BotleySaint

Strange from our players. Literally just waddling around the pitch and allowing City to do what they like. Nowhere near them at all.No real effort being shown. Going to severely damage our goal difference and any small confidence we had.City can sit back now, or score as many as they want really.

Training match for City so far.

I think you'll find they already have. City barely out of the blocks and 2-0 up. Could be the 7-1 we haven't had for a while.

Expect to get beat. They are one of the best teams in the world. Hope we put up some sort of fight though..

I think you might be getting overly worked up about this. Sam hasn't really been part of the first team so far his season so why would Hughes mention it? He probably just wanted an easy answer to a basic question rather than detailing all the injuries our reserve team have.

This is how I feel too. He has a chance every day to impress. If he was banging them in at training and doing more than Austin, Long, Gabbi and Ings then Hughes would surely give him a chance like any sane person would. Clearly he isn't doing enough to warrant a place. Easier to assume Hughes is just stubborn and stupid though.

Indeed. If Sims was the answer you'd think he'd be setting the world alight in the Championship. He can't even get in their team.

Heading down. Man City up next. Could another manager do any better though?

Gabbi has looked sharper today, done more than Austin. But finishing the usual dross. Needs more game time. No doubt Austin will remain in next game then.

See.. people say there are worse teams than us in the league. And cite Cardiff as example. On evidence so far they have more than enough to beat us.

Not sure I would even if it happened. Not until FT at least

Just waiting for the inevitable last min Newcastle goal. Hughes would go if that happens?

Gradually whittled away all the good players and destroyed the belief of those left behind. What's odd is whomever we bring in seems to drop to our level. Something wrong somewhere.

Assume that's a joke.

Yup. Never gave him the chance he deserved. But we did alright without him. Until recently of course..

Newcastle awful. Their players going through the motions. Body language awful. Almost disinterested.. let's hope they stay that way. We huff and puff but not good enough to make a dent.

Austin gets in the way.....get him off!

Man City next..

Total lack of leaders on the pitch.

We'd be better off with another midfielder in there. Or JWP would probably do a better job up as a striker!

Newcastle are worse than us. But sooner or later we'll slip up and let them in. Starting to wonder if Hughes is the right man.. surely someone could get a bit more out of the players? Try something new.

I'm beginning to feel the same. If Gallagher was that good in training he'd be given a chance. He's obviously not showing enough there and probably needed to go out on loan again to get in the shop window.

He is so slow now, can't hit a ball cleanly, no composure when given a chance. Not sure where it all went wrong for him. Confidence? Fitness? Attitude? Or the odd malaise that affects all strikers who play for us recently.

Every game he is paired with someone different up front. No real opportunity to develop a partnership I guess.

Hardly hanging on. We were the better team over all but unable to create and finish the few chances we did create.