Finnegan

It's frustrating because his best work under Enzo was going to the byline on the outside and putting in crosses

We've not managed to get the ball anywhere near Mukasa

Second best. Not the worst performance we've seen this season. Couple of half chances. But we're not exactly buzzing.

... He just... pushed Skipp over? On what planet is that not a foul?

We're really not good enough defensively to invite them on to us, I don't like this at all. We need to be front foot.

Don't love this so far. We're standing off then a lot. We haven't in the first couple Rowett matches so far. Very little press at all.

It's always been like this in the football league. I remember watching Steve Howard regularly getting fouled by centre backs climbing all over him and refs never give it. Bemuses me anyone ever wants a target man, useless in modern football.

Okoli genuinely makes me more anxious than Daniel Amartey

I think both have / had all the technical and athletic attributes they needed to score a decent amount of goals in this league. Some truly honking players have scored quite a lot of goals at this level. Iheanacho, however, straight up gave absolutely zero ****s and it was extremely evident immediately at the start of the season he didn't care anymore. And Daka is just so far gone in his confidence here it's just never, ever going to happen. I think Daka could be playing for us against Merthyr Tydfil in National League North and it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't score. Edit: just to add, in the limited minutes Daka played in the last Championship season (just over 1000) a reminder again he got 0.99 G+A/90 and only Vardy was more productive of all players in the league to play as many or more minutes. We've been over this, he actually wasn't terrible and if he'd played all year he probably would have done pretty well but he obviously sat behind the GOAT in the pecking order which is no crime.

Shit I've not taken my bin out Thanks brother And thanks Gary Rowett

He had an absolute nightmare as well. One of the worst individual performances from a centre back since Faes' two own goals at Anfield. Oh and anyone that's ever made mocking, sarcastic comments about Leicester fans historically hesitant of signing Akanji purely because he had a stint at Man City, go watch the Inter Bodo game

I thought it was an accident coming from behaviour that wasn't reckless and wasn't even a foul let alone a card. In rugby we'd have called it just a "rugby incident." It's obviously extremely painful for the guy that got stood on but it's just something unfortunate that can happen in the sport. I'm not disagreeing it was an awful decision, just that it's not pointless for VAR to review an incident an upgrade it to a full red from a second yellow.

Because it'll impact the size of the fine and the length of the suspension.

We're all PSG aren't we

Can I assume that even all the miserable cvnts that complained about "hipsters" and cheered whenever Klopp's Dortmund lost have got to admit that Bodo/Glimt are ****ing brilliant to watch?

Regardless of how not fit for purpose the rest of the PSR laws are, one thing that's definitely ****ing true is that it's ridiculous if a club can receive points deductions in a single season for alleged breaches that happen in multiple different previous seasons. If we get relegated because the Prem push through a points deduction for season X and then the EFL rush one through even faster for season Y and we're meant to eat both in the same year then I will 100% believe that it's been done deliberately to send us down to make a statement. Especially after it took so, so, so long for the Premier League to punish Everton and Forest that we were relegated the first time in a year they SHOULD have both had points deductions.

Yeah I don't doubt he can do it. What I mean is, the way we're playing, having pace to stretch the pitch vertically and having someone that can lead the press is important to us. We look a lot worse than Daka isn't playing even though Daka himself isn't much of a goal threat. If Rowett can get the rest of the team balanced and working properly so we're not necessarily reliant on that then I'm happy to try it. But I dunno. We'll see won't we. I'd be surprised if we start him there anyway tbh.

Don't do it to yourself mun

Delete this now

I was actually thinking about this earlier. How do we fit James in now (which we have to) if we're playing 4231 with Skipp, Winks and Mukasa. Winks is fantastic at controlling a game, much better ball player than Skipp but Skipp is much better defensively. Winks does put his foot in, makes a few tackles and interception but I don't think our back four is good enough for him to be our only cover. To get the best out of JJ we need to give him the freedom to get forward which means the other centre mid really needs to be holding back and Skipp (especially if he plays like last night) is probably your man for that. Maybe we play Mukasa up top and JJ as the attacking midfielder? That probably gets all of our best players on but then we're really lacking pace. Dunno. It's a tough one with no ideal solution. Ultimately all four of them probably can't play together and so we're probably going to have one of our better players (didn't think I'd be saying that about Skipp...) on the bench while some dross starts.

They were both very good.

If we win our home games and draw our away games we'll stay up. We need to start winning urgently yes but a point was a good result last night. Moreover, what really excited last night was seeing a team working and fighting for the most part. Skipp and Winks have looked really, really up for it the last two games and that could make a huge difference for us. We also have a coach that wants to actively press, at last, and the team are working hard. Our situation is a serious concern and we aren't out of the woods but we are only a few points behind with over 30 still to play for. It's not like there's only two or three games left and we've got nothing but cup finals to go.

Depends what our financial situation is really, truly like in the summer and what sort of squad we're going to be able to afford. If we're going to have to make do with scraping whatever we can together out of the bargain basement and still have a bunch of these hangers on still here that'll have another year left, I absolutely would. He'll make a team battle and get enough done to consolidate while we try and shake off our debt years. If we have the money to spend then I'd rather we show a tad more ambition with all respect to Rowett. That said, even with money, I'd rather he stay than we get another Cifuentes. Even I'm sick of poundshop Peps. I want a modern coach that will make us press, play energetic, hard working football that's also got a bit of pace and energy to the attack. Lot of good young coaches coming out of Germany and Scandinavia, I mean look at the way Boro have played this season regardless of not quite having enough tonight.

What was that

Come on I've slagged Ayew off solidly for 30 minutes surely he's got to score now that's how it works isn't it.