The College Dropout

Entertaining game. Both Liverpool and Everton look short of where they want to be.

The 4-3-3 is working a treat btw. Wouldn't change it.

As an inside forward who put in a tremendous shift up and down that wing. He also didn't score any goals playing there. Grafted his bollocks off though.

We've got smart people onboard here. One of the things we need to start to do next summer is - start upgrading our squad players. Pretty much every senior player we've signed has been for the XI. And getting rid of what we have. IMO we are 2 players away from a really good first XI. I hope we sign both in January, then that gives us half a season to see what the team looks like then. Long-term I don't think Isak is best placed as a right sided forward in a 4-3-3.

By the looks of it Anderson is considered a forward, consequently thee's a lack of depth at CM. Burn is first choice back-up at LCB & LB.

The Athletic have been reporting along those lines for awhile. People on here refused to believe that deal could be made so quickly after it went cold initially. I found this part interesting: Amid the frantic activity of the winter window, the bulk of negotiations and calls were conducted by Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben. There was always confidence that Botman wanted to sign, in spite of AC Milan dangling a carrot in front of him and Lille’s attempts to eke out more money in what was an early example of the so-called “Saudi tax”, but Newcastle simply refused to meet the French club’s £37million valuation. "This insistence on value has become a theme. As Isak demonstrates, just as the £25million they paid for Chris Wood eight months ago does the same, Newcastle are prepared to compromise on price when it is necessary, but the idea that they will throw money around on wages and fees willy-nilly has been banished. Their tough stance worked. In January, they pivoted to Brighton’s Geordie centre-half Dan Burn, another tall, natural left-footer, but returning for Botman this summer was always the intention, rather than to Diego Carlos, who, at 29, was deemed too old. “It was a big deal for us,” the source says. “The core of any team is its spine and the defence. Dan is fantastic but he’s 30 and we also have to think about the future.” Botman is another prime example of Newcastle’s long-term quest for “push-on” value. Botman’s arrival was confirmed after Ashworth’s spell on gardening leave came to an end, but that had little to do with the breakthrough, in spite of the sporting director green-lighting their targets. Though Ashworth was involved, the final push in talks again came from Ghodoussi and Reuben, whose uncle, Simon, is understood to have spoken directly with the Ligue 1 club’s ownership. Those personal relationships at the highest level were seen as pivotal. The deal was eventually concluded at Newcastle’s original price of around £32million. It may have taken longer than they would have liked — Lille requested a delay in the announcement for financial reasons — but it represents another case of the club’s alignment, a favourite word post-takeover. “It was a collective effort, everyone in it together, just the same as on the pitch,” the source says. “That’s at the core of how we work. We never gave up.” ---------------------- We didn't want to pay £37m for Botman. So we signed Burn for £12m, then signed Botman for £32m 6 months later anyway. I get that Botman is a long-term signing but still....

That midfield 3 has been working really well for us..

We need to develop better relatiionships with the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus, Atletico etc. That loan market needs to be used

Inside forward better suits a left footer on the right. And we spend a lot of time without the ball so the inside forward has to put in a mighty shift off the ball moreso than the ST. Not saying Wilson or Isak couldn't do it.

They just signed a stop-gap midfielder because of the lack of quality/depth tbf.

I'd give the window 7/10. Signed genuine quality. But only signed 1 out of the 3 roles I thought were most crucial. I don't expect us to finish 7th with this current squad and qualify for Europe. 9th or 10th. But if we continue to max out the potential of the squad who knows.

Wished we got another CM or attacker. But made some quality squad additions. I'll say it one last time. I wouldn't have minded Burn being first choice LCB if it meant we spent Botman money on an attacker or midfielder. But anyway - we are stacked in defence now. Fro January onwards let's start really adding quality to midfield and attack. Isak is a great start. Bruno was a brilliant move. We've got one of the best managers in the league. LET'S GET IT.

Longstaff doesn't have the athleticism for that role and doesn't offer that much more on the ball to compensate imo

This lad is a real leader though. Beating up team mates from not working hard enough. There's not many in that ilk.

Also sweeps up really well.

I thought the same. I don't think he has the stamina or the defensive workrate for the wide role against most opposition. At home against weaker opps when we have more of the ball - aye. But this gegenpress style team in a wide role? I don't see it outside of 12 games or when chasing.

I’d say Rudiger and Alaba are faster.

It does matter. All he needed to do is get the ball down the opposite end of the pitch for a few seconds. Even if he loses it in the final third/

Aye he's quick but he doesn't look Henry quick. At least not off the mark

Would love Moura on loan. Wilson Isak ASM Moura Almiron Anderson I like it. Get shot of one of Fraser or Murphy.

I think his running power, pressing and ability in transition is why Howe likes him. What the current midfield 3 are really good at - is making the midfield a really physical zone which they often have success from.

They are doing more to back on the "on-field" decision which I think I like. But it creates a double-standard. If the linesman had not flagged, the goal would have stood based on VAR.

Can't be emphasised enough how much better he's looked on the ball. He's providing real competition to Schar at the moment. Same with Burn at LCB. If they both started at Palace, they would have earned it.

Aye. The PL is an intense league and when we are playing, it's an intense approach we take. Has a classic Horn of Africa physique. Makes me doubt whether it's a good idea to put much mass on him, maybe a little. Looked classy and we need class.

It's a serious lack of confidence. He gto the ball and looked scared and clueless. Needs to move and rebuild his career.