KitKat

Konsa really just said "**** this" and scored that goal

Same for me and I think I've somehow been charged twice for the pleasure too (which also happened last year!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66181152

Potentially great signing if he rekindles prior form...which I would back him to do with Unai in charge. We wouldn't have had a chance at him a couple of seasons back so trying not to let recency bias skew my view of him.

Emery is an actual G and not a slippy one

Unai will sort us out at HT and we'll win this! I hope

An absolute natural and makes everything look easy even when he's almost tripping over his own feet, and he's a grafter who doesn't shy away from the game at all. It's insane to think he's so young and still developing! I think we should be pinching ourselves that we've got him...can't wait to see how he works with Tim if we have him back next season. Love this man.

If there is no McGinn or Ramsey starting then its either Luiz and Dendoncker as the 2 CMs with Watkins / Emi / Bailey ahead of them, or perhaps Sanson gets straight in to show us what we've been missing?

3? points off 20th? Pissed away our easy fixtures giving this man more chances than he deserved.

Gifted goal aside we were the better team that half but I don't expect Chelsea to be as shit in the 2nd. Credit to us for getting a hold of the game and taking to them but it will count for nothing unless we score one of those goal things I've heard about.

Keeping it really simple then, if someone wanted rid of Gerrard for not fulfilling the "continuous progression" remit that Purslow stated as the reason for dismissing Dean Smith, would you consider that "contrived"? I appreciate you offer an alternative point of view amongst the general vibe of this thread and I do enjoy your posts even playing devils advocate but where is the line for you?

Application: good. Everything else: dreadful Manager needs to go in the bin yesterday

He definitely was, I'd just like to see Buendia get more than a cameo

The dysfunctional midfield trio starts again! Kamara injury a worry. Donk didn't do a lot when he came on? No rare Sanson appearance but he has been promoted to the bench at least. McGinn all over the shop & should certainly not be playing 90 minutes (or starting). Attack still very ineffectual & without any real plan except make Leon chase long balls. Emi B >>> Phil. Thus concludes my thoughts. Peace.

Simply has to start.

Repeating sentiments but he can't play in the same role as JJ at the same time. If McGinn starts it's with the remit that he spends all his energy in 60 mins to be replaced by JJ or vice versa. Experimental lineup today but I want to see him back to his best and shifting people around to accommodate him is fine as long as players in better form aren't missing out. I'd like to see him come off the bench and earn his place back.

Been critical of JJ recently but fair play tonight - a very tough match against top opposition so well done to him for a deserved assist and the tireless work he put in. Could be a new role for him on the left of a front 3 or a one off to counter City?

Can the ref can decide to ignore the linesman? Genuinely asking as I'd imagine they can but I am not 100% certain. Splitting hairs either way as I'm sure we can all agree they have **** us - ask if either of them have been so keen to stop play if it was a City attack? Absolutely **** not and that's why it is so scandalous.

If we kick on from here without replacing him we are writing off the points already dropped on the expectation that things will improve. If he is replaced prior to Leicester then it was already in the pipe, right? I'm not climbing back up on the fence here after a well earned draw, but I'd imagine whatever kind of trigger might be in place to move on sacking him will be contingent on the next couple of results and not tonight, but this result won't have hurt his chances. We must see some results (wins!), consistency, players picked on merit and better tactical adjustment from here on, else he's still on the out for me.

The point isn't that VAR can't check because the ref already stopped play, the point is the ref shouldn't have stopped the play in the first place then have it checked after the fact. I thought that would be obvious?

Full credit to the manager for the setup which saw us through albeit with some tweaks. Could've won if the officials weren't the usual terrible level we see far too often. Let a lot go for them and incorrectly stopped play when Phil scored - why not let it go and review? 100% if it was the other way round it would've been checked after the goal and then given. The players gave a good account of themselves, special mention for Mings for pocketing Haaland for most of the game and Young for a very assured performance coming off the bench. Luiz MUST play with Kamara from here on out he adds so much to our midfield. I don't care which of JJ or McGinn miss out but on current form it should be John to sit on the bench for a few games. If we shift to 4231 or a midfield 3 without both JJ and McGinn we will do better and we've been saying this for too long now. Main thing now is to take the momentum or confidence from this game in to the next few. Stay of execution for Stevie, long road to show us more from here.

Decent 45 - worked hard against a very good team and threatened a couple of times. Kept them quite quiet all things considered. Emi for JJ shortly after HT would be nice. Wouldn't mind seeing some more pace brought on for a counter but, well, we don't have any.

I think I've said it before but a good manager can make a team greater than the sum of its parts. Par for our squad, the investment and wage bill, suggests we should be in the top 10. I think MON was getting 6th with the wage bill to match. Under Gerrard we have regressed and he's not shown enough to give anyone genuine confidence that he can arrest the slide, if anything it's the opposite and every single negative aspect of the club, or even perceived negatives, are now under a microscope. If we had some solidity to fall back on and were harder to beat or even just unlucky in defeat more than occasionally (WHAM draw would've been fair for example) then I think he'd have more credit in the bank, but as it stands we've been too poor for too long. Most of us are past the point of hoping for an improvement with him but again, if there were even the slightest green shoots of progress in terms of playing style or results we'd be feeling less uneasy. Not even happy, just slightly less negative. Talk of more time sounds reasonable if you ignore the time he has had, and I wasn't even very negative during the break, but the way we have started this season has been absolutely diabolical. We've had a soft underbelly for some time but the way we play now exposes it more than ever...I thought with Gerrard the least we would get, even if not amazingly coached or well drilled, would be a steel and commitment to not lose and a determination to be competitive. It hasn't materialised and although I am fairly content with our deadline day signings, I don't think they will make the kind of difference we need. Happy to be wrong but feel like we just need to be patient now as we fully derail before he's removed.

Voted average for the manager because I thought it represented "par" for what he usually does - nothing surprising. Random thoughts: Obviously unlucky goal to concede, we were good value for a draw at least with a decent overall performance without being very good at the same time. Luiz needs to start. Midfield was a lot more balanced and actually moved the ball around without immediately losing it. More players making themselves available for a pass and better shape overall. Ramsey should be brought on for McGinn not Doug & either Tim or Nakamba should be getting minutes - we simply cannot persist with the JJ & SJM partnership. Digne & Cash a little more conservative and it worked a bit better today I thought. Bailey dangerous, should be starting (4231?). Coutinho not terrible but also not good - should be starting on the bench and introduced later on, Emi a lot more effective yet again. We lack pace in movement and with how we move the ball - never seem to catch a team out with how laborious our play is they are always back in good defensive positions. WatkIngs still not a real partnership but somehow we do better when they both play together - this was an issue for Dean and continues to be a problem.