Matchday thread - Toon v Burnley

[originallad]

Great to see Big Joe back.

[Colly]

Players coming back at exactly the right time, shame about CB. Push on against Brighton and hopefully Palace and Arsenal have done us some favours ahead of the trip to Old Trafford.

Scary what we could have achieved without the injuries and the generally ropey away form.

[UlversToon]

Bloody hell Ritchie, cost us a goal there.

[Colly]

Cost me a Krafth clean sheet more importantly. I'd have had a Barnes assist had he not shot straight at the keeper too. I think I might have fallen out with him.

[bodacious benny]

Unbelievable when you look at our league position and points, 5 points off media wankfest favourite big Ange!

[Colly]

Our season is over though.

[bodacious benny]

Our season is over though.

Howe oot

[beatski]

Poor pen that

Watching MOTD I'd say it's clever goalkeeping. When taking pens, isak waits til the last second for the keeper to commit then puts it the other way. The keeper (I assume having researched this) feints to go one way then dives the other

[Don Sholeone]

Hoping we can finally put a bit of consistency together for this run in, if Spurs and Man Utd s*** their pants there's a chance of 5th if we can put the results in that we know we are capable of.

The amount of goals we have put up this season is amazing, it's just been let down by some utter s**** at the back all season, I think on the whole we have still conceded more this season than we gained on last season's goals scored.

As for Howe I'm hoping this is a bit of a wake up call with regards to changing things and trying out new systems, I've not been able to see many games recently but judging from some of the team sheets it looks like we have maybe modified the system in parts as players have come back.

Also past few games feel like we have been more balanced and solid at the back, Hall seems to improve that LB slot and Burn now having a good run of form in his natural position. Again I'm just hope Howe recognises the impact this has potentially had on the team and continues playing our defenders in their best positions rather than shoehorning at LB and leaving out some clearly talented players for as long as he has.

I've criticised Howe a fair bit this season and it's for his adaptability and unwillingness to change at times, so hopefully he's turning a corner on that front, biggest points to address for me is that LB situation and how he handles the midfield next season too, this i think is a big reason we have conceded more this year. I'll still be narked if we have all our players back fit and I see Burn straight back in at LB and Longstaff as one of the first CM on the team sheet.

[Colly]

Let's not forget though that the shoehorned LB was part of the joint meanest defence in the league last season. Dan Burn hasn't become a bad LB overnight, and a lot of goals conceded are a combination of the absurd amount of forced rotation at the back, a lack of protection from the midfield (that press isn't the same without Joelinton) and the fact that Botman was clearly playing injured for months.

Even with all that we've still only conceded a handful more than Villa, Spurs and Man Utd around us and our goal difference is miles better (thanks Sheffield Utd). For all the "we've been rubbish" our home form for the first 4 months was outstanding, and we've put decent runs together around some ropey away performances. To do that with half the team injured pretty much constantly is a ridiculous achievement. I don't think 4th is feasible, but if we did I'd be giving Howe manager of the season.

[Don Sholeone]

Burn was completely found out this year and it's been clear to see in many games, last season is last season, we can only judge the now and he was getting shredded almost weekly at LB.

I don't agree on the Joelinton injury for the pressing issues and protecting the back, I think since the beginning of the season it was clear there was a lesser degree of intensity & pressing play, our midfield especially had looked poor since pre season imo, this was with all but Willock available. Even with Tonali, the midfield just didn't look that great, I also think Joelinton wasn't at his best before his injury issues too.

I think a lot of the issues arise from Bruno wanting to play less of a defensive role, Tonali in some way was the wrong type of player to bring in at the time imo. Some of that is now in hindsight, I think a proper CDM is vital in the summer to address the midfield issues we have, that would allow both Bruno and Tonali to flourish and give us that proper defensive cover too.

In a way I think our midfield probably suffers from too much versatility, too many players are expected to cover multiple specialist roles and at times it's too much, even for someone of Bruno's ability.

[Slim999]

Interesting that there were a few comments last week about Murphy being useless - and here we saw is speed and decisiveness in finding players in the box.

Hes defo a step up on Almiron imo

We need to keep him

[Colly]

Burn was completely found out this year and it's been clear to see in many games, last season is last season, we can only judge the now and he was getting shredded almost weekly at LB.

Disagree with this completely. A handful of errors maybe, but massively overstated and far fewer gamebreakers than Trippier.

[Colly]

Interesting that there were a few comments last week about Murphy being useless - and here we saw is speed and decisiveness in finding players in the box.

Hes defo a step up on Almiron imo

We need to keep him

Even when we were s*** he was productive in terms of goals and assists, like a less flashy Andros Townsend. I do think he's a handy impact sub, even if it's at fullback.

[bodacious benny]

I was thinking this earlier about Murphy strangely, if you offered my Murphy or £90m Antony, I’d pick Murphy every day. Yes he doesn’t always do it, but he has clearly shown improvement over the last couple of years, seems like a total pro, never complains, does a job when called upon, and seems good for the dressing room. Can definitely do a job in the squad going forward.

[Don Sholeone]

Murphy is ok for the squad, like Longstaff I feel they both need to be playing at 110% just to keep up with the first team, when they both dip they both look very average and become the weak links imo.

I'd probably keep Murphy over Almiron this summer but that RW definitely needs a proper upgrade.

Longstaff I'd only keep if we don't get a CDM this summer, but if a another mid comes in then he would be the one to make way for me.

I know some of it sounds harsh but if the club is going to where it wants to be then there just isn't much room for sentiment and these guys become the obvious choices for me.

[bodacious benny]

Agree that they need to be at their best more often than not, but we’re a long way from being in a position where we can have to XIs packed full of top top players, so it’s important to have a Murphy type player. Plus he’ll be more than good enough for the early rounds of the europa or conference league next season. Longstaff I think was never meant to play this much football, but due to Tonali, Joelinton, Willock and Anderson missing big parts (or all) of the season we’ve relied heavily on him. He’s a definite keep for me for the next year or so while we grow.

[Don Sholeone]

I'd say we are only 2 first team players short of really having a go at top 4 again and to challenge in europa. I think it's more than possible to improve RW and CDM positions this summer. Then I think next year we look at another forward (looks like Howe wants Wilson to stay next season at the least) and then a GK.

Defence should be ok if we can get both Tosin and Kelly in for free.

[bodacious benny]

I think this squad would easily be where Villa are had it not been for incredible bad luck / bad management of injuries. But a quality right winger and those defensive reinforcements as you say would put us in a very strong position for next year I think.

[beatski]

I'd say we are only 2 first team players short of really having a go at top 4 again and to challenge in europa. I think it's more than possible to improve RW and CDM positions this summer. Then I think next year we look at another forward (looks like Howe wants Wilson to stay next season at the least) and then a GK.

Defence should be ok if we can get both Tosin and Kelly in for free.

I was all in on Kelly on a free unitl someone pointed out his injury record

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lloyd-k ... ler/480116

On summer signings, RW is definitely my top priority if everyone is fit anyway. but as they're not, we need at least one CB in, which helps the need to be planning to replace Lascelles, Burn and Schar in the medium to long term as well as they're all around the same age and it wouldnt be a good idea to replace them all at once.

Could maybe do with a third choice striker anyway provided we've got the funds (Armstrong , mind give it a season and we could pick him up on a free).

Definitely need a GK that can play the sweeper role as well (and i can see Dubravka wanting to leave too), whether that's a straight second choice keeper, a young second choice keeper with one eye on replacing Pope eventually, or a first team upgrade. However with the latter we'll be in the same position with Pope as we are with Dubravka now.