I thought it was a pretty good performance other than Joselu's inability to put the round thing in the net thing. We look very organised, good teamwork and work ethic, we created plenty of chances, and until the last 10 minutes Burnley just didn't look in it at all. It was an unlucky result IMHO. Other than a lack of goals this side doesn't look like the ones that got relegated in 09 and 16 which leaked goals, couldn't score, had players not trying and were generally in disarray.
Did Joselu take the penalty off someone ala Mitro vs PNE or did Rafa actually think it was a good idea to let him take it? To be fair to him as soon as I heard the groan from the crowd when they all realized he was taking the penalty I knew he would miss. Some pressure that like before you've even kicked the ball . Only grumble from last night again was subs (or lack of yesterday) by Rafa - how was Joselu on the pitch for 85 mins? You're 1-0 up at home going into the last 10 mins and we've still got him on the pitch. Surely everyone else would have whipped him off at 70-75 mins or shortly after our goal and put Shelvey/Hayden on and pushed Ayo up top just to get some fresh legs in the midfield if nothing else?
It has to be the managers decision I assume. Same as it was to start Joselu again. Its just bizarre. Rafa got everything right last night except Joselu. Its like he is sat in his office thinking "That is the perfect team. I know I shouldn't play Joselu. Anyone is better. You know what though, **** them all, I'm gonna bury my head and pick him again. Better still I'll make him pen taker. That will teach them." I don't wanna hear excuses about the groans. There were some and it was audible. The point is that everyone knew what was gonna happen. If you'd taken a poll of the fans anyone before the match, I reckon you'd be able to count on your hands who thought it was a good idea for him to take the pens. If Joselu has taken that pen against team instrcutions he should be dropped for the rest of the season for being an utter ****wit. He must know he's **** afterall.
Am I right and thinking that was our first penalty this season and if so Joselu probably got the nod in August
No excuses for him as I think I'm probably one of the more vocal users on here about my disdain for the lad BUT I can imagine what pressure he felt stepping up to take that with all the murmuring etc. but at the end of the day he should have known he shouldn't be taking the penalty and even if he was the designated pen taker passed it on to Ayo, Kenedy, Diame, Merino, Atsu, Yedlin, Dummy, Lacselles, Clark or Darlow. The lad is dogshit and although Slimani wouldn't have been my choice of striker I'll back him as long as he scores goals for us.
Aye maybe. Maybe Rafa had just resigned himself to never getting a penner and forgot all about it. Then one comes up and he furiously checks notes and to his horror sees the name Joselu. Rafa "What the **** is going on here?" "Its a pen boss" please log in to view this image "Who takes them for us? Check the notes" please log in to view this image "Er...well...you went with Joselu" Rafa " Did I ****, we need to stop this, hang on Ref" please log in to view this image please log in to view this image "I SAID ****ING STOP YOU ****" please log in to view this image " Ah for ****s sake" please log in to view this image
Joselu's been given every chance, and last night's horror show should be the final nail. I thought Yedlin and particularly Atsu were terrible as well mind. But our problems lie more with Ashley’s decision to cream off all the Sky money.
Exactly, loans not purchases. If sale called off and Ashley knew at the beginning of January 2018 then why not buy and invest in team. My memory says some of the Sky money paid this month although Google is failing in backing me up on this point. Why was no-one bought? Why do we still appear to be low balling offers to buy? Why was Penfold kicking Feyernoord's "tyres"? If players bought then you would hope that would guarantee some sort of team commitment to survive whereas Kenedy and Slim can simply walk away. Provides for better long term planning. Should also improve the playing squad and the new buyers (Mandy) wouldn't object as supposedly would be Rafa's selections. Our wage bill I would guess has gone down again as more players out than in. Without checking, someone else can, I'm sure that also applied in the Summer transfer window. Despite Fredor's best efforts in claiming the opposite Ashley is still skimping on the "actualities" which don't match up to the "realities". He's not backing Rafa the way he could and promised to do. Yes, difficult window but there are a few teams in the bottom half who bought decent players so obviously not impossible window.
No the auction is in February. You can't spend what you don't have, although Mike did give the greenlight to spend money. Rafa/Charnley just failed to identify players it could be spent on. It can't be helped if Feyenoord are trying to take our eyes out for some average striker. I don't think any of us want us making the same mistake Rafa made when we went down, wasting our money on our players no good to us long term. Rafa has spent all our money. He now has the players he wanted, time to shut up and put up. The loans show an improvement in how we operate to be fair to Rafa/Charnley. They had targets, some loan, some permanent, some a loan if permanent was not entertained. They filled all three slots. Rafa chose to loan out the others which is fair enough if he doesn't think he can use them - Aarons, Mitrovic, Colback, Woodman, Sterry were never going to play. They haven't all season. Saivet has had a couple of games but he will have been agitating to be out too. Its nothing to do with wages. Rafa is simply being fair to players who he has no interest in.
If latest reports are believed to be true they actually wanted closer to £25m for the loon, **** that ****! I'm pleased we didn't even go as high as £20m to be honest, even £15m is pushing it for someone untried in the EPL. You'd be lucky to get a proven EPL goalscorer in his early 20's for less than £30m I reckon. If Mitro does a job for Fulham and we end up getting shot that's the kind of figures we need to be looking at for him in my opinion. He could fail spectacularly of course and be as much value to us as some buttons, paperclips and the fluff out of penfold's belly button !
