The College Dropout

Howe won’t mess around like this.

Random example: I've said Milan bought 2 wingers for the same money we bought one. I think it's an interesting question to return to in the future about which transfer approach was better. Just as an idea. It wasn't a question with bias in fact - I didn't want 1 of the players because he's a crock and the other I'd never seen properly until Tues. But because it sounds like it might have a hint of criticism (and it wasn't) the only reply was defensive and arsey. All I've done is ask you to think about our approach and reply but it sounded like dissent to the dude.

My personal opinion: that's your perspective of others because you don't enjoy people critiquing what happens. I haven't seen anyone say they are unhappy with the club's direction. I have seen people say we played badly; some call certain players shit... but nobody is not enjoying the club from what I can tell. Name a poster who has said they do not enjoy it if you can. All of our players are talented. And our manager has ability. The signing I've been most critical of is probably Gordon. But I've said he's been our best winger this season, he has a lot of positive attributes, and he's well suited to the manager's style. I question his quality but he can improve. I've said Barnes is a net positive after selling ASM. Neither are my type of player but I can see why they are here and I think they can contribute to our success. I think both have limitations which I'll discuss on this forum. I like the other signings a lot. I like Tonali but there's a lot for him and Howe to work on to get him right. I don't see things in black and white. I agree with you on your last point. But I enjoy talking about the details of what's happening. I want Howe and the boys to succeed. So I'll worry when we don't play well for 4 straight games. It's not the end of the world but I will share my concerns. I enjoy talking about what details are working well and I enjoy talking about what details aren't working well. I seen a podcast a while back. There was talk about how Spanish footballers, pundits, fans etc. talk about the game. They talk about the details, the concepts, the ideas. They conceptualise the game. In England we just talk about the result. If you talk about the game conceptually people will mock you for highfalutin or pretentiousness. "Football's a simple game" a pundit will say whose management career ended by 55. And it trickles to the fans. "Why are you talking about the opposition getting into a halfspace? Just enjoy the game!!!!" not realising that some of us enjoy analysing the game. Critique is seen as dissent.

You've made many assumptions here Kaka, none of which are true. But to the actual question, I enjoy following the team tremendously, which is why I have 23k posts over 18 years, almost exclusively talking about the football team. Since the takeover my fandom has been re-energised and I can't talk enough about Newcastle United. I enjoy caring. I enjoy having a manager and team worth following and dissecting every nook and cranny with a bunch of strangers who mostly don't want to hear my opinion. But I share it anyway because I love it. When Rafa was sacked, and i didn't care, I barely posted. I rarely posted during the Bruce era - who the fuck cares? I'm not frustrated at all. Ultimately, we got a point and have a talented squad and manager and the richest owners in the world implementing a proper setup for the club. My critique is analytical, not emotional. I don't get crazy high or low about football. To answer what I think is your last question. Because of FFP we'll need to compensate for not spending as much as other top 6 clubs somehow. Being smarter in the transfer market both buying and selling - aye. But we also need it on the pitch. I think having the hardest running and working a good team is a viable approach. And under Howe, I think that can be done. And he has my support. But I think Howe needs to be a bit more tactically sharp and adapt faster to teams clocking our game. He also needs to evolve our game plan and find a way to play more of our most talented players together. At the moment, we don't have those hard-working and technically superior players in attacking positions like Liverpool does in Diaz, Szob, Jota, Salah, Mane so we need to find a way to get that quality of player into the squad but that's not just down to Howe. But I'm not frustrated. I think Howe will get the chance to prove himself. I'm enjoying getting to know Howe as a manager. I'd like to see him solve the midblock out-of-possession issues in the half-spaces. I'd like to see our strikers less isolated and playing closer to the wingers. I'd like to see a functional midfield.

Aye. Both he and Targett start at City. Dubs Livra Lascelles Akid Targett Anderson Miley Hall Whoever Dontstart Sheffield

Does he have to be? Casemiro often pushed up in build-up at Real Madrid if the press was high and Kroos would go deep to distribute under pressure. Remember when we all thought he was a good passer?

For a defensive LB, Burn should be ok going 1v1 with the winger.

AC Milan are good. They finished 1st, then 4th/5th in Serie A last season. We are meant to be good too though. They spent Barnes money on Pulisic and Chukwueze. Salaries will be considerably higher but I wonder what opinion we'll have on that in a couple years.

Oh i'm thinking more about Anderson in for Tonali. Longstaff back in, 2 clean-sheets. He seems to bring a better level from Bruno. I assumed he'd start. I prefer Tonali. But the midfield ran themselves into the ground on Tuesday. Good amount of rest though.

Surely at least 10 towards the end. Maybe in midfield. If we're hanging on... no matter how tired Burn will stay on to defend set pieces.

Would bet a lot of money that Burn starts.

Do people reckon he starts the next game?

Trippier or Hall could both invert into midfield if that's what you mean. I don't think we have the midfielders to make a box midfield work though.

Think Milan are suited to play on the counter. They wanted us to come on to them.

Only made CL because Juve got points docked. They are a good CL-quality team, no doubt. But we should have given them a better game, and they will be kicking themselves that they didn't win. Aye and you have to look at the pattern of performances. Look at the Villa game last season. Most people saw that even though that game exposed some structural issues. We played well before that fixture to get enough points to finish 4th. That performance is a one-off. As a team, we've not performed well since GW1. Not the results but the actual performances. I'm hoping these two positive results will create confidence that will turn into good performances.

I think Howe said.. or it was mentioned in the media that Howe thought he played too high against Brighton and that wasn't the tactical intention. that Tonali misunderstood... then he played like that again against Milan

I only ignore people who take personal digs at me. I love a good discussion about ideas, observations, predictions etc. But if you're going to fill my notifications with crap aggro - I don't need to see it. There are plenty of posters here who want to discuss football here. Anyways - back to discussing Sandro Tonali...

All you do is jump around from topic to topic, moaning like a little girl. If you don't like it. Don't read it. This will be our last interaction - bore off. It's easy - look

A win here is massive. When you're a "big club" going 3 games without a win will bring media speculation that we don't need. And the media are quick to put Howe under pressure in particular. Win this and we've had a fantastic week and our season is firmly on track. It's very early days but the teams in the top 7 are all good enough to stay in the chase. We don't want to give them too much of a headstart.

Aye you've made an awesome contribution to this thread. That post was elite btw. Yours 0/0.

From what i've seen Gordon isn't currently very good on the half turn or his back to goal. When he's in those positions he just pops the ball straight back. Isak is cuter in those spaces, gets on the turn well.

Looking at Howe to do more with the wingers. Each one seems to do what he wants (to some degree).

I remember for a long time, I thought Rodri couldn't play with Gundogan. In Rodri's first season they lost 9 times in the league and finished a distant 2nd. Rodri looked too slow and cumbersome to do the job Fernandinho had done for the last half-decade. Gundogan looked a level below David Silva, who was being phased out the side. Rodri looked too slow and Gundogan wasn't as slick. But over time - Pep tinkered with the setup, and those players stepped up. Rodri, when we played them this season, was mentally and physically so quick and dominating, first to every ball. That didn't happen when he first joined. I have no doubt the players are good enough to make it work; they need to adapt and step it up, and Howe needs to coach and tinker with it. Like I said before. Tonali jogs about too much. This is Howe-ball; you have to be an off-the-ball warrior. He should learn and improve.

Nah. Just need a different tactical setup and Tonali needs time to settle in and adapt.

Everyone is delighted at the point. Delighted by the commitment of the team for the entire 95 minutes. Last ditch tackles and blocks. That was all excellent. But the general performance was bad. We conceded chances. Poor in possession. Poor in attack. If we lost 3-0 we could have no complaints. So that's what we're discussing. I remember early in the 5th season under Pardew. We played badly and stole a few wins and draws. Back then we could admit, hey - we played badly but got the result. If we continue to play badly we will lose more games. But the positive results led to a great atmosphere which led to much better performances along with good results. That's what we are hoping for here.