The pundits will go on and on about how **** West Ham were, but **** them. We could have easily won 6-0, and we played some great football. Our team looks like it's coming together nicely. I am so glad we started with Joselu up front because the promising signs he showed me vs Huddersfield showed the probable truth about him. He's a great target man and far more suited to a 4-2-3-1 system than Gayle. We won and we scored great goals. Ratings - Elliot - 6 - Some poor kicking and slow distribution, but some smart saves. Manquillo - 6.5 - Caught out of position, still getting used to the tactical side of things. Some good work rate though and some decent defending at times. Clark - 8 - Solid defending and a great goal. Lascelles - 7.5 - Good defending and dealt well with Collins. Mbemba - 7 - Mostly good. Good defending mostly, but sometimes he still thinks he's Messi and tries to dribble when we're exposed. Hayden - 7 - Good work rate and played a good part in our attacks. Merino - 8 - Some exceptional ball control and holding play, plus some great through balls. This lad looks like a steal. I do hope he continues in this way. Ritchie - 8 - Started off a bit shakey but worked his way into the game. Great work rate, created chances, good assist and unlucky not to have a goal. Atsu - 7 - Good work rate, good running and assist for the goal. A bit anonymous at times and easily pwned but he did well against a veteran like Zabaleta. Perez - 7 - I'll be generous and give him a 7. He did work hard and make some good runs and was a threat, he just looks a bit light weight at times and off the pace. He did get an assist as well. Joselu - 8 - Love this ****ing guy. Great work rate, good goal, great hold up play and wins things well against tough CB's and brings others into play. Mitro - 7 - Missed a good chance but made up with a good goal. I haven't seen the incident where he supposedly could have gotten a red, but he was good when he came on. Diame - n/a - Why Rafa? Murphy - n/a - Not enough time to impact the game. Rafa - 8 - Got the lads up for the game and made mostly good subs. We went forward and looked well organised. MOTM - I'll have to say Joselu. His first start and he was crucial to our game plan. Far more suited to Rafa's style. Ritchie and Merino were close behind.
Just checked Wikipedia which states that we HAVE to sign Merino if we play him enough times!!!! If he plays this well we just play him often and enough and he's ours!!!! YESS!!!
Think Perez didn't deserve your ****ty rating lad, best I've since him in a Newcastle shirt in years! All other ratings- agreed
He's still our best keeper, but Elliot has totally lost the ability to do a long kick. I've noticed he's trying to be a Benitez keeper with his throws which, to be fair, ware pretty spot on
Merino has the knack of finding space when it doesn't exist. In fact he'd find space in a single bed he was sharing with Gemma Collins.
What you want from an AM though? You want him tackling at the back and dragging it forward? It's it literally the position you generally spend the most time looking like ya doing **** all. He looked like he did too much at Hudds, look how that worked out
To be honest mate do we know any other form of discussion? I think I'd get nose bleeds if we were actually GOOD
The lad needs to do it FAR more often, though. For all Joselu and Perez had decent games today, I'd still like to see better options brought in ahead of them as I suspect the consistency won't be there from those two throughout the season.
Hope merino has option to buy. Kids a bidding star. Love joselu too. Hold up.play with our pacey wingers in a game changer.
