[BaggyBomber]

Just watched a BBC after-match interview with Mark Hughes, who was even more childish and petulant than usual when his team loses.  Like the Liverpool pillock, he said it was a poor game and we played the wrong sort of football for them.  They don't like it up 'em, Mr. Mainwaring!   

[aries22]

The first time we've taken SIX points off Sjoke in one season for over 40 years AND I WOZ THERE!!!!!
Total and utter bragging rites over my Sjokie mates up here in North Staffs after years and years of humiliation.
I think TP has been listening to The Baggie Man (and probably JP) as if he keeps this expansive, high line attacking football with high possession ratio, he will even convert me !!!!

Well done TP - keep it up !

Glad you're a happier bunny, BaggieMan.
You have to wonder what's changed from us playing (by all the accounts I've read) stifling and mind-numbingly boring football to the sort of football I witnessed against Newcastle - which I could watch every single week.
We've always had good players, far better than they've been given credit for in recent weeks and months, and TP is an intelligent guy and experienced coach, and he proved at Crystal Palace that he could get a team to really play.
So what's changed?

[BaggyBomber]

I don't have any behind-the-scenes knowledge, Aries but, I think this is just the natural order of things. Having a good coach/manager, players starting to gel together, understanding what TP wants, a good defensive base allowing us to become gradually more expansive in our play. No doubt, there's behind-the-scenes attempted changes to the Club and squad going on at the same time.

This is what I hope for - a Club with management, players and supporters moving forward, united, gradually winning more of our matches and becoming a scourge to the football glitterati.

[Dingle-Dingle]

Ole ole ole. Ole ole. Ole ole ole. Ole ole. With a Spainish accect. DD

[valpayne]

That decides it? I'm going to the studio every time we play cos thats the 3rd time out of 4 we've had a result whilst I've been in a sound proof, non wifi, studio lol!
Watched the game on SS last night here's what I saw.
1 Sess (he gets knocked down but he gets up again) Immense, quick and so very strong, not to mention the ball sticks to his feet whilst several stokes tried continually to tackle or to bundle him over. My MOTM by a country mile.

2 Sending off. Absolutely spot on. He grabbed Yacob by the head and threw him to the floor this was as petty as I've seen and had nothing to do with football. It was frustration and utterly.... well... lets say wrestling was the sport. The commentator had the audacity to say yacob over reacted and therefore yacob got him sent off. Utter B*****KS! He grabbed our player by the head and threw him over so yes Yacob did the right thing by hitting the deck its still a stupid petulant foul end of but their bloke got himself sent off simple as that.

3 Brunt is not an actor so his bewilderment was genuine can't see what that card was about I'd be intrigued to find out the excuse for it?

4 Johnny Evans was onside crystal clear anyone who thought otherwise is blind or biased?

5 Their guy was offside the pundit actually agreed by todays law technically he was off and quote "the linesman should have raised his flag"

6 TP, the manager, the debate rumbles on but I'm still pro TP. He does have the backing of most of the pundits who say that week after week he is improving our team
He approaches different opposition with different tactics that he believes can work. Its then up to the players to see it through and that is where we achieve or not. 

He's also a good man manager. According to soccer saturday yesterday Berahino has been turning up late for training So what is TP supposed to do? Rightly IMO he lets the petulant little nerk warm the bench after all that's probably what he will be doing at a so called bigger club so TP is preparing him perfectly for his new role LOL! 

TP is playing the players that are willing to put the extra shift in and the one's we simply cannot leave out Evans, Fletch, Yacob, Dawson, Mc Cauley, Sess, Lets remember this is still one of the best defensive teams in the division and once you sort that side of it out then you can start looking at attacking flair and here's our problem. 
Rondon, Not quite done it yet. 
Big Vic, Plays a blinder gets injured again and again a real shame cos he at least has the ability to hold it and bring players in and he's bloody strong when he's on it. 
Berahino, F*****d it for himself probably keeps putting a tottenham shirt on before KO thus confusing the issue. 
Lambert, just as at Liverpool cannot get into a game enough and have an impact hasn't scored since.....?

So what we have isn't cutting it up front and to prove it look at the goalscorers in the last 5 or 6 games Sess (AM) Evans (CB) Fletch (CM) Gmac (CB) Dawson (RB) Olsson (CB) McClean (AM) 
We need to get shot of Saido in Jan and get ourselves a proven goalscorer IMO.

I for one am very happy today 26 points from 20 games just 14 more to the magical 40 with 18 games to achieve it. Boing Boing over and out :-) Happy new year to you all

[aries22]

I'd still look at Charlie Austin.

[Bournemouth Baggie]

We saw less than 5 seconds on MOTD of McManaman but was enough for me, turned the Stoke defender for the cross. Start him TP and I'll stick the humble pie back on reheat again.

[Stairs]

Although I agree it was a sending off - I am sorry, but I don't agree that there was much to it. Yes he raised his hands and that is a sending off. But he no more than cuffed Yacob who maybe justifiably fell through momentum, but he was not pole axed and he milked it.

If that was against us we'd be complaining like mad.

I hate the way players feign injury and use this as a weapon against other teams.

Not sure if its just me - but I get the feeling a few more yellow cards are being issued for diving now - its about bloody time.

[valpayne]

I'd still look at Charlie Austin.

Yes you're right Aries. He's been there and done it. It depends if he wants to stay loyal or a ticket back to the prem but certainly a very good choice

---

We saw less than 5 seconds on MOTD of McManaman but was enough for me, turned the Stoke defender for the cross. Start him TP and I'll stick the humble pie back on reheat again.

What I've seen of him I agree so I reckon there must be something we're not privy to? He looks like an ard werker on the pitch so he fits TP's profile so there's got to be a hidden reason he doesn't get the nod more often?

[Borders Baggie]

Although I agree it was a sending off - I am sorry, but I don't agree that there was much to it.  Yes he raised his hands and that is a sending off. But he no more than cuffed Yacob who maybe justifiably fell through momentum, but he was not pole axed and he milked it.

If that was against us we'd be complaining like mad.

I hate the way players feign injury and use this as a weapon against other teams.

Not sure if its just me - but I get the feeling a few more yellow cards are being issued for diving now - its about bloody time.

Regarding your last point Stairs, what is your view of the two Jamie Vardy penalty incidents yesterday (one given, the other denied)? I thought both were simulation, albeit having the benefit of watching replays. He is very clever at flicking his legs up and in between the tacklers legs but I thought neither were penalties. Difficult for a referee because he is so quick over the ground.