Saintslfc13

Every season is different, last year was a total clusterfuck entirely really. This season I really think the team thought they were just about invincible, especially after the Klopp news and the way the hey handle January and February with a shorthanded squad, and then got punched in the mouth by a poor united side and it’s all went to shit from there.

I think it's a combination of him being tired physically, trying to play himself into form, and mentally being completely fucked (along with the rest of the team) since the defeat to the red mancs in the FA Cup. He's a good player, he showed that in the first few months of the season. He then had a fairly long layoff and unfortunately he's been unable to pick up where he left off but I don't think he's turned into complete dogshit so much as nothing is really coming off for any of them and he's just along for that ride unfortunately.

Fair play to Atalanta. They destroyed us at ours and then Rafa'd us at theirs. Our team not having any clue what to do for the last 20 or so minutes that I actually got to sit an watch whilst they just stood off us is absolutely infuriating and disheartening. We were happy to pass it around the back inviting a press that was never coming, by passing our own midfield only for any balls we won to be mopped up by their players in a congested area. No one seemed to want to make the mistake that lead to a chance for them so therefore we relied on prayer balls to try to create our own and predictably it amounted to fuck all.

They're just standing off us whilst we pass it around the back, you'd think we were the team up 2 goals. Fucks sake.

I thought it was excellent. The best video game to screen adaptation ever for me (though it's a low bar obviously), I liked the last of us as well but never played them. I've only actually finished Fallout 4 but have 3 and New Vegas on the computer just haven't got around to playing them as I know they'll be a major time sink. Anyway I watched it with people that never knew what the games were let alone touched them and they both enjoyed it as well.

I completely agree that Nunez wastes too many chances in general. I also agree that he should've seen Dom and cut it back to him but of all the chances he's missed personally this season and the team missed overall in that game I think this is one of the least egregious. I also feel as though (not directed at you personally) when people are getting on Darwin for the finish but not getting on Diaz for passing on wide open shot from well inside the penalty area with acres of space to aim for to Onana's right that people are holding Darwin to a standard they aren't holding Diaz. I'm starting to feel like there isn't really room for both in the same 11, because they're both a bit shit when it comes to the final decision and at times execution as well.

Are you talking about the one where Diaz played him into a impossibly tight angle with the keeper and a defender on top of him as the ball gets there before wheeling away to the corner instead of crashing the goal which would've put him into exactly the space Nunez ended up putting the ball?

I just caught injury time on the tele and saw that live. What a complete and utter moron. He's already beaten the keeper, has loads of space to run by him and he decides to kick him and fall to the floor. That's quite possibly the worst dive of all-time.

I thought Diaz should've shot that ball anyway rather than play it to Nunez. I do agree that Nunez should've got his head up to see Dom but the angle was tight and at this point everyone on the team should know Nunez isn't really a think first player so just have a shot yourself. Ironically I do think Nunez thought the angle was too tight mid-strike which is why he's missed the target completely rather than hitting the keeper or the bar. As far as Dom's overall performance, while not at the levels he was displaying early in the season I thought it was a good game overall really. He's capable and willing to run at the defense through the middle or whichever wing he's ask to work towards and he's energy is apparent even when his passing and shooting are off a bit. I think he picks his moments to try to more audacious long efforts better than most who have/are building a reputation as someone who can score from range as well. I wouldn't have subbed him personally but without Jota available I can see the logic of keeping Diaz on over Dom because Gakpo hasn't shown the ability to do what Diaz does on the wing, and Nunez fades more than Diaz does when they both start. Putting Elliot as an outright forward is a non-starter when we're chasing a game in my opinion and he doesn't play on the left anyway.

That last run before the foul perfectly sums Diaz up for me. Does brilliant to keep it in, beats 2-3 players and then knocks it too far turning back the way he came, but then somehow catches up to it to get fouled. For whatever reason shooting or passing are five or six steps behind “take another touch” in his brain.

GAAAKPOO YOU SHIT BASTARD LETS GO!!! What a ball from Robbo ( I think)

Barnesy in the crowd looking as nervous as everyone on here. I bet he posts here.

Because we go into cruise control very early when we score early. As annoying as it was always conceding first at the beginning of the year, we respond to it very well. GET THE FUCK IN MAC ALLISTER!!

It certainly shouldn't and judging from what admittedly little I've seen of this (latter half of the first half, and just came back into before their equalizer), I don't think it did either. We looked plenty happy with just playing the ball rather than trying to run up a score. Unfortunately that's left us in this situation.

He's there to be the moron, not saying he isn't actually a moron but I am saying he gets paid to big it up. Does the same thing on the CBS CL/Europa coverage that w/ Henry and Carra. He's the comic relief of the group.

De Zerbi's had one season to rebuild. Most teams don't turn it around as fast as we did this season. Klopp himself mentioned that in his presser after the leaving announcement if I'm not mistaken. "It's the players fault, I didn't expect them to be this good so quickly", that's a not a verbatim quote but he said something to that effect. I don't know who should be our next manager, I voted Amorim because that's who I think it will be, but in reality there's no "low risk" option out there.

Ancelotti has basically made it his mission to destroy us every chance he gets after Istanbul. I don't think it'll ever happen but I could see him wanting to manage us just because of that, he definitely respects the clubs history and fanbase. The issue with him is timing. He's almost certainly not leaving Real to come here of his accord and it's unlikely he gets fired because he's comfortably winning in La Liga and they're always in with a shout in the Champion's League.

I don't know the exact timeline off the top of my head, but Hodgson was inherited as far as I remember. The club was in litigation to get it away from Hicks and Gillette who fired Rafa and Broughton brought in Hodgson, who was sacked pretty much as soon as they could do it. Kenny ended up as an interim replacement that got given a season because of the results he got after Hodgson then got sacked himself probably because FSG wanted their own man in anyway. Then we got Rodgers reign and he was sacked early in his 3rd or 4th season and in came Klopp who's now leaving of his own accord.

He’s been so good in Alisson’s relief that I won’t begrudge him a bad day but I did think Ali would’ve saved the 1v1.

So we were the Washington Generals today then?

Couldn't agree with this more, got into football late in the day as I was already 11 when I played what is the equivalent of little league baseball to football here in the states. For whatever reason I could always shoot or pass with both feet though, of course I preferred it on my right but I never once thought to myself that I couldn't have a go with my left if necessary. A professional effectively not trusting themself to use one half of their body is insane to me.

We're never going to turn up against united with a team full of kids in a FA cup quarterfinal unless Roy Hodgson somehow takes the manager's job again, even Brendan Rodgers isn't that clueless. The team we put out had more than enough quality to win the game and that was on display for the majority of the second half. They just didn't take their chances and the subs were unfortunately woeful outside of Elliot and Tsimikas, the former of which also made a huge mistake and the latter barely had time to get into the game.

Coventry will do them, it'll be the reverse of this where United will think they just have to turn up and Coventry will just keep going at them.

I don’t disagree with much you’ve said but I don’t think Gakpo’s problem was his work rate today. He just takes to long to make a decision whether to pass or shoot. You can same the about Diaz although obviously he’s the more skillful of the two, part of the problem with the latter though.

Happy Birthday at least