It wasn’t pretty at times, with the wind swirling around on the south-coast, but it was a game we deserved something from – and a late Matt Ritchie strike gave us exactly that.
On reflection, it was a game Rafa may be frustrated not to have won given we went in at the break 0-1 up, courtesy of a perfectly placed free kick from Rondon (his 10th goal of the season), but it’s a great point in the end.
The penalty conceded was soft and King’s second was avoidable, but it was another game where our never say die attitude was on display for all to see once again – whether it be Dummett clearing off the line or our relentless pressure late on resulting in Ritchie’s last gasp equaliser:
Dummett was our man of the match for me, defending superbly throughout, Lejeune showed his class on the ball, Fernandez didn’t struggle in the main but was arguably at fault for both goals and both Diame and Hayden did a solid job in the middle – even if we did miss the ball player to create that link between midfield and attack. Almiron and Perez were a little quiet, but their movement allowed Ritchie and Yedlin to have some joy down the flanks
Here’s how the table looks after today’s results:
Elsewhere there was only two other games today, with Burnley in the last minute at home to Leicester and Huddersfield surrendering a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 at West Ham.
Here’s our next 5 fixtures, with us facing a trip to the Emirates two weeks on Monday, followed by a Arsenal away on the 1st April following the international break:
- Arsenal (A)
- Palace (H)
- Leicester (A)
- Southampton (H)
- Brighton (A)
A good point and one that takes us into the international break 7 points clear (practically 8 with goal difference factored in) of Cardiff in third bottom.
Was Pickford actually EVER any good? When Sunderland were relegated they let in 69 goals FFS. Some said they would have conceded 100 if not for Pickford. But would they? He was a good shot stopper and that would give him good Youtube clips video. I didn’t watch many of their games but he was like he is now, tentative on crosses and made a few basic errors. All of this was hidden by the shotstopping highlight reel saves and his trademark 60 yard kicks upfield.
There is no hiding now, but as usual, the pundits will not say it until it is too late. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes he makes for Everton he is entrenched as England’s number 1 until, inevitably, he makes a calamitous error in an important game.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Dummett is on the bench for Wales. Good for us, but I find it hard to believe that they have a better left back and central defender than Dummett. Has Giggs watched any NUFC games in the last couple of years? Why doesn’t he have a word with Rafa? Maybe he has and Rafa said Paul wasn’t fit enough for 2 games in 4 days?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
He’s **** mate, needs more to his game than shot stopping , he believes in his own hype too, never a good thing .
kimtoon(Quote)
So Schars tongue was stuck down his throat whilst he lay unconscious and opposition player Ananidze had to free it. And they still let him play on 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
Ryder did an article on how players who left in the summer are doing. He didn’t give much insight (surprise) but gave some stats. It is difficult to say whether they have found their level or maybe deserved a little bit more time.
Ivan Toney is at Peterboro in League 1 and has 19 goals. With that sort of return you would expect him to be playing in The Championship next year.
Adam Armstrong. According to Ryder is playing well on the wing and has 8 goals from there. Was Championship player of the month in January. I am not saying it was a mistake, but maybe he deserved another loan? And then we might have got a bigger fee?
Jack Colback. Seems to be doing well at Forest on loan but fell out with Rafa and there is no road back. I always thought that Colback was top 6 Championship/bottom 6 PL standard in terms of his ability and definitely the effort he puts in. He just gives away cheap fouls on the edge of the box which makes him a liability so I won’t be sad to see him leave.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Why wouldn’t we make any loans to the Mackems? Our players wouldn’t even have to move digs. I have heard that way back when there used to be transfers between the 2 clubs (and Lee Clark 🙂 ). But if the players aren’t Geordies I don’t see why we wouldn’t help them out when they are down on their luck.
One of their Chancer owners said some disparaging things about NUFC but he would sharp change his tune if we helped out his cause.
It is actually quite funny when the Mackems make fun of NUFC when they are in the situation they are. How can they have such little self-awareness? I a not just talking about League 1, I am talking their financial situation.
And if they don’t get promoted the Chancer might be gone anyway. Ellis Short has a lien on the parachute payment whether they get promoted or not. I wonder if his generosity would extend to writing that off so they could stay in business? Bolton are close to the abyss so it is not beyond possibility that The Mackems could go into Administration.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Everton have let in 42 goals this season and are 11th. That seems about the right level for Pickford and it is hard to bump him with his main competition being at Burnley and Stoke. For comparison we have conceded 40.
But the stat that stands out is that Burnley have let in 59. Mostly on Joe Hart’s watch but their form hasn’t been that great under Heaton recently. If they go down it will mean the 2 England backups in The Championship. It is better to be lucky than good Jordan!
Another thing is that Hart’s fall from grace shows what can happen. I think he was OK at one time but his confidence is shot and the pundits had him top 5 in the world at one point. I have said it many times, but they are sheep and never speak out until it is as plain as the nose on Phil Thomson’s face that something is amiss.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I read a bit about Brexit but not living in the UK it is not in my face the whole time. I am sure this has been said many times but this is my take on it.
Cameron is a pompous overconfident fool who overplayed his hand and should have insisted on a two thirds majority to leave.
The media then overplayed their cards and made it look like the vote to remain was a slam dunk.
So, I am sure that there was a protest vote for Leave and also a lot of Remains didn’t bother to vote.
If there is a second vote, I am sure it would be overturned so I have no idea what Theresa May is playing at. Her own political games? But after this total mishandling of the situation she will go down as one of the worst “leaders” of all time, along with Chamberlain.
Sorry to bring politics onto a football blog but nobody else (kimtoon exceped) is writing anything 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am absolutely sick of seeing articles on Spurs’ new stadium. I did learn something though. Spurs are expecting an extra 50 million a year from the new stadium (100 million, up from 50 million). The maths doesn’t add up in the short term and they will have no money for new players and are totally dependent on The Champions League which they are far from guaranteed to qualify for. I think they are in danger of dropping out of the top 6.
Some easy Maths: Stadium cost 1 billion and lets say the interest rate on a loan is 8% which means 80 million a year. But that isn’t paying off the loan. You would probably have to double that to pay it off on a 15 year mortgage. So, in the short term the stadium will cost them about 100 million a year compared to keeping the old one.
Where will that come from if they don’t get extra revenue? Player sales and not buying replacements.
They have a massive advantage in the long run by being in London but I think they will end up like Arsenal who won nothing in the 10 years after they built their ground. There is more competition now and Arsenal’s stadium cost 400 million so Spurs may even be worse off.
In all of the fawning in the press about a craft beer brewery and Michelin starred chefs in the restaurants I haven’t seen anybody actually look at the numbers and what they may mean if Spurs lose Kane, Poch and European football. All highly possible and maybe probable.
Another w@nkfest from the London based press over a London team.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And football isn’t like American sports which last 3 and a half hours and have delays built in. Yer average punter is not going to turn up an hour early to pay 10 quid a pint and they are not going to be standing at the bar whilst the game is going on which can happen at American sports because the action is so slow and interrupted.
I have been to many American sports stadia and the experience is much different. More women and families for one thing and a lot of “fans” more interested in selfies than the game. It just doesn’t translate to football, whatever Levy thinks.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
When Arsenal finished Ashburton Grove I said on another blog that it would hold them back for 10 years. It has, but they have also let a lot of upstarts catch up as well. They are generating a fortune now but there is a lot more competition.
Imagine what might have been? We had a headstart with a completed ground and could have made some improvements at not a lot of cost. Now the gate receipts are but a small fraction of total income. I think ours is about 20%.
Spurs WAS 20% ish at White Hart Lane. Now it will be nearer 30 or 35%. But if they do not qualify for the CL League they may as well have not built it because it will not make up for that lost revenue.
I really think there is a chance they will fall out of the top 6 in the short term because their whole model is built on Champions League.
The only alternative is to sell the club to someone with even deeper pockets and less scruples. That may have been the plan all along.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Am i the only one who thinks Schar playing on after falling unconscious and his tongue having to be pulled from his throat is outrageous ?
The coach, player and especially the medics are all equally to blame. Are there not rules that say you cannot play on if knocked unconscious ? I seem to remember Mitro not being allowed to play on after a similar incident with us.
What if his head injury is a slow burner ( there is a condition docs call dead man walking where you recover from a head blow then later drop dead from it ) Or maybe a second head blow causes further damage due to the original.
Such disregard for his health, and i include Schar in that, is reprehensible imo.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim
Totally Agree
PremAndUp(Quote)
Kim – yeah I also think it’s outrageous. He went on to set up both goals ? but for his own safety and well being, should not have been on the pitch to do so.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ridiculous situation. Don’t they have a team doctor? He should have been taken to hospital for checks immediately.
georgio(Quote)
Perhaps Woodman will improve but from what I have seen in the England U21s and NUFC he will need to. It may be telling that his Dad leads the queue of those interested. He is 22 as well. Not old for a Goalie but he should have the basics down by now such as positional sense and doesn’t seem to.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And who that was any good have we let go who didn’t insist on leaving because of relegation or contract situations? Cabaye went to PSG. Ba was a contract clause.
I can think of Thauvin who was homesick and maybe not suited to the PL and maybe Mbabu. Any others?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Didn’t merino want to return home?
PremAndUp(Quote)
Prem: Merino had a release clause as well. Most of the players that have left were not wanted or wanted out for various reasons. Relegation played a big part.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
May as well predict the Arsenal team. They are very good at home so I see 2 defensive mids for us and Lascelles back. Diame has 2 more games to trigger a 1 year extension so he will start in this pretty much throw-away game. I have the same feeling that I had against City that we have nothing to lose, not even goal difference as we are almost safe and Cardiff and Burnley are much worse. So,
Dubravka
Yedlin Lejeune Lascelles Dummett Ritchie
Hayden Diame
Perez Rondon Almiron
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I haven’t fully written Woodman off and he must have been nervous in his 3 starts for us. I also saw him in 2 U21 games and his positioning and distribution were terrible. I just don’t see what the hype is about and the fact that he is now 3rd choice for club and U21s shows he may not be as good as advertised. Of course it could also prove that he needed the loan experience. I will go with the former and say he will never be a full-time PL Goalie.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Woodmen can go for me i dont rate him if fact maybe the keeper coach needs his **** kicked as for me hes gone backwards or maybe be he thinks he is better than he is and its gone to his heed,imo will never be PL standard
icedog(Quote)
sorry ERIC seems you and me think alike
icedog(Quote)
That’s OK Ice. I would be more worried if you had said he was the next Gordon Banks. I had watched a few of these U17 and U19 tournaments to see our players – specifically Woodman and Armstrong. I came away seeing that ours were not as good as young’uns from other teams, specifically Foden and a Chelsea lad who I forgot the name of. Turns out it was Hudson-Odio. And another from Wolves who I still can’t recall.
Anyway, it made me think Woodman wasn’t all he was cracked up to be.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Tammy Abraham played as well and he was OK, but there were better. He is doing OK in The Championship but I am still not sure he will cut it in the PL. It is really hard to tell. Origi, Abraham, Iganaechi, Solanke, Ibe were all hyped to the hilt and have yet to show much. All are still young but all cost/are rated at 20 million and you still don’t know what you are getting.
Look at Kenedy. We all thought he was class last year and another that was probably rated 20 million. Now what? Has the money gone to his head? Homesick for Barazil? Homesick for London? Who knows, but at the moment I would rather play Atsu than Kenedy.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Inclined to agree re Freddy, just seems to of stagnated .
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, i suppose it’s possible that Kenedy needs to feel settled at a club, wanted even. There is a good player in there, we have seen that. Maybe he’s a confidence player .
kimtoon(Quote)
Rondon is key for me, simply have to sign him up.
kimtoon(Quote)
agree 100% mate its a must for me he helps so many players in ways fans dont see imo
icedog(Quote)
Agree with Kim and Ice on Rondon. Essential unless we’re spending £40m on some other similar type.
Don’t rate Woodman at all.
There’s something not right between Kenedy’s ears. He’s really talented but rarely does the best thing.
georgio(Quote)
OK then Olly. Mooy. Good player but Huddersfield would want 20 million and he is 28. I think Rafa will not pick the older age player fight with Ashley for Mooy and will save it for a striker. I don’t think he offers a significant upgrade and may as well keep what we have. He would be competing with Longstaff and I would rather see Sean given another run.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My opinion on our current midfield:
Longstaff: just signed a new contract and looks like he will be 1st or second choice.
Diame: Looks like Rafa will play him enough to trigger the 1 year extension. Probably be the backup defensive mid.
Hayden: his family situation seems like it is a bit better with his kid only needing checkups now. I think we will offer him a new contract and if he is in or close to the first team I think he would be wise to sign it. The teams mentioned where he might go are all a step down.
Shelvey: has all of the talent in the world. We haven’t really seen him much with the new look front 3 or back 3. Without his long term injury, spared his defensive duties and with someone to pass to we will see a reenergized Jonjo. If West Ham offered 25 million or thereabouts I am not sure we would say no though. I am sure we will see him in the last 7 games.
Ki: he is 30 and will have 1 year left on his deal. I see him very much like Diame as a backup.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
On Shelvey again. I am not sure about the argument that he would jump at the chance to move to London. The lad moved to Liverpool when he was 17, then Swansea, then us. I doubt he even thinks much about the mates he grew up with. Maybe has a pint or 2 with them when he sees his parents? A lot of the young footballers seem to hang out with each other as well as they spend as much time with the academies with friends in the same situation as they do at School.
Rafa can fit Shelvey into a Rafa team so I don’t see the rush to sell him. He has the same skillset as Xabi Alonso although Alonso was better.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Actually, we have OK options in central midfield now if Hayden maintains his form and Longstaff pushes on.
But if we did lose Shelvey and Hayden then we will get 30-35 million for them combined. We could get 1 very good player for that sort of money, so if the Fatman does the right thing I don’t see much of a problem whatever happens.
BUT IT WON”T BE MOOY!!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So, Ryder does a 9 question Q and A and I learnt F-all.
His answer to whether the accounts due the end of this month would be delayed was – they were last year. Lee, mate. That’s a bit of an open ended question that would allow a normal journalist to say that there has been a lot more money coming in that has not been spent. The logical conclusion would be that Ashley is paying back his loan. Especially since he used an overdraft to buy Almiron. But what happens next? Will the manager be allowed to use the excess funds which are obviously being generated or is Ashley fattening NUFC up for a quick sale (we are still on the market).
Lee Ryder is probably the worst “journalist” in the history of journalism. And I include John Cross at the Mirror in this assessment.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t follow politics that much anymore but I will say that Theresa May is a daft cow who has everything backwards (I doubt I am not the one to say this first either):
She said she will step down for Party and Country.
THAT IS BACKWARDS YOU STUPID B!TCH.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Think Harker might be a better prospect between the sticks.
Groucho(Quote)
Blackmail mate, and JRM AND Boris cave in, especially boris who has his eye on the prize of PM job.
If they thought it was a bad deal ( and it is ) twice before, then why does her resigning make it any better.
The deal is awful, no deal is an horrendous prospect, i’m already having massive problems getting lews epilepsy meds and we haven’t even left yet ! And the shelves are constantly bare in Asda cause folk are bloody stockpiling stuff 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
So, The Daily hateMAIL have their 7th article on Tottenham’s new stadium/spaceship this week. If Spurs have a Kardashian and Theresa May running the line then you just about have all of the Mail’s “news” covered.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have only read one article on the Spurs stadium as I am not really that interested apart from seeing how they think they are going to get football supporters into the bar during a game to spend 10 quid a pint. Football is not like the stop-starty NFL. What I want to know is why the papers are so interested in it? I mean, who really cares.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kimtoon: I have tried to figure out what is going on with Brexit. I’ve read a quite a few recent articles in The Guardian and have sort of followed it from afar – I am still a British Citizen. Seriously though, I really don’t know what is going on. I’ve tried, but I don’t know the position of Theresa May. She seems to be putting Party before Country but only achieving fracturing her party. Do you/we really want another flouncy Eton boy? Cameron is to blame for this mess and Boris is even worse than him.
Blair was even worse. How can you lot elect such power hungry cretins.
Doh!!!!!! Trump 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric they are all bloody crooks mate, not one of em could lie straight in bed.
kimtoon(Quote)
Why do the papers (Chronic) just repeat stupid stories that are clearly made up by a players agent? Dubravka to Arsenal to play second fiddle to Bernd Leno who cost them 25 million Euros? Obviously his Agent wants a new contract but do any of us think Arsenal would spend another 20 million on a goalie to sit on their bench?
I think we need another article from Mark Douglas saying The Chronic don’t do clickbait.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have searched high and low, and I am shocked, shocked I tell you, that the Checkatrade Trophy is not being televised in the US. My Sunday will not be complete without watching 2 Third Division (League 1) teams competing for a meaningless trophy after playing against bigger clubs’ reserve sides.
If Sunderland lose will it allow them to concentrate on the league?
I think Pards won the LD Vans Trophy which was a forerunner to The Checkatrade.
Actually, I think NUFC won the Intertoto Cup. Whatever that was.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So, Sky and Skybet have finally admitted that it might not have been a good idea to have Merson, an admitted gambling addict, advise on gambling. I always found it strange that they had him giving gambling tips on PL games and would normally do a reverse Merse and think whatever he said for NUFC would not happen.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/29/sky-bet-criticised-for-featuring-gambling-addict-paul-merson-in-adverts
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The link above for Skybet is certainly not one for “The Ladies”. Could they have picked an uglier bunch of ex-footballers?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Hi Guys,
Unfortunately we’re having troubling logging into our accounts on the blog so can’t write or post any articles.
Thought I’d let you know incase you were wondering where the Arsenal preview / opposition opinion pieces were. Was planning to write both yesterday but logins haven’t been working since Thursday night.
Hopefully it gets working again before Monday night’s game!
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
you can only do what you can do mate
icedog(Quote)
Just watched Fulham v Man City.
I know City are one of the best teams in the world at the moment, but Fulham were absolutely awful.
All that money spent in the summer and I really couldn’t see any real quality in any area.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Here Olly, I will write a preview for you:
Arsenal have a great home record and have two of the best strikers in the league in Aubamayang and Lacazette. We are 15/2 to win so the bookies don’t fancy us. I don’t either, but we have nothing to lose and a defeat won’t really set us that far back as we are 99% certain to stay up. We can take some hope from the Man City game though as nobody thought we would win that one either.
Every pundit and their brother is going for an Arsenal win so I am going for a 2-2 draw with Almiron getting his first goal.
Team will be:
Dubravka
Yedlin Lejeune Lascelles Dummett Ritchie
Hayden Diame
Perez Rondon Almiron
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So that’s Fulham relegated then. And looking like Cardiff to join them as results stand.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Why have i got a massive advert behind the thread, it’s really off putting and the site is littered with ads too. 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
And Zaha gets another pen
kimtoon(Quote)
I think we can safely say the results haven’t really gone for us today…
Huddersfield relegates of results stay the same, Fulham not far behind and Cardiff thankfully playing Chelsea. Although I have to say, I wouldn’t particularly trust Chelsea to beat them tomorrow. I also don’t expect us to beat Arsenal.
Could it all get a bit tight before we pull away…?
Stuart79(Quote)
That’s 20 for Palace since we were promoted.
4 for us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
No question it will SEEM tight and some on Ed’s and The Chronic will get worried. No fears though mate. We are safe.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, 20 ! that’s mental .
kimtoon(Quote)
True though Kimtoon!
Same as us just having 4.
Burnley 2 FFS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kimtoon: it is sort of mad mate.
10 penalties a year!
We only scored 39 goals last year so Palace would have got a quarter of ours through penalties.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think of our remaining fixtures there is a realistic possibility of 12pts. However, even if we only get half of that, we are safe. I think even quarter of that and we will be safe.
I am also very confident that Rafa will sign a new deal and stay … however I’m also pretty confident that Ashley will balls that up by not keeping to assurances he gave to make it happen.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just watched WH v Everton.
WH are an absolute enigma. They looked like a team today that have achieved 40pts and survival in the PL and have stopped playing.
If it’s not that, then I wonder if certain clubs have a ceiling to their success – and regardless of what’s done, they will never go beyond that. I felt that with both clubs today. WH have had some serious money invested in them. They have a top manager and a top stadium – but will they ever be more than just a mid table team?!.
Likewise Everton – serious money pumped in, top players (on paper) and the manager they were desperate to get – yet the best they are likely to get is maybe 8-9th.
Sharpy17(Quote)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/03/30/revealed-mike-ashley-racked-500m-black-hole-botched-high-street/
Shane he doesn’t like taking a punt like these at NUFC… He’d get a better return giving Rafa some cash
Stuart79(Quote)
The Daily Mail have ANOTHER 2 stories on the Spurs stadium today. That’s 9 in the past week. I only read 1 of them I just noticed that they have had so many. Why? The Guardian also have another today as well. That’s 3 in the last week for them. Why?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Honestly, I am not obsessed, just curious as to why there are all of these newspaper stories about Spurs’ new ground?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Tammy Abraham was very good for Villa again yesterday – I think his loan spell at Villa has been excellent for his development – but I still don’t see a route into Chelsea’s first team for him. I may be wrong coz Loftus-Cheek and Hudson-Odoi may make Chelsea think again.
But I think he’s a player we should be asking about again. I like him and Neal Maupay at Brentford, and think both could score goals in the PL.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Rondon has been brilliant for us this season – far better than I thought he would have been if I’m honest.
If we can get him for round £15m, I’d take him for sure. But my concern isn’t so much his age, it’s his international commitments and the effects all that travelling would have on him.
I think he’s a good player & a top pro, but he’s not the player we build a team around for me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
More talk in the papers today and Ritchie leaving. Perez has made comment about going back to Spain. Shelvey transfer rumours. Hayden wanting to move South. Rondons future still not known … Rafas future still not known!!.
Just how different could NUFC look next season?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Nearly half time and Cardiff are drawing against Chelsea who have left out several top players. This is what did us in last time we went down!
georgio(Quote)
I think it was Sunderland beating Everton and Chelsea in the last few games. Hard to take.
georgio(Quote)
Anyone watching the scum? They just scored… ☹️?. Playing better than Portsmouth to be fair.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Aye mate, Cardiff losing now though, Warnock looks ready to blow a gasket lol
kimtoon(Quote)
Portsmouth equalise … get in!
Dubai Toon(Quote)
So that’s Cardiff down then. They have Man City away next.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric
Cardiff not down yet. Their game against Burnley will decide which one of them drops.
Next season is going to be very interesting with VAR .
sidekick(Quote)
Warnock thinks they’re done. Did you see him applauding the fans at the end?
Eric Sykes(Quote)