Rich

I think Brighton getting fourth would be more damaging to our long-term prospects than any of the usual suspects, tbh, not least because we might well be in for a Brighton player or two this summer if we can achieve a top four finish.

Can't see anyone who started against Wolves missing from the training pictures, aside from Pope. No Wilson, though, and no Joelinton. Hopefully he's not injured as well as suspended.

It's his face when Pickford walks in, for me, absolutely fucking magic.

Anderson was ready to come on when we got the winner, wasn't he? Stripped off and then had to sit back down again.

Fuck the concilliatories.

What would you like to see him say?

Hats off to him today, did almost everything right. Thought he was going to do a Leicester when he flattened Neves, too.

Best game for a while, I thought, with the usual issues that aren’t ever going to change. We have to find a way to cover for them, though, he’s too dangerous to leave out from here on.

MOTM for me, as well. That’s saying something with how good Isak was when on the pitch, too. He works really well with Maxi on that left side.

Fucking unreal today, in every aspect. Imagine him at 100%. Christ. Who said he can’t play as a number nine?

I just want us to get into them and ideally fuck them up.

Best article I've seen on the change, that, and points more towards opposition sussing out and reacting to our gameplan than anything else, IMO. It's been noticeable how reluctant teams are to piss about playing it out from the back versus earlier in the season, but I do also think that there's been a general drop-off in the sharpness of the press when we have had opportunities to get at teams high up the field. Both were inevitable, unfortunately, and we're now into the next phase of how to develop a winning style (again). Whether we can do that without significant activity in the transfer market is the big question at the minute, as I'm not sure we've got anywhere near the personnel to play like a "big team" yet.

"Exclusive" https://www.adidas.co.uk/storefront/GB201451-newcastle-upon-tyne-105109-grainger-street-start-football

The space is everything, @HawK. Appreciate the intel, STM, love stuff like that.

Do we genuinely think Doris Day broke the PA system? It was in shambles against Liverpool. Can we make it an urban myth, if not? The bloke seems sound enough, but the whole matchday experience could do with an overhaul really. I'm sure Eales will be on it.

Tit bits

Is this a dig at Ashley or the current ownership?

£100M please.

Random one for today, that's probably been done at length in the past, but where do people prefer to sit in the ground and why? I've had STs in the Milburn Paddock at the Gallowgate end, front row of the Gallowgate right next to the South East Corner, higher up in the South East Corner itself, and now at the very back of the Gallowgate (in the middle). Otherwise, I think I've sat pretty much everywhere there is to sit and I would never, ever choose to sit anywhere other than the Gallowgate (including both corners). If I could hand-pick my seat (or safe-standing spot) I think I'd go upper-middle tier of the Gallowgate right behind the goal, just at the point where the roof doesn't obscure the view of L7. In terms of the last place I'd want to sit, I've been right up against the glass towards the back of the Milburn stand and it was fucking atrocious. Just a weird perspective and atmosphere, with nothing to your right except a cityscape.

We've had some absolute nutters making the same argument for not qualifying for the Champions League. I do think it becomes a good debate when it comes to the Europa League and particularly the Conference League, though, mainly due to the financial differences involved. I'd probably still want us to qualify because the net benefit should still be higher for the club overall, and from a purely sporting perspective you want to be competing for as many trophies as possible, but I can see the perspective that it might put a lot of strain on a squad that already appears to struggle with a game a week in terms of fitness. Speaking purely as a fan, though, the more games the merrier.

Can't argue with either of you, that was one of the things I agonised over myself. Giving him more direct support might make all the difference.

Been wondering over the weekend what people's preferred XI and formation would be these days ignoring current injuries/suspensions? I have a feeling most will be on similar lines, but there are some difficult decisions to be made when you sit down to think about it. Pope Trippier Schär Botman Targett Guimarães Joelinton Gordon Willock Saint-Maximin Isak I'm tired of seeing Burn, Longstaff, Almirón, Wilson in the XI at this point and I think we could do with getting away from 4-3-3 just to freshen our patterns of attack up. However, the lack of a proper #10 in the squad makes things tricky there. I still think this selection gets all of our best footballers on the pitch together and in positions where they can hurt the opposition, but the front four still doesn't really look that strong to me on paper. There's plenty of pace and individual threat there, but not sure how it would function as a collective.