funkyrobot

We seriously need alternative options at left back. We are targeted on that side every game. Mavidididoesn’t help the situation but we can’t expect a left winger (who himself can’t defend well) to continually cover for a vulnerability that Thomas shows when he’s up against a winger with a bit of guile.

I like him. At this level on the right he’s got some ability

I’m assuming she’s employed by SUFC TV

Our left hand side - Thomas and Mavididi have been awful. Powderpuff defending from both and I don’t think either have passed to a player in a blue shirt yet.

Bobby Reid is getting absolutely mugged in midfield every time. He’s lost the ball in bad areas 3 times now

Hate those post match Lampard weird punch celebrations that he’s nicked off Klopp. Looks like there’ll be more incoming today.

Not with Captain Podcast Coady running the show (whilst never ever leaving the bench.)

We weren’t ever going to be able play counter attacking football in The Championship with the squad Enzo had. Playing on the break relies on teams coming on to you thinking they have a good chance to win, so attack. We won the Premier League because we were outstanding at playing on the break and also because up until after Christmas of that season, teams thought that we were relegation fodder and attacked us. When teams realised we were the real deal, they pressed less and had a lower block and we won by odd goals and through momentum. Under Enzo, passing sideways increased as teams playing against doubled down on the deep block and playing on the break in the 2nd half of the season as they realised that this was the only way of playing against us and because they could see we had no alternative style of striker to Vardy. A point became a good result against us. Like in the PL winning season, this meant tight games, decided by fewer goals. It’s very hard to beat a low block at Championship level. Despite this we still got over the line as champions.

I’ll hold my hand up and say I did actually like watching Enzoball. Not sure any manager plays the style that every fan wants. Maresca emphasised wing play and loaded the team with creativity. Eventually every team parked the bus against us which is very difficult to play against and will ultimately result in having to grind out games.

The fact he got Winks committed is quite an achievement based on his performances on and off the pitch under Cooper, RVN and Marti. Maresca getting promotion with a team built in the majority around a poor relegated squad, having taken decisive actions with players who he saw couldn’t play his system, then coaching the squad to quickly take on his distinct style of play, was an outstanding bit of coaching IMO.

I enjoy watching his teams. The football isn’t terrible. He plays creative footballers with two 8’s and two wingers. He loves tricky wingers taking on defenders. He had Fatawu and Mavididi playing their best football. He’s got Neto, Gittens, and Garnacho at Chelsea. Wingers are absolutely key to his style of play and if they aren’t playing as well then his teams suffer. The simple fact is Chelsea wingers are out of form at the moment. What manager out there is 100% appeasing fans? Pep gets the sane criticisms Enzo gets. Slot gets criticised for his defensive lapses. Arteta gets criticised for relying on physicality and set pieces. At the other end of the spectrum Dyche is getting ripped apart by Notts Forest fans for his style of play. Same with Nuno at WHAM. You’ll struggle to find fans who are entirely happy with their manager unless they are winning everything or performing well above expectations like the boss at Sunderland. Criticisms will start coming for his style of play when Sunderland inevitably drop off in form by the start of next season.

Maresca is a great manager. Unbelievable that he’s under pressure at Chelsea considering the age of the squad and the success he’s had there already.

I haven’t compared him to Winks. I just think with the ‘water carrier’ or enforcer role that he picks up alongside the creative JJ I think he could do more, show for the ball more. I realise there are other areas we need to strengthen which is why I suggested Braybrooke. I think Page could do it too tbf but he’s so young that it would be unfair to expect him to do that role yet.

Doesn’t influence the game enough for me. He got better in the second half but doesn’t see the ball enough to justify a concrete position in the starting team. He starts because there’s no one better available in the squad but for me it’s where we should be looking to strengthen, either through a signing in January or even welcoming Braybrooke back to give him some competition.

He definitely was much better last night. Played more positively and only dived in a couple of times. It’s consistency that’s his problem though. He’ll have a good game then have 2 or 3 shockers. If he could maintain a level then he’d justify his place, we just haven’t seen that consistency yet.

No yellow was one of the away shirts after white when we went to fox leisure.

Well if he came back he might experience a mentality testing relegation to League 1 rather than a mentality testing relegation out of the EFL completely!

Skipp is only in his position because there is no competition. Braybrooke would bring that competition. We are at a low point, with a lack of quality in the squad that will surely start to be rectified in the summer. Braybrooke might not have a better chance to cement a place in the team than in this moment when PSR is limiting purchases.

Why are you comparing him to VK? We know VK isn’t good enough. Nor is Thomas - He is part of the problem. We are very weak at fullback, probably the weakest team in The Championship in this position. He is targeted by the opposition every game and unlike most modern fullbacks can’t help with the attack. No other team is going to pay £30k plus bonuses to him irrespective of his age. We are stuck with him now for the next 3.5 years.

Yes

Skipp hasn’t done enough to justify his place. He was good against Derby and Ipswich but that’s about it. He’s had no influence in the last two games and we’ve been dominated in midfield by QPR and now Watford.

Getting relegated out of the football league is as bad as it can get for a professional footballer.

People keep saying why remove him from his current team? It’s quite simple - he’s been Newport’s best player by a distance and he’ll improve our terrible squad and specifically our midfield options. With competition mainly coming from Skipp, there’s every chance Braybrooke would get a chance to get game time.

Absolutely no bullying. He’s one of many of the squad who get criticised for being part of a team that got relegated and are now becoming the laughing stock of The Championship. He’s probably a good lad off the pitch. People just comment on his performances for Leicester and over the last two seasons he’s simply not been good enough. The season before that Enzo had a look and didn’t want him and he embarked on an unsuccessful loan at Boro and Sheffield Utd where he was criticised by their fans. He’s targeted by opponents every game. The frustration with him is that although he’s been poor for us and we are struggling financially, he’s been given a wage doubling 4 year contract. That’s not his fault but amplifies fans frustration with him and especially with the club.

Getting relegated from league 2 isn’t exactly beneficial to progression too. Assuming we can’t buy any players in January, Braybrooke is potentially the best way to improve our deeper midfield position. Winks won’t be selected, Soumare is injured and can’t be relied upon and so we are very dependent on an underwhelming Skipp staying fit. There’s Page I guess but he is very young and less experienced than Braybrooke.