Everton v Arsenal. 4th Feb. 12:30

[Marc Overmars]

Dyche. :sick:

Hopefully we get an early goal and kill off the prospect of a new manager bounce. We lost here when they were awful under Rafa last year so no mistakes this time please.

0-2

[Mac76]

3-0 Iwobi hatter

we just know Dyke will park the bus and hope to do a Newcastle - we need to put Pickford under as much pressure as possible until he messs up

I just hope the officials don't allow Burnley-style fouling

[Marc Overmars]

Just realised City are at Spurs this weekend too, they tend to drop points there. We can heap a ton of pressure on them by winning this.

[Mac76]

Yeah I can't ever wish for a Spuds win but a draw would do nicely

[HCZ_Reborn]

Haven’t won at Goodison park in over five years and lost three of our last four matches there, bit of a graveyard for us

We have a fairly good record against Sean Dyche teams having only lost the once (which was during that spell when we won one game from ten..managing only four goals)

He’s gotten a few draws against us though, in fact under Arteta we only managed one win against a Dyche managed Burnley.

But he hasn’t had much time to set this team up, so he will of course park the bus.


I’m tentatively going for a 1-0 win, scrappy goal from someone like Gabriel Magahat and they close up shop it gets a bit nervy at times but we eventually close it out

[Letters]

Gabriel Magahat
:haha:

[GP]

0-7 (seven)

[HCZ_Reborn]

:haha:

Long standing nickname I’ve had for him that sets him out from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus

When talking about Arsenal with a fellow supporter friend, referred to Guendouzi and David Luiz as Perm 1 and Perm 2

[Marc Overmars]

Arteta says Partey is doubtful for the game. :rose:

[Mac76]

Arteta says Partey is doubtful for the game. :rose:

Jorginho :bow:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Arteta says Partey is doubtful for the game. :rose:

He said he’s a doubt rather than doubtful

Said will see how he does in training today. And is definitely not ruled out for tomorrow

Possibly can see him starting on the bench with Jorginho starting :unsure:

[IBK]

He said he’s a doubt rather than doubtful

Said will see how he does in training today. And is definitely not ruled out for tomorrow

Possibly can see him starting on the bench with Jorginho starting :unsure:

Well I guess that's a benefit of having an EPL ready replacement...

[HCZ_Reborn]

Partey starts, Jorginho, Kiwior and Trossard on the bench

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, McNeil, Doucoure, Gana, Onana, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Begovic, Holgate, Gray, Mina, Maupay, Godfrey, Davies, Vinagre, Simms

Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah.
Subs: Turner, Tierney, Kiwior, Holding, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Jorginho, Vieira, Cozier-Duberry.

[Marc Overmars]

Come on you Gunners!

No funny business here please.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah.

Only thing to note is that no Smith Rowe on the bench. Possibly given that we have reasonable alternatives and because he’s already picked up an injury after returning from long term layout not considered worth it. Reasonably strong bench otherwise

[GP]

It's nice to have reinforcements on the bench for a change.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Full team news above now!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

Winning here has not been too plentiful recently.

[Mac76]

Already seeing some Burnley-style fouling

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Slack pass from Saliba.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Iwobi taking 100 seconds to make a decision.

Looks familiar.

[Mac76]

protest banner from a plane :lol:

[Mac76]

Saka should have made more of that

[Mac76]

Zinchenko with a backpass to Pickford

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Party shot, Pickford saves.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Xhaka. :lol:

[Mac76]

Xhaka :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

Lots of bluster from Everton as expected.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Awful touch from Saka. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Calvert-Lewin shot, Ramsdale saves.

[Mac76]

cmon Arsenal ffs

[Marc Overmars]

Have to weather this storm. They’ll run out of energy soon enough. No mistakes please.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Everton and their crowd treating this like the WorldEuropeanChampionsLeague Cup final

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Good movement from Nketiah, woeful strike.

[Mac76]

Martinelli's not getting enough of the ball again, Xhaka and Zin need to feed him more

[McNamara That Ghost...]

So sloppy from us. :lol:

[Mac76]

that was really close

[Ralpheroo72]

We are second best here

[Mac76]

bloody hell :faint:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Coady clears off the line!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Well, not quite off the line.

[Ralpheroo72]

Garbage

[Mac76]

how bad was that free kick? :rolleyes:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

BT Sport commentary being ahead of the action is very annoying.

[Mac76]

Commentator mentions of Dyke so far = 1,276

mentions of Arteta = 0

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-0 HT. Quite rancid so far.

[Mac76]

jesus they could have scored three times now

[Gooner23]

Very frustrating half. Everton fired up and competitive and we've been off the pace. Xhaka and Martinelli having a bit of a mare on the left hasn't helped. Hopefully they will tire 2nd half and we can raise our game.

[Mac76]

miserable first half, we've been really sloppy and they should be winning

If things don't change in the first 15 mins of the second half we need Tierney and trossard on

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

miserable first half, we've been really sloppy and they should be winning

If things don't change in the first 15 mins of the second half we need Tierney and trossard on

I'd earlier said we've been really lucky with our fixtures...however it seems that luck has run out because clearly this is the worst time to play Everton.

Anyway, I think we need to score in the first 20 mins of the next half and if we don't we might be looking at a draw...maybe even worse.

In tough games like this everyone needs to show their contribution and there should be no passengers...Arteta needs to learn that Xhaka is exactly that in a game like this and we need a goal threat playing his position as he has got into the most advantageous spaces from what I can see so far.

[Mac76]

I'd earlier said we've been really lucky with our fixtures...however it seems that luck has run out because clearly this is the worst time to play Everton.

Anyway, I think we need to score in the first 20 mins of the next half and if we don't we might be looking at a draw...maybe even worse.

In tough games like this everyone needs to show their contribution and there should be no passengers...Arteta needs to learn that Xhaka is exactly that in a game like this and we need a goal threat playing his position as he has got into the most advantageous spaces from what I can see so far.

Zinchenko's also been stinking the pitch up but no doubt the fan boys will just wheel out the touch map again, as though passing aimlessly back and forth equals being effective

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great save from Ramsdale, offside or not.

[Mac76]

Doucoure should have scored before then

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Zinchenko's also been stinking the pitch up but no doubt the fan boys will just wheel out the touch map again, as though passing aimlessly back and forth equals being effective

We can't afford to lose that battle in the middle when clearly they have neutralised our danger men on the wings.

A lot of players have been below average today; White again, Eddie if you ask me, Martinelli...I could go on and on.

But I'm thinking of how we win the game and subbing Zinchencko for Tierney has been proven not to give us any added goal advantage.

[Ralpheroo72]

Ref looks like Almiron’s dad

[Mac76]

stupid corner routine

[Mac76]

Martinelli's so fed up with playing with Xhaka he's started to go over to the other side

[Mac76]

Mykelenko :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Odegaard blasts it over.

[Mac76]

Odegaard :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Partey and Martinelli off, Jorginho and Trossard on.

[Ralpheroo72]

Fuck sake

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 Tarkowski. Fucksticks.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Fuck off

[Mac76]

it was only a matter of time

[Marc Overmars]

The collapse :rose:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Come on Arsenal!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Calvert-Lewin off, Maupay on.

[Mac76]

From our performance so far you'd never think we were 5 points clear at the top (for now ofc)

it's been awful

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mykolenko booked, run at him!

[Marc Overmars]

Absolutely hate playing teams with a new coach

[Xhaka Can’t]

Get ready for the foulfest

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pel?

[Mac76]

dreadful corner

[McNamara That Ghost...]

No of course not.

[Letters]

The collapse :rose:

Oh behave :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Onana booked.

[Mac76]

They should ban Onana

[Marc Overmars]

Oh behave :lol:

I’m messing.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Such shit corners from Troussard

[Xhaka Can’t]

Come on Arsenal!

[Mac76]

Gabriel :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chaos on set pieces for us. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Odegaard off, Vieira on.

[Mac76]

Odegaard's been dire

[Marc Overmars]

This has very much been like an early Arteta team performance.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Sideways and backwards passing and not even accurate at that.

They let the atmosphere get to them.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trossard shot, saved.

[Mac76]

Saka :rolleyes:

[Xhaka Can’t]

No composure. They just need to get out of here and regroup

[Mac76]

Trossard :rolleyes:

[Xhaka Can’t]

This is a mess of a performance the likes of which we haven’t seen all season.

I hope we don’t see another of these in the near future

[Gooner23]

Real off day for us, just hope we can put it behind us quickly

[HCZ_Reborn]

This is a mess of a performance the likes of which we haven’t seen all season.

I hope we don’t see another of these in the near future

We will see this type of performance every Away game, teams will foul us all over the shop play physically and throw us off our rhythm. This is terrible from us

[HCZ_Reborn]

Real off day for us, just hope we can put it behind us quickly

An off day we all knew could happen when you get a proper shit house coach playing us

[Xhaka Can’t]

So wasteful

[Mac76]

Zinchenko :rolleyes:

[Letters]

COYS? :sick:

[Mac76]

An off day we all knew could happen when you get a proper shit house coach playing us

much as i hate Dyke, it's us being shit rather than them being arseholes that's done this

[Letters]

Real off day for us, just hope we can put it behind us quickly

Right. I did have a bit of a bad feeling about this one - we have an awful record there, add the new manager bounce…
But the main thing is how we react. You’re going to get days like this, we need to get back to winning next game.

[Mac76]

Zinchenko again :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[HCZ_Reborn]

much as i hate Dyke, it's us being shit rather than them being arseholes that's done this

You’re right it is us being shit, that’s the point…we lack the fortitude to play when teams go physical

[Gooner23]

And Zinchenko's lost his head. Sums up the game for us.

[Mac76]

You’re right it is us being shit, that’s the point…we lack the fortitude to play when teams go physical

they've not been that physical but have closed us down quickly, however when we've had the ball our passing's been appalling and we've not shown any imagination in how we go about trying to score

[Xhaka Can’t]

Zinchenko has been terrible. To the point that his performance has stood out as being a particularly shit ingredient of our shit sandwich of a performance

[Mac76]

And Zinchenko's lost his head. Sums up the game for us.

Maupay being a ****, what a surprise

[Xhaka Can’t]

Worst performance of the year.

And it isn’t even close.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 FT. Fuck sake.

[Marc Overmars]

Terrible result but maybe one we should have seen coming. We knew Everton would take this game to the trenches but we just didn’t deal with the emotion at all.

Haven’t had many days like this so far this season, we had room for error but we need to reset now and forget this. Going to be plenty more away days like this but hopefully we deal with them better than this one.

Hopefully Spurs do us a favour.

[Mac76]

Bit worrying that Arteta still doesn't have much of a plan B - we need a beanpole striker we can put on late and have people hoofing it into the box for them

[HCZ_Reborn]

Title over as far as I’m concerned. You can’t put in performances like this against relegation fodder and expect to win anything

Midfield issues again not addressed. How we think we can get on long term with players like Xhaka and Elneny in our midfield squad is a joke. Add to that Zinchenko who was a total embarrassment today

Not expecting many wins from the next few games. Brentford haven’t lost in ages, Man City will wipe the floor with us

We will see what I’ve been telling you all for ages that the battle for top four is not over.

Small part of me hopes we miss out if it means getting Arteta out of this fucking club

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Title over as far as I’m concerned. You can’t put in performances like this against relegation fodder and expect to win anything

Midfield issues again not addressed. How we think we can get on long term with players like Xhaka and Elneny in our midfield squad is a joke. Add to that Zinchenko who was a total embarrassment today

Not expecting many wins from the next few games. Brentford haven’t lost in ages, Man City will wipe the floor with us

We will see what I’ve been telling you all for ages that the battle for top four is not over.

Small part of me hopes we miss out if it means getting Arteta out of this fucking club

Mate, this is embarrassing.

Please calm the f**k down.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Title over as far as I’m concerned. You can’t put in performances like this against relegation fodder and expect to win anything

Midfield issues again not addressed. How we think we can get on long term with players like Xhaka and Elneny in our midfield squad is a joke. Add to that Zinchenko who was a total embarrassment today

Not expecting many wins from the next few games. Brentford haven’t lost in ages, Man City will wipe the floor with us

We will see what I’ve been telling you all for ages that the battle for top four is not over.

A fucking huge part of me, in fact every sinew of my existence prays we miss out if it means getting Arteta out of this fucking club because I care more about my irrational hatred of that man than anything to do with the Club

Fixed for honesty.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Mate, this is embarrassing.

Please calm the f**k down.

Are you high?

The fuck are you telling to calm down after your antics a few weeks ago

[Mac76]

Title over as far as I’m concerned. You can’t put in performances like this against relegation fodder and expect to win anything

Midfield issues again not addressed. How we think we can get on long term with players like Xhaka and Elneny in our midfield squad is a joke. Add to that Zinchenko who was a total embarrassment today

Not expecting many wins from the next few games. Brentford haven’t lost in ages, Man City will wipe the floor with us

We will see what I’ve been telling you all for ages that the battle for top four is not over.

Small part of me hopes we miss out if it means getting Arteta out of this fucking club


I agree top four is nowhere near a given - it wasn't just an off day today, it exposed us for being paper-thin and out of ideas if Plan A doesn't come off

Zinchenko and Xhaka were both toilet and it's robbing us of Martinelli being able to be effective because he's constantly outnumbered on that left hand side

Neverton could have scored about 5 times

We should have targeted a Xhaka upgrade in the window

Jorginho was well off the pace when he came on

The only players who can hold their heads up are Saka, Ram, Trossard, Gabriel and Saliba

[Xhaka Can’t]

Are you high?

The fuck are you telling to calm down after your antics a few weeks ago

I’m not telling you to calm down - you are calmed down.

The performance today has provided a release valve for you as you progressively had to bite your tongue.

And I havent got a scoops what you’re on about.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I agree top four is nowhere near a given - it wasn't just an off day today, it exposed us for being paper-thin and out of ideas if Plan A doesn't come off

Zinchenko and Xhaka were both toilet and it's robbing us of Martinelli being able to be effective because he's constantly outnumbered on that left hand side.

Neverton could have scored about 5 times

We should have targeted a Xhaka upgrade in the window

Jorginho was well off the pace when he came on

The only players who can hold their heads up are Saka, Ram, Trossard, Gabriel and Saliba

This

I will disavow my comment about hoping we don’t get top four because then Arteta will be sacked, that was ridiculous but the rest I stand by

[HCZ_Reborn]

I’m not telling you to calm down - you are calmed down.

The performance today has provided a release valve for you as you progressively had to bite your tongue.

And I havent got a scoops what you’re on about.


You’ve also got multiple personality disorder

Either that or an inability to read…wasn’t replying to you

[Xhaka Can’t]

I agree top four is nowhere near a given - it wasn't just an off day today, it exposed us for being paper-thin and out of ideas if Plan A doesn't come off

Zinchenko and Xhaka were both toilet and it's robbing us of Martinelli being able to be effective because he's constantly outnumbered on that left hand side

Neverton could have scored about 5 times

We should have targeted a Xhaka upgrade in the window

Jorginho was well off the pace when he came on

The only players who can hold their heads up are Saka, Ram, Trossard, Gabriel and Saliba

I wouldn’t include Trossard on that list and Saka lacked composure when it really mattered.

Odegaard had a terrible day, and that was reflective of our overall performance. The atmosphere got to them today - in a big way. I was hoping they could’ve settled nerves at half time, but that never happened.

[Xhaka Can’t]

You’ve also got multiple personality disorder

Either that or an inability to read…wasn’t replying to you

It’s a bit of both.

[Letters]

Mate, this is embarrassing.

Please calm the f**k down.
:gp:

HCZ, give yourself a slap.
I would note that City only drew there.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Are you high?

The fuck are you telling to calm down after your antics a few weeks ago

You can see I edited my post to show you exactly where I think you were talking pure garbage.

But the post below mine does a better job of saying what I feel you want to say.

Whatever reply you prefer, the sentiments expressed were embarrassing which you seemed to have acknowledged anyway.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I wouldn’t include Trossard on that list and Saka lacked composure when it really mattered.

Odegaard had a terrible day, and that was reflective of our overall performance. The atmosphere got to them today - in a big way. I was hoping they could’ve settled nerves at half time, but that never happened.


Odegaard, Xhaka, Zinchenko were all utterly gash. A triumvirate of shite. Odegaard is responsible for the goal.

I don’t give a fuck about new manager bounce, this is a side that lost 4-1 at home to Brighton a few weeks ago. Defeat is totally unacceptable.

Oh well it’s just an off day isn’t language we should have in our lexicon. Losing four times at Goodison Park in five seasons should make us feel ashamed.

[HCZ_Reborn]

You can see I edited my post to show you exactly where I think you were talking pure garbage.

But the post below mine does a better job of saying what I feel you want to say.

Whatever reply you prefer, the sentiments expressed were embarrassing which you seemed to have acknowledged anyway.

No you highlighted the top four argument which I completely stand by.

You simply cannot play like we did today and expect top four is a given. It’s utterly nonsensical

[The Wengerbabies]

What a joke!

[Mac76]

I wouldn’t include Trossard on that list and Saka lacked composure when it really mattered.

Odegaard had a terrible day, and that was reflective of our overall performance. The atmosphere got to them today - in a big way. I was hoping they could’ve settled nerves at half time, but that never happened.


Trossard looked a threat and had a decent shot on target, also Saka yes did mess up later on but earlier he probably had our best shot of the game which was cleared off the line - on a day when we were otherwise toothless, you have to give them some recognition for that

[Letters]

I don’t give a fuck about new manager bounce, this is a side that lost 4-1 at home to Brighton a few weeks ago.

Oh cool, now we are cherry picking.
I can do that too - City only drew there after Everton has lost the previous 4 games in a row


Defeat is totally unacceptable.

It’s football, dude, it’s not a top class restaurant who just burned your steak.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City drew at home to Everton, in fact.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Oh cool, now we are cherry picking.
I can do that too - City only drew there after Everton has lost the previous 4 games in a row


It’s football, dude, it’s not a top class restaurant who just burned your steak.


A draw is not a defeat (the game was at home not at Goodison park in any event)

No it’s about standards….you recognise that the ground has not been a happy hunting ground and you set your stall out to make sure bare minimum you don’t lose….we just minced about like a load of poofs who didn’t quite fancy it

[Marc Overmars]

It was a woeful performance and one we haven’t really seen this season but it’s not a time to overreact, we had room for error thanks to the incredible effort up until this point.

City have had bum results too, it happens. We’re not going to have everything our own way.

If we don’t beat Brentford I will press the alarm bells but there’s everything to play for here.

[Letters]

Man City drew at home to Everton, in fact.

So they did!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I don't think cumulatively it matters too much where the points happen to be dropped if there are very few of them.

Obviously can't allow a result like this to fester though.

[Letters]

A draw is not a defeat (the game was at home not at Goodison park in any event)

No it’s about standards….you recognise that the ground has not been a happy hunting ground and you set your stall out to make sure bare minimum you don’t lose….we just minced about like a load of poofs who didn’t quite fancy it

What MO said.
You’re going to get days like this. The important thing is how we react.
Any season has setbacks, come on dude you’ve been watching football long enough to know that. We need to win the next game and get going again.
Spurs may yet do us a favour tomorrow although you can generally rely on them to fluff their lines.

[HCZ_Reborn]

What MO said.
You’re going to get days like this. The important thing is how we react.
Any season has setbacks, come on dude you’ve been watching football long enough to know that. We need to win the next game and get going again.
Spurs may yet do us a favour tomorrow although you can generally rely on them to fluff their lines.

Yes I’ve been watching Arsenal for almost 40 years, and I know that performances like that come in seasons where we achieve fuck all.

[Letters]

Yes I’ve been watching Arsenal for almost 40 years, and I know that performances like that come in seasons where we achieve fuck all.
Rubbish.
The season when we’ve done things you simply don’t remember the off days.
They still happened.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

[b]No you highlighted the top four argument which I completely stand by.[/]

You simply cannot play like we did today and expect top four is a given. It’s utterly nonsensical

Lol, seems you are struggling to tell posters apart too. Anyway I "highlighted" what I strongly disagreed with in your initial post, which a different poster subsequently agreed to.

Look, me and you agree on a lot of things, my post history is clear that I have never been an Arteta fan, and days like this reminds me why i.e. he is clearly learning on the job, which can only be detrimental to us and that really pisses me off....... however I can't pretend we don't have 50 points from 19( sorry 20) games with one of the most ordinary squads in the EPL, so he must be doing something remarkable!!

Like I said earlier, the rest of your post was fine, analysing and screaming about the weaknesses of the team should only make us stronger and get us to where we all want to be at by the end of the season.

Dude, trust me, I will go "loco" if the best we can do is struggle for a top 4 place this season; again my post history is clear, I expect us to win the title and I'd only accept losing it if Man City beat us twice this season (looking more likely now) as that proves to me that they are the better side and more deserving team.

So Arteta out can be resurrected by the end of the season or if our season ends early as has happened in the past.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Rubbish.
The season when we’ve done things you simply don’t remember the off days.
They still happened.

The last time we won the title there were no defeats none

The time before when we won the title we were unbeaten away from home

I remember the off days in 97/98 when we lost 3-0 away at Derby and 2-0 away to Sheffield Wednesday. Autumn time before the real crunch period started where we won a load of games on the bounce and didn’t drop a single point until we had the title wrapped up.

City win titles because they go on long winning runs at this time, they don’t put in limp wristed performances to Relegation fodder.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I believe we still have as many points at this point, as we did in 03/04.

Granted that might not hold out for much longer given they won the next six but the point is we're still on for a very large points total. Until that isn't the case, still think we're in it.

[Letters]

The last time we won the title there were no defeats none

That’s even more ridiculous cherry picking if you’re invoking the only time since the 19th century that anyone has done that. In 2003/4 there was of course the week we went out of the FA Cup and CL in the same week. Then we were wobbling against Liverpool until Henry’s heroics.
In any season there are wobbles.


City win titles because they go on long winning runs at this time, they don’t put in limp wristed performances to Relegation fodder.
As we’ve noted, Everton held them at Maine Road not that long ago.
And yes, a draw is not a defeat, but it’s still points dropped which you wouldn’t expect a title chasing team to drop.

Don’t get me wrong, City are capable of winning 12 games in a row and completely blitzing us, but we have the most points we’ve ever had at this stage of the season - and that includes The Invincibles. Today was not the stuff of champions, but we’ve had plenty of games this season which are. Throwing in the towel when we are 5 points clear is ludicrous. But we have to win the next game and get going again.

[Letters]

I believe we still have as many points at this point, as we did in 03/04.

Granted that might not hold out for much longer given they won the next six but the point is we're still on for a very large points total. Until that isn't the case, still think we're in it.
We have 4 more points that The Invincibles did at this stage

[HCZ_Reborn]

Again you seem to hold this delusion that what I say or think has any impact upon what the club does or does not do

What a club does in the first 19 games is totally immaterial.

Oh we got 50 points in the first twenty games. Who gives a fuck? It’s where we are after 38 that I care about.

I don’t want to be philosophical about this, as I said on the reaction thread defeats should sting….it’s a psychological thing that makes it far more damaging than a draw….if we’d drawn 0-0 today or 1-1…we’d be better off by a point but I’d have not been enraged. Iffy performance, didn’t deserve to win but we battled and got something….it makes a hell of a lot of difference especially away from home.

At home the imperative is to win, away it’s desirable to win but it’s essential not to lose

Yes defeats happen and in my opinion far too fucking often under this coach. I do remember results….I remember every single one of the 33 league defeats we’ve suffered under this coach is just over three years.

[Letters]

Again you seem to hold this delusion that what I say or think has any impact upon what the club does or does not do
Where did you get that nonsense from? You said "Title over as far as I’m concerned".
I responded by saying you're being ridiculous and that I am not ready to throw the towel in
You weren't talking about the club, nor was I.


What a club does in the first 19 games is totally immaterial.

Obvious bullshit. Last year after 20 games we had 35 points, City had 50 points after 20 games as we do now.
Last year we were miles off the pace, the only issue was could we claw our way into the top 4.
This year we are leading the title race, obviously what you do in the first half of the season is relevant.
Equally obviously where you end up is the bottom line, but the first half of the season sets up what is possible.


I don’t want to be philosophical about this, as I said on the reaction thread defeats should sting
Well sure, but when you've watched football as long as we have we know they happen. I'd say it's important to retain some perspective.
The really important thing is how we react. After the Utd defeat we reacted really well, if we do the same this time with a win against Brentford - I'd back us to - then things will feel different. I don't think we have anything to fear from the City game. If we do drop points against Brentford and then lose to City then I'll join you on the doomwagon, but not yet. It was a bad one for sure, but there's been something about this team this season, I don't think it's all going to fall apart just yet. As the pressure builds in the run it then that will be interesting if we're still in the mix then. If City get their noses in front then I fear for us, but we've still got a decent cushion and you never know, Spurs could just do us a favour tomorrow.