Matchday thread - Toon v Citeh

[Colly]

It's a bit of both for me. He's a CB out of position and it's telling, but he's being put in a position to fail

That gets at it for me actually. He's being directed to play so narrow, which consistently leaves him having to pick between the ball and the overlapping run, and he's then left in no man's land. If you're going to play 5 at the back the LWB and LCB have to do better, because they won't get the same cover.

I think that's fair, but you were suggesting he was getting beat on 1:1s, when both goals have seen him face two men. Our big issue (as usual) is communication and anticipation, when we have the ball we're making wrong decisions and without we're just not getting it back. That break from Doku a bit before the first goal came entirely from Longstaff not reading a recovery chest from Botman, probably because he's off his face on painkillers.

Willock having a stinker at both ends sadly.

[bodacious benny]

Pretty much going as expected by the sounds of it, we’re understandably light years away from Man C.

[Valentino's fast feet]

I genuinely think that if everyone was fit and available, we'd be more in this. Heavy favourites against still of course - best team in the world. We are missing our first choice goalkeeper and influential midfielder. I purposely phrase it that way, because same can be said of Man City. We are no where near on that level, and just don't have the capacity to replace such key players. Pope covers at the back as a sweeper mopping up where needs be, and it looks like on evidence he communicates much better with the back line. Joelinton's steel in midfield is a massive, massive miss.

[Don Sholeone]

Whilst we are on the subject Howe can f*** right off with the Longstaff excuses, Option 1: Play Miley, Option 2: Play Hall, Option 3: play Ritchie.

He goes for Option 4: persist with an allegedly injured and vastly underperforming Longstaff and moan we don't have options so he has to play.

[Colly]

I genuinely think that if everyone was fit and available, we'd be more in this. Heavy favourites against still of course - best team in the world. We are missing our first choice goalkeeper and influential midfielder. I purposely phrase it that way, because same can be said of Man City. We are no where near on that level, and just don't have the capacity to replace such key players. Pope covers at the back as a sweeper mopping up where needs be, and it looks like on evidence he communicates much better with the back line. Joelinton's steel in midfield is a massive, massive miss.

If Joelinton's on the pitch there's no way we concede those two goals.

[Don Sholeone]

I think that's clutching at straws a fair bit

[Colly]

They both come from Willock not tracking his man, Joelinton doesn't do that.

[Colly]

At least we aren't Spurs.

[originallad]

Have we won yet?

We're getting there. Very slowly.

[Don Sholeone]

Much better after the subs, Burn and Longstaff well over due a spell on the bench but I have zero faith that Howe makes the right choice for the team unfortunately.

[Colback's Orange Tufts]

Imagine how bad we'd be if Gordon and Bruno were out

[seaside nipper]

I genuinely think that if everyone was fit and available, we'd be more in this. Heavy favourites against still of course - best team in the world. We are missing our first choice goalkeeper and influential midfielder. I purposely phrase it that way, because same can be said of Man City. We are no where near on that level, and just don't have the capacity to replace such key players. Pope covers at the back as a sweeper mopping up where needs be, and it looks like on evidence he communicates much better with the back line. Joelinton's steel in midfield is a massive, massive miss.

Absolutely this.
We have no grunt and functioning defensive midfield whatsoever, Joelintons value to this team and the way we press and play is only amplified by his absence. We are soft soft soft and get played through with ease far too often.

[Don Sholeone]

Sorry but that's a load of bollocks, we have been making these excuses for months, When Botmans back, when Wilsons back, when Willocks back, When Isaks back, etc. feels like people think all we are missing is whoever is currently on the treatment table. Need to get real, we have been dog s*** simple as. Same mistakes from players and the manager week in week out.

Howe and the players have simply not been good enough and we need to stop making up excuses.

[bodacious benny]

I thought we’d lose 4-0 so I’m impressed.

[originallad]

I thought we’d lose 4-0 so I’m impressed.

I'll drink (more) to that

[originallad]

Sorry but that's a load of bollocks, we have been making these excuses for months, When Botmans back, when Wilsons back, when Willocks back, When Isaks back, etc. feels like people think all we are missing is whoever is currently on the treatment table. Need to get real, we have been dog s*** simple as. Same mistakes from players and the manager week in week out.

Howe and the players have simply not been good enough and we need to stop making up excuses.

Have a beer mate. Tomorrow is another day ,

[jpg]

Outcome we all expected. Always feels pointless to draw conclusions after Man City games but season feels like it’s fizzling out already. Can’t decide if Ashworth going is a positive or negative for Howe’s future this summer.

[Slim999]

I must say that I thought after the 4 subs we matched city much better. This was likely partially because they were 2 up & could relax more - but looked more lively with more bite & competition in the middle .
Hall looks impressive and quick . Bruno seems to be a far better prospect when he has 2 or 3 others digging in around him.

I think Eddie should experiment for next phase of the season and fine tune this - he needs to show something if he's to keep his job.

Playing with 3 centre backs & 2 wing backs means we can get 5 or 6 players effectively in midfield & overpower teams.

If the midfield / wing choices next season still include all of Bruno, Joe , Tonali, Willock , Miley , Anderson, Barnes , Gordon ( and Isak if we had another consistent injury free centre forward option) - then I'd say 3-5-2 or ,similar may be our strong suit .and also allows us to rotate players more regularly.

Interesting to see what Edfie does next .

If it's back to 442 with Burn at left back then I'm losing hope

[ALF]

That gets at it for me actually. He's being directed to play so narrow, which consistently leaves him having to pick between the ball and the overlapping run, and he's then left in no man's land. If you're going to play 5 at the back the LWB and LCB have to do better, because they won't get the same cover.

I think that's fair, but you were suggesting he was getting beat on 1:1s, when both goals have seen him face two men. Our big issue (as usual) is communication and anticipation, when we have the ball we're making wrong decisions and without we're just not getting it back. That break from Doku a bit before the first goal came entirely from Longstaff not reading a recovery chest from Botman, probably because he's off his face on painkillers.

Willock having a stinker at both ends sadly.

Not sure you can blame that on Longstaff. I thought it was Schar but it might have been Botman, but they ran onto the ball as if they were going to bring it down so Longstaff started to make the run forward. It was then chested into a nothing space and the CB just moved away from it.

[ALF]

2 goals that were deflections, Willock at fault for both because he wasn't tight enough to his man. It happens. We had some chances. Isak could do no more with his left footed effort. Danny Murphy seems to think he had the whole goal to aim at when the reality was his shot went between 2 defenders. We could have created more but all in all it wasn't bad. City are 38 games unbeaten at home, they keep the ball and keep teams out of the game. They didn't really create too much or cause too many issues for us.