HawK

And United

Well, just because it's a song it doesn't mean it's acceptable to be repeated here. There's 1000s of songs you'd get banned for if you put the lyrics here I'd imagine.

When's the yellow ticker? How much more confirmed does this need to be ffs NEED MY TICKER FIX

Pre-Howe Almiron and Gordon seem similar off the ball. I think with a bit of focus and playing further up the pitch, we can hopefully see a marked improvement. Especially playing in a system where he doesn't have to press the entire opposition back line single handedly.

This got me going way more than it should have

This is like (not the same as) when we got Ferdinand off QPR, we now have the power to walk up to an established club and rip away their prized assets. We're in the big leagues, lads.

Yellow ticker time ?

Between signing Anthony Gordon for £45m, or signing no-one at all, I know which one gives us a better chance of finishing in the top 4. If Almiron or ASM get crocked again we're fked. This lad can do what's needed and seemingly fit right in to our high-tempo, high-pressing, shithousing machine of a team without a hiccup. Between him and Murphy/Fraser/Ritchie starting wide for one of ASM or Almiron, I know which one I'd choose every time. Is it helping to strengthen the weakest part of our team? Obviously not. But signing depth in positions where we drop off a cliff in quality after the first XI can be just as important as plugging a gap in the first XI if there isn't a suitable player for the right price at the time. In Dan Ashworth we trust. Welcome to the toon lad, I hope you do well and are given a warm welcome by all.

At the moment, beyond ASM and Almiron, we have absolutely nothing on the wings. Murphy, Ritchie, Fraser, Joelinton might all try hard, but they just can't cut it at the level we're at. Gordon is leagues above any of those, and can be pushing ASM/Almiron for their starting places. He's young and hungry. I agree we have bigger holes to fill in our starting XI, at the moment that's Longstaff's position, assuming Joelinton drops into the middle again once ASM returns to the left wing. Can't get mad about this signing the more I think about it tbh.

It's nice to hear that he thinks he's doing as much as he can, and then some. Would have to be a right snide fker to be as 2-faced to say that and then it not be the case, and I don't think him to be like that. Dispells the 'lazy French flair player' myth that often gets touted about on Twitter etc.

The absolute master of passing the ball into the net and being in exactly the right place to follow up on rebounds.

You're not alone in this...

I've come around to Gordon from the perspective of seeing the board trying to capitalise on our position in the table and sustaining it for the remainder of the season. If Maddison was available for the same money, I have no doubts we'd be going for him instead. But the January market is awful and we don't want to pay through the nose. I'm sure Gordon could do a job for us, even if it's just more competition on the wings.

If it is Dyche then I think they've prioritised the money off Gordon over the managerial ability of Bielsa. Not sure which approach is best for them atm, just clears the path more for us imo.

If the rumoured points around Bielsa not liking the state of the squad from a pace perspective are to be believed, then it's not a big leap to say that in such a system that him taking the job would be conditional on Gordon staying. Bielsa may have spoken to Gordon and he might have received assurances, which is why he's back today. All speculation, I just don't think him back in training is good news for us when trying to sign him.

Can you imagine a crowd trying to hit the high note in Take On Me reworded as an Eddie Howe tribute? Would break every window for miles

Said it before but our league results, W10, D9, L1 (away, last minute goal vs a better team on reputation) is looking more and more like an FM save scummer's wet dream Even sacking off the FA cup to make sure you could field the same XI in bot League Cup legs without rotation and all players at 100% condition

Would make my fucking year if that happened

The Notebook

Quasimodo < Dowie < Gordon Its like an evolution chain

If you follow this thread closely, even that has become debatable

To build upon our collection of absolute specimens of masculinity within our squad, naturally.

Expected, learn from it big lad and move on.

Can you imagine how many goals Maddison would have had if he'd been playing instead of Willock, with Longstaff tasked with holding back a bit to give Madders the freedom to roam and put those chances away.

I think Maxi is not in the starting lineup right now solely because Howe is being loyal to the lineup that's doing so unbelievably well. All things being equal, Maxi's one of the first names on the teamsheet. He's slimmed down a lot since his early-season injury, and he looks just as good as before, but hopefully now without that extra timber he can be a bit more involved in the defensive work too. That said, as I said in his thread, with Burn and Joelinton on the left I do think there's a spot for him there even if he doesn't do as much defensively as they can more than cover for him.