didn't want that, so we got £20m for him. We'd have got nowhere near that through a tribunal. Very smart business. 

For what it's worth I've never been that sold on him being a guaranteed superstar. He's so physically ahead of most kids his age, which is a massive help in kids football. It does you no good in the step up to men's football though. He's got a long way to go and I wonder if he'll have the drive a top player needs now he's got a six year bumper contract and is set for life.