Rich

Hoping fellow fans get a kicking, ffs.

He also called Dan Ashworth Dan Ashton, so maybe not something to read too much into?

6-8 weeks out, according to Howe, hopefully closer to six.

100% guarantee you'd have at least some people uttering something akin to "Eee the Flags lot did fuck all for Wor Liz, they must hate the monarchy the fucking Marxists". Or griping online, like the other side is doing on here. I know you live in a bit of a bubble, and that it's intentional on your part, but there are a lot of fucking whoppers that go to SJP every other week.

Does anyone else genuinely look forward to watching Howe's pressers on their lunch break? Proper highlight of my sad little week these days.

They genuinely can't win here, because if they don't do anything then it'd probably piss people on the other side of the aisle off. There'll be plenty in SJP tomorrow who are gutted she's dead and happy we're (the club) putting on a tribute. Try putting yourselves in WF's shoes. They'll have agonised over getting the balance right, I'm sure, but it's no easy task.

Some people are being melts, as usual. If it ties into the league/club's tribute and is done simultaneously, then I honestly don't see the issue. I don't give a toss about the monarchy, either, for what it's worth. People die every day in far more tragic circumstances than old Queenie did, but I do appreciate that some people actually do care that she's dead for whatever reason.

Always amazes me how an individual or group can build up as much credit as is possible, but there'll still be people queuing up to tear them down the first opportunity they get, even over the most minute of missteps (or perceived missteps, in most cases). Not saying anyone is immune from criticism, at all, but I just fucking despair at people's mentality sometimes. Gasping to moan or be outraged about something/anything.

What if it's just that picture of the Queen and Scoular from 1955 on a flag with a simple message?

There's more on his Spotify page. The TLDW is that he actually got offered what he wanted by around 9pm on the night of the initial call being made. We'd booked a hotel for him assuming he'd accept, with the medical set for the morning. He text Aaron Ramsdale for some intel on Howe and had a glowing report from him, said he'd love playing for him and that he was a top man. He also loves Nick Pope to bits and would've loved to work with him. He ended up ringing Dan Ashworth later that night to give him his reasons for turning it down and called him the gold standard of directors of football. Said he was absolutely great about the whole thing and after that call he knew it was probably time to retire, as he doesn't think he'd get a better offer from the Premier League and if he was turning that down he should probably call it a day. Interesting look at how people in football are viewing us these days, I reckon, and that we were willing to offer a backup goalkeeper such a good salary on a short-term deal.

Quality watch, this, talking through how he got the offer from us, but didn't really want to move due to the upheaval so gave us a big number for a weekly wage that was knocked back initially, etc. Lots of really good words said about us.

Some canny posts on pages one to three, like.

-- By Gameweek 6 (~16% of the season complete) 7 points this season vs. 3 points last season (+4) 7 goals for in both seasons (0) 6 goals against this season vs. 14 goals against last season (+8) +1 goal difference this season vs. -7 goal difference last season (+8) 11.39 xG For this season vs. 8.23 xG For last season (+3.16) 9.69 xG Against this season vs. 13.55 xG Against last season (+3.86) 1.70 xG Difference this season vs. -5.31 xG Difference last season (+6.39) 11th position this season vs. 17th position last season (+6) We're unsurprisingly better off in every metric bar goals scored, which only goes to confirm what we all knew anyway in relation to our attack not being vastly different while certain key players are out injured and us being shafted by some decisions. -- vs. Equivalent Opposition Last Season +2 points +2 goals for +5 goals against (meaning we've conceded 5 fewer) +7 goal difference +7.42 xG for +1.93 xG against (meaning we should've given up 1.93 fewer "goals") +9.35 xG difference With a bit more context, it's clear that we're better in every area despite the injuries mentioned above. Even with those players missing, we've been unlucky, but when they're back you'd imagine we become more productive and more clinical, which should see our results start to better match our underlying performance. And as a final bit, the teams we've played average out as being "9th" last season (20th, 9th, 1st, 10th, 2nd, 12th) so not far off "par" (10.5) in terms of the relative strength of the opponent.

Just watched the highlights back on MOTD and then the official site. Those saves were genuinely world-class. What a fucking signing.

7/10 for me, as I always felt we needed a central midfielder and a winger to have a truly "complete" window, which would've been a 10/10. Still a good score, though, and boosted due to the quality of Isak as the striking option versus Ekitike. As others have said, there are only 13 games until the next window opens and a fair few of our targets will be a few more months closer to contract expiry at that stage. I dare say some teams that felt our offers were "derisory" might have different ideas when they're staring down the barrel of 18 months left on a deal instead of 24. If we keep having windows like this, we'll be right up there in no time at all.

So he can beat you with a dummy, And he's got so much more to offer. Watch him score goals for Newcastle, He scores goals like they're nothing. (Woah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh) He scores goals like they're nothing. (Woah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh) He scores goals like they're nothing. (Woah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)

Ryder spotted a window he couldn't resist during that answer, clearly.

Just to be contrary, probably.

No Kell Watts thread. Shan.

You're fucking mad yee like.

Inject it

Another option for Tielemans potentially gone...

There’s been no update since Howe first said he would be registered if the initial 12 week prognosis was correct, so we have to assume that’s still the plan.