bluebruce

'No doubt that wouldn't be [the] case now if Bennett [was] fit'. Well there wasn't any doubt in anybody's mind that it shouldn't happen last time either. But he did it, and kept doing it. The only thing that has changed is Bennett has been injured. I know RN has had little runs where he has played ahead of EB but never sustained for especially long, and then he was quick to put JRC (who at least is a lot better than EB and is a different tactical option) ahead of him too until he was injured. Sadly, despite what TM likes to say, he just doesn't rate Nyambe as much as the rest of us, and that really is going to be a contributor to him leaving. I'd love to know why the last deal we signed him on was so insultingly short at just 2 years. Whether that was the player's or the club's decision. Neither bodes very well.

We are playing 3 games a week a hell of a lot this season. We can't possibly stick with any particular 11, rotation will be necessary. I know you've put a couple of 'or' in there but it will need to change more than that even if we didn't have injuries. Agree I wouldn't be playing Buckley again unless desperate. Like someone else said, even Lyons has earned a crack ahead of him now. But Williams will have his uses.

He has certainly played like a solid dropping at times. Not a good one though.

Nyambe was our best player tonight again. Absolutely must tie him down.

Uhhh dunno. BDSM Santa Claus?

I'm finding myself questioning his overall usefulness. Im on the verge of making my mind up on him (for now of course, always happy to see a marked improvement). For now, so far, overall since he got his debut, he hasn't shown enough for me to see what some people jizz about. I think he is technically decent but nowhere near as much so as some make out, sometimes his passing is dire and lately he keeps giving the ball away in games. I don't think his game intelligence is as good as it should be for a player of his type (frail but technical). I also agree he doesn't seem brave enough. So far from this game he would be straight back on the bench Saturday if at all possible.

At times. I think he has had a really mixed game. Some excellent bits of graft, strength, even some decent runs. And then at other times, been totally shit.

Tbf it's always been a hard watch since the Hughes years.

Douglas. Poor excuse for a defender. Moronic that.

I think the only way we have him next season too is if we get promoted.

Well Man U won. Still a couple of teams below who could overtake by winning their game in hand though. Tight league up at the top. With us doing so well in a league full of Premiership resources and squad players dropping down from the Prem now and then, you have to wonder who is next on the conveyor belt and when they'll be broken in. Our most urgent need of course is in defence, but that's always a tricky area for youngsters to be tested, and the u23s' best in that area haven't been able to stamp their mark indelibly when given the chance over the last year. I'd say the attacking and midfield areas are unlikely to see more than a bench cameo from the youngsters before the season is out unless injuries actually worsen, if even Dolan can't earn himself a start. Davenport struggling to make the first team despite a goal too. On reflection, I think we might want to look at some loans for a choice few in Jan to continue their development. I think that should include one of the keepers if possible, we don't need that many at that level and its inevitable at least one will stall their progress otherwise.

Reading didn't impress me. They were just another organised, efficient side that had the better of us. No different to the others who have done us, they just happened to be top of the table at the time so people jizzed about it a bit more.

Those subs won't achieve anything. 3 players happy to just move the ball around. If we are lucky, Buckley might find a killer pass.

Lucky bastards.

Yep that's a part of what I'm talking about - in fact I've pointed it out on numerous threads before. I was about to post at the start of the half, watch how Norwich players move around when they have the ball in our third compared to how ours do, but then we started moving a bit better. I maintain that it is about us, as an outfit, being more interested in keeping it than doing anything dangerous with it. The lack of movement is part of that psychology. I don't feel like we focus much of our coaching on getting the players moving. As long as we keep possession TM seems happy with how we attack.

Great hit from Gally, unlucky.

We are more interested in keeping possession than doing anything dangerous with it. For all the pretty football, and the genuine potential this side has, that's our biggest weakness this season.

That description, and saying the comments so far are OTT, seems incongruous. I do generally agree that some of the comments are a little excessive. They are looking more formidable than us, but they're also the top side in the league so far. Still, we have to be trying to get something today.

Their goal actually looked offside on that replay. Hadn't even occurred to me at the time.

I still can't fathom why we call ourselves a possession side, but every kickoff the tactic is to belt it to no mans land and thereby lose the ball every single time.

Armstrong could do to watch that. I'm not one of those who slam him whenever he has an off game, and he does create sometimes, but the other night he let his self interest take to the fore. That video shows you how even the greatest goalscorers have to weigh up the options and know when to pass instead.

I don't think we need to replace Brereton's direct goal threat. He only has 3, which is the same as SG who hasn't played as much. It's the way BB helps us stretch defences and can find that ball through to the likes of Arma. That's what we need back.

I agree, so far he is showing he is a good backs to the wall centre half, but the jury remains out on dealing with counter attacks. I think he should improve as he sharpens up with more games though, if he can get a run without injury anyway.

He's not always like that. Most shots from distance I can remember him trying in a game for a while. I think he was a bit too obsessed with regaining his top scorer mantle. Plus he is probably aware he hasn't scored a worldie from outside the box this season. Manager should have been telling him to cut that shit out well before we got to the hour mark, it was obvious he wasn't wearing his super goal boots.

Well you were right about that last bit.