That was seriously worrying.
We knew Leicester had issues going into the game, having several out with Covid, being in poor form and arriving just 48 hours on from a tough Europa League game in Italy, yet didn’t lay a glove on them in the end.
It was a weak and wasteful display from an attacking perspective, but somehow our defending was even worse.
Leicester were actually bang average for most of that, making it all the more concerning that they’ve cut us open so easily, scoring three times in the second half after being handed a hugely dubious penalty before the break.
The result leaves us stuck in the relegation zone and has seen our already poor goal difference take an absolute battering. Elsewhere, Burnley have come away with a solid point in the other 2pm kick off, holding West Ham to a 0-0 draw at Turf Moor.
Howe named an unchanged side for this one, picking the same team that beat Burnley 1-0 at St James’ Park last weekend.
We started pretty brightly and put pressure on a shaky Leicester defence from the off, but after a promising opening 10 minutes we seemed to go into our shells a little.
The pattern of the game was starting to remind me of that passive display at Arsenal a few weeks ago, with us beginning to sit too deep, giving a clearly under confident home side encouragement in a game we should be attacking.
The hosts weren’t actually causing us too many problems, however they were gifted a spot kick on 38 minutes. It came via some clumsy passing Lascelles and Shelvey, and ended with Maddison making the most of an outstretched leg from the skipper.
In truth, Maddison dived and made a mountain out of a molehill. VAR should’ve been smart enough to see that, but they stuck with the referees initial decision and Tielemans smashed into the top corner to make it 1-0.
A horrible goal to give away – it was a dive but also some more awful defending – and it sent us into the break a goal down, despite five minutes of NUFC pressure before half-time.
Sadly, it only got worse from here on out.
We wasted the odd opening that came our way, with our final ball into the box often letting us down. Defensively, we were calamitous and were punished just about every time Leicester got into the final third.
First, Barnes beat the offside trap and squared for Daka to make it 2-0. Some will call it a nice move for the home side, but we were statuesque in our defending.
The same was true when Tielemans made it 3-0, with Maddison then rounding off the scoring to make it four with 85 minutes on the clock.
After two hard fought performances against Norwich and Burnley last week, it was worrying to see how we went down without a fight today, looking toothless in attack, soft in midfield and so sloppy in defence.
If we weren’t shooting our self in the foot by trying to play out form the back, we were stood standing still as Leicester played around us with ease. VAR let us down today, yet our defending was amateurish and our attacking play feeble at best.
Just when Eddie Howe looked to have galvanized the group, this was a harsh reality check and reminder how crucial the January transfer window will be.
Next up, a trip to Anfield on Thursday, followed by Man City at St James’ Park a week today.
In the bleak midwinter
How the toon fans moan
All the work in training
withered on the bone
how the Toon are falling
Oh what a show
in the bleak midwinter
not long to go.
kimtoon(Quote)
Well if evidence of corruption in the whole FA was needed then that’s it. VAR is meant to stop diving and poor poor decisions and Tom Daley would’ve been proud of that dive. Yet another bad decision against us. The FA want us down by whatever means possible.
That said, our defence was non existent for the other three. A very bad day today. On top of that, the FIA gifted the F1 championship to Max Verstappen by totally going against the rules of the sport. Fuc.king sick today! ????????
Gilly Toon(Quote)
And what the hell has happened to Willock? He’s been rubbish this season, not even a sniff of a goal.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Too many players go missing especially away from home.
No leaders on the pitch when things go wrong, Lascelles is not fit to be a captain, how Fernandez doesn’t play baffles me as much as the penalty decision.
We can’t go to places like Leicester without having a bully in midfield and a defence without a leader.
Up front St Max has switched off, Joelinton offers no threat and Wilson is struggling.
Only player at the races today was Almiron in terms of effort but he also offers no threat.
We are at least 10 points behind what we were last season like for like and that spells relegation, the seeds were sewn by Ashley and Bruce unfortunately.
Joseph(Quote)
That was a hard watch. I thought we played well in the first 20 mins – high press and putting pressure on Kasper, but never really threatening with a goal.
Then that decision – utter nonsense. Why was that not worth another look – from the angle that showed Maddison taking off a foot away from Lascelles leg.
Sadly thereafter we were very poor, and the gulf in quality of the 2 side was glaringly evident.
That’s gonna be a real though one for Howe and the players – and may just put off some of the players we have been lining up for January.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I dont think that many of the players were that bad individually, it was more mistakes on the ball and bad positioning a couple of times. I see Shelvey and Willock getting panned on blogs but they both did some good things.
We created chances but they were not good chances whereas everything Leicester did came off including the swan dive to fool the Ref and inexplicably VAR also.
It didnt take long for depression on blogs to return and it will only get worse in the next 2 games without a miracle.
What I will say is that if we are going to play Lewis that St Max should pass to him. If he has 3 players on him then look for an outlet sometimes. I have no problem with Maxi trying to beat the whole team in the box, just learn to dive like Maddison. That was so blatant you would think there was a refereeing conspiracy against us.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Once we play these next 2 games it does get better. I watched Man U against Norwich and they were terrible. Not saying we will beat them but it is not the gimme for them that was assumed. I also watched Palace/Everton today and Everton do not have a very good team. Palace could have been 3 or 4 up in the 1st half and ended up winning 3-1.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Hate to say it but my hope for survival pretty much went today.
It’s going to take some absolute miracle signings in January – and all of them to hit the ground running for us to have any chance at all.
It happened with Willock last season – but we are going to need 3 or 4 of those this season I think.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m a big fan of Eddie Howe, I really am. But what concerns me is his defensive record with Bmth wasn’t great & defensively we look terrible since he’s come in too.
I know we need to strengthen – but Lascelles is in terrible form & Howe still picks him ahead of Fede.
Howe HAS to fix our defence for us to stand any chance, coz we aren’t scoring much either ??♂️.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Didnt we get a pen last year against Spurs where there was minimal contact? I think it was Wilson. I dont think I complained and probably said something like it is about time we caught a break.
The thing is, what is VAR there for if it is not for something like that? If that is not a “clear and obvious error” by the Ref then I dont know what is. Some will say that it evens itself out over the season, but that exactly what VAR is SUPPOSED to mitigate against. It is supposed to make sure the decisions are correct so you would not need evening out.
So many of these pens are not overturned, it makes you think that the Refs dont know what they are doing. I mean the VAR refs as everything happens so quickly on the field and you can forgive the actual Ref. But to have so many angles and replays and still fck it up forces you to think the VAR Refs havent got a clue or HAVE GOT an agenda.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I think our top priority in Jan must be a new centre back who we can also make Captain. Lascelles has been a liability all season except against Burnley. Is it any coincidence that they are a physical side who play route 1 for at least part of the game. They are probably the only side to play this way and all of the others play a form of high press and pass and move. Even Norwich and Brentford.
Playing that sort of team Lascelles is too slow and has a mistake in him. All he is really good for is on corners at both ends of the pitch. He has played OK in the past but looks like the re-signing of Titus Bramble this season.
Eddie inherited him as Captain and should take it off him so he is not expected to play him. But not every team plays their Captain every game. Look at Henderson at Liverpool. West Ham also phased Mark Noble out when he was Captain.
Howe needs to be bold and drop Lascelles. On the other hand, if he is up against Salah on Thursday he will pick up his 5th yellow and rule himself out of the Man City game. That gets us a couple of games closer to January where we can find a permanent replacement.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
And on another note. Everton were terrible yesterday until the last 10 minutes when Palace had decided they had to defend the points. I have read that the Everton end started singing the “Fat Spanish Waiter” song.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I know that wasnt a penalty yesterday, but just to finish up on Lascelles. He has only started 11 (eleven) games this season and has given away 3 (three) penalties.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Last season NUFC GOT 7 penalties which was about middle of the pack. At this rate Lascelles alone will GIVE AWAY that many 🙂 Not a good stat is it!
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
You know the way the Tabloids always used to call players like John Terry or Steven Gerrard “Captain Courageous”. Well, at this rate we should be calling Lascelles “Captain Calamity”. By any measure he has had a terrible season. Even the Bruce/Jones 5 at the back was built to accomodate his immobility.
That’s enough Lascelles slamming, but he has to go. He has been awful all season. Problem is Keiran Clark has been just as bad 🙂
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I noticed on Sunday that whenever a defender or midfield player got the ball they would look to pass to Shelvey This was reminiscent of a Bruce tactic. It usually involves passing the ball sideways and sometimes backwards. It slows down our play. Football is a team game and is at its best when played that way. Everyone should count.
Groucho(Quote)
Groucho – I also noticed that Lascelles wasn’t even capable of making that pass. That’s exactly what happened for the penalty – he couldn’t make the 20yrd pass to Shelvey then from the mistake, stuck his leg out for Maddison to hurdle. He then just accepted the decision – put no pressure on the ref to have another think.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Lots of talk about CBs. My choice would be Nat Phillips from Lpool – I think he’s a player to build our defence around.
Trakowski or Botman in as well and I’d be happy. But Clarke and Lascelles wouldn’t get into the first team for me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I think the key CB to by is Ake. Leftfooted and good.Far better than Berrtie Mee. RCB if we cant get Tarkowski or Phillips wait til summer, Fed and Schar are better than lascelles.. We desperately need a DCM. That takes the pressure off the back four and allows us to play attacking midfielders.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Man U game now off. 42 positive tests in the PL over the past week. That sounds like a lot given there were 12 the week before. When does this affect letting crowds into games?
I also saw a number of 55,000 positive cases in the general population. Who does all of these tests? Are they showing symptoms or is it required for work. I havent had a single test in the almost 2 years this has gone on and I have taken over a dozen flights during that time. They didnt ask for proof of vaccination either.
I have a friend who works for an airline and I asked him how often he gets tested. He said never, they take his temp and if that is normal he is good to go.
So who is taking all of these tests to find so many positives?
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I think we will see some squad rotation for Liverpool and Man City. My guess is there will be starts for Fraser, Murphy and Fernandez, probably Ritchie as well. Who drops out, not so sure. Manquillo’s positioning has been bad and I would say that Lascelles has been our worst player this season along with Clark. We could even see ASM “rested” although I would rather have him be told to look for a passing option sometimes rather than be “dropped”.
These people on twitter and certain blogs are mental. One week ASM is the second coming of Ginola, the next he is a show pony. One week Eddie Howe is the second coming of Kevin Keegan the next he is the return to Steve Bruce. Can’t wait to see what they say after the Liverpool and Man City games 🙂
My only problem with putting different players in the firing line is what it might do to their confidence. Maybe leave Lascelles in so we have an excuse to drop him full-time. Giving away 3 pens in 11 games is not on even though the Maddison one was not a pen. Still, Jamaal did give him the opportunity to make that swan dive (Maddison should have been booked).
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric, our Lew has to do two lateral flow test every week for day center and the staff there do one every day . There have been loads having to self isolate due to positive results, yet they wear full ppe, mask, visors, gloves, aprons and work in small pods over two huge floor levels. I can only assume that they get out of work rip everything off and let loose having all that gear on for 8 or more hours.
It’s the only way they can be catching it.
There was a guy in the GP yesterday kicking off over having to wear a mask, he was coughing his head off and pulled the mask down everytime he coughed ! I was there with Lew for flu jabs and Lew does not wear a mask due to not being able too as he just pulls it off as does not understand.
I ended up in a heated convo with the bloke cause he kept pulling the mask down when he coughed. He reluctantly agreed to a visor from the receptionist in the end.
I took the lad there to get him jabbed and keep him safe not to pick up germs from a coughing ignoramus . 🙄
Omnicom variant cases rising steeply in Bristol now, getting our covid booster on saturday all being well.
kimtoon(Quote)
I am not a coach, but what I would be telling ASM is if there are 3 people on you, as there often are, look for a pass first. If there are 2 on you then fine, try to work your magic. And if you are in the box, do a Mo Salah and go for it or a James Maddison and throw yourself to the ground at the slightest contact. I would also show him videos of Grealish at Villa to show how to win fouls in dangerous areas.
There, fixed him 🙂 Now what to do with Lascelles? Buy his replacement in Jan and make him Captain!!!!
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Kimtoon: I looked at the cases over here and it doesnt look like there has been a massive spike yet. The Drs are predicting it though and I think it will happen but hopefully only short term. Not sure if closing borders will help, it didnt for Delta.
I just became eligible for the booster. I will have a look to see if there are any appointments but maybe there will be a rush with a lot of news on this new variant.
On the guy coughing. They should have kicked him out. The airlines over here actually have banned people for life when they have refused to wear a mask. There have been thousands of them. How stupid do you have to be to risk a lifetime ban for not wearing a mask for a few hours? You can take your mask off to drink a coffee so it is a bit of a double standard though. A bit like bars over here where can take your mask off when sitting down but have to put it back on when you go to the toilet.
This Covid stuff still confuses me, but not as much as it seems to confuse Boris 🙂
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Prem – I like Ake a lot too but do you think he’d come?
Sharpy17(Quote)
I really dont understand people who make a libertarian case for not wearing a mask. Do they wear seatbelts? Would they object to somebody being pulled over when driving who had just drank a whole bottle of whiskey? They will argue with a Drs receptionist or a flight attendant but would they argue with a Cop? Not over here they wouldnt, they would be straight to jail and on top of the fine they would have to get their car back from the pound.
I have lost faith in certain sections of the human race and do not understand their logic. I blame facebook and Trump for a lot of it over here, but it seems universal. When did so many become so open to conspiracy theories?
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Fantastic news about us being allowed to have Saudi sponsorship – I feared that the PL may be bullied by the other clubs, but that suggests not and will certainly allow us the funds to build the club & compete
Sharpy17(Quote)
Also fantastic news about Trippier (if true).
I think he’s a big enough signing to convince others like Trakowski, Lingard – maybe even the likes of Ake and Martial to come and play ??.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Man City/Leeds is scary. I might not even watch our game on Sunday and just follow it on The Guardian minute-by-minute write up. There is no way I am spending $12 there and back on an Uber to watch it down the pub and walk out at half time 🙂
It might actually be worth it though as some sort of social science experiment to see how many of the City fans actually know what stadium they used to play in or that Dennis Law relegated Man U with a backheel.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Imagining Grealish, DeBruyne, Foden and Bruno going up against Lascelles. OH FCK. Maybe a result against Liverpool will brighten my coming mood.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Leeds were 5-0 down and brought on Drameh. The commentator said they introducing Drameh (drama) to the crisis. I thought that was quite funny. The commentors now usually just give you an endless list of usually arcane “facts”. 1 min later it was 6
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Seven
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
City have smacked Leeds 7-0 and you look to the stands they’re half empty!!!. If the City fans can’t stick round to appreciate their team for 90 mins when they treat them to 7 goals I really don’t know ??♂️.
It was the Leeds fans you could hear singing in the end.
Sharpy17(Quote)
City fans are spoiled now, it’s the same with the gunners, half empty stadiums.
kimtoon(Quote)
Does anybody think that they wont shut the PL down for an enforced “winter break”? They are talking about the NHS being possibly overwhelmed so how can you justify having Old Trafford open with 70k people in it even as they cancel some of their games. It seems inevitable to me.
It is the most lucrative time for Sky and the PL so they will fight it, but I just dont see us playing games beyond possibly Sunday.
The problem is that once you shut it down it is that much harder to start it back up. As we have seen before.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric, We have these covid passes now so I guess folk will just use them to enter grounds, don’t think we will stop games or play behind closed doors again.
kimtoon(Quote)
I know Liverpool are playing great, but didnt they go on a run last year at Anfield of losing like 6 in a row. That was without Van Dijk. I think there was an incredible unbeaten streak before that but if I remember right the losing streak was the worst in their history.
I think we will lose and the only question is by how many. But I thought I would offer a glimmer of hope.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
They dont want to I am sure but the Govt might intervene. I know Klopp said 100% of the Liverpool squad were vaccinated but I also think I saw a figure that overall 30% of PL players had NOT been vaccinated. That may have changed now with this variant.
I dont know where they get their (mis) information from to cause them to avoid the vaccine. If there really were bad side effects it would have been all over the news and especially places like The Sun and The Mail.
It looks like the US is not as bad as predicted so far. The predictions were pretty dire though. Pfizer have also come out with a pill that they say is effective in “curing” covid if taken within 3 days of 1st symptoms. They are fast tracking it and it looks like it will be approved in the next few weeks.
Over here a lot of the anti-vax stuff was spread on right wing talk radio. You should hear some of this stuff, it is nuts. 3 of them who were pushing conspiracy theories died from Covid and recanted on their death beds.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
So, the PL are setting up a committee to see if “related party” sponsorhip deals are Fair Market Value. NUFC will have to send the info to the PL for approval. 18 clubs voted for this and NUFC and Man City against. Leicester would be in the “for” column.
How exactly is this going to work? I might test it with a 1 year deal to put billboards around SJP. See if it gets approved, and of not, take them to court. City already won their FFP case with UEFA which was essentially about the same thing.
I think this plan by the PL will fall apart, but in the meantime I think the PIF can put in as much of their own money as they want. It shouldnt hurt us in January. The FFP rules are a farce but even they are based on an average spend, I think over 3 years. There is definately a window where we can spend what we want and tell the PL to “come after us then”. That would be the same PL that caved on the takeover as soon as they knew they would have to air their dirty laundry in open court on that CAT case.
And furthermore, if Aramco decides to sponsor NUFC, who is to say that they are a “related party”? Maybe just go ahead without consulting the PL and let them challenge it. I would only do it on a 1 year deal though as I think they would get crushed in court and then the deal could be more lucrative later.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
The thing is , what’s to say a company wants to a deal with us for a huge sum based on what we will/could become rather than what we are ? I don’t see how they can say what is fair market price, if they base it on us now then ok but what if the company wants to invest over 3 or 4 years? We may well be a very different club by then and it would mean we lose out on the deal if it has to reduced at this stage.
kimtoon(Quote)
Blimey, latest omnicom infection rates are horrendous here, seems that covid will not go away. 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, that losing Pool run last season was when no fans were allowed in, think it had a massive effect on them along with VVD being out.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: I have no faith in us getting anything out of our game tomorrow, just clutching at straws 🙂 Looks like we are being linked with everybody now!!! We do need a whole new defense though. We need Dummett back as well even if he will leave in the summer on a free. Injury prone, but at least he can tackle.
I see there are complaints about the stick Lascelles is taking. Totally valid in my opinion as him and Clark have bee our worst players. It was a cheating swan dive by Maddison and VAR was a joke, but it was still Jamaal’s leg and he didnt even question it!
I wouldnt be surprised if the only change we see tomorrow is Murphy for Manquillo.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
New thread up, folks
Olly Hawkins(Quote)