Lighthouse

It’s part of how we play. I’m sure one of the ‘taters a while back said we were in double figures with goals scored which started with Baz playing it out. We play it around the back because it draws teams in to pressing us, which we then play through. Those spaces created are a large part of why we’ve created so many decent goal scoring chances this season. Actually sticking them in the net has been a different issue but we’ve made the clear cut chances; that double Armstrong goal at Ipswich was a classic example of doing it right. If we spend 20 passes playing it around the edge of their third, that space isn’t there and we become predictable and easy to play against.

No, one stat, his saves as a percentage of shots on target. I explain that the exact same way as I’d explain Papis Cissé being better than Messi when the reverse stat was analysed a few years ago. If you want to cling to that, you’re going to have to agree that Angus Gunn, who I know we all love on here, is better than the Rotherham keeper everyone has been raving about. https://fbref.com/en/comps/10/keepers/Championship-Stats

Nothing is being ignored. We adjusted our game plan so that the defenders and Downes at various times dropped much deeper to take the ball off him and move it forward. He was never put under any pressure by Preston and was only ever asked to play very straight forward passes out that I could have made. In short we did well, as a team, to mitigate the area in which McC is clearly inferior to Bazunu. If that exact scenario with Manning had played out with Baz in goal, you’d be saying, "oh look, he’s made an absolute flap of the only thing he’s not terrible at." It was the one time McC’s major weakness was actually exposed and it showed why we will have to adjust the way we play for the remainder of the season.

We don’t though, people are just being overly dramatic. Keepers let in goals against us all the time that people would be howling about if Baz conceded them. Even last night, people would have been furious that Baz was caught with his pants down off his line twice and didn’t even attempt to dive for the third goal (which was hit from further out than any of the Ipswich goals or Watford’s equaliser). Then there was Stu’s shot which hit the inside of the post - useless Baz beaten low to his left again.

Probably best you don't because none of that is correct. He can save a shot to his left, but if they're low and well hit from inside the box that's his weakness. It not as if he's letting in daisy cutters from 25 yards out. He can deal with crosses, I don't know where you've got that from and his first touch is usually excellent. Anyone who thinks McC is a better keeper clearly doesn't remember the end of last season, when everyone said the same, he got his chance and shots were going straight through him. Forest away when he let in four was a particularly low point.

It's the sad world of diminishing returns that is the life of a conspiracy theorist. You start off with Covid jabs and moon landings but when that gets played out, you have to start exploring more and more off the wall theories in order to stand out as unique. Eventually you go from being as respected football pundit with a relatively well paid, comfortable job in broadcasting; to appearing in Youtube videos with some bloke dribbling about the alphanumeric pseudo-maths of Johan Cruyff being in witness protection.

Actually we should. In any normal season being in the high eighties or low nineties usually gets you automatic promotion. We're on 84 with four games left, so certainly in that ball park. The other teams, apart from Leicester, haven't really messed up. They've just had peaks and troughs in form across the season, much like we have.

This used to get posted with regularity on the Sofiane Boufal thread. I’ll be amazed if Mara turns into anything decent in English football.

Just to make sure I have this correct: Black 16th century European queens - Not a problem. White voice actor who you can’t even see on screen affects a regional Indian accent in the Simpsons - Disgusting.

That was basically the team everyone wanted, minus Baz and Fraser, and it looked to be the correct one. That's definitely the best defence and midfield three IMO, they were all superb. Shout out to Manning who's had some well earned criticism all season but looked every inch the player who was in last season's team of the year. PNE were dreadful. I can only assume they were already on the beach because they offered nothing all game. Between those two efforts which nearly caught their keeper off his line and Stu hitting the inside of the post, it could easily have been 5-0 at h/t. Second half we controlled the pace excellently and they never had a sniff. The main down side to tonight is Baz's injury. If it's as bad as feared, he'll be out well into next season. Having to rely on McC and Lumley for the run in and playoffs is far from ideal.

No he doesn't, your making things up because of your ridiculous determination to hate him. He has a weakness in saving shots hit low and hard to his left but we don't help the matter as a team by letting opponents have unchallenged shots in acres of space in our own penalty area, like we did three times against Ipswich. If Baz is out long term it's bad news. McC clearly isn't as comfortable playing the ball as Baz and he's no better a shot stopper either.

I’m guessing some sort of appearance related clause for McC, whereby we’d use Lumley as an emergency sub if needed but would prefer Alex if forced to start one of them. Either way it’s a blow so soon before kick off.

It looked like a much harder swing from behind the goal, the FA will have seen more angles than just that. Regardless of the dubious amount of pain the defender was actually in, the intent was certainly there. Why do it? Just brainless.

Apart from Fraser for Brooks, I’d say that’s our strongest side.

Speak for yourself, I’d call it a marginal offside call, which could be given either way. I’d be much more ‘fuming’ about the circumstances which lead us to be 2v1 in our own half in the first place.