Theregulars

I love you just FYI

I don't think it's the end of the saga.

Sorry if already asked - does anyone know what the hold up with personalisation is? Absolute bonk-on to order a batch of Bruno shirts to indoctrinate the in-laws in Canada.

If I could be arsed / knew how, I would love to run the list of people complaining at this signing against the list of people complaining about the performances of Karl Darlow. I'd wager there would be considerable overlap.

It’s coming across that everyone is so hacked off with the ludicrous state of the country / wider world that Newcastle last season provided an unexpected source of joy and hope. Now it’s the off-season, we’re getting tetchy that we don’t get the instant hit, because we’ve almost had to become very quickly dependent on it as a rare source of good. I echo what other posters have said: they will buy good players, whatever happens.

Too early to say but, just as a matter of speculation, if there is any suspicion that he may be injury prone, I would walk away given that we need a reliable deputy to Wilson.

I’m going to go with mint trolling as my interpretation. You think we’re wankers? Let’s wank right in front of you, then.

I thought we were completely outplayed in every phase and aspect of the game. Kept in it by some mediocre finishing from them and good goalkeeping from Dubravka. Big gap but we’re at the start of the catch-up process.

I think he did the job required of him, contributing to promotion and being a good enough player for PL consolidation. Personally think he's a good defensive midfielder and he usually played well enough when called upon. Feels like he should have left when he indicated he wanted to move back down south, but even this season he scored a crucial goal and played well when called upon. Right decision considering our midfield options now and that we're improving, but I hold him in high regard and wish him the best.

I thought he was just stretching. He like bowed down while doing a hamstring stretch. I think he normally takes the knee - we’d have probably noticed by now.

This, completely. What’s the point? I get trying the moneyball thing but at some point you’ve got to just meet reality on its terms. I suppose they’d counter that it’s dangerous to saddle the club with debt or contracts they can’t jettison - suppose the real problem is the total inequality that money has caused in the game. Best solution in my view is a salary cap and floor and spending cap and floor, but that doesn’t = instant and constant profit so bleurgh.

Don’t they know there’s a war on?

Do you like Marcelo?

I almost feel bad for Chelsea. Almost.

Aye, that’s a fair point - you’d think at some point the Manchester United Experience Theme Park might get it right, or simply just spend enough to have a reliably decent team. I was talking to my brother who is a fan (I know, it stings) - he’s also a sports writer and watches every game of theirs religiously, so I think he’s pretty reliable source. His view is that it’s not possible for them to compete properly again unless nobody associated with the Glazers makes any decision to do with players, coaching or football management - so if they just put money up for purchases and then let “football people” run with it, they’d be useful. He’s not sure they get desperate enough until they’re completely out of Europe, which may become less of an issue with UEFA’s new backdoor ESL rule. He thinks any manager is pointless absent that change. They do seem too toxic to sort out within one season to me, but I’m an outsider and there’s a lot of clickbait mileage in criticising them / writing them off right now, so hard to tell if it’s accurate. They don’t half trot out some mediocre players for all the insane money they’ve spent - Lindelof is bobbins, Matic is barely mobile and McTominay is, at best, an OK water carrier.

It’s definitely better without the trousers and purple boots, although looking back to the full outfit picture, the coat also looks a bit like a dressing gown. Today I wore a Chvrches tour t shirt and my girlfriend’s harem trousers with adidas sliders, so again I shouldn’t be considered a useful source of knowledge.

Here’s hoping!

I like DCL’s outfit. Davies’ doesn’t work IMO. But like 75% of what I wear is elastic waist soooo

I mean I think we’re already at the place to which you allude in your first paragraph - that’s where we’d be, maybe higher, if we didn’t waste a quarter of the season on Bruce and Jones. I think we could crack the top 6 without a huge amount of investment - I think a lot would have to break right, but West Ham aren’t that impressive and Manchester United Football Mall are worse. We also have the advantage of no European football, and not being run by idiots and dildo salesmen respectively. That crude analysis of course doesn’t factor in improvement at other well-run clubs - I think Wolves fall into that definition and I think Leicester without European football would be difficult to surpass. Don’t get the hype about Crystal Palace at all, grotty club with a bang average side.

Worry about your daughters’ facial hair then man.

Yeh, just a whole season without being a laughing stock or absolutely despising something fundamental about the club would be really welcome.

Read up on when to use capital letters. The first goal was a fluke and the second a goalkeeping error. Or were both inevitable by application of the butterfly effect because I had an extra tomato with my breakfast?

So? Does that make it a less flukey goal?

I mean nobody will say it because narrative but that was just a humongous slice of luck via a deflection. Not a particularly special goal at all.

Aye it’s one of the most blatant penalties you’ll ever see.