Rousseau

It's a "farce" to wait to get the correct decision? I'd rather wait.

I think they said, out of 270 or 370 goals (can't recall which) last season, VAR rescinded 6. 

VAR is a great idea. 

It's implementation has still be be perfected. 

I was surprised Liverpool didn't sign anyone. 

However, Salah and Firmino look better, and they have Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gomez back. I would also expect a better season from Keita. Origi, also, looks like he can play a supporting role. 

I thought Liverpool were poor; clinical, yes -- mainly due to Norwich's woeful defending --, but they were poor defensively.  

I thought Norwich played well, going forward, but their defending was terrible. As Jamie Carragher said, they'll get a hiding playing against the top teams, but i think they've got enough to beat the lower sides. 

Is Barker up to speed? Could he be involved?

10 hours ago, Gazza_8 said:

David Bates signs for Sheff Wed. 

...on loan.

Has to be Morelos; he's simply unplayable when in that kind of form, as he was last night.

I think Flanagan was the right pick for tonight's game; as was Kamara over Davis, and Jones over Ojo - Jones was particularly suited to this game.

I was going to pick out a couple of superb performances, but there are too many. There were stand-out performances all over the park; Morelos, Jack, Kamara, Jones, Katic and Goldson.

Oh--I seem to have picked them out.

I thought Aribo was quiet, but effective, and of course showed what he can do with a magnificent run and goal.

25 minutes ago, Gaffer said:

So glad he kept Arfield on ?

 

Morelos is brilliant here.  His assists and goal make him the man of the match without doubt.

I was thinking the same; he looked shattered.

I'm annoyed at those two sloppy goals we conceded, but I cant be too frustrated at what was a marvellous performance all in.

Terrific result.

We were up for the fight too, when it started to boil over.

Just now, ranger_syntax said:

What about the time he ran the length of the pitch?

 

Think he is doing well myself.

I dont think he's played badly. 

I would like to see him beat a man tonight, though.

It's been a typical SG european performance, thus far: solid defensively, for the most part; focused offensively, and nicking a goal.

I expect a more counter-attacking second half.

Jones hasn't beat a man all night, but strangely, he has put in a fair few decent crosses.

We're solid defensively, and look capable of creating chances without actually doing so, or at least not often. 

We started tentatively, and grew into the game.

A good goal from Morelos gives us a crucial away goal.

That attempt at 1:16! 

1 minute ago, der Berliner said:

 

Jones has - this season - often shot at goal as soon as an opening was there. As opposed to others (including Kent) who needed to wriggle and dance their way into a packed penalty area, trying to run a ring around the goalie before losing the ball ...

 

IMHO, we needed and still need these more direct guys.

 

I haven't seen much of Barker lately, but a Man City chap on a free ain't too bad business. Might well be that Murphy has struggled to come back from his injury as well / soon as we hoped and with Middleton on a trip to gain much needed first team footie, Barker might be a sensible option. Could be that we see Muprhy or indeed Jones in a more central role?

 

But let`s wait and see what actually happens.

 

I agree, and I like Jones' intent a lot, but he's not scored -- that's what end-product is, IMO.

I'm not displeased with Barker.  

5 minutes ago, alexscottislegend said:

So...Barker, Jones, Murphy, Middleton, Hastie and maybe Stewart. Only Ojo a candidate for the right side. For the first time I am starting to doubt our transfer policy.

I think you're being harsh. 

Middleton and Hastie are young, but they're not getting in the first XI. They'll be loaned. Signing young promising talent is the way to go. 

Murphy is injured, so we can't rely on him. 

Jones and Stewart were intelligent buys. Decent players, that know the league. 

I would agree that none are marquee signings that go straight into the first XI, but they're clearly the right type of player -- young, pacy, can beat a man -- which is the right way to go; it's just that they're below the level that we'd all want. Maybe it's about improving them?

I'm happy with the transfer policy, in general.  

All our attacking midfielders/wingers/forwards (whatever you want to call them) have some quality that we can use, but none are marquee signings that go straight into the first team. 

Jones has pace, but lacks end-product; Ojo is raw, but has a eye for goal; Stewart's slow, but intelligent and crafty; Murphy can be decent, but he's injured most of the time. 

Barker's more of the same, in that sense. 

I was somewhat impressed when I saw him at Hibs a couple of years ago. It's another option. I'm content. 

I just really wanted a marquee #10 that walks straight into, and improves, the first XI.

I checked out Barker's Wikipedia page, and it seems someone beat me to it:

""Brandon Lee Colin Barker (born 4 October 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays for Manchester City, as a left sided winger. He also hates the pope and loves doing the bouncy. ^[3][4][5][6] Barker has previously played on loan for Rotherham United, NAC Breda and Hibernian. He has also represented England at the under-18, under-19 and under-20international levels.

At least there are some citations to back up the claim.  

Jones was alright when he came on. 

F*CKIN' YAAAASSSSS!!!!

I'll take any win, to be honest. 

We've not been good, against our bogey side -- again, this year, it seems... ffs -- got away with it and found a way to win.