Football

From beyond the grave? Would be a novel approach.

I'm assuming that getting two defenders who can lead and actually defend has helped them out quite a lot

All the rest are zombie managers so it checks out

I'm assuming that getting two defenders who can lead and actually defend has helped them out quite a lot

@jaw Having two central defenders who can play consecutive games without being injured is certainly a boon. As much as I love sir Yerald, he is sadly made of balsa wood. Tarkers is good but big shout out to Coady. Very good player, real professional. Can't believe Wolves let him go.

Nathan patterson, sadly injured :'( has also been a real revelation at right back. Little bit green in his first few games but he was immense against liverpool. Add Gana and Onana to the midfield and we've got a 'decent spine', as you're duty-bound to call it, and certainly get passed through less easily than we used to.

There's also the fact we haven't actually played anyone that great. Arsenal game was cancelled due to Her late Majesty's passing. Now we've got United, Tottenham, Newcastle (that's right, I said it) and Palace (depending on which palace show up). Before a run of 'easier' (quotation marks used advisedly) games. So we'll see the mettle of the side by the end of the month.

Please don't sack Cooper, please don't sack Cooper.

He's going to sack him isn't he?

We are getting worse not better, when we are getting overrun in midfield every week and shipping goals, how is the answer going to a back 4 and playing Awonyi, Johnson, Gibbs-White AND Lingard.

I'm definitely for giving him time, but he seems worryingly out of his depth tactically, at half time we brought on like for like and didn't change the fundimental issue, he seems to think the issue is the picking the right players (and trying to work that out) not the system he's rigidly sticking to, which will make this a very long season.

How much say do you think Cooper had over recruitment? Can’t be easy trying to manage two teams worth of new players.

Benitez linked.

Does bleach come in multi-packs?

Think I have some left over from last season if you need it.

Some, but clearly our Chairmans Son has got involved signing names that are not adding anything too.

We essentially played 4-2-4 last night, so apart from Gibbs-White trying, no-one pressing from front, then playing Kouyate (who has no pace and can't cover ground) with O'Brien in a 2 (thought Lingard should have come off not him last night) giving Madison too much time and space in the middle, it's tactically naive.

We can't play Lingard and Gibbs-White in the same side, Lingard giving the ball away in our own half has contributed to a number of goals now and he doesn't track or press so Gibbs-White has to start.

We need to play 3 in the middle. We can play a front 3, Gibbs-White and Johnson have to be in it, the third person needs to be able to hold up the ball - we haven't signed that player

Renan Lodi looks lightweight and shit at defending Brasil must have a dearth of full backs if he's anywhere near the national team - the games we did well at the start of the season were before he came on loan and Toffolo was in the team and apart from a mistake against Spurs played well, he's obviously not a marquee signing, but is solid and dependable.

Injuries to Niakhate and Mangala haven't helped, Mangala looks like a proper player.

I think we should have gone all out to sign as many of the loans from last year, but clearly decided we could 'upgrade' for similar money. This was a massive error. Zinkernagel and Davis were key to how we played, Zinks was so good off the ball pressing and Davis gave us an outlet because he was so good at hold up allowing us to hit on the counter.

I think I'll actually cry if we bin Steve Cooper for Rafa, but he also needs to give up on his system asap if he wants to keep the job, or we need to get in an experienced coach asap to work with him.

We are getting pumped at home and away, I do think the number of signings are the issue, the first 4 games we looked competitive then we signed a bucket load more players and now have changed the lineup every single game since.

C'mon lads. It's only 6 points you need to find.

Based on the last 4 games that is looking like quite a mountain at the moment!

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/oct/04/david-squires-on-going-to-the-match-2022-ls-lowry

As I'm sat here trying to work out how to get to Coventry on Saturday with a rail strike that all rings pretty true.

I'm heading that direction if you want a lift... we're at home to Luton.

Cheers but there's a few of us. Suspect I may have to drive.

i do hope darwin nunez doesn't turn out to be klopps andy carroll, he didn't look very good last night. rangers keeper made a few decent saves but i bet mane would have buried half of those chances, he struggled to complete a pass to a liverpool player.
he looks like he might be trying too hard. hope he finds his place in the team.

But Liverpool fans said that Nunez was going to score 900 goals a season and that Haaland was a busted flush on the basis of the Charity Shield game?

Napoli looking a serious side this season, battered Ajax in their own backyard. Unbeaten in all competitions, Spaletti doing the business. Interested to see where they are come the pointy end of the season.

Just checking in to say the OG Andy Carroll was excellent last night, Norwich basically gave up competing for headers and picked up the scraps instead... denied a goal by a decent Krul save

Still mad we didn't keep him

Hoping for a loss tonight just so we see the back of Bruce.

Napoil look great and have a v exciting style. I really want them to win the league

Need to take a cabbage. Always works.

Ha. I'd forgotten about that. We had a song about that too.

It's away sadly. Home on Saturday though - if he's still in a job.