Match thread - NUFC v Burnley

[originallad]

Not much has changed in the table at least. And we played really well. Gutted that we didn't get the win but so glad we didn't lose either.

[Deleted User]

Some people reporting we were offered him as much as ten days ago.

I mentioned earlier, in hindsight it's easy to say we should have taken that deal then, but I feel like people would have been less happy at the time if we'd settled for a loan instead of trying to buy a target, than they are now knowing we didn't manage to buy anyone.

Yeah I guess, I can't help think even though say they weren't linked - it was only ever signed off because of Aaron's and colbacks wages getting moved off the wage bill.

[Valentino's fast feet]

Would we have taken a point and slimani signing before kick off?

No - without points we'll be doomed even before Slimani is fit to play.

This. I'd rather roll the dice to get three and risk the one. I wasn't too optimistic with this fixture, we fail to turn up in must-wins far too often. Joselu was poor even for his specifically low bar. Atsu seemed to have a really off day as well. Kenedy looked bright as well, that curler he had was a great individual effort.

[Deleted User]

Gotta love the chronicle -

we winning until the last ten minutes, we also missed a penalty and we missed a lot of chances and they are asking was it a point gained or 2 dropped?

Morons

[TBC]

Quick thoughts on my way home:

Atsu was dreadful, seems to have lost a load of pace too. He’s struggled massively lately, Murphy needs to start against Palace.

Joselu. f*** sake.

Was Darlow at fault for the goal? Haven’t seen any replays but in real time he seemed to go down too easily, wouldn’t be the first time this season that had he stayed upright he’d have stood a better chance of saving it.

Kenedy played really well and looks a player, can see why Rafa spent so long after him.

Diame my motm - what on Earth has happened to him? Tackling like Kante and pinging balls round like Pirlo!

[UlversToon]

On a positive note that point moved us up to 14th position.

[Mbemba You're a Womble]

Absolutely nothing endears me to this club anymore. Watching games has honestly become a chore. It just hit me after they equalised, that something has finally beaten all the emotion, all the hope, enjoyment and pride out of supporting this club.

Once it went 1-1, I had no emotion, no frustration that they'd scored, no anger that we'd allowed them to get back into the game. No expectation that we could get back in the game.

Couldn't really give a toss if we get Slimani or not. Obviously prefer that we do; but he isn't go to solve too many problems at this club is he?

The one glimmer of anything anymore if Benitez, but If I wake up tomorrow and see that he's has walked away from the club, I don't think I could be further away from caring.

I don't enjoy watching they way we play. I don't enjoy watching any of the players. Kenedy was the first performance I've enjoyed watching in long time. Gone are the days of the frustration over Cabaye leaving, or being pissed off having Ba throw up a stink to leave. Baring Lascelles, who seems decent all round for us, any player in this squad could leave and I couldn't give less of a f***.

Which is led me to be even less inclined to take part in discussion over performances from game to game. Diame played better than before. So what? There's only so many times one can say Joselu is s***. Bringing Murphy on, meh. Should Ritchie have started, over Atsu - negligible difference either way. Yedlin's a bit s***, well so is Manquillo. Should we have played Shelvey, maybe, again little difference it'll make.

Hopefully we stay up, hopefully performances change, hopefully the culture of the club can change.

[Scalabrine]

FFS Joselu.

#BringBackMitro

[ALF]

Our home form has not been anywhere near good enough and it's going to take us down at this rate. For all the talk of a lack of quality, the negative tactics and poor team selections have contributed to it massively. If we go down, it's on the manager as much as anyone.

[Scalabrine]

[Mbemba You're a Womble]

Our home form has not been anywhere near good enough and it's going to take us down at this rate. For all the talk of a lack of quality, the negative tactics and poor team selections have contributed to it massively. If we go down, it's on the manager as much as anyone.

Completely agree.

We're by some way the worst side to watch in the league. Compared to how Swansea have approached and acquitted themselves against Liverpool, and Arsenal recently, we seem a million miles away from playing games like that, let alone getting results.

The squad is void of quality all over, and judging by many performances over the course of the season lacks leadership any winning/give-a-toss mentality.

There was always a very low limited to what Rafa could get out of the team, but there seems a negative acceptance that the players aren't good enough from the get-go. Setting up in a solid hard to play against way is great, and understandable, such reactionary negative approaches against so many teams this season have been beyond the pale. Not really talking about City games here either.

Our main offensive approach is hitting Joselu and winning second balls. Even Burnley, West Brom don't and have never done that to the extent we consistently do; and they have far superior forwards for it. We have seemed one dimensional, and one paced all season. The facts are there that we can't actually defend that well despite setting out to do so so regularly.

Rafa's approach is most defiantly not getting the best out of a bad bunch. It really is just fanning the flames on the burning turd that our squad actually is.

[Chappy]

Joselu

[Slim999]

Not much has changed in the table at least. And we played really well. Gutted that we didn't get the win but so glad we didn't lose either.

Yep Agree. ....I will take the positives tonight. A point against a top half side.

Kenedy looks like some player. Slimani when fit can get us a few goals and bully defences a bit.

We need everyone to be up from this point fwd and need a point a game average to stay up.

I feel Murphy, Lascelles and Perez can all have a good final dozen matches. We need Merino back to his best at home also

It's going to be tight but with West Brom, Stoke, Southampton, Brighton, Huddersfield all looking to be losing ground - I reckon we can scrape through.

[Paco]

Diame was very impressive tonight, Kenedy MotM

[Sanchino]

2 precious points lost. These draws/losses against teams around us (Huddersfield, Brighton, Swansea, Burnley, Bournemouth, etc) will come back to haunt us and if we do get relegated we can't say it hasn't been justified as if we can't beat teams around us in the bottom then that spells relegation. We keep saying every game is MUST win we said this for the Swansea one and now this one but with our dreadful home record our only hope seems to be nicking wins on the road. Out of all our remaining away games Palace, Bournemouth and Watford are all winnable but we have to actually start WINNING as these draws will eventually catch up to us. Out of the remaining home games Southampton, Huddersfield & West Brom are all winnable. So that's 3 home wins & 3 away wins so that leave us on 18 points, so that would be 24 + 18 which is 42 points which is enough to survive plus a few draws here and there from the Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Man United, Leicester & Chelsea games. Even 5 wins + 2/3 draws would do us nicely but we have to WIN.

Can't keep going in front and letting leads slip like this when it could be avoided, every time we take a lead we seem to be so cautious, we fall back and invite unnecessary pressure and Benitez has to take the blame for such a negative and timid approach but at the same time he isn't responsible for putting the ball in the back of the net which Joselu (Benitez has to take the blame also for signing him) finds so hard doing, he is seriously woeful he doesn't offer nothing at all that Mitrovic couldn't do 2x better and thank god Silamni has joined as I couldn't bear myself basking in frustration game after game watching Joselu do s*** all and keep missing sitters which has come back to bite us on various occasions now and made us drop vital points, if we would have gotten Simani before this match we would have won 2 or 3-0 comfortably those type of chances Joselu missed are the type a striker like Simani eats up for breakfast. Only positives today would be Kennedy's first signs are really promising and he looks like a player, good touch, pace, creativity, wicked delivery and looks a genuine threat. Was impressed with Diame's all round game today, passed the ball well spreading it out the wings, keeping it simple in the middle, tackling was excellent, aerially showed dominance and worked hard. I wouldn't say Palace is a MUST win game but it would be nice if we could take all three points in London but if not a draw would do. Please Rafa stop PICKING Joselu. I'll like to see this team against Palace :

Darlow
Yedelin Lascells Clark Manquillo
Diame Merino
Atsu Perez Kennedy
Silmani*

If he's not fit then Perez up top with Shevely / Atsu playing off him and Murphy RW.

[TJR]

Good job we've got Dubravka and Slimani in. Darlow and Joselu were awful tonight. Cost us 3 points between them tonight.

On the plus side Kenedy was tremendous and Diame equally as impressive.

Also worflags display was amazing. Brilliant statement.

[Colly]

I'd never play Atsu on the right hand side again, basically handicapped us from the start. Ritchie starts right, Atsu on for Kenedy around 60-70 mins until he's up to speed. And I'd happily not see Manquillo again.

Diame undoubtedly our MotM tonight, outstanding performance in midfield and fingers crossed Rafa sticks with him and Merino Sunday. Obviously he won't.

[PTAO?]

Quick thoughts on my way home:

Atsu was dreadful, seems to have lost a load of pace too. He’s struggled massively lately, Murphy needs to start against Palace.

Joselu. f*** sake.

Was Darlow at fault for the goal? Haven’t seen any replays but in real time he seemed to go down too easily, wouldn’t be the first time this season that had he stayed upright he’d have stood a better chance of saving it.

Kenedy played really well and looks a player, can see why Rafa spent so long after him.

Diame my motm - what on Earth has happened to him? Tackling like Kante and pinging balls round like Pirlo!

He's so hit and miss. Some games he looks great, others awful.

[TJR]

Quick thoughts on my way home:

Atsu was dreadful, seems to have lost a load of pace too. He’s struggled massively lately, Murphy needs to start against Palace.

Joselu. f*** sake.

Was Darlow at fault for the goal? Haven’t seen any replays but in real time he seemed to go down too easily, wouldn’t be the first time this season that had he stayed upright he’d have stood a better chance of saving it.

Kenedy played really well and looks a player, can see why Rafa spent so long after him.

Diame my motm - what on Earth has happened to him? Tackling like Kante and pinging balls round like Pirlo!

He's so hit and miss. Some games he looks great, others awful.

Yeah he's a strange one. When he actually uses his pace and runs at people he can be good.

Last night he seemed scared to run, he just kept turning backwards and slowing the play down. Murphy was more direct when he came on and that's what we needed.