I more or less said the same thing in my last post and hasn’t read this one. On paper I don’t see that much difference in quality: but game plan wise it was a country apart in the second half. Special mention to Miggy because if concerned he’s all huff and puff but no blow. Was he being asked to play in a position he doesn’t suit!
Good first half - that was never a pen, obviously upset the EPL because no one thought it was a pen except Atkinson - who should be reffing league two, and the EPL's VAR (Qatar) team. Changes the game but then Bruce was as useless as ever and let the game get away from him and before he realized, it was over. The first goal I'm not convinced by either - does Soucek get a toe on it, was Bowen offside and touch the ball before its over the line? I think yes on all counts and should have been disallowed as well. Shelvey should never play for the team again, strolling around again, not within 5 foot of another opp player in possesion ever, clearly can't be arsed. Ritchie had an awful game as well and I think it's time to make him a cup player and really should have shifted him over the summer.
My thoughts, I can’t see why Shelvey is being used as a holding midfielder albeit he had a decent first half. If Shelvey is being used as a holding midfielder Hayden shouldn’t be on the pitch. Hayden is a holding midfielder so with Shelvey there Sean Longstaff should have played ( or even Matty or Hendricks) with Hayden on for Shelvey second half as it was obvious Shelvey wouldn’t last 90 with virtually no pre season. Krafth does a passable emergency job at right cb but there was no emergency today. Baffling why Schar wasn’t there or even Fede with Laschelles in the centre. Clark has been great for us but struggling for a while and Ritchie needs a good left cb alongside him. Both had a mare. Obvious early on they we’re targeting the gaps behind the wing backs so you adapt to cope with it or change formation yet we kept going the same all game. Desperate for Max having to come back to his centre half’s for the ball. He should be getting it to attack their defence not the whole team. Overall a decent first half and entertaining but poor second half from us, no ability to adapt, poor team selection. Couldn’t tell with the pen and didn’t bother to watch it on tv. Had to laugh at the West Ham Harry Potter song.
I think you can attack and don't need a Rafa style. However it has to be knitted together and thought out. Yesterday was a mess.
You can attack, but the thing is not conceding is more important than scoring lots of goals. The thing is there was no problem at cb nufc was strong as **** in that department, but Bruce's slowly destroying that strength. All they needed was two cms and that would've resolved the problems.. Schar and Lejeune have never been in his thoughts because he's an old clogger that doesn't like defenders than can play. For years nufc was a soft touch getting taken apart and rafa gave us a side that was hard to beat and that's all gone, so strap yourselves in for some right hood hidings.
Lejeune I can accept a little. I think the pace and physicality of the league is a challenge for him. I wasn't surprised when he wanted out back to Spain. Just easier going for him. Schar was supposedly behind fitness wise but even a half fit Schar is better than Krafth. Schar was poor last season being honest, I think his head got turned and he made a lot of mistakes. But he has ability, Krafth doesn't. Bruce still needs to go, I won't waiver from that. The game has passed him by now and he was never a good manager. I'd like Potter and his modern ideas. I don't mind the odd hiding provided we attack and score goals. As long as we win the required games to achieve safety, I'd say the objective has been achieved. I don't care how we skin the cat to be honest. We lost yesterday because we went and sat deep. We can't seem to keep up the pace. I know I've gone on about this for years, but the central midfield is the be all and end in football. It is the most important position on a football field for me, because it dictates how much attacking and defending you will do. Its why I still think Rafa is a twat for not playing Merino. I don't give a **** how well Diame was playing, where the **** is he now?
The laughable thing is thst technology was supposed to minimize human error. Yesterday was an obvious error by those running VAR.
VAR's awful and its killed football. The people who complained it was **** last year had no idea what they were talking about. Now it's a sleeping policeman with a speed camera.
Tbh this was happening under rafa.. It's nothing new, but I have to say this season seems particularly bad and you might be right. The other 19 clubs, the premier league and all other human beings that don't support nufc want us relegated
We have conceded 6 penalties so far this season. And 3 red cards. I accept that probability wise because we where playing more defensive football that it’s liking we might but it’s the manner of them for me. 3/6 of the penalties where extremely soft borderline not penalties. They you look at some of the ones we didn’t get. It feels like there is an agenda. However ofc I am Biased but the stats don’t lie.
So we are top of the penalties conceded stats. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/topVerursachteElfmeter/wettbewerb/GB1 We are also top of the red cards conceded stats with 3. We are also bottom (joint) of the penalties received this season.
Also just checked we are second top of the yellow cards stats. Im convinced there is an agenda. 6 penalties conceded in 16 games is just mental.
The refs and everyone wants us down.. Refs are human beings. It's like when you're a kids and you're racing two car toys around. You always push the car you like least less carefully. All the 50 /50s go against us mate it's not just the big decisions.
Statistically it looks that way. I think yesterdays was the worst one. Some people are saying Lascelles left a trailing leg. Personally looked like Maddison was already on his way down. Definite dive. But VAR just wtf?
