Don't think you need to rally fella. We did alright. Hopefully some new signings coming in the next few days. No game till the 12th now. Break has come at a good time. Just waiting for things off the pitch to get sorted so we can get our final squad together with plenty of time till the next game.
Reasons to be cheerful......several on today's showing, a good time for a break and regroup, get some in/return to fitness and we go again. I was unconvinced by Moyes appointment, probably more gutted by Sam going, but I'm beginning to think we should be Ok this time around.
today i tawt i taw a footy team, as plain as plain could be. i dd i taw a footy team for all the world to see after this footy break and a few more signings in we be in them charts not like them tarts from NE1 YOU SEE thank you very much, the collection box will be passed round now please give generously.
For the last half hour of the 1st half, we looked like a mid table team. We were all over Southampton after their first 15 minutes of pressure, and I thought that half time helped Southampton more than us - for us it came at the wrong time. A massive reason why we didn't take advantage of this was Gooch, who I thought was a good player, but his final ball is terrible. Defoe played into some good positons, but Gooch's decisions were terrible, or his final ball went the wrong way or with the wrong balance. But he is young, he will learn with experience. Defoe was unlucky when he tripped himself up I think, but if his first touch had brought that ball under control we would have been 1-0 up before the HT whistle. Javi looks good, for his first game with 1 training sesh under his belt, he looks the real deal. His touch on the byline to bring a terrible pass under control was excellent, and he liked to get forward. Let's not forget he doesn't speak English, so he would haven't had been able to communicate properly either. Kone had the best chance with a wide header which should have been put away, and Borini should have had a penna in the same instant with a blatant push in the back. Ref's need to be consistent with this, as one ref gave it during Stoke, yet in Liverpool's game Tottenham blatantly fouled a Pool player and nothing was given. Borini did well this half I thought, got himself about drawing plenty of fouls, but with no Khazri we looked limp with set pieces. 2nd half, we started strongly, but faded, which invited SH into the game. Pickford was called on a few times to make some good saves, especially one that took a deflection with some wicked spin. Borini's free kick...well, if you haven't seen it, Youtube it. Terrible and laughable at the same time. **** sake Fabio. If he's out for a while, it will be a big loss imo, and a stupid one at that. Kone and Djilobodji looked much better this half, although there were some mistakes prior to the goal. BUT it looks like a good partnership could be here. Just need to keep Kone. Badly. Our season will hinge on this imo. Defoe's penna was stuck ****ing beautifully, and my man love for him grows stronger each game. Hands off fellas. Pickford at the other end should have saved the goal, was a top spin heavy ball that went under him, but he did a cracking job, and have to hope this doesn't affect him. Bodji and Kone should have done better here and closed down Rodriguez, who coincidentally got his first goal in 2-1/2 years... only at Sunderland. We looked good, but the loss of Pienaar and Borini, coupled with bringing on Love (not sure why he was brought on tbh) invited SH back into the game. We desperately need a solid midfield, and with Pienaar, Kirchoff, lesser extent Catts, and hopefully M'villa and Iborra to come in, we could be good. The back 4 look good, and with more time they will be be a solid unit (if Kone stays). IMO this season could be much better if we get some solid midfield in, and keep Kone.
Such a strange signing IMO. Does Rafa not rate Mitrovic or something? Back to the OP: Plenty to be cheerful about, we're only 3 games into the season FFS!!
I watched the game on Wiz yesterday although it kept freezing and I had to stop and start it all the way through. The commentators kept criticising out CB pair saying they were leaving gaps all the time. That's not what I'm getting from our comments. Once gelled we should have a decent back line and if we do get a goalie in HD should be back up to Pickford. All goalies make mistakes so he shouldn't dwell on his. Otherwise he had a pretty good game. Even if we got Hart, which I don't want, JP should be the first choice. I think a draw was the fair result yesterday and, apart from the strange decision to bring on Love yesterday, DM got it right.
Can you imagine the reaction on here, if we spunked 10 million quid on Daryl Murphy and DeAndre Yedlin