Fabrice29

It’s nothing to do with my sanity. It’s a factual piece of information not opinion.

More dribbles is incorrect actually, that's my bad, read the wrong stat. Rest is correct though, I'm not sure why people feel the need to rewrite Smallbones decent season based on a small patch of poor form.

More goals, more assists. More key passes per game, more shots per game, more dribbles per game, more blocks per game, more clearances per game. Better pass completion rate per game. If you're actually asking.

so rare honestly, think before embarrassing yourself.

I think that was more to do with the terrible interviewer and being asked to comment on the Liverpool youngsters more than once.

Why does everything have to be so outcome based?

Just for full clarity, maybe it would have been nice if he shook his hand, despite the fact he was timewasting all game, we all screamed at him ourselves, it's 30 seconds after a whistle was blown so all frustration we had should be put aside immediately, and even if the said goalkeeper is making a beeline at him which a grin on his face. The point I'm making is a) it doesn't matter and b) it's only being highlighted because we lost a couple of games and you're all desperate to have a pop at the bloke for some weird reason. I suspect he hasn't shook the hands of every goalkeeper we've played this year but I'm sure there is a list somewhere on here that one of you has compiled because his "sportsmanship" has always been so important. Heck, he even had a full on row with Lumley last season and he signed him a few months later. It happens and it's not a big deal until we've lost a game and it's caught on camera.

If you want to isolate and define "sportsmanship" by the all important handshake at the end of the game, then no, you're right. The wanker.

Change tactics and score more goals or we won't be as good as Leeds who have scored less goals than us. Cool.

So? Find me a manager who isn't far too emotional? Emotional managers are bred in this country, the fanbase, the game, the culture, they all crave it, it's all part of the melo drama, if you're not emotional you get eaten up by it all and become irrelevant. Please name me a relevant manager who isn't a petty fuck when he's lost a game or two. Honestly, the desperation on here from those who doubted him at the start is so obvious it's incredible. Starved for months because it's been going well but absolutely ravenous when a defeat is put in front of you. Can't blame you really.

You lose a couple of games and everything you do is evidence you're a prick. Including telling a goalkeeper to fuck off, the same goalkeeper your fanbase spent 90 minutes telling to fuck off. That's the game.

Stay consistent but come up with a surprise or two.

The last time he played in Downes position, in that formation, not only was he subbed off at half time because he'd been so poor, but he was actively moved out of that position roughly 30 minutes in. But yeah, blindingly obvious.

This would be much more alarming if we, ourselves, were a premier league job.

Well it's just the ones that he bought up so that's why I mentioned them. Whoscored.com if you do want to check out his tackle numbers btw.

Well you've missed an assist and a shed load of chances being created so yeah, keep trusting your eyes.

Nobody who is defending him is saying he will be. I'm not even saying he's particularly great but the idea he's been shit just simply isn't true, he's a decent Championship left back, which is useful because that's the level we are at.

Well it's two assists which is the same as KWP and it's the most key passes in the squad per game except for JWP. But you keep not looking at the stats and stating things that aren't true.

We're 4th and lost 2 games in 25 or something. Okay.

I'd bet you he's above average in this league by any metric you named and justifying his place in an above average team in said league. Except for "impressing the odd bloke on Saintsweb".

He's not shit though. He won player of the season at a mid table team in this league and I think he'd get into a lot of teams at this level, including ours obviously. We're in the Championship remember, he's a decent player at this level and is delivering both performances and the stats of someone of that level. KWP on the other side is a luxury so maybe people are feeling entitled to see that level of performance. Even if he's our worst player (a cringeworthy phrase and discussion), he's still quite clearly capable at this level and the stick he's getting here is unwarranted when you add context to it.

Bale aside they all played for us in the PL. Comparing him to PL standard players feels a bit harsh, especially when we’ve yet to play him at that level. The idea that he should be compared to and judge to the standard of some of our best ever full backs and some world class ones at that is genuinely mad, no wonder the lad is criticised every week if that’s the level people want.

Or maybe he’s a decent Championship full back and the expectation on here is a little bit OTT but is standard for a message board that loves to find and hone in on its scapegoat.

Same amount of assists as KWP with considerably less minutes fwiw. 2 fewer goals. His defending isn't much different if you're wondering about those stats as well.

Alfie seems to have forgot his own massive "at the moment" caveat that he himself put out there originally. Tend to think Erwin is right in his post above. He's obviously been sounded out and it's down to whether United decide to make an official approach or not.