DaveT

In fairness to MotD, Lineker described it in pretty much the same way, shooting down Bitter Danny's comments in flames. As for comparisons with the Aubameyang, it's a whle different kettle of fish - PEA's tackle was late, noweher near the ball. Robbo won the ball first before making contact - it's only in recent years that such a challenge has been interpreted as a potential foul. No sane person would consider that as a red. Totally spot on report, Dave. While I was watching it, I was thinking about the fact that we were away to Spurs, who have been our match - or more - for most of the last decade - and they were shit scared of us, and we were bossing it as if we were up against some lower league minnows. The Mourinho-influence narrative about injury-stricken underdogs doesn't hold water when set in the context of us having to play the same 13 or so players against most of the division's form teams - Watford,Leicester,Wolves, SheffU - plus the WCC in the space of a month, without Lov,Matip, Fabs, Shaqs, and Milly, Keita and Ox for chunks of it. Even though they ahd a bit of a break, it was no wonder we looked a bit mentally and physically jaded in the last 15.

What’s the opposite of a tactical masterclass? That’s what we’re seeing from Villa. Five really shit defenders dropping deep at the first hint of trouble, marking two forwards ...... whilst leaving loads of space in midfield for two of the best assist makers in PL history all the time in the world to pick their passes.

Who mentioned conspiracies? Conspiracies by definition involve multiple people. Atkinson is one man with an agenda. If you can’t see a pattern in his performances when we’re playing you should look a bit harder. I can’t be arsed citing a long long list of shocking decisions he’s given against us but everyone else here knows what I’m saying

City not enjoying having to play within the rules of the game

Chelsea have been going down on my hate-o-meter for a little while now (not their fans, though), and I find Lampard hard to dislike. Tottenham on the other hand have been very cuntish ever since Pochettino walked through the door, and they're only going to get worse under the present incuntbent.

I think it's a bit unfair to lump Gomez in with Lovren and Matip. Although he has missed a lot of games but that's down to two major injuries, an ACL early in his career here and a Burnley-induced broken leg last season. he was available pretty much every game last season up to then and every game since his recovery. There's nothing otherwise to suggest he's going to be a perennial sick note like the other two. Agree totally, however, that we can't carry on with having two CBs with a chronic record of frequent illnesses (in Lovren's case - what's going on there?) and niggly injuries, both Lovren and Matip. Meantime, I'm not at all convinced by Sepp van den Berg and expect Hoever to play full back for a few years before moving into the middle........ So..... move Lovren on in the summer and bring in a reliable option.

'Only bad luck or bad officiating can stop this team.' - Like the awful decisions in each of the Napoli games that helped put us in the position we were in last night. Thought the ref was decent last night on the whole. Cracking match, cracking performance from the Mentality Monsters. This is a great time to be a Red, and I count the minute before each game.

The decade when we were champions half a dozen times and won the Euro Cup twice?

Just about to comment on that! I'm 63 and I have no idea when that might have been.

Would be interesting to see how Messi would have coped with the kind of thuggish tackles Pele had to endure in the 66 World Cup. They probably would have broken him forever. Pele, on the other hand, came back to lead what was probably the best team I've ever seen and win the 70 World Cup.

I guess they slept through Arsenal,3-1 and Norwich 4-1. Muppets. Burnely 3-0. And whilst we're not keeping clean sheets, it should also be pointed out that no-one has scored more than once against us in the league. Atkinson. Nobody has had such a blatant agenda agaionst us since Webb, yet no-one in the media notices it?!

He should have had a red on Sunday actually - his hissy fit of dissent in the first half, an arm in Mane's face in the 2nd, clattering Virgil towards the end, and being an all round pathetic twat for 90 minutes.

Lots of young talent........ which they've acquired over the years by breaking all the regulations concerning recruitment and registration of young players....and which is the reason for the current transfer ban.

And they've hardly played anyone yet - toughest games have been against us and United away, both lost, and Leicester home, draw. They're at City after the break, that'll be interesting..... immediately after we play Palace. Palace are rank at the moment, hardly put a glove on either Chelsea or Leicester, but we're everybody else's cup final these days, so we can expect an extra level of intensity and commitment (not to mention Hodgson's motivation for a result).

Complete mis-match physically. Why do our junior teams seem constantly short of players at the moment? U23s haven’t been able to field a forward for the last couple of games.