midds

Howe has a huge decision to make this week, don't think Gordon is giving enough to justify an automatic start next week. Certainly should be Barnes starting at LW next Sunday with either Murphy or Gordon on the right. He's looked miles away from his own high standards for a while now and his sloppiness today cost us the winning goal today. If Joelinton is fit then I think I'd go with Murphy on the right and give Gordon 35 mins off the bench to use his pace against a tiring Everton. We've been in the position of not having anything off the bench for a month now and he's the last one you'd want to see if you're Ashley Young or Mykolenko. No one has any idea what's going on in his head but he's playing like he's unhappy with something. He certainly doesn't look like he's enjoying his football atm. Huge week for everyone at the club, need every oar in the water right now

That's how it ends? Like that?

Needs a Schar shitpinger here

Needed to convert one of those early chances in the first half, would have given us something to hang on to. Always felt that missing the lot would leave us short, you can't miss every chance and complain later

We've been poor this second half but Arsenal came out and definitely stepped it up a few gears. We've not been able to match them but it's arsenal who've raised their tempo and we're now chasing it and don't look great in the process

That's on Gordon unfortunately. Dwelling on it. Sloppy as fuck

Gordon is frustrating. He's going down easily which I don't like but he's also just doing what others do regularly and they get rewarded for it too. I don't like the contact = collapse thing but you either give it every time or you ignore it every time. Atm some players always get it and some players never, it's that inconsistency thing again with refs

Vardygol

I'd honestly have him here for a year or 2. We are going to have a huge number of games and he's reliable enough to come in for a game or 2 to allow us to rotate Bruno, Tonali and Joelinton. No-one's saying he's exceptional or at the peak of his powers but he'd be a smart move imo. He'd never start in your best XI but he'd get plenty of minutes, we need to pad the squad out and on a free it would be a very pragmatic signing

Feels like the natural end to Everton's season this, not sure they'll be there mentally next week. Hope not anyway, early goal is crucial for us

Can't deny I'd be a bit disappointed if we fell out of the CL places at this stage, really, really want that CL football assured asap. However, the absolute worst case scenario for the end is looking like a major trophy and a place in the EL next year. That scenario still represents the best season's achievement I've ever known - the worst that can happen is still the best I've ever known. That's quite a large and shiny silver lining imo

We were always going to need to beat Everton on the final day if we were going to make it. Have to assume the other clubs will get their results whilst hoping they slip up at some point. It's easy now - WIN AND IN

Think it comes down to who needs CL more, they both want it but who would it hurt the most of one was to lose out. I think the answer is Spurs. Man U are a giant of a club and will still have huge amounts of money pouring into the club. We know there's a pretty good chance they waste a large chunk of it due the incompetence of those running the club but getting the CL means they will just have even more to spend. Spurs are a lot smaller and not getting that CL cash injection will have a much bigger negative impact on their finances. I genuinely think we've passed them regards the stuff on the pitch and a sustained length of time outside of the CL allows us a better chance to catch and pass them off the pitch too. For those reasons unfortunately I have to admit I'd prefer to see Man U win it. Ideally they'll kick the absolute fuck out of each other and they both somehow manage to disgrace themselves in the process. Also don't like Postecoglu either, much prefer to see that fat mess squirming in his postmatch interview. I'll hate watch it (at best)

And the trayurns marra!

Not a chance Grealish works hard enough to tick the huge boxes we need. He's not shit but he's not a Newcastle player based on what Howe needs and wants. It's a ridiculous link

In fact, they've only beaten 4 teams NOT in the relegation zone all season. City, Fulham (twice), Everton and Brentford. That's abysmal by any measures you care to use

Man U have only beaten 1 team outside of the relegation teams since the middle of December (Fulham away). They're losing their last 2 games, they're absolute pigshit

Absolute pigshit. If this is the way they go about things then even if they go up they'll struggle to get 15 points. Shutting up shop in the Championship is all well and good but the PL teams will inevitably score and they've got zero to fall back on. Hitting Championship teams on the break can get you some of the way, trying it against PL teams will mean they lose 3 or of every 4. They're just not good enough to keep clean sheets and not good enough to trouble teams at the other end. Couldn't give a fuck if they go up or not but if they do then they'll get absolutely fucking battered more often than not

Why? It's 2025

Howe's main problem will come in a couple of years time. That first raft of players we brought into the club in the first 2 windows will all be 4 or 5 years older and they too will need to be replaced, I'm thinking Trippier, Burn, Targett, Pope and Bruno (to a lesser extent). So not only will he need to continue to weed out the malingerers from the squad he inherited but he'll also need to start planning to replace the replacements. The youth teams don't appear to be churning out masses of talent and the younger players we've invested in are still a few years from developing into useful squad players. We're going to be constantly chasing for at least another 10 years yet imo. Players age and need upgrading and that includes who we have already brought in. We desperately need to get the youth system right and it needs to start producing very soon or I fear we'll never really bridge that gap. Seeing even a couple of players introduced each year would be huge, introducing players capable of even PL-squad level means more cash can go into the stars. This was the squad he inherited from the pig: That is a squad of players that was, literally, worthless. He had virtually nothing to build on and I think that gets ignored too often and makes what he's done even more impressive

Morons at work already giddy at the thought of "gerrin a tigget fur Wemboah". Just taken Coventry for granted it seems

Feels sly as fuck not giving player of the year to anyone other than the bloke who's got 24 goals but I honestly think Burn edges it this season. He's been an absolute mountain back there

PP have us as 1/50 to finish top 5 for the record. We're as low as 1/5 to go top 4. Doesn't mean it's going to happen but it'll take a ridiculous run of results for us not get at least top 5 now

No reason at all why the flag shouldn't have gone up immediately, he was about 3 or 4 yards offside. Marginal ones I'll accept but this was so obvious that it should have been flagged immediately

Nissan