We did better than we expected, but it’s hard to take too many positives from another defeat – especially when results around us make it look very likely that we’ll find ourselves in the relegation zone tonight (West Ham currently 2-0 up at Stoke).
The first half was a frustrating one. Arsenal looked composed and comfortable but, as ever, they looked like they could be got at. Merino and Lascelles led by example and tried to get us going, but the lack of quality in our front three was glaringly obvious and painful to watch at times.
Aside from winning headers at both ends of the pitch, Joselu was painfully sloppy and Atsu and Murphy’s final ball let them down on countless occasions. Hayden ‘combative’ but that’s the only thing I can say good about him recently. Saying that, he made more fouls than he did clean tackles. Lejeune was caught out on several occasions in the first half. Getting too tight, on the wrong side, missing his tackle or only half clearing the danger. It was a moment of magic from Ozil but the latter contributed towards their opener. A more convincing header doesn’t allow him that half chance.
In the second half we had spells where we had a go in the last 20, with Merino, Perez and the early addition of Matt Ritchie doing their best to push us forward, but it wasn’t enough. We huffed and puffed, however it was only really from long distance efforts and set pieces where we had any half decent efforts on goal. They were rightfully applauded for their efforts at the full time whistle, but relegation fears have only got bigger today’s results.
Merino looked back to his old self and was our real shining light and we looked better at the back (although Arsenal weren’t anywhere near their best), but today showed once again that the signing of a striker and new number 10 are essential next month. Joselu won so many headers, but that’s about it. He looked so limited with the ball at his feet.
To rub salt into the wounds, Leicester (3-0 at Leicester!) and Huddersfield (4-1 at Watford!) both earned huge wins today, whilst West Ham’s current lead over Stoke mean we’ll be in the relegation zone tonight as it stands.
We put in a good shift and gave it a go, but effort alone won’t be enough to keep us up this season.
Ashley’s sale, Staveley’s arrival and some January signings can’t come quick enough, but for now, let’s focus on three points at West Ham next time out.
After today’s improved display, I am more hopeful we can get a decent result their – we’ll need to.
some sort agreement making takeover closer Rafa involved he says,y/day the 17th ?
Icedog(Quote)
If Rafa leaves there’s no deal ??
Icedog(Quote)
fingers crossed!
funrafa(Quote)
Rafa won’t leave if the owner is changed, even if we relegate again. Trust me.
funrafa(Quote)
Ice, cheers, sounds good, must be more alert to numbers in future .
kimtoon(Quote)
KIM rag must have got a little wind of something?The 17th lol
Icedog(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/amanda-staveley-could-agree-provisional-14052141
Icedog(Quote)
Ice
I think the Chronicle has been reading Eds blog and cobbled up a story using all the information supplied by the itk’s . The itks on there are quite pathetic in that they keep giving the date of the great takeover announcement and when that date passes they give a new date.
Personally ,I really do not believe a takeover will happen this season.
sidekick(Quote)
And right on cue Swansea are leading!
Stuart79(Quote)
you could be right mate,we dealing with jabba,luckly i dont go on eds site,partly because he writes six or seven threads a day,dont know what its like now but couple yrs ago it was all child like aggro
icedog(Quote)
how poor are Everton??Rooney wouldnt get in a Sunday team
icedog(Quote)
Rooney has scored or assisted 10 goals in the PL this season. That is 2 thirds of the total goals the whole Toon squad has managed.
shamrock(Quote)
hes still **** imo mate
icedog(Quote)
Rooney clearly a marmite player, coz I’d have him at the toon in a heartbeat personally.
Sharpy17(Quote)
http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/915818375?-11058:809:1
Wholeheartedly agree with Harper here like. Get a goal scorer and creator in first, then worry about the rest.
Sharpy17(Quote)
He just assisted Sigi as well. Make that 11…
Not even half way through the season and already directly involved in 11 goals in the PL. If we had a player like that we would not be in the position we find ourselves in now..
shamrock(Quote)
And there is his 10th PL goal of the season. Now involved in 12. Toon has only scored 16!
shamrock(Quote)
I wouldn’t mind our **** players being that **** like ?
3rd highest assists in the PL – only Giggs & Fabregas with more.
Highest Man Utd & England scorer.
Not bad going I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good result in the end
Stuart79(Quote)
Can’t say I like Rooney as a person like ?.
To be fair, Fat Sam takes a lot of stick as well, but he’s got Everton back on track – but they are playing decent football too. No route one stuff there. They struggled in the first half but played well in the 2nd.
Mind you, Swansea offered sweet FA. Can’t get the hype around Abrahams personally – he’s so static.
I thought Calvert-Lewin was miles ahead of him tonight.
Sharpy17(Quote)
good result
can’t stand Rooney but he’s still useful
kimtoon(Quote)
Fat sam is a good manager tbf, just arrogant and well dodgy
kimtoon(Quote)
Not bad for a potato ?
shamrock(Quote)
Someone like Rooney would have been perfect for us. I mean an ambitious us. I accept we wouldn’t be able to compete with Everton though and rightly so in this case.
I have a sneaky suspicious we will get something Fromm West Ham. They’ve had their new manager bounce so things might settle down for them. It will be different for them as they will have to attack us too. I also reckon Rafa is reverting back to the solid 4-2-3-1.
Wouldn’t it be very NUFC if we beat City too and stop their run 😀
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu, you been on the vino mate ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Great runs like bad ones always end somewhere 😀
georgio(Quote)
Harsh, Kim. ? But yes you’re right.
Stuart79(Quote)
Wear side jack back to scum,pity just loan as they cannot afford his wages
Icedog(Quote)
That’ll be an interesting reception for him
kimtoon(Quote)
Mark DouglasVerified account
@MsiDouglas
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Rafa wants to make quick move for Danny Ings. But needs budget clarification first. Latest from me on striker targets:
How the hell can he still not know what funds he has, the clubs a joke.
kimtoon(Quote)
Is danny Ings fit? When was the last time he scored a few? I’m a bit worried our seemingly #1 transfer target up front is a guy who has not had a decent scoring run for years and has been injured long term.
shamrock(Quote)
Those two cruciate injuries could well have affected him long term. He’s clearly not impressing Klopp.
georgio(Quote)
Sham – to be fair his #1 target in thr summer was a young kid with no PL experience to speak of – so Ings can’t be much worse.
I think he’s a good player, providing he’s fit – I know he’s made a few sub apps for Lpool.
But of the realistic options available to us in Jan – he would be better than most I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I have a feeling we’ll have two forwards in, one loan and one buy. Ings is just one of them. But Rafa still not knowing the budget?! It seems nobody really cares in the club.
funrafa(Quote)
Danny Ings has a total of 13 PL goals – mainly scored about 2 years ago. He does bot excite me given his injury record. We need players we can rely on, from the off. Waiting for him to get match fit, hoping he can last a run of games and hoping he can score in them is a bit of a stretch given our position.
shamrock(Quote)
Sham – who do you realistically propose?
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m with Sham on this, very dodgy to rely on a perma crock given our position.
Meanwhile, reports palace are after cenk touson, that’ll **** off Ice.
kimtoon(Quote)
‘Tis the season to be merry !
Players that we have are not good enough to keep us in the premiership.
Potential targets for January are injury prone and unexciting.
Potential budget for January very unexciting.
Six weeks ago the bookies were giving our relegation odds as 8/1 and now not one of them will give as much as 2/1.
Oh , the misery!
Nothing to get uptight about because come August we will all be full of optimism at the start of a new season whether we are in the premiership or the championship.
sidekick(Quote)
I think Tosun would choose NUFC over CP personally. But the sticking point would be they would spend the money on the fee – where as under Ashley and without the takeover – we wouldn’t.
That’s why I’m on about realistic options. Ings wouldn’t be my first choice – not by far – but he’s a decent realistic one.
Thinking about it, we will likely be looking at players who want to make national teams for the WC in the summer – but aren’t getting game time at their current clubs.
Players with a reason to play well for a loaning club.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Who the **** do Palace think they are bidding for Tosun???
Icedog(Quote)
Heard clause in contract is holding deal up,if we go down Amanda wants rebate if that happens,320 mil,rebate of 120 mil,to me 200 mil is a good price for club in ccc,of coarse jabba is not having it,wants the 320 mil to walk no claw backs
Icedog(Quote)
Jabba thinks dropping price from 400 mil to 320 is a good deal
Icedog(Quote)
Somebody who has not been injured for 2 years mate.
shamrock(Quote)
Ings had 1 half decent season in the PL then got injured for 2 years – and for some reason people think he will turn up here and save us. Madness. We need somebody that is proven at this level, who is fit and cant get game time at their current club. I reckon there are about 30 or 40 players across Europe in the elite leagues that fit the bill – Ings is not one of them..
shamrock(Quote)
Rafa has asked about Islam Slimani ,better him than Ings imo but would much prefer the Chelsea striker cannot spell his dam name
icedog(Quote)
Well, isn’t that the problem! Rafa shopping at Aldi yet again and we expect him to turn water into wine
Stuart79(Quote)
I sont expect him to sign somebody with no proven track record who has been injured for 2 years.
Ice are you thinking Batshuayi? Would be brilliant on loan.
shamrock(Quote)
SHAM aye thats the lad real good striker wasted at Chelsea
icedog(Quote)
Bristol want wearside jack,would like to think we could do a deal with us taking Flint good back up for us while jack isnt worth two bob
icedog(Quote)
Ice – if either of those are realistic options then yeah I agree – realistic in that they are available and prepared to come to us rather than a higher level of football.
Trouble with Batshuyi is Chelsea have no back up to Morata with Costa leaving – unless they bring someone in. I think Batshuyi would go on loan for the game time as he’d want to make that Belgium squad in the summer.
I could see Slimani leaving coz they have that Inanacho & Ulloa in the squad too – but would be come to us or go abroad.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just to show the complete and utter rudderless ship that Ashley is overseeing, even the players are telling the owner he needs to leave. Hayden has said he needs to sell the club to let it achieve its potential.
Stuart79(Quote)
Maybe it shows a) his budget and b) his options.
But generally I agree about Ings – it’s a risk. But given Rafa is unlikely to have much of a budget (I heard £10m) where else does he look?
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice – I think there should be a clause in the deal, because Jabba has invested so little into the club to ensure he’d be selling a PL club.
I’m pretty sure they will eventually agree – but maybe it will be £70m back so it makes it a £250m rather than £200m.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – it does indeed. But just to clarify, ive never expected wine – just a bit better against the likes of Brighton, Huddersfield and WBA – not 9pts necessarily but 4-6 I think would have been realistic.
Sharpy17(Quote)
What can we do if our attacking players miss chance after chance? That’s what basically happened in them games. That’s about quality that – nothing else.
Stuart79(Quote)
If he only has £10m, we are fooked! He has a guy called Mitrovic sitting around doing naff all, who wants to play and will score goals…
shamrock(Quote)
Not keep selecting the ones missing the chances – go with Gayle or Mitrovic. Still no guarantees, but gives you more of a fighting chance
Sharpy17(Quote)
Watching the Leicester v City game at the mo and City have a young lad called Foden playing for them. He’s just a young lad – 18/19, but he’s a classy young player and good little #10 – he could be one to loan.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Would be worth a go. Although he might be a bit light weight.
I have been told that Mitro is a disgrace in training. That’s why he’s not getting picked and is even dropped from the squad completely on occasions. That kind of fits because why else would Rafa not play him? Just to spite the fans? Just so we get relegated?
Stuart79(Quote)
No mate, I can well believe Mitro being a bit of a mare like. But purely as things stand – as in no better option – and needs must, it doesn’t matter how he trains.
If he gets you goals on the Saturday and keeps you out of trouble then as bitter as it tastes, you drink it down and then look to change it in the window.
If Mitro had scored us 7-8 goals so far and we were sat 12th – 1) Mitrovic would be worth more than he is now 2) there would like be more clubs interested in signing him 3) we would be in a better league position and more attractive to potential signings.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I can also imagine Mitro being a petulant little git and thinking ‘why bother training hard when all I get is 15mins or less in a game that’s already lost’.
I dare bet if he felt more involved and got more game time, his effort in training would improve greatly.
I’m not saying that is right, but you could just imagine it of Mitrovic like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I personally think Mbemba is a far better defender (and gives us better options) than Lejeune, so I won’t be overly impressed if he is sold in Jan like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’d be much more worried about the effect it would have on team morale if Mitro was training like an arsehole and getting picked while Gayle and Joselu train well and get dropped. I don’t think that’s acceptable to be honest. Training would be reduced to a shambolic get together at a bible club.
Stuart79(Quote)
Would Mitro even be training with the 1st team if his attitude was that bad? I know we don’t have many options in the squad – so mayne Rafa feels forced to keep him around. But if he is making the choice to keep Mitro in the squad, he shoud be using him if his other options are not performing. What is the point in having a good trainer if they repeatedly fail to make the grade when it matters? Move them aside and try another option. Like Sharpy said, if Mitro got a run, maybe his attitude in training would change – but if he is banging them in on match day then who cares how he trains? Who cares how the Spanish striker would feel? He has had his chance – and then some – and the talent is not there. He must know that, so he cant complain if he gets dropped for another option.
shamrock(Quote)
There’s more to it Ham meets the eye, Sham. There’s got to be. If Rafa thinks he’d do the biz then he’d pick him wouldn’t it?
Stuart79(Quote)
So Joselu gets upset because he gets dropped. What’s he gona do? Play **** next time he gets a run out? That ship has sailed! We need results yesterday. We don’t have time to worry about feelings.
shamrock(Quote)
Extrapolating that over the entire squad, before long you have training sessions that are useless.
Stuart79(Quote)
Does Rafa know Joslu will do the biz? Because he aint! Mitro is a £12m striker sat around doing naff all.
Josslu 2163 PL minutes. 7 goals. 2 assists. Directly involved in 1 goal every 240 mins.
Mitro 2267 PL minutes. 10 goals. 4 assists. Directly involved in 1 goal every 161 minutes.
Joselu needs almost a whole extra game to contribute to a goal compared to Mitro.
Screw attitude on the training ground. We are going to get relegated. By all means use a reliable gun that shoots blanks in training, but when **** gets real put your shiny blanks firing gun away and get your rusty old musket out with a bayonette attached. Get up close and do some damage. Or die.
8 losses in 9 games is it? 1 point in 21?
shamrock(Quote)
That can be fixed in the transfer windows. Until then use the tools that are available. If we get relegated then whats the point in your values if it gets you shat on by everyone else in the league?
I agree a message needs to be sent, but there is a time and place. When we are losing game after game, we need to use some of our other available assets. Joselu ffs. Why was he signed? Why was Mitro not sold? He made the decision to keep him around – so use him! Keep us up. Keep the takeover on track. Swallow your pride for 5 minutes and then crack the whip in the summer when we have have shiny new owners a future in the PL to look forward to.
shamrock(Quote)
I think morale would be just fine if we are winning games.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Define “winning games” If you mean plural then I don’t believe any of our squad are capable of making such an impact that it would change our fortunes significantly just by them being in the side.
Stuart79(Quote)
This takeover **** is having an effect on fans and team too I reckon, been ***** ever since pcp tabled their bid if you think about it.
kimtoon(Quote)
Lascelles out has been damaging also, maybe Rafa felt he had to jiggle his system to allow for injuries . Now Lascelles is back we look more like early season. We may not of won v Arsenal but we looked ok and with a better forward would of taken at least a point imo.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu – quite simply to take 3 points from our opponents. To score more goals than they do.
That isn’t happening keep picking Joselu, Perez and Diame.
He knows that coz he brought Gayle in – and changed the formation – so he’s clearly not averse to change.
It’s no loose by putting Mitro in as far as I see – 1) he gives us more of an attacking threat and scores goals or 2) he’s horse ****, punches someone in the face and gets sent off.
Option 1 and everyone is happy. Option 2 and Rafa can say, there you go, that’s why!!.
Shelvey has had – well I’ve lost count of how many chances he’s had now to be honest. Would it kill Rafa to use Mitrovic while he’s had no other option.
He’s messed around the the keeper, with midfield, with the #10s and the used Joselu and Gayle. So why not?.
As Ice said earlier, if Mitro was so bad, why keep him in the squad – he dropped Colback out – leave Mitro out and bring a young un in if Mitro is not in your plans.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim – I’m loads happier Lascelles is back. But for me he should be paired with Clark – those 2 look solid together. I’ve not been impressed with Lejeune at all so far personally. He may come good once he settles in, but just now – he’s 4th behind those 2 and Mbemba for me.
Sharpy17(Quote)