The Doctor

we've got a full squad. Today was the first time Thomas has appeared in a squad, Vestegaard hasn't been seen for months (he's not actually injured), Kasey Mac is in the doghouse for something (Ayew and Reid offer nothing he doesn't). we're not so threadbare that a player not even trying in training still makes the squad

genuinely ridiculous how often their left back was grabbing Fatawu first half. man should have been in the bath for about twenty minutes before this twat even gave the first foul

if that were the case he wouldn't have even been on the bench

he'd have been fit if Cooper wasn't a completely useless manager who refused to bring him on for a single minute prior to today. man completely failed to manage his squad for the first two months, repeatedly leaving his first subs until second half stoppage time. unsurprising those that are being mismanaged in terms of minutes then look rusty.

the first half was one of the better performances we've put out mind. Problem is, he's a cargo cult manager, saw that the inverted full back system worked well last season but didn't understand why, so he copies it but doesn't know how to coach it and how to adapt it in game to deal with the opposition adapting to counter it

yep, because there was no other option to keep him match fit. not like he'd been on the bench every single game thus far...

can't coach a team for shit. performance was no worse than any other performance we've put out this season, but his luck has run out. Bite the bullet, get this Pontypridd Pulis out and get in a manager worthy of the job title

we make these mistakes every single week is the issue. we've been no worse defensively than we were v Spurs or Villa, they've just finished the chances. that we give up that level of chance every single week is entirely on the bloke who's sole achievement in management is working for a match fixing heroin dealer

given we give up this level of chance every single game, no. the difference is this time we've been punished for his inability to coach a defence

bringing on Ayew is always depressing. still, here comes Soumare to cheer people up. **** me.

he's not had his best game but he is actually capable of creating something, my nan could do what Ayew does and she's approaching 90

mav off for Ayew?? get the **** out of my club Cooper you ****ing clown

the coaching and squad management is a big part of why this is so shit. Abdul gets two minutes a week, no wonder he's not on Facundo and Mavs wavelength. Ricky doesn't play a league game for two months and is unsurprisingly shagged after half hour. We're trying to play a vague version of last seasons system but he doesn't know how to coach that. then there's the game management, how can we look so half arsed, because he can't motivate players for shit

ref creating that goal for them by blocking Abdul's run but **** me, so bad when Cooper's had a chance to talk to them

finally the most obvious strongest xi.

much as I'd terminate the blokes contract tomorrow, it can be helpful to disrupt the rhythm of the opposition by having constant free kicks occuring in the middle third/their defensive third eating up time. Refs have long since given up punishing time wasting after all

proper unintentional comedy here. he literally left Celtic to join us

because it doesn't exist, he just trundles about, falling over with the same regularity as the average care home resident.

any game? fa cup round 3 in 2011/12, 0-0 draw (Beckford hat trick in the replay). League, December 2004, 1-1 where Connolly scored

if he was a below average premier league keeper. he's below average once you factor in all the Sunday league lads who are the ones most hungover and incapable of running

eh, is that true? on a per 90 basis: PSxG our keeper has faced: 2.25 this season, 1.46 in 22/23 shots against: 18.38 this season, 14.92 in 22/23 averaging it out for PSxG per shot: 0.12 this season vs 0.09 in 22/23 we're giving up more chances and better chances than in 22/23. if anything, we're more of a defensive mess this time but have a top class keeper rather than a below average one.

could just call him Facundo?

that will always be the win v West Brom with Vardys last minute winner in 14/15. West Ham the week before got the rut ended but that game was the one that really made the great escape look possible

he's not a pragmatic manager. he's as dogmatic as Enzo was, just about a different style of play (defensive solidity and then catching chances when the opponents lag). When we say we can't see what the plan is, it's because the plan is not particularly well thought out and is not well coached.

we've scored the opening goal in a game twice, we've scored when the scores are level (i.e. to take the lead) three times. we're averaging a shot every 13 and a half minutes when scores are level or we're leading, compared to every 7 minutes when trailing. you talk of the goals we're scoring and yes, that's a positive, but they're coming, and the attacking intent is coming, when the plan has gone out the window and we're having to chase the game. I'm not personally convinced managers should get credit for taking the handbrake off when they're the one who applied it in the first place. he's first and foremost a defensive manager who doesn't want to start on the front foot, and that's infuriating when you look at how good this team can be going forward (the goals we're scoring).