Match thread - NUFC v WBA

[Heisen]

Shelvey was just on Britain's Got Talent.

How wild are our Saturday nights?

[bodacious benny]

Shelvey was just on Britain's Got Talent.

How wild are our Saturday nights?

Very

I am out drinking in Birmingham tomorrow afternoon tho, daytime drinking is way better than Friday or Saturday night when all the morons are out and about

[Fonda Trevanion]

Just got in - we got what I expected. 50plus years of supporting and hundreds of times down that period turned up expecting to win but served rubbish - rinse and repeat - will happen forever imo

Best games at SJP always against the better teams never the teams we 'should' beat

[bodacious benny]

Just got in - we got what I expected. 50plus years of supporting and hundreds of times down that period turned up expecting to win but served rubbish - rinse and repeat - will happen forever imo

Best games at SJP always against the better teams never the teams we 'should' beat

Amazing that we have over 40 points when you think we lost to the likes of Leicester, Bournemouth, Everton, Watford and WBA at home, and didn't even beat Swansea when they were playing likely (which all go to illustrate your point). Somewhat disappointing but in a way positive as it's an area that we can realistically look to improve if we invest correctly in the summer and accumulate the points that we 'should' be looking to pick up.

[Fonda Trevanion]

Just got in - we got what I expected. 50plus years of supporting and hundreds of times down that period turned up expecting to win but served rubbish - rinse and repeat - will happen forever imo

Best games at SJP always against the better teams never the teams we 'should' beat

Amazing that we have over 40 points when you think we lost to the likes of Leicester, Bournemouth, Everton, Watford and WBA at home, and didn't even beat Swansea when they were playing likely (which all go to illustrate your point). Somewhat disappointing but in a way positive as it's an area that we can realistically look to improve if we invest correctly in the summer and accumulate the points that we 'should' be looking to pick up.

Sadly it's the Newcastle way and will only change when some rich camel riding arabs spunk billions on a decent team - looked round the stadium today and it was 'bedecked' in Sports Direct shyte - that's why he won't sell imo

[Hjl]

I believe he's in Texas

(The US state rather than the band )

Fair enough, that's commitment though

Yes, i live in Texas now. Everything is 6 hours earlier, so the midday games kick off at 6am still, do what we must, going to watch houston dynamo games is like watching div 1 games back home.

[Heisen]

If we don't invest I honestly think we'll struggle massively next year and be stuck in another relegation battle. Last two games have been proof momemtum and 'spirit' can only get you so far.

We need a new RB and striker (probably two) as a matter of urgency. If Kenedy is gone then a new top class winger is also needed and a top class CM wouldn't go amiss either. I think £100m should be more than enough to cement us comfortably in mid-table/lower top half which tbh is all we can realistically hope for. I feel like each year that goes by will only see the gap between the top 6 and everyone else widen, unless you're willing to spunk £200m every summer.

[Sanchino]

If we don't invest I honestly think we'll struggle massively next year and be stuck in another relegation battle. Last two games have been proof momemtum and 'spirit' can only get you so far.

We need a new RB and striker (probably two) as a matter of urgency. If Kenedy is gone then a new top class winger is also needed and a top class CM wouldn't go amiss either. I think £100m should be more than enough to cement us comfortably in mid-table/lower top half which tbh is all we can realistically hope for. I feel like each year that goes by will only see the gap between the top 6 and everyone else widen, unless you're willing to spunk £200m every summer.

This. Right now we're a lower-half/mid-table team at best but if we had two capable finishers upfront or even ONE we'll be competing for the top-half comfortably and maybe even pushing as dark horses for the top 6 with Rafa we've got a world-class manager but he can only do so much with this team who's spirit, determination and organisation has made up for our lack of genuine quality. We need a RB/LB I don't think Dummet or Yedellin are the long-term answers but are useful back-ups/squad members, Diame's run of form has been amazing but that will only last so long and he's not getting any younger so a upcoming top-class DM would be great to partner with Shevely and of course the most obvious glaring issue is upfront we're void of clinical finishers and a creative/goal scoring/assisting technically adept no.10. So 2 full-backs, 1 midfielder and 2 strikers is a must this summer. Yedelin, Dummet, Diame, Gayle, Perez could be used to free up some space and funds or benched. Hopefully Dubraka and Kenedy sign permanent deals but if Kenedy doesn't then a LW is essential unless Aarons comes back rejuvenated or Murphy takes the mettle. Will be a interesting summer that's for sure.

[enter_tooner]

@I'm over Colo, Gayle has not the attributes for hold up play, and his touch is better than his finishing. I thought we were horrible yesterday. The problem is that we're so used surrendering possession, and working on counters, that when we're supposed to PLAY,we're lost. I believe that now that we're safe, we should concentrate on improving our passing and approach play. I don't have the exact stats, but there's no point being a premiership side, and having a passing accuracy >75%.

[TJR]

We were woeful yesterday. It doesn't matter though. We've done what we needed to do this season and overachieved. I would have been delighted with 17th at the beginning of the season.

The main strength of this side has been togetherness and fighting spirit. They've fought for their lives so I guess it is only natural that that will die off now we've secured survival and have got nothing left to fight.

There are a few areas we need to strengthen in over the summer. We must take up the option to buy Dubravka, especially since the fee is so low. Hopefully we can show some ambition and pay to get Kenedy here permanently. If we don't get Kenedy then we need to bring in a quality winger. We also need at least two strikers, better than what we currently have. Yedlin is the weakest link in the side currently and we could do with an upgrade at RB. Diame has been on great form recently but he's getting on a bit so we could probably do with bringing in a first choice CM as well.

In terms of the starting 11 I'd say we need to bring in at least:

1st choice goalkeeper (Dubravka)
1st choice RB
1st choice winger (Kenedy)
2 1st choice strikers (/1st choice striker and 1st choice number 10)

Then also potentially a 1st choice CM.

I think that would be enough to allow us to progress to a comfortable top 10 side, challenging the top 8.

[Remember Colo]

@I'm over Colo, Gayle has not the attributes for hold up play, and his touch is better than his finishing. I thought we were horrible yesterday. The problem is that we're so used surrendering possession, and working on counters, that when we're supposed to PLAY,we're lost. I believe that now that we're safe, we should concentrate on improving our passing and approach play. I don't have the exact stats, but there's no point being a premiership side, and having a passing accuracy >75%.

Completely agree with you! In the matches we've played well and won, we moved the ball quickly and decisively, but for the matches when those don't come off, or the few best passes aren't finished, it's terrible to watch.

[bodacious benny]

That's been our issue for a while now, even in the Championship we struggled against teams who just sat back and expected us to attack them. I'm sure we'll get some players in summer who are a bit more comfortable and expressive on the ball. This season was only ever about safety, nothing else.

[enter_tooner]

At DM, there's still hope for Merino and Hayden. Their injuries, and the form of Diame hasn't helped them at all this season. But it was their maiden premiership campaign, they have youth on their side, and potential to progress. At GK, if we sign Dubravka, it's farewell for both Elliot and Darlow. Woodman is a good deputy. Among the teams being relegated, we can surely poach a number 3 on the cheap. Yedlin has pace, his attacking is good, but defensively suspect at times. I sincerely believe he is better than Simpson. Leicester won the league with Simpson as first choice right back. He needs someone to challenge him, as does Dummett. We need 2 strikers at least... And a winger if we cannot get Kenedy. If one of the strikers can play no. 10, we would have a very competitive side.

[Colly]

Leicester had Kante, I could've played right back that season and won the league. But I take issue with Yedlin's good attacking. He got an assist the other week but apart from that he's no more productive than Dummett. He should be, but he doesn't use his pace to anywhere near the extent he should, and the number of times he could've put a cross in on Saturday and didn't show huge gaps in his play. Keep as backup, but improvement badly needed because defensively he's naff and his productivity going forward does not outweight that.

Still better than Simpson though, but that's not a high bar.

[TJR]

Leicester had Kante, I could've played right back that season and won the league. But I take issue with Yedlin's good attacking. He got an assist the other week but apart from that he's no more productive than Dummett. He should be, but he doesn't use his pace to anywhere near the extent he should, and the number of times he could've put a cross in on Saturday and didn't show huge gaps in his play. Keep as backup, but improvement badly needed because defensively he's naff and his productivity going forward does not outweight that.

Still better than Simpson though, but that's not a high bar.

This was incredibly frustrating. On multiple occasions he'd do everything right initially. Stand out on the touchline, control the pass well and find himself with loads of space and time to put a decent ball in but just decide not to. Baffling.

It wasn't just Saturday either. He does it regularly.

[Fonda Trevanion]

Yedlin seems frightened to cross a ball so I'm sure it's a training ground issue as he has good pace.

Dummett was astonishingly bad in his positional sense once again. Kenedy showed him up for what he is when he dropped in there second half defended well and still got involved up front.

For how many years now have we needed a pacey left back?

[bodacious benny]

I dunno, was Babayaro quick

[Colly]

Yedlin seems frightened to cross a ball so I'm sure it's a training ground issue as he has good pace.

Dummett was astonishingly bad in his positional sense once again. Kenedy showed him up for what he is when he dropped in there second half defended well and still got involved up front.

For how many years now have we needed a pacey left back?

To be fair Kenedy showed him how to be a winger at fullback when we were chasing a game, plus Ritchie was moved across to give him some cover. And I take massive exception to the "once again", Dummett's defensive positioning is usually spot on.

[enter_tooner]

Is Yedlin afraid to cross, or has he been told not to? He does cross for USA. I believe he won't cross unless we have 2 in the box. Unfortunately, Gayle the most advanced player most of the time. He likes through balls, and is poor competing for crosses. But the other day, with Slimani up front, Yedlin didn't cross much either.

[Remember Colo]

Agree that Yedlin should do more in attack given his pace, but I've actually thought his defending has been a lot better in the second half of the season.