Sulberto21

1 minute ago, Vancvillan said:

Would 5th place have more qualifying games or anything? Or would it be the same as finishing 4th?

Straight into the Swiss Model group stage CL.

5 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

The culture of playing out from the back that he has instilled continues to amaze me.

We have never ever played like that as consistently as we do now.

We've had spells, but as soon as we're under the cosh it goes out the window.

 

Yesterday we just point blank refused to stray away from that tactic of playing out from the back. Under huge pressure at times, we stuck to it rigidly and it paid off massively.
Players like Pau, Tielemans and Martinez are key to that.

Yet he’s instilled it almost instantly. 

He’s shown enough in his performance up until now that he’s going to be a great player for us. Yesterday was his best yet. He’s getting used to being premier league fit and next season he will add more to his game.

Is this the new normal especially under this management? Don Unai has spoken before throughout his career about winning the League and CL. 

Qualifying for CL means 8 guaranteed games.  We could get 3/4 plum ties and 3/4 ‘easier’ games. He took Villarreal to the semis. 

He is a master. I think we’ll get through the ‘60’s’ (points) quite quickly. 

16 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

There is a very strong chance we could go into the Bournemouth game knowing a win pretty much guarantees CL football next season. VP will be rocking. 

Bournemouth are a good team but with a rampant Villa Park and then the team are a horrible lot to play against. We can really turn them over if it’s an electric atmosphere. 

If Don Unai wants him then who are we to complain. 

1 minute ago, Lochheads twin said:

There is a whole topic in it’s own right on which combination is our best centre back pairing. There so many factors, maybe even the opposition and competition.

Early in the season it may have been Torres, of late he has not been at that level and looks jaded and is not the most commanding figure.

Hopefully, yesterday’s Diego is seen more often and looks like the player we all hope we had bought.

Konsa is still the Rolls Royce of the back 4. Wasted at right back but needs must.

and last but not least the mighty Mings. Our most vocal and commanding centre half. We all want to see a fully fit Tyrone next season.

from the above, a wealth of riches and we still have Longlet in reserve.

for me it’s still Konsa and Mings but we all have our own favourites. 
 

onwards and upwards!

 

All of our best combinations contain Pau. The second CB depends on the opposition and the challenges we are likely going to face. 

14 hours ago, bobzy said:

For the shittest defender ever, he's just had an incredible half against Arsenal.  Didn't realise he was that quick, either.

That’s probably the first time he’s trusted his body to show his pace since his injury. 

23 minutes ago, PaulC said:

No point comparing fixtures.  After we hsve softened Arsenal Spurs could easily beat them. All our games are winnable. We have nothing to fear now. 

We can compare to Newcastle last season - they had a similar wobble last season but then they got a couple of wins together and cruised the last few games to qualify for CL. 

49% possession. 46% against Man City in the win at Villa Park. We’re a good effing team. 

If the players don’t have the confidence to win every game from now until end of the season then they should kindly inform Don Unai they’re not made of the right stuff. 

I said it that we will beat at least one of Man City , Arsenal or Liverpool in the run in but wasn’t sure which teaM we’d beat however after that victory today we will do Liverscum at home. Last home game of the season CL music blaring. 

Where was Spurs’ defensive application and desire today? Where’s their strength and defensive attributes that some were crowing about? 

injuries have derailed our season we have a smaller squad than most of the top half. Next season when we have a settled back line we’ll see how many goals we concede (it won’t be many). 

5 minutes ago, rjw63 said:

How did we lose4-0 to this lot? They're shit away.

I could probably understand a 1-0 loss, but 4???

Big Angeshouldgobacktoshaggingwombats

Fatigue. 

I’ve always said that we will get a win against Liverpool, City or Arsenal but I wasn’t sure which team but we’d lose the other two. That leaves Arsenal or Liverpool so I still don’t know which one we’ll win. 

If Newcastle win their last 6 in a row they deserve to finish wherever they finish. Likewise if they don’t win another. 

Class. 

52 minutes ago, TRO said:

We was playing Brentford, not Real Madrid. 

The standard of player we had out....should not collapse like that, and that is the issue.

No excuse culture.....The managers words, not mine.

Yes and? The same Brentford that created over 30 opportunities against Manure. The team that you stated (loosely) that caused us disruption. Why didn’t Brentford created 30 chances against us if we’re so bad defensively? 

Brentford are below where they should be due to injuries and a misdemeanour from their star striker. 

9 minutes of madness and they took full advantage. Even then their first goal was the mother of all flukes. 

@TRO

we did see off Man City and Arsenal with clean sheets - but that was with a very settled team. Since the new year we’ve had to chop and change our back line and midfield.

Im surprised for someone who goes on about the Ron Saunders years that you wouldn’t consider the injuries and the mental fatigue that is setting in. 

If we get CL one or two of the players will be told to find other clubs as our Elite manager will know they’re not capable. 

As our Elite manager says it’s a process. And we’re ahead of schedule.

2 hours ago, Mic09 said:

I'd take a £115 if we had to sell, i.e. he wanted to move or we had FFP issues. 

But let's not sell him. 

Oooo even I can afford that… meow…

24 minutes ago, T-Dog said:

If Arsenal (as rumoured) came in for him in the summer, what would be the minimum price you'd accept?

Half of Digne’s net worth.

6 minutes ago, omariqy said:

Well said Leon. Watch out for those bums.

I wonder if McGinn was standing in front of him when he posted that.  

Any players we bring in will have to be good on the ball to play for Don Unai. He mentions possession a lot in his interviews.

It was Wissa who injured his ankle at the Brentford ground in the first game. He’s been carrying it ever since then. He’s most likely still recovering from the injury but he’s been playing through the pain barrier. 

Class player full summer to recover and he’ll be back on top form next season.