***Champions v Newcastle Official Match Thread***

[PeterParker]

Fern as a CB?
Deja vu.

[mr_nool]

I would geel much more comfortable with Ake replacing Dias than Ferna.

[PrezIke]

We are so shit at the back without Stones , how they didn’t score is anyone guess.

I think when Walker is out and Cancelo moves to RB it also drops our defending arguably more so, as much as I do think Stones/Dias is our best CB partnership.

Cancelo has more mistakes in him even if he can defend better than some of our fans realise.

Walker has trouble with certain situations, but his pace, strength are so vital in impacting opposition attackers capacity both in direct impact and psychological.

Walker's decision making and even technical ability I have also noticed improve vastly since he came from Spurs.

Lastly, another thing to consider is there's been more CB rotation this year than the final run of games last season.

Last season Pep went with Dias and Stones in the key games, leading Laporte to want out. Market was poor for he and Bernardo so they stayed.

This season due to injuries, mostly, Pep has been forced to rotate those 3 and Ake more - who's also gotten more game time as a result - than he might have as some pegged Ake to leave after this season due to not playing enough in that that we signed him thinking Stones was off 2 summers ago.

In other words that might be impacting our defending this season as well more than we realise.

[blues2win]

Certainly worrying. Surprised Ake isn’t on but that would mean two left footers I suppose.

[nottsblue]

Thought Grealish had a fairly decent first half. Should have got on the end of the Cancelo cross at the end of the half though. It was as if he had never seen us play over the last five years, the amount of goals Sane and Sterling have scored from those positions in that time

[brite blu sky]

keV playing well
Sterling actually better than usual pretty decent
Zinch good
Gundo ok too in build up play.

If we don't have to defend we are fine

[Harry Dowd scored]

Fern instead of Ake is fucking ridiculous forget the left foot nonsense we play inverted players in forward positions

[CTID Hants]

Is Dias injured ?

[PeterParker]

Did you see Gundo alone at the edge of the box? He passed instead of shooting.

[nottsblue]

Is Dias injured ?

Sadly, yes it appears so

[Harry Dowd scored]

Get Foden on ffs

[nottsblue]

Fern instead of Ake is fucking ridiculous forget the left foot nonsense we play inverted players in forward positions

Couldn’t agree more. Most CB pairs are both right footed so what fucking difference does it make

Square pegs in round holes

[Beefymcfc]

Is Dias injured ?

Looked to take a bit of a knock. Sat on the bench now so looks like we’re being cautious.

[nottsblue]

That will fucking do Rodders

[PeterParker]

GEET THE FUCK IN RODRI!

[Harry Dowd scored]

Rodri the striker get the fuck in

[ruralblue]

Get the fuck in Rodri lad!

[mr_nool]

Rodders!!! I'm finally relaxed.

[gmercer1]

+2 goal difference. We want 4 we want 4

[mr_nool]

That was an ace header to be honest.