Hazbro
@hazbro.bsky.social
Londoner. POC. ADHD. Not a YouTuber. Not that board games company either.
It is absolutely a racist trope that black players are less skilful and depend on their physicality. It’s why I hate hearing people refer to black players as “beasts”. It’s disgusting. But I think here it’s a stretch. He’s praising those same skills in a black teammate.
December 20, 2025 at 1:50 AM
It is absolutely a racist trope that black players are less skilful and depend on their physicality. It’s why I hate hearing people refer to black players as “beasts”. It’s disgusting. But I think here it’s a stretch. He’s praising those same skills in a black teammate.
There absolutely is. Ndiaye is a team mate and he’s talking him up. Saka is an opponent this weekend and Doku’s the player who kept him out of City’s side. He probably (as any sportsman would) thinks “I’m better than he is, why is he playing ahead of me?”
December 20, 2025 at 1:48 AM
There absolutely is. Ndiaye is a team mate and he’s talking him up. Saka is an opponent this weekend and Doku’s the player who kept him out of City’s side. He probably (as any sportsman would) thinks “I’m better than he is, why is he playing ahead of me?”
Except, again, he doesn’t do that. He compares one skilful player to two others that are much talked about. He doesn’t even say “a lot of supposedly skilful players depend on their pace”. He cites two examples routinely talked about as the most skilful in the league.
December 20, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Except, again, he doesn’t do that. He compares one skilful player to two others that are much talked about. He doesn’t even say “a lot of supposedly skilful players depend on their pace”. He cites two examples routinely talked about as the most skilful in the league.
Except he literally doesn’t make that observation. He said Ndiaye (a black player) doesn’t need that space but Doku does. He says, verbatim “Ndiaye wouldn’t even need that space”. Is he wrong about Saka and Doku needing space? Yes. But does he say or even imply black players need it? No.
December 20, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Except he literally doesn’t make that observation. He said Ndiaye (a black player) doesn’t need that space but Doku does. He says, verbatim “Ndiaye wouldn’t even need that space”. Is he wrong about Saka and Doku needing space? Yes. But does he say or even imply black players need it? No.
Ok, so why did he say he considers Ndiaye not only to be skilful but to be the most skilful in the league. He’s not calling Foden or Palmer that.
The more logical explanation is; Ndiaye is his teammate. Saka is his opponent on the weekend. And Doku kept him out of the City side.
The more logical explanation is; Ndiaye is his teammate. Saka is his opponent on the weekend. And Doku kept him out of the City side.
December 20, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Ok, so why did he say he considers Ndiaye not only to be skilful but to be the most skilful in the league. He’s not calling Foden or Palmer that.
The more logical explanation is; Ndiaye is his teammate. Saka is his opponent on the weekend. And Doku kept him out of the City side.
The more logical explanation is; Ndiaye is his teammate. Saka is his opponent on the weekend. And Doku kept him out of the City side.
Except he said them in the context of calling *another* black player Ndiaye the most skilful player in the league. Saying he considers Doku and Saka to be more reliant on pace and he sees Ndiaye as more skilful can’t be racist as all 3 players are black. He’s wrong, but that’s a different matter.
December 20, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Except he said them in the context of calling *another* black player Ndiaye the most skilful player in the league. Saying he considers Doku and Saka to be more reliant on pace and he sees Ndiaye as more skilful can’t be racist as all 3 players are black. He’s wrong, but that’s a different matter.
When comparing black players to white ones? Absolutely a valid point. But Grealish made the remarks while calling a different black player the most skilful in the league. I just don’t see how you can be racist for considering one black player more skilful than another.
December 20, 2025 at 1:29 AM
When comparing black players to white ones? Absolutely a valid point. But Grealish made the remarks while calling a different black player the most skilful in the league. I just don’t see how you can be racist for considering one black player more skilful than another.
Except he said it in the context of calling *another* black player Ndiaye the most skilful player in the league. He was comparing Saka and Doku to another black player, not a white one. He can be wrong (he is), but it’s not rooted in racism to label one black player as more skilful than 2 others.
December 20, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Except he said it in the context of calling *another* black player Ndiaye the most skilful player in the league. He was comparing Saka and Doku to another black player, not a white one. He can be wrong (he is), but it’s not rooted in racism to label one black player as more skilful than 2 others.
Not to mention a European trophy.
December 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Not to mention a European trophy.
I can see tactical arguments for leaving Myles out, even if I don’t think we saw any signs of them working. And as we have said before, the club have data on fitness we don’t have so it’s certainly possible there could even have been fitness ones, just not ones we’re privy to.
December 19, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I can see tactical arguments for leaving Myles out, even if I don’t think we saw any signs of them working. And as we have said before, the club have data on fitness we don’t have so it’s certainly possible there could even have been fitness ones, just not ones we’re privy to.
I agree 30 minutes at CB is less taxing than 30 at RB. Just think 90 is more taxing than 60. But again, happy to agree to disagree and move on. lol.
One thing I think we can both agree on is hoping we get the result we need against Everton.
One thing I think we can both agree on is hoping we get the result we need against Everton.
December 19, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I agree 30 minutes at CB is less taxing than 30 at RB. Just think 90 is more taxing than 60. But again, happy to agree to disagree and move on. lol.
One thing I think we can both agree on is hoping we get the result we need against Everton.
One thing I think we can both agree on is hoping we get the result we need against Everton.
Yeah, and I’m happy to agree to disagree if you felt starting MLS was a bigger risk. But you then made a point about losing Timber and my position was Timber was better protected by coming on after 30 than playing 30 at CB. Again, happy to disagree if you think that the extra 30 wasn’t harmful.
December 19, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Yeah, and I’m happy to agree to disagree if you felt starting MLS was a bigger risk. But you then made a point about losing Timber and my position was Timber was better protected by coming on after 30 than playing 30 at CB. Again, happy to disagree if you think that the extra 30 wasn’t harmful.
To be clear; if MLS starts I would not have criticised him starting Timber OR White. There were valid arguments for either. What there wasn’t (to my mind) was a valid argument to start *both* when MLS was there.
Happy to disagree, but I’d like to clarify my position.
bsky.app/profile/hazb...
Happy to disagree, but I’d like to clarify my position.
bsky.app/profile/hazb...
Happy to agree to disagree, I just wanted to make sure if Timber *now* gets an injury, as a result of an extra 30
minutes at CB he didn’t have to play, I can criticise the decision without being accused of making a “results based argument” bc it’s the argument I’m making now; play White *or* Timber.
minutes at CB he didn’t have to play, I can criticise the decision without being accused of making a “results based argument” bc it’s the argument I’m making now; play White *or* Timber.
December 19, 2025 at 6:15 PM
To be clear; if MLS starts I would not have criticised him starting Timber OR White. There were valid arguments for either. What there wasn’t (to my mind) was a valid argument to start *both* when MLS was there.
Happy to disagree, but I’d like to clarify my position.
bsky.app/profile/hazb...
Happy to disagree, but I’d like to clarify my position.
bsky.app/profile/hazb...
Ok…let me say this again. Playing EITHER of them at RB was a risk. Playing BOTH of them at right back (which happened) is a bigger risk.
Playing MLS was the least risky. CB is lower stress spot than the bench?
My point was one of our right backs had to be risked. He risked both.
Playing MLS was the least risky. CB is lower stress spot than the bench?
My point was one of our right backs had to be risked. He risked both.
December 19, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Ok…let me say this again. Playing EITHER of them at RB was a risk. Playing BOTH of them at right back (which happened) is a bigger risk.
Playing MLS was the least risky. CB is lower stress spot than the bench?
My point was one of our right backs had to be risked. He risked both.
Playing MLS was the least risky. CB is lower stress spot than the bench?
My point was one of our right backs had to be risked. He risked both.
Happy to agree to disagree, I just wanted to make sure if Timber *now* gets an injury, as a result of an extra 30
minutes at CB he didn’t have to play, I can criticise the decision without being accused of making a “results based argument” bc it’s the argument I’m making now; play White *or* Timber.
minutes at CB he didn’t have to play, I can criticise the decision without being accused of making a “results based argument” bc it’s the argument I’m making now; play White *or* Timber.
December 19, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Happy to agree to disagree, I just wanted to make sure if Timber *now* gets an injury, as a result of an extra 30
minutes at CB he didn’t have to play, I can criticise the decision without being accused of making a “results based argument” bc it’s the argument I’m making now; play White *or* Timber.
minutes at CB he didn’t have to play, I can criticise the decision without being accused of making a “results based argument” bc it’s the argument I’m making now; play White *or* Timber.
I was fine with White starting and Timber on the bench. But by any definition, picking him at CB and White at RB, only for him to end up having to play RB anyway puts him at more risk than not picking him at all?
My argument isn’t that he erred picking White at RB but in *not* picking MLS at LB.
My argument isn’t that he erred picking White at RB but in *not* picking MLS at LB.
December 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I was fine with White starting and Timber on the bench. But by any definition, picking him at CB and White at RB, only for him to end up having to play RB anyway puts him at more risk than not picking him at all?
My argument isn’t that he erred picking White at RB but in *not* picking MLS at LB.
My argument isn’t that he erred picking White at RB but in *not* picking MLS at LB.
When did I say otherwise? I said White was a bigger *risk* as in more liable to injury, not a bigger loss.
But again, not the argument I was making. Mine was losing MLS for a month would be less of a blow.
If the intention was to protect Timber you protect him more by not playing him.
But again, not the argument I was making. Mine was losing MLS for a month would be less of a blow.
If the intention was to protect Timber you protect him more by not playing him.
December 19, 2025 at 5:56 PM
When did I say otherwise? I said White was a bigger *risk* as in more liable to injury, not a bigger loss.
But again, not the argument I was making. Mine was losing MLS for a month would be less of a blow.
If the intention was to protect Timber you protect him more by not playing him.
But again, not the argument I was making. Mine was losing MLS for a month would be less of a blow.
If the intention was to protect Timber you protect him more by not playing him.
I think it’s closer to a CB in *our* system, especially with how our LCB covers the roaming left back. But if Hincapie is genuinely viewed as 5th choice CB, then I don’t understand the signing at all. The signing only made sense as a LCB who could also play LB rather than the other way around.
December 19, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I think it’s closer to a CB in *our* system, especially with how our LCB covers the roaming left back. But if Hincapie is genuinely viewed as 5th choice CB, then I don’t understand the signing at all. The signing only made sense as a LCB who could also play LB rather than the other way around.
By some, maybe, but not by me. He had to pick one of our right backs and both of them were a risk. Personally I leaned towards White being the bigger risk just bc of his history lately but in terms of how much each of them has played, resting Timber also made sense. To me playing both didn’t. 🤷♂️
December 19, 2025 at 4:08 PM
By some, maybe, but not by me. He had to pick one of our right backs and both of them were a risk. Personally I leaned towards White being the bigger risk just bc of his history lately but in terms of how much each of them has played, resting Timber also made sense. To me playing both didn’t. 🤷♂️
Hincapie played almost 100 games at LCB for Leverkusen. Admittedly a lot (maybe even all?) of those would be in a 3, and Timber played just over 100 times at CB at Ajax, but it’s pretty close. Not sure how many games Saliba’s had at LCB compared to RCB tbf.
December 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Hincapie played almost 100 games at LCB for Leverkusen. Admittedly a lot (maybe even all?) of those would be in a 3, and Timber played just over 100 times at CB at Ajax, but it’s pretty close. Not sure how many games Saliba’s had at LCB compared to RCB tbf.
Yeah, my point that I don’t think his decisions over selection are based purely on player welfare and load management and therefore if a decision he makes for selection based on, say, a desire to see a certain player in a certain position, causes overload to another player in another, that’s on him.
December 19, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Yeah, my point that I don’t think his decisions over selection are based purely on player welfare and load management and therefore if a decision he makes for selection based on, say, a desire to see a certain player in a certain position, causes overload to another player in another, that’s on him.
Galaxy braining was a reference to moving Saliba to LCB and retaining Timber in the starting lineup rather than picking MLS and Hincapie at CB and taking a different opportunity, with a fitter squad, to see Hincapie at LB. Felt like a lot of unnecessary moving pieces to manage.
December 19, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Galaxy braining was a reference to moving Saliba to LCB and retaining Timber in the starting lineup rather than picking MLS and Hincapie at CB and taking a different opportunity, with a fitter squad, to see Hincapie at LB. Felt like a lot of unnecessary moving pieces to manage.
See, there I’m not sure I agree. I think he’s absolutely factoring in things other than load management. For example against Wolves; I think it was to do with not fully trusting MLS defensively and galaxy braining a line-up to see Hincapie at left back. All managers take risks; his are backfiring.
December 19, 2025 at 2:47 PM
See, there I’m not sure I agree. I think he’s absolutely factoring in things other than load management. For example against Wolves; I think it was to do with not fully trusting MLS defensively and galaxy braining a line-up to see Hincapie at left back. All managers take risks; his are backfiring.
Is your argument that you don’t think we’re getting a disproportional number of hammy injuries (in which case, fair enough, I haven’t seen any data to say we are) or that if we were, it wouldn’t be fair to put any of the blame for it on the manager? Bc that I think is a trickier position.
December 19, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Is your argument that you don’t think we’re getting a disproportional number of hammy injuries (in which case, fair enough, I haven’t seen any data to say we are) or that if we were, it wouldn’t be fair to put any of the blame for it on the manager? Bc that I think is a trickier position.