Benwell Lad

Just win and don't let this be AP's historic turning point moment.

Ohh shit, the unbridled optimism seems to be back. Let's hope we don't trip up like we did every time we got a bit carried away with "easy" home games last season

I watched an hour or so of their game on Saturday, first I've seen of them. Granted that's not a lot but from what I did see it was awful, nothing like what you would expect from Premier League standard football. It looked like two ten handicappers playing in the Ryder Cup. Forest were very leggy after their midweek exertions and Sunderland, well I'm not quite sure what to say but somehow they won and must be over the moon at their points tally to date.

If he did leave it would most likely be to one of the big clubs, who all rate him very highly, and we'd probably end up regretting it. Unlikely to happen any time soon though.

Sadly indicative of the modern social media world which provides a platform for any weirdo who wants one. Thing is that he probably makes fewer stray passes than Bruno or Joelinton, both great and invaluable players, but somehow his error is accentuated. Most important thing is where his standing is with Eddie Howe and staff who work with him daily, and football in general where he is held in the highest esteem, justifiably so. Also got to say the vast majority of fans I know, who are worth listening to, have nothing but praise for the lad since he came into the team and understand the challenges he has faced since.

Is it sad individuals who are jealous of other people's success? If that's the case you're probably going to be more jealous of someone local who you can identify with and used to sit in the stadium just like you do than someone from another part of the world. I guess it's more likely that people who are jealous types will tend to be jealous of neighbours or colleagues rather than people they don't know.

That was a classy moment as was the straight weighted through ball to Osula.

We have options. Good ones as well. Nice to be in this situation.

Probably in Barca tonight after playing them last night.

UEFA should run a concurrent league table of xG and the team most done by it gets a wildcard qualification. Also use it to decide draws in knockouts rather than penalty shoot outs

Not great but I think we'd have beaten a lot of teams and even Barcelona on an off night with that performance.

Flag shagging gammon march taking place in Bournemouth tomorrow if anyone's arriving early

Spanish Barcelona supporting friend tells me he didn't think they played well. I know it wouldn't have been considered a classic by their standards but wonder if that is the consensus in the Spanish media ? I think they did play well otherwise they wouldn't have beaten us. We we're very decent.

What you say is kind of true, visually anyway, but what Murphy lacks in apparent level of technique and vision he more than makes up for in terms of statistics. So how do we figure that out ?

For certain. They were great and you just don't get the ball back once you lose it, but we could have won and it's fine margins as always. As you say, Gordon or Barnes converts early on and both team's mindsets change, our pressing was a millimetre away as they played out a couple of times, before they all but abandoned it, and Rashford picks last night to have an impact for the first time in a year or so. If only? But we competed throughout and Barcelona definitely knew they'd been in a game.

It was a strange atmosphere. The rather naive and hyped expectation that this would be like the PSG or the Barca 3-2 game probably fuelled the atmosphere before kick off and the beginning, but also probably led to it being subdued when reality kicked in. That said it never died off completely and credit to the fans who kept it going throughout. UEFA freebies and sponsor's allocation's do impact these games but some of the "big game visitors" may have NE postcodes too.

Just a shit Woltemade, a shit Ekitike, you're just a shit Wolltemade. He's going to be lost without Jacob Murphy and will probably regress to his Sociedad levels. Turkey beckons.

Bayern, who essentially always get their own way in German football, are pissed off on two counts. Firstly we got Woltemade and secondly how we went about it. Contrary to the "last minute" narrative it was a deal which was worked on for a while and for once it was kept under wraps by all in the club and some outside who knew what was happening. By the time Bayern knew what was really happening he was already in Newcastle.

Hand to hand. Sorry to be pedantic

The Spanish love their football, and are very good at it, but as far as passion and devotion is concerned they're nowhere near north European fans.

Sure. Last time out in the CL he pretty much picked the same 11 players, who were the only fit ones, for weeks on end.

In fairness, squad rotation is not an aspect of the game that we have seen Howe do well in yet. I don't however doubt his ability to get it right, just like everything else he does.

I'm not sure physiology is an issue, or could it be changed much, he has a distinct build that has already worked in Bundesliga and the German national team so it's not lacking. I think it's more the intensity and physicality of the Premier league which Howe is referring to and that will be acquired on the training ground and through playing rather than in the gym.

He has quite an amazing ability to make ground and go past people on the left primarily using the outside of his right foot.

Maybe we need a separate thread just for sightings of Graeme Jones in Tynemouth