Nabil Bentaleb

I thought him and Longstaff were both useless.

 

Midfielders are pointless in this team.

 

The ball goes over their heads most of the game, or they struggle to find passing options when they do get the ball.

 

There was a graphic posted on here the other day showing where teams do the most defending. Unsurprisingly we are the only team in the whole league to do "very little" defending in the whole of the midfield area. 

Yeah I saw it. Every single type of analysis points to us being a diabolical team.

I thought him and Longstaff were both useless.

 

Midfielders are pointless in this team.

 

The ball goes over their heads most of the game, or they struggle to find passing options when they do get the ball.

 

There was a graphic posted on here the other day showing where teams do the most defending. Unsurprisingly we are the only team in the whole league to do "very little" defending in the whole of the midfield area. 

 

We don't really own any midfield players who are capable of competing in the premier league, certainly not against anyone decent.

I genuinely don't think it's down to the players we have.

Norwich compete and use the ball infinitely better than we do, and you cannot convince me they have a better set of central midfielders.

I don’t know the details but it’s hard to believe they’re much worse.

Of course world class organisation can help, that’s why we needed Rafa so much. But we did also have Rondon and Perez working themselves silly to press the ball higher up.

I thought him and Longstaff were both useless.

 

Midfielders are pointless in this team.

 

The ball goes over their heads most of the game, or they struggle to find passing options when they do get the ball.

 

There was a graphic posted on here the other day showing where teams do the most defending. Unsurprisingly we are the only team in the whole league to do "very little" defending in the whole of the midfield area. 

 

We don't really own any midfield players who are capable of competing in the premier league, certainly not against anyone decent.

 

I genuinely don't think it's down to the players we have.

 

Norwich compete and use the ball infinitely better than we do, and you cannot convince me they have a better set of central midfielders.

It’s not JUST down to the players we have, Rafa showed that. But our midfielders wouldn’t get in Norwich’s 11

Predictably this guy is so far off the pace it's unreal.

Longstaff and Bentaleb simply cannot be the midfield pairing, so ineffective

Wouldn't bother taking the permanent option on the loan at all, even taking into account the lack of match sharpness, can't see what he offers.

I said it in the match thread, but when you look at our midfield down the years...Nolan, Colback, Shelvey, Bentaleb, even Longstaff now....we seem to have a penchant for buying players who don't actually put in much running. Is Bentaleb off the pace or is this just how he plays? Also you have to wonder if Bruce is basically instructing them just to sit in, and that gives them a free pass not to make runs at all.

Could be wrong but I think Longstaff’s running numbers were some of the highest in the squad if not league under Rafa.

Could be wrong but I think Longstaff’s running numbers were some of the highest in the squad if not league under Rafa.

Exactly

Remember against Man City, I believe even Pep singled him out for praise.

There is no plan for pressing and closing down the ball so we just sit back there, and the midfielders are hesitant to get forward because we are playing ultra defensive.

We're just kicking it long all game and turning it back over. How and when do the midfielders do all this running exactly?!

I thought him and Longstaff were both useless.

 

Midfielders are pointless in this team.

 

The ball goes over their heads most of the game, or they struggle to find passing options when they do get the ball.

 

There was a graphic posted on here the other day showing where teams do the most defending. Unsurprisingly we are the only team in the whole league to do "very little" defending in the whole of the midfield area. 

 

We don't really own any midfield players who are capable of competing in the premier league, certainly not against anyone decent.

 

I genuinely don't think it's down to the players we have.

 

Norwich compete and use the ball infinitely better than we do, and you cannot convince me they have a better set of central midfielders.

 

It’s not JUST down to the players we have, Rafa showed that. But our midfielders wouldn’t get in Norwich’s 11

Hmmm ... okay.

Would they get into Oxford's then?

If so, why were they dominating us?

I thought him and Longstaff were both useless.

 

Midfielders are pointless in this team.

 

The ball goes over their heads most of the game, or they struggle to find passing options when they do get the ball.

 

There was a graphic posted on here the other day showing where teams do the most defending. Unsurprisingly we are the only team in the whole league to do "very little" defending in the whole of the midfield area. 

 

We don't really own any midfield players who are capable of competing in the premier league, certainly not against anyone decent.

 

I genuinely don't think it's down to the players we have.

 

Norwich compete and use the ball infinitely better than we do, and you cannot convince me they have a better set of central midfielders.

 

It’s not JUST down to the players we have, Rafa showed that. But our midfielders wouldn’t get in Norwich’s 11

 

Hmmm ... okay.

 

Would they get into Oxford's then?

 

If so, why were they dominating us?

That’s not the point I made, hence the comment about Rafa.

Forgot he was playing until he came out second half

offers nothing.

Need hayden and jonjo

This bloke isn't very good. At all.

Guaranteed to keep being in the starting 11 though because Bruce hasn't got the balls to drop a new signing.

Danny Rose is worse if anything. He's barely playing at walking pace.

He’s crap but he’s also been thrown into a shocking system after not playing any football of note for 6 months.

Danny Rose is worse if anything. He's barely playing at walking pace.

He has openly said he can't wait to retire, and is here on loan. I highly doubt he gives a shit tbh.

Unfit as fuck I imagine. Yet he's not eased in lol.

Danny Rose is worse if anything. He's barely playing at walking pace.

 

He has openly said he can't wait to retire, and is here on loan. I highly doubt he gives a shit tbh.

He openly said he can't wait to retire because he gets racially abused

Great signing Bruce.

Good job getting rid of Ki  

How come Hayden can’t get a game ahead of him? 🤷‍♂️

He’s crap but he’s also been thrown into a shocking system after not playing any football of note for 6 months.

What player would look good in this scenario? There are two fit midfielders on the bench that can play the same role. It simply doesn't make sense that he is starting when he is the definition of a player that needs to ease in and work on his fitness.

It’s hard for all our players, new and seasoned, good and shit and doubly hard for players the club signs with no real point to which is often the case. The players Rafa signed for a purpose often were only signed because they were cheap and would at least keep him happy, and it speaks volumes he made a team out of these kind of players.

Joelinton could have cost £1 and unless he’s signed to provide the manager and team a specific quality, role, position or use, he will remain a pointless signing, whatever he cost. Whatever his wages, whatever his age, whatever his potential.

That’s the absolute fucked up false economy that exists at NUFC when it comes to player recruitment.

And on top that, they bring in these players and throw them to the likes of Bruce.

In many ways I feel nothing but absolute pity for every single one of them and feel like they are nothing but pegs in the locker room. If Ashley had his own way, he’d have SD staff in there on zero hour contracts with no obligation than to wear the shirt and smile.

What separated the likes of Ba and Cabaye from say Joelinton and whoever is these players actually had ability that not even Pardew could extinguish enough to put out their flame for good. Enough to get them better moves at least.

Joelinton has zero football talent beyond the basics, he has more physical ability than he does football. And he’s being played up front on his own, isolated and expected to score goals. And when he doesn’t because durgh... the manager keeps playing him up front, refrains from signing a goalscorer to alternate ormhelp him out and then tells everyone he’s not interested in scoring anyway... he’s destined to fucking bomb.

My pity only extends so far though, he was happy to sign on and collect his wages and he’s shown nothing in terms of desire, work-rate, determination and a stronger mentality to say hey, I may be shit, I may not be a number 9, but I’m gonna leave it all out there every time I play. And that I can’t forgive. You may as well give his number to Elias or keep an Armstrong on. Or play with ten men...

Or you could just give up trying to be a football club and leave it to the pros.

I could cry if I didn’t have this hatred of it all in me.

Well you either sign players to fit a specific plan, or you make a gameplan to work around what you have. 2 can then lead to 1 as well. Bruce does neither. No point buying him any of "his" players because he doesn't do tactics. You literally have to just scattergun and hope you get some good ones.

Reports on FB that Bentaleb flicked the V's at visiting fans today as he left the field. Can anyone confirm?

Fingers crossed