Hairy Canary

I love Sara but he was poor tonight. So many miss placed passes, caught in possession and nothing creative of any note. Just a one off hopefully

Dave Gilmore for me…..

Big Duncan…

Have a good day tomorrow everyone. Merry Christmas!

Santa goes to the doctors with a Christmas pudding stuck up his bottom. After examining him the doctor hands him a prescription saying You’ll need some cream for that.

Feels like we have progressed from grinding out results to being a bit more on the front foot. Certainly been deserving our recent results. So good time to play them and a win would be a real confidence booster just in time for a few injuries returning. Feeling positive is so much nicer! 😀 (Big grinning thingy)

You must sit near me Daly! Upper Barclay towards the snakepit. Only time they stop is when they’re late back at half time getting another pint in!

No me neither, was surprised to hear about it when I got home.

Thanks Ricardo, truly a highlight of the day coming back from the game and reading your report, especially when we win! 😊

I would imagine Wagner just wanted Gibson to get some minutes on the pitch while we were comfortable. Kenny at CH has been a revelation and Wagner deserves credit for that. Also Nunes has been improving in his deep roll. I’d leave things as they are until Hanley gets back and then the possibilities open up.

Such a big game not least with two matches against Leicester coming up. Lose against Leeds and those look much more daunting.

Had a guy trying to sell me insurance on the phone tell me I was going to Hell when I declined his offer. Seemed a little harsh I thought. Bless him. 😅 (Smiling face)

If this is true then the EPL can expel any teams playing in the European league (not permissable to play in both at the same time) should they wish. The trouble is it's very unlikely that 14 clubs would vote in such a way particularly if there is promotion to the "blue divison" dangling like a carrot. There are already comments that a club like ours could potentially reach that level.....

Or the Man U one. He’s probably not on that one….

Unfortunately it will be as much to do about finance than ability this time around, so those on high wages like Dimi and Gibson will likely go. At a guess I'd say only McCullum will stay.

Whatever the reason it's a fact that the atmosphere at games is very flat at present. As flat as I can remember. It's also true that when we are all pulling together success (however that is measured - either winning or enjoying games) is more likely. I cannot for the life of me believe that is due to a lack of a five year plan or comments made at the AGM etc. When we had Worthy, Neil, Lambert and Farke (others going further back of course) they had a way of galvanising the whole club from top to bottom. We were all in it together. Top managers who motivated everyone, not just the players. Certainly we haven't had that spirit since Farke was sacked, which seems like a bigger and bigger mistake the more it gets clouded by history. The dry Smith and to a lesser degree Wagner don't seem to be able to generate the same. I'm not suggesting this is all down to the manager's inability as there are several mitigating factors that are making his life difficult. The hugely disappointing efforts at staying in the over-hyped Premier League have left plenty wondering if getting there is really worth the candle, particularly if we don't have the funding required to give it a real go. The clear downgrading of the quality in our squad has been hugely disappointing with a feeling that a real opportunity to build and improve has been lost. The style of play on the pitch has hardly been rip-roaring either, particularly under Smith. Put this all together and we get 80% of the fans sitting there chatting about their weekends while the other 20% are getting angry about the direction the club is heading in. We're in a downward cycle at the moment but it can come back and the fans will be still be here and will get right behind the team again but it feels like there is a bit of a way to go before we get there .........

Personally Id leave him there. He seems to be benefitting a lot from the game time and can only see that continuing.

I understand where you’re coming from but goodness me this is his breakthrough season and he’s only 20. I’m absolutely delighted with what he’s showing and plenty of potential to improve other aspects of his game.

I guess the point is if you ask someone to support a cause, however worthwhile, you have to accept that they may say no. If its mandated then it becomes as useful a barometer of opinion as a Russian Presidential election. At least if people are able to say no it becomes possible to find out why they feel that way, outdated religious beliefs for example, and look to educate, persuade and listen.

Perhaps you should find out before you come to that conclusion?

Would agree with this but also Sargent and Hanley returning will also change the balance of the side too.

Gunn wasn’t saving a shot. The ball was coming across him straight to an unmarked player on his right. He had to push the ball away or it was a tap in. Where else can you push a ball coming across your body in front of you when the option to your right is out of the equation? Compare that with Long’s effort where the ball was coming straight at him with options to push it away. Absolutely no comparison at all. No doubt in my mind we would have lost if Long had been in goal.

You’re one of the ones MA said cared. I’m afraid I’ve lost all heart to winge. 🙁 sad face

All fair points and I hope you’re right. I’ve seen teams “sleepwalking to relegation” before though and truly I feel we are on the verge of being in a very bad place. The main saviour are the three teams at the bottom who are absolutely terrible. That and we have some serious improvement to come when some of the injured return. For me the decision not to make a change is not worth the risk. Things can get worse!

I can see where you’re coming from but the counter argument is that not changing the manager could be disastrous. There is so much wrong that is down to DW from the way we set up, his bizarre substitutions and team selections, and the fact that we are losing confidence by the bucketload. If we do nothing and spiral downward for the next few months it could be very tough to pull out of.