I might be wrong...

...But after seeing Sissoko's tackle last night, it occurred to me that it looked like a deliberate act of a player going for a straight red card, with a guaranteed suspension to follow.
Maybe I'm not being fair, but he started walking before the ref had even gone for a card.
Could team morale be this bad?

 

Have to agree. I love Sissoko but his body language is all off right now and I honestly think he was looking for the sending off.
When he gets back I can forsee an injury.

The only two lads for me who empty the locker right now are Janmaat and Colback.

They seem to be carrying us at times, especially Daryl.

 

It was a nasty challenge and he certainly looked to walk before anyone had a chance to react.

If it was in frustration at being in such a ****e team, then I can understand it. I don't condone it, but I can understand it.

If it was intentional to get a ban, then he is an unprofessional twat who can go right now.

The fact that the ref gave him a second yellow rather than a straight red means it will only be a one match ban. I hope that is to our advantage.

 

I'm more inclined to think he did it deliberately. Why? Because this is the same Sissoko that went on strike to force through a move to us from Toulouse. He's completely unprofessional.

 

I don't think he wanted to get sent off personally. I think he is probably frustrated. He probably sees himself as a big cheese, yet he is stuck mixing with all these dairyleas and babybels. I don't think he has been very good, but I accept him for what he is. A fairweather player who would be very useful in a big squad.

I look at Chelsea, and look at the consistency in selection. That is what Sissoko requires, then when he has a dip, you need a player to bring in. And he will have dips as he is not an A standard player who has a great football brain. However get a solid platform behind him (Abeid and Colback), and release him to roam in the space, and his pace/power can hurt teams.

Essentially Sissoko is a guy who will move to a big club, go in and out of the side but do very well.

 

This is exactly what Pardew did during our decent run before Christmas. For all his faults he wasn't that bad. Carver as soon as he got control pulled Sissoko back and shock horror he's back like he was last time he was deeper in midfield. Sissoko further forward was one of Pardew's good moves.

 

He wasn't looking to get sent off. Look he lost his head in frustration, anyone would have done it. Was it nasty? Yes and shouldn't be condoned by I understand he was pissed off and tbh, who the **** can blame him!

Also, the stick the bloke gets from some of our mong fans on twitter is outrageous. Bet he can't wait to **** off to greener pastures come summer.

 

For me something no one has pointed out is, that in the incident where him and Johnson got booked he was about to nut Johnson if Cabella hadn't intervended. That's after he instigated the incident. Add to the fact he didn't seem to care about getting sent off, suggests he knew what he was doing. Only plays against the big club and clearly thinks he's bigger than everyone else at the club.

 

I'm afraid this is right. He was angling to get sent off, sad but no question. There are so many chances to leave a foot in or have a fight in a game, it's relatively easy to disguise it. He wants no part of NUFC, and whilst I don't condone it, I don't blame him such is the cancer that's spread through the club.

 

Let's be fair, Johnson was being a prize bellend. He took the ball when it was obviously our throw-in and we were on top in the game (for all of five minutes), and proceeded to take hold the ball away from Sissoko who, as an individual wanting to win for his team would, demanded the ball. It's bollocks to suggest otherwise. In fact, Sissoko getting a yellow for that was ridiculous, he simply put his arms around Johnson to get the ball, Johnson pushed him off and they squared up... Just because two footballer square up doesn't warrant a ****ing yellow for both, although blatant cheating and time-wasting does, and the rules say as much.

Did he intentionally get sent off after? Doubt it. He probs gets a bonus every game he plays, no player would want to get sent off. He was frustrated, he went in too strongly, however, he hardly went in to snap Lucas. Too much is made of these types of challenges. Coming down onto a protected shin area is not as bad as a lunge on an ankle as a player streaks away on the break, but we never see ****ing 15 thousand slowmos of those tackles.