Mat Kendrick's Dentist

Algeria to beat Ghana in the final! Should be a good tourny.

Extremely poor performance. Moved the ball far too slowly, and had neither someone in midfield to build the play, nor someone up top to make it stick. Part of why we create so little is because of our midfielders' inability to play a penetrating pass. Our full-backs give it to our wingers who have their backs to goal and it all to do. We need CMs who can pass between the lines and get our talented players baring down on the opposition's defense. Gollini 5: Spilled one effort poorly (though did save the follow-up), and showed no anticipation for Oliveira's weakly-struck winner. Distribution not great. Hutton 3: Par for the course for such a shambolic player. A black hole when it comes to possession and unable to defend. Amavi 7: Some naive moments, but another good performance, and again our MOTM. Chester 4: Poor positional sense as always. Badly caught out for Brady and Murphy chances, which Norwich should have capitalized on. Elphick 4: Poor player. Slow, cumbersome, awful on the ball, and lacking in judgment. Get well soon Nathan. Jedinak 5: Can't play any passes between the lines, meaning that our build-up is slow and predictable. Good defensively if he has 2 CMs alongside him, but that detracts from our attack even more. Westwood 4: Poor player who is also culpable when it comes to our ponderous build-up. 2 new CMs are the priority in January. Ayew 6: Getting slaughtered but he did more than most defensively at least. Have some sympathy for him as he only ever seems to get the ball from the full-back, with his back to goal around the halfway line. Needs to be fed in better areas. Kodjia 5: Got little service, but did poorly with what he did get. Deserves some slack for a rare off-day. Grealish 6: Not a great day at the office but at least tried to get on the ball and look for a pass. Agbonlahor 4: Hard to make any case for him to be starting games for us these days. Adomah 6: Hopefully not off to AFCON. McCormack 6: Lively and should have started ahead of Gabby (Kodjia up front). Gestede 6: At least gave us something to hit. Bruce 4: Has done a good job, and won't need telling that this wasn't good enough. GK, RB, CB, CMx2 in January please, Steve.

Some of Atleti's recent defeats have largely been down to them being too expansive, and changing their style too much, too quickly. Tonight was just a shambles though, and a very un-Simeone-like display. They'll still walk top 4 though, and are a nightmare draw for any top team in the Champions League.

Great series. There's a follow-up movie currently in the works, which is great as the show was cancelled in its prime!

Welcome Carl Jenkinson. Certainly an upgrade on Hutton, and should be one of the better right backs in the league.

Yup, involved in both goals, and played very well overall. Has a good understanding with Andone and Colak.

Has popped up with crucial goals at the death time and time again this season. This Real side are the absolute masters of getting results without playing all that well.

Depor 2-1 up and Real's bid for a club record unbeaten run in jeopardy . That number 11 involved in both goals...

That number 11 for Depor looks great at the Bernabeu tonight. Might be worth a January punt...

Has started very well at the Bernabeu tonight...

Yeah, it was actually a cracker of a game. Myself and Noel had a great time at it!

Playing very well since coming on for Depor today, and has a great assist. Still hold out hope for his return!

Game's about opinions, but I'm pretty certain Messi would do it anywhere. He averages over a goal/game vs the Prem's top sides, and I couldn't see the likes of Hull, Burnley, Sunderland, West Brom, Swansea, Bournemouth, et al giving him much trouble!

There is nothing I would hate more than seeing Messi in a Man City shirt! Can't see how he has anything to prove either. Anyhow, I reckon we could see 4 Spanish sides in the Champions League last 8 this season (obviously depending on the draw). Certainly wouldn't fancy Sevilla in the next round if I was a group winner.

Perin, Sportiello, Donnarumma, Scuffet, Sirigu, Viviano, Marchetti. Italy won't exactly be stuck for a keeper when Gigi eventually hangs his gloves up!. On Gollini, I think the Juve links are completely OTT atm. According to today's Birmingham Mail he's been in "scintillating form". Imo, his performances have picked up a bit recently, but I'd still be happy to see an experienced number one bought in January to compete for the jersey. If nothing else it would eliminate the Bunn factor!

Was going to post pretty much exactly this, but you did it for me . Would add that he's certainly not playing as a forward. Given how we are playing, he often receives the ball quite deep, and generally only has 2 other "attacking" players ahead of him, which I think explains our low goals tally (relative to our attacking talent). Despite Jedinak's good recent form, I think the fact that he needs 2 more workhorses beside him hurts us, as our 3 CMs offer very little going forward. At least one quality CM is needed in January, and I think this could free us to play 4231, rather on having to counter from deep with just 3 players and the odd burst from Amavi or (shudder) Hutton.

Luther, Sherlock (At least the early seasons), and The Fall are all good. Still think the best UK shows are comedies though. Peep Show, The Inbetweeners and Fresh Meat are as good as it gets!

Good question! My pantheon of greats would probably be as follows: 1. The Wire - Nuff said. 2. Lost - Flawed, but I have never looked forward to an episode of anything like I did with Lost. Watched it before the days of the online binge, so the wait between season cliffhangers was excruciating! 3. Breaking Bad - Ridiculously consistent quality TV. 4. Oz - Now a bit dated to watch, but groundbreaking at the time. As good a collection of characters as you'll find. Paved the way for future HBO greats. 5. Hannibal - Incredibly written and acted (Mads Mikkelsen even trumps Hopkins as Lecter imo). Each season better than the last. Somehow cancelled after season 3, but the creator is confident that it'll be back. Honourable mentions to The Killing, The Bridge (Scandi versions), Bates Motel, Game of Thrones, and Carnivale. Yet to watch The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire and The Shield.

Cleverley, and he WAS awful!

Granted, he didn't make an impact.........but then, that might have been because he was suspended and not on the pitch .

Playing very well vs France atm. This guy isn't a Championship player... In other news, Ousmane Dembele is outrageous.

But he also turned down PL jobs. Think the fact that he's taken a job in League 1 does show that he's willing to work at a lower level tbf.

That's a year old. Owen Coyle manages Blackburn.

This is unbelievably untrue. This, this, a thousand times, this.

So disappointing in so many different areas of the pitch.We were poor defensively earlier in the season but were at least creating plenty of chances. The 2nd half was eerily similar to the Lambert days, with shakiness at the back allied with a dearth of organisation up front. Gollini 7: Played well today. Still not a massive fan of his, but a definite step up from Bunn. Richards 5: Poor positioning as always. Left Adomah isolated going forward and should have been penalized with a penalty. Elphick 4: Dreadful awareness and reading of the game. Constantly trying to win headers/tackles 30 yards from goal and leaving space in behind, which is/was exposed time and again. Poor all season and time for Baker imo. Chester 4: Also very poor positionally (recurring theme, I know). Very lucky not to be sent off, and his only positive contributions always seem to be last-ditch attempts to redeem a previous clanger. One instance of "defending" up against Bodvarsson down our left side was embarrassing. Cissokho 5: Not a good display, and I think that a fit Amavi must always play in front of Aly. Having said that I feel that our centre-halves going walkabout and generally dropping bollocks often forced him inside, thus vacating his default position - as was the case with the penalty incident. Jedinak 4: Poor on the ball, which is maybe to be expected. More disappointing is his lack of ability when it comes to protecting our defense. We really needed a better CM signing in the summer. Tshibola 5: Didn't offer much protection to our back four, with Wolves strolling into dangerous areas at will. Also feel he's very slow to move the ball forward after winning it back, meaning that the opposition can funnel back before we can counter. Adomah 5: Set pieces and creativity from open play were poor. Offers pace and worked hard defensively, but Ayew offers those qualities and much more imo. Grealish 6: Best of our outfielders today. Linked well with McCormack and Kodjia at times, and did well to win our spot kick. Needs to be given quicker supply. McCormack 6: Linked well in the first half. Was involved in the penalty build-up and could have scored himself if Kodjia had fed him. Poor second half, with him choosing the wrong option on several occasions. Seems to be a good organizer when it comes to set pieces and pressing. Kodjia 6: Took his pen very well and was a handful. Awful piece of play when he chose to shoot, rather than pass to Ross. Another who needs quicker service to thrive. Westwood 5: Offers no protection to the back 4. Hutton 4: Awful. Baker 6: Slotted in without making any mistakes, as he has always done when called upon this season. Must start.