midds

Qualifying for Europe would be a double-edged sword next season. On the one hand we'd immediately become higher profile that would make it easier to sign better players, attract bigger and better sponsorship deals and have more games and bring more money into the club. On the other hand we'd stretch a very limited and thin squad to the absolute limit when we most need them. As a result of the way the club has been run for the last decade or so there are virtually no youth prospects, the reserves are still poor. We have zero pool of players to dip into to flesh out squads on a Thursday night and then play again on a Sunday afternoon, we just don't have the quality or quantity just yet. If we had, say £80m, to spend this summer we would need to balance it between buying 2 £40m players to lift the first XI OR buying 8 players at a lower quality to bulk the squad out a bit and cope better with European football. I don't think we can afford to do both

There's absolutely no reason why these people should be given loads of hassle but I fear they will be. Highlighting the atrocities and actions of the Saudis in their country 100% should be called out and criticised, the shit they do is abhorrent and barbaric and there is no defence nor should there be, it's vile. But I think a lot of fans will see the (legitimate) criticism of PIF as an attack on the club itself and they'll inevitably defend their club. Partitioning the club and the owners, and the actions of each, is still an issue and that line is blurred. Hope the protestors have thick skin

He got the move he wanted in the end and it's backfiring, he signed for the wrong reasons and I've got no sympathy for him or his handlers.

Bloody Labour EU regulations problees

Where do they turn after him though? He was the inherent, bulletproof solution, if he fails then what the fuck do they do next?

Given the complete change in playing style I don't think we actually need a 'destroyer' in the middle now as essentially we've got the front 6 playing so high that they're all destroyers. During the summer I was totally in favour of it and playing Bruno higher but I've changed my mind. Someone like Merino would be perfect, technically sound, can run all day, tackles/intercepts and also bring the ball forward and pick a pass too.

Have to wonder how many of the Chelsea internationals will be 100% fully committed in the last game before the World Cup break. Will they be phoning it in and making sure they're tip top for Qatar? I reckon there's a decent chance of a good result in that game personally

Haaland 2 and Bellingham 1 sot each is 5/1 on sky. That seems more than reasonable imo

Sure I've read posts remarkably similar to this a few times already this season

Just feels like they're just making it up as they go along and then hiding behind the wording of the rules to justify what they've already decided should happen. It's that loose and open to interpretation that they could feasibly try and justify any decision they choose to give. It's utter bullshit and has nothing whatsoever to do with arriving at the correct decision. It's about using VAR to justify or cancel any decision they're not happy with and it'll take a brave man to persuade me otherwise. Their bias as a referee has continued into the VAR rooms.

That's fair enough tbh. I just hate the inconsistencies and lack of clarity. If it's a defending team there then I think it's a handball and a pen? If it's the exact same incident but an attacking player handling it then it's fine - but it's the same incident. Why is it different for one shirt but not the other? The incident is the incident regardless of where and who made it, the whole thing is a complete mess and needs a root and branch overhaul. Then you've got the issue of the fucking idiots looking at the footage who were appalling referees a number of years ago before they put 5 clem on.

Please post that on rtg someone

That goal only happened as a direct result of the handball. If that hits his gut then it would have dropped and probably been cleared, the handball kept the ball/move alive and they scored about 3.2 seconds later. Utter pigshit situation

He'll tell them tomorrow...

I think it's more about choosing to stop the momentum of the opponent rather than waste time as such. Go down with a very dubious head injury, stay down for 2 mins, kill the game and give the back 4 a chance to reset and catch their collective breath and regroup a little. It's going to catch you out with yellows and late goals but it's become an established part of the game now. "Game management" I believe it's conveniently called - which sounds clever rather than cynical. 'City are good at seeing games out aren't they? Great game management' as opposed to 'Newcastle are just wasting time here'

Bet he's a fucking Tory too

Some days you're the statue, some days you're the pigeon. Fuck him and fuck Spurs

The best CMs I've ever seen in a Newcastle shirt are Gascoigne, Lee and Speed and this lad is the perfect mixture of all 3 of them. Honestly, this lad is unreal, he's got the fucking lot, there's nothing he can't do and you could drop him into 5 or 6 different positions and he'd still look unbelievable. Touch, vision, passing, tackling, stamina and intelligence the lad has got the lot and he could well become the best player I've seen in a black and white shirt - he's that good.

What an investment this lad has been, he's ridiculous. He looks a bargain and is just unflappable, the bloke is an absolute rock in that back 4. Calm, composed, reads the game and makes it seem effortless. He's an Aston Martin not a Rolls Royce

Doing a phenomenal job and fully expect it to continue. He's just got everything right and it's just clicking right now, it seems easy but the amount of hard work and effort and dedication to detail is paying off spectacularly. The prep before each game is near perfect, the players are drilled and informed and the unit is getting stronger and stronger with each passing week, the lads are tight as fuck, organised and motivated and that's incredibly tough to beat. Just imagine we had ASM and Isak to bring off the bench this afternoon man?

They're almost broken tbh. There's still the odd one or two who want to try and convince themselves that the inevitable won't happen. But it will

Played 10 of the current top 13 too. This is not a fluke or a false position or any of that shit either, we're there on merit

Fucking amazing result and thoroughly deserved. Here to fucking stay too, bitch

Redknapp's got fucking gravel for brains. Thick as a bull's dick.