24 Aug 2026 11:29:46
Holy moly! We need major work. This isn’t a Barcola fixes all window.
Yesterday showed we are in desperate need of a proper enforcer number 6.
Both full backs are shocking. We’re putting square pegs in round holes to fix the right wing issue.
Wirtz isn’t changing games.
4231 means Szobo playing slightly deeper which takes away from his strengths.
Szobo & Grav like getting forward so we need a Fabinho type to protect centre backs….
Last year's recruitment was way too scattergun and the sales to balance books have depleted the squad. We no longer have quality cover for each position.
We need another 5-6 players.
24 Aug 2026 11:56:00
Frimpong, at fault for the second goal, too easily moved off the ball, not an EPL player. Get rid.
Keerkez, simply terrible, get rid, give him away!
VVD, passive again, partly at fault for the first goal, out of position too many times. Too slow on the turn.
Jaquet, good passing, aggressive. More fitness needed. Our best defender on the day.
Grav, good all around play, silly attempted flick lost possession for second goal.
Slob, good all around play, tired at the end, stopped trying. Worldie pen.
Wirtz, awful, bench him.
Munoz and Kumas should be ahead of him for selection. Offers nothing going forward or backwards or his preferred sideways.
Gakpo. Our most dangerous attacker. At the moment irreplaceable as our only front footed player.
Rio, not at the level required, should be loaned out for experience. Even playing out of position he should have offered more.
Isak, not good enough. Low effort, doesn't suit our playing style, no pace, can't go past a player. Doesn't understand pressing. I'd take £75M for him.
Alison, magnificent!
24 Aug 2026 12:01:26
I think people are getting very carried away. Their first goal came from Gravenberch's wayward pass, and after that it was just pure pace of Elanga. Kerkez not at fault, there won’t be many games where our fullbacks will get outpaced like that. Second goal was due to our inability to, when we’re surrounding a man on the ball, have one person take charge of the situation and take out the player on the ball.
Rio is too young to be starting games like that, intense, physical and heavy crowd influence.
We need to make Gravenberch sit back more.
Was it great? No, but there were good spells and we can see where improvements can/will be made.
24 Aug 2026 12:05:38
If Richard Hughes is this useless in Saudi he's going to have a problem by October
24 Aug 2026 12:03:58
Alison, retreated and hugged near post for first goal. Made 2 important 1v1 saves, but punched a cross from his chest when easier to catch, which could have landed anywhere.
24 Aug 2026 12:05:33
Difficult to argue with that.
I am sure Iraola will improve some of it through his coaching, but there are way too many square pegs at the moment - at RB, midfield pivot, and the wings.
The midfield two do not have the instincts of central midfielders to affect tempo or control, and certainly not those of defensive midfielders to snuff out danger.
Frimpong, for all his effort, seems to be playing a different sport.
He can't cross, and struggles to be on the wavelength of any of his team mates. (Kerkez's crossing has been terrible too, btw).
Last summer I complained that signing those two flying fullbacks without a specialist DM would be dumb. We are intent on carrying this decision into another season, it seems.
If Iraola can make Szobo-Grav duo work, then he will have pulled off an absolute coaching masterclass imo.
24 Aug 2026 12:09:58
Well said, Sailor Jerry. More shots, more shots on target, more corners, more possession, more passes and more tackles. We were dominant all over the pitch but they've played to their strengths and killed us with two fast breaks to their credit.
It's really annoying, but a bit of patience is needed now, so Iraola can put it right. He made it very clear after the game that he knows how to resolve these issues, and that it isn't a personnel issue, it's a team structure issue.
24 Aug 2026 12:11:14
Apparently we explored a move for Sangarre and didn't pursue it. To paraphrase our own Ned Flanders' nemesis, "D'oh!".
At least Araujo appears to have some mettle and be up for a scrap. Sadly none of our midfielders do.
24 Aug 2026 12:37:42
And there's the problem, Sailor Jerry. We don't have a player capable of winning the hard ball and taking the game by the scruff of the neck. They don't have either the mentality or physicality to do it. Ain't in their attributes. And, for all the good, we're not going to be at the races without getting one of those into the team.
24 Aug 2026 12:45:32
Grav shouldn't be allowed past the center circle, end of.
24 Aug 2026 13:07:56
That Newcastle team yesterday will likely finish bottom half of the table.
24 Aug 2026 13:22:31
Without a doubt, JK.
24 Aug 2026 16:21:20
Thought both of our centre midfielders were hopeless. Two attack minded, box to box midfielders are never going to offer the defence any protection.