ohmelads

Disagree with 2-0 being 'about right'. Feels like a narrative based on the result rather than the teams' performances, which happens all the time and certainly did after the cup final. We lost this game more than Man City winning it, and the same goes for the final. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not but I reckon it's a better problem to have than having no hold in games and being outplayed, which let's face it we're more than used to in recent years. I reckon given age and injuries this is Wilson's last season. We need a creator (Maddison type) and I still reckon we need a striker (someone lethal or someone effective at holding it up or dropping deep and playing others in, any would do if they're good at it) because Isak looks most effective in wider areas where he has space to run into. Not writing Wilson off form-wise, but when you factor in age, wages, form and injuries, it's time to cash in.

Like a lot of our players I think he'll do better against teams like Liverpool where there's space to attack on the counter. Against teams that sit deep, he's probably better fgetting the ball out wide where he can run at people.

Brighton too on current form but Spurs have the squad to go the distance.

Spurs is the one that affects us

Was so blatantly off. Not even close. Not sure what took so long.

It's like listening to Michael Owen.

The punch comes from another bloke, not the guy he's pointing at and looking at. So yes, it's a sucker punch. Not defending the other idiot who got hit - he was asking for it. But if you throw a sucker punch like that, you make yourself a target.

I don't disagree. Saying that, if you're throwing sucker punches at someone who's looking elsewhere you have to be ready because you make yourself a target. He did the right thing to get out of there straight away.

Aye. He doesn't see it coming because he's too busy pointing at the other guy. He's asking for it but it's a real coward's sucker punch as well.

Bollocks

Hopefully a loss here and damaged confidence then a bruising derby next week.

What is it with these handball pens that are blatantly accidental? I can't keep up with the rule changes and it's a waste of time checking anyway because they're applied so inconsistently, but surely if you jump as high as you can you need to raise your arm and if it's blasted off you from close range and clearly accidental then it shouldn't be a pen! There'll always be close calls but that Crystal Palace one was blatantly accidental. If I've got the rules wrong then surely the law needs to be changed because in the spirit of the game and fair play, we don't want games decided on obviously accidental handballs by defenders. If I've got the law right then VAR are misapplying the rules. Either way, I don't see how this is for the good of the game.

Fair points. I was going to add some of those caveats but it would've been a massive post, but you're right. Different positions and clubs. Maddison did score 7 goals and 7 assists the following season, and has maintained that level ever since, hence he's a proven talent vs Gordon who is a much younger and more unproven talent. That's the comparison I was highlighting. I had expected us to go for someone proven but with years left in the tank. Howe has said he wants to lower the squad age, and obviously feels Gordon has the raw attributes. Howe and the team have earned our trust, but like others, I do feel it's high risk for the fee.

How much do you think we're spending this month? Do you think that we are going to spend 40M+ on Gordon and still be able to sign a proven Premier League player like, say, Maddison, in January? I didn't say no other deals could be done, but let's be real. ASM's last league start was in August and we're looking to make our major January signing a player who plays in his position, when he already hasn't started a league game for 5 months. That's pretty indicative.

What is this budget you refer to? The club's budget, whatever it is. Any signing comes with opportunity cost. Why do you think it is either Gordon or Maddison? Didn't say that. Was an example of a more proven player, one we've been linked and possibly available so he's relevant. Why do you think he is coming in to start straight away ahead of ASM or anyone else? Didn't say that either. Howe showed with Bruno and Isak he's happy to ease players in, and I'd imagine even moreso with someone younger. That's why I said "maybe in the summer". But fact is ASM has barely started a game this season as it is and if we sign a left winger for big money in ASM's position, it's pretty obvious it further limits his opportunities. I see it as either ASM accepting his role as an explosive sub or moving on. That might depend on us finishing top 4.

I was hoping we'd spend our budget on a proven talent like Maddison who not only brings the exact attributes we need (creativity to unlock a low block defence) but who has produced goals and assists year on year in this league and was producing far better numbers at the same age as Gordon. That type of signing is usually a pretty safe bet for teams who have the finances and can attract them. But we do need quality on the left and Howe clearly doesn't trust ASM tactically. You can see how Gordon would fit Howe's system, and he has talked about lowering the squad's average age. This feels much more of an educated punt on youth, a gamble on his potential, the fact he'll suit our system better than he did at Everton, and maybe shine in a better team. It feels high risk for the fees quoted, but Howe and the scouts have earned some trust. This looks like it'll spell the end for ASM maybe in the summer, unless he's willing to accept his role as an explosive bench player.

Looks like something from the end of the rack in TK Maxx

I might be way off here with how FFP works and our accounts, but I think we're quite the opposite of a club like Everton. My understanding is they have to wait because they overspent and need to wind the clock down (as well as balance the books) until they can spend again. Whereas our overspending is less than 12 months old and FFP is based on losses over the last 3 years, and our net spend the previous two years was low. At this stage in our rebuild, we aren't going to go through a lean spell like Everton unless we make the same mistakes they did. Following that (admittedly rushed) logic then you'd be completely right that there's not much point in waiting. Buying now does risk upsetting the stability in the group if we sign a twat, but it raises the competition for places and gives us depth to go the distance. I still reckon Maddison is the one we are after because he ticks so many boxes, and is as close to a sure thing as you'll get. The top sides have generally done well making those kinds of signings down the years - players who have consistently done it in the Premier League and are yet to peak. Mane and Van Dijk were transformative signings for Liverpool. Mahrez and Kante are other examples off the top of my head. Even when you overpay, you usually get a player who does well. I do wonder if they're looking at his current injury though and starting to question his injury record. I doubt we'll go the window without signing anyone. The one thing that could unravel our season is squad depth which is well below the teams we're fighting against.

Can't argue with that, and architecturally I agree with what others have said about the current design (I do actually like the brutalist design of the east stand from the outside though, which is completely unpretentious and completely goes against modern stadium design). It all depends on what you value most and what you are consider a worthy sacrifice. I agree on the acoustics at St James' so yes, that would probably be a win. There's no question it'd be an upgrade architecturally. Aesthetically, that will depend on your view and how much it looks like everyone else's newly built stadia. It'll also depend on location/surrounding area, because that forms part of how a stadium looks. For me, St James' location is part of what makes the club unique. A lot of clubs have had to move but how many had a location like St James', right by the city centre and formed a major part of their city skylines? You'd be giving all that up. Presumably the city skyline would be changed with the stadium no longer visible at all.

There's 22 games left to play and they're only 7 points ahead. They haven't even played Man City yet. They still have to face them twice, which is 6 points in itself. I'd put my money on City getting at least 4 points from that. Arsenal are flying but I'd still make Man City firm favourites. Better team and better squad and over 38 games that'll show.

Agreed. Trippier had one of his worst games.

I basically never fancy Wood to score and if Joelinton is wide left as well, then Almiron is our only pace to break beyond the last line and if they double up on him, no one's getting in behind the defence. I think the only thing Howe is slightly guilty of is being too loyal to the XI who just won a game. Arguably that loyalty has cost him today but I say that without knowing Wilson or ASM's condition. If Wilson wasn't fit to start then fair enough. I think this game was absolutely set up for ASM though, especially in the first half. Easy to say with hindsight, but quite a few mentioned it on here. I hate to question Howe because I have absolute trust in him, but everyone gets things wrong and we say this with the benefit of hindsight. In many cases though, this was foresight too. I'm not sure what happened to added time? They wasted at least as much time as we did at Anfield but we got 4 minutes today? Then almost all of that 4 mins was taken up with handbags and then the ref just blew anyway. No Klopp/Fergie time. But we already knew the whole "it events itself over a season" is bullshit. End of the day, by fair means or foul, we need to "find a way to win" these games, like the teams above us always have. Man U and Liverpool were poor this weekend but got over the line.

They're absolutely ripe for the counter. Just not enough pace. Doubling up on Almiron and Joelinton and Wood aren't quick enough. Hopefully second half we can get Wilson and ASM on

For me a move half a mile or whatever is the least bad compromise. I could live with it, but still sounds like a downgrade from keeping St James'. I don't see why a baseball stadium built in America in 1912 is relevant. That opened three decades after St James'. Are you suggesting Fenway Park has more character and history than St James' Park? Of course St James' doesn't look like it did in 1880, or in 1990. Neither does your Fenway Park, or any other sports site more than a century old. They've all been rebuilt very recently. St James' location itself is much of its character. Are we talking a 60K SJP vs a 65K or 70K to move site? What kind of difference are we talking here - 5K extra seats between the mooted plans? Genuine question. Acoustics are a moot point because until it's built, we have no idea. A lot of new stadia seem to have crap atmospheres. Look at Arsenal and Tottenham, for example.