Martin Samuel confidently predicting Man City won't

[Luis Anaconda]

Our best performance of the season came without him. What more evidence do you need???

Joking aside - I did think Merino was impressive on Saturday. Did some good work going forward first half and was good defensively in the second when we played deeper. I like him (gave away a few too many free kicks though)

[IUFG]

Joking aside - I did think Merino was impressive on Saturday. Did some good work going forward first half and was good defensively in the second when we played deeper. I like him (gave away a few too many free kicks though)

Merino was very good, but certainly does have the Alex Song Billong-like ability to give away free kicks on the edge of our area. Still, he gives the team more than he takes away.

Declan clearly needs a rest imho

[Peter]

Joking aside - I did think Merino was impressive on Saturday. Did some good work going forward first half and was good defensively in the second when we played deeper. I like him (gave away a few too many free kicks though)

Yeah, I thought he was good. We were too open in the first half and a bit exposed to counter attacks but that was largely due to having Jorginho at the base of midfield. Not his fault, but he isn't the quickest. Partey coming on solved the problem.

Merino is a bit of an animal, in a good way. And a real asset at set pieces. I think he will keep getting better as he understands the role.

The only other thing I would add is that the referee was a ****ing idiot and I was glad there were no major incidents for him to **** up.

[Peter]

Merino was very good, but certainly does have the Alex Song Billong-like ability to give away free kicks on the edge of our area. Still, he gives the team more than he takes away.

Declan clearly needs a rest imho

I think Rice has looked ****ed since the latter stages of the Euros. Desperately needs a break so I wouldn't mind if he sits out for a couple of weeks. He isn't a natural fit in that more advanced role alongside Partey and I don't think he has adjusted too well so far this season. He will slot back in to his usual role once Partey gets injured.....

[IUFG]

The only other thing I would add is that the referee was a ****ing idiot and I was glad there were no major incidents for him to **** up.

made a rod for his own back with soft bookings. the silly ****.

[Peter]

made a rod for his own back with soft bookings. the silly ****.

Booking of Saka was ****ing ridiculous.

[Luis Anaconda]

Booking of Saka was ****ing ridiculous.

Couldn't argue with Jorginho one but the others were harsh. Even the commentators said so (though I think it was Matthew Upton so I think he might have been bias

[Peter]

Couldn't argue with Jorginho one but the others were harsh. Even the commentators said so (though I think it was Matthew Upton so I think he might have been bias

I could just about see the Jesus one, although I thought it harsh. The Saka one was ludicrous. The bloke comes charging in stooped over. What is Saka supposed to do, disappear?

The Jorginho one was as yellow a yellow card as you'll ever see

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Joking aside - I did think Merino was impressive on Saturday. Did some good work going forward first half and was good defensively in the second when we played deeper. I like him (gave away a few too many free kicks though)

I like him too. I know TP5 is starting to get back to his best, but I really want to see Dec-MnM-?din in MF.

We saw how ?din and Saka linked up on Sat, and JT was beginning to get into working the overlaps and decoy runs with them so hopefully he can fill in for Benny Blanc.

MnM and ?din seem to understand each other from Spain.

We did see the fluidity with JT popping up on the left and Leo on the right wing with Saka.

But if Cala and MnM can learn to work with Gabby M like the right wing axis* works, then hopefully we can have it down both sides.

And if Dec drives forward into that inside left role {where he was great last season once Kai moved up front} MnM can drop to cover him.

*If, when chasing a winner, Kai drops back to inside left so Leo or Jeez plays up top, then Cala and Kai would be a right-wing axis but playing on the left. Just don't mention the war.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Booking of Saka was ****ing ridiculous.

I thought that. Of course a player should be able to try to control a ball just over waist height with his foot. The opponent then deliberately tried to get his head down towards the foot {when that isn't a natural height to head the ball}, didn't make contact with either ball or B's foot and went down clutching his face as though he'd been kicked in the head.

Should have been booked for simulation.

Are we gonna say that no player can try an overhead kick in case a defender then tries to head it, misses, but claims to have been kicked? Or where when, with back to goal, a player kicks the ball over his own head and turns to run onto it?

And to show I'm being fair one of NF's yellows was a joke.

Our lad was trying to hoof the ball down the line. Of course the NF player should try to block it. The ball got hoofed over his foot and then or lad hit the NF player's foot on the follow through.

How is that a yellow?