Pata

You must have passed the IQ test then.

WTF did you mean then? Please explain.

Hiring a highly regarded DoF is absolutely wank planning?

Sensational that even if parts of the season were very gung ho.

Yup. Pope being out meant our CBs couldn't be as aggressive anymore as Dubs wasn't cutting out the long balls behind their backs. Opens space in the midfield when our CBs were scared to get tight and bad things happen.

Villa already did that with Philogene. Instead of loaning out your youngsters you sell them and have a buyback clause to get them back. It can't keep going like this, these swap deals are also getting ridiculous but such an easy way to get past the regulations.

'Luis Diaz (locked 8th fast player in EPL last season at 36.42km/h)' Nah, it's a bullshit example but I don't think Thiaw is too slow.

That is such a bullshit example, Diaz isn't going full speed and think that should be a pen.

I’m sure you’re completely neutral source for this.

Nice move for him, will have to try and catch up with some Fenerbahce matches next season. Have a feeling they’ll love his style there.

I detested Klopp at Liverpool but at the same time I recognise he’s a magnificent coach and most likely would love him if he ever was a manager for my team. Would be a ridiculous coup for England but don’t think the timing works, maybe if he had resigned a season earlier.

Has happened to me a few times too lately, no idea why.

This is just nostalgia, many of those players wouldn’t be starters for the current team. Gallas, Evra, Abidal, Djorkaeff, Karembeu, Petit and Giroud were fine players in their day but nothing special and then saying there are 20-30 more is just ridiculous hyperbole. Theo Hernandez, Saliba, Tchouameni, Maignan and Mbappe are world class, even Kounde. Griezmann is getting older but he’s had a great career. There’s also young talent like Camavinga, Zaire-Emery, Barcola waiting for their turn. Dembele, Kolo Muani and Thuram have rarely impressed in the national team but they are still playing for the biggest club sides in the world.

Think Mbeumo is too expensive to be that player. Rather someone cheaper and a bit younger with a higher ceiling which sounds very easy.

Yes, very much. He’s not jumping ship to a rival but to the national team of his country. Not that I think it will happen.

Obviously it's only me guessing. My point was that IMO he could easily wait say four years in which point he would've been with us for a very long time and possibly look for a new challenge. It's very likely he would still be one of the hottest English managers and the squad could actually only be stronger with only Kane probably done (Bellingham, Foden, Saka, Gordon, Palmer, Mainoo at their prime and even Rice would still only be 29). I'm certain he has the self confidence to think he's not a busted flush in a 4 to 8 year range and he still sees NUFC as unfinished business.

Oh, thanks.

Yeah, the team spirit and momentum were massive until the injury crisis last season stalled us a bit. We've had massive contributions from players who have no business competing for CL places in the PL.

Howe is young and he knows he'll be a top 1-3 English manager for at least the next 10-15 years. Think it would be riskier for his career if he actually took the English job now instead of staying. The core of the English squad would also be only better in the future, only Kane is older. I'm not really concerned at all that he would want to leave after last season, think there's like 10% chance at most that he goes now.

Yeah, Bilbao have to pay big wages to keep their players and they have no need for money. How would they replace the Williams brothers if they wanted to leave even if they had a billion in their accounts?

Are you seriously comparing a 20 year old Italian international to a washed up Chris Wood who we bought to weaken a relegation rival as no one else was available in January?

Gnonto would be a class depth signing and probably not that expensive. £30-35m would be a good deal to have him as a cover for LW, RW, SS with a really high ceiling. Only 20 so there wouldn't be almost any risk either, could always sell him on if his development stalls.

Was the problem really the teams 17-24?

Carvajal was so good today, didn't know he could be that good with the ball on top of being the usual terrier-esque nuisance defensively.

Yeah, think I said this after the first match. Second CM was a problem and Bellingham deeper would have opened a spot for Gordon or Eze and you would've had at least some balance. Bellingham was a £100m CM last summer after all despite playing higher up for Real Madrid.