The College Dropout

Declan Rice is very performative.

Match is boring. if I’m Madueke I’m going at Mendes 2-3 times in the next 15 minutes. The pace and strength is giving Mendes trouble. Mendes is tired.

It’s not a pen tbf

Good play from Madueke that. Need that in the summer.

That’s a pena

Yes Madueke can control a football. But I don’t rate him much either.

Madueke Eze - we’ll see this a lot late in the World Cup.

I want Mbaye who has been frozen out a bit at PSG Barcola is so wasteful.

Dembele looks cooked

All they do is pump it up to him.

Madueke and Martinelli both going to the World Cup for England and Brazil and they are both really not levels.

Grow up. Saka been poor. Arsenal been hoofing it and causing issues

Liked Lewis-Skelly today. What a boy.

Such a weird player he’s become. Seems to start for his off the ball work as a 10.

What’s with all the police? I like Arsenal but I need them to lose.

Most are reporting £70m flat with potential to go to £80m right? Thats good money.

Aye.

Gabriel has been immense. Will concede a penalty.

PSG started the game like it’s Ligue 1.

It’s a good fee and he’s gone to a massive club. I’m actually happy for him. But he wasn’t that great for us.

Aye. It’s also making me reflect more on the Isak saga. and wider player, fan, club relationships. Isak was a better player for us - consistently but was treated worse by the club. and I know one thing has informed the other but it’s left a bad taste. and yet I’m still happy for Gordon. As difficult as I think he’ll be to replace - I still don’t think he’s that good.

I’m not being overly negative. Gordon was a good player for us and I’m happy he’s got a good move and we’ve sorted this out early and secured a good fee. But I don’t think he gave us his all enough over 3.5 years. He was highly indulged by the club and Howe and I don’t think he deserved it. I don’t hold him in as high regard as Cabaye, Ba or Isak simply because he wasn’t as good for us.

Massive shame that. Annoying. Iraola would be good for Isak. A more direct style of play suits him. 60 hard minutes is his sweet spot. Think his body reacts better to rougher training - trained intensity.

I always thought he was just a bit mentally fragile. The best players know how to maintain their zone. Rooney was radge his whole career - that’s how he needed to be. Kane is always cool and composed. Seemed like Gordon needed everything to be lined up right to consistently perform. A big part of that is a lack of technical ability to fall on. But that doesn’t explain why the work rate drops off.

He’s giving the other side of the coin. Gordon was undoubtedly a good player for us. But equally there’s been discussion for 2 years about his performances, attitude and whether he should be starting ahead of Harvey Barnes. Theres a narrative that he’s joined, developed, performed great consistently and is moving to bigger things. In reality he’s been up and down with a questionable attitude for 2 years - signing a new bumper contract in that period anyway. Been accused at times of being lazy and feigning injuries and demanding to play in his favoured position. Players have come to Newcastle, performed better, more consistently, better attitude, for worse regimes and received significantly worse send offs. Gordon has manicured his public image and career tremendously well. Honestly a lesson for young players. His agent has done his job excellently. Players like Guehi - play it straight - get dicked around by clubs losing millions in the process.