HawK

My weapons-grade clanger was making a topic called 'The Souness Legacy' and trying to argue that we were in a better position after he'd left the club than we were before he joined

My post almost feels like a 'coming out' post now

I was born in Grays, Thurrock and grew up near Chelmsford in Essex. I've since lived all over the country and spent a few years in Dublin, living near Leeds now for the past 10 years. None of my family were into football, but my friends were. With no 'big' local clubs around, the closest being Southend United, who no-one supported because it was a 'rival town', most kids supported a mix of teams. A few supported West Ham, some Spurs, an Arsenal and a Liverpool fan, loads of Man Utd fans. No-one supported a club that wasn't in the top couple of divisions. I started supporting Newcastle United when I was 8 years old when I got my first sticker album around 92, 93. I read the info pages on that sticker album of all the clubs and decided I wanted to pick one. I liked being the antagonist in my circle of friends, and realised no-one supported Newcastle United. I also liked the picture of the tower on the badge and the black and white stripes. From that day on I became a die-hard Newcastle United fan. I was on Ceefax every day looking at the table, the news and the top scorers. A presiding memory of my childhoost is going on to the Ceefax page 324 and seeing us 3rd in the table. 323 showed Andy Cole at the top of the top scorers charts. It's hard to describe what it's like being a football fan from that part of the country. You don't get absorbed into a local club, and with no football-following family members you just sort of pick one. You don't get the affinity for the city that comes with supporting a club that you were born and raised in the proximity of. I may fit the definition of a 'plastic mag' or whatever the makems call supporters like me, but I've supported how I could in my own way - as a kid with having Newcastle Utd wallpaper, a desk lamp and duvet set. Getting my parents to buy me a new top every year. I'd sit my 10 year old arse on my sofa to watch us play on Sky, decked out in my full kit, scarf, shin pads and boots as well (had to put newspaper down on the carpet or my mum would go nuts). I think proximity to a club makes it almost obligatory to support them. I don't see why the viewpoint that you're only a 'proper supporter' if you're from the area holds so much weight. You're born into it, it requires not much effort to participate. Your family has a high chance of introducing it to you from a young age. The door's been opened and you can choose to go that way or not be interested. Supporters that have to choose a club have it much harder from fans of other clubs. The banter is fun, but it feels like you have to try harder than most to prove your 'worthiness' of supporting such a club and not being seen to be a 'glory-hunter'. Nowadays more than ever, clubs are global. Fans and supporters can be from all over the world. Fans from other countries are lauded on most forums for having 'picked their team' to support. Yet fans from other parts of the country are still often derrided.

Much rather a striker that hits the target than one that doesn't, he's got 3 in 4 for us, let him carry on

Best defence in the league, get rid he's shit

Forum needs a dislike button

Pope Trippier Schar Botman Burn Bruno Joelinton Almiron Isak ASM Wilson

I noted the other week in the cup game match thread he looked visibly leaner when he came on. Hopefully it doesn't affect his explosiveness too much, but removing some of that extra bulk will help immensely with his off-the-ball pressing.

Just said' we'll dust ourselves down'.. f*ck I hope this isn't the start of a slippery slope lol

Longstaff has been poor in possession for a while now, almost at Murphy levels of wastefullness and ball retention. But out of possession, by god is he good. I don't think we'd have half the results we have this season from a defensive perspective without his off the ball work. I think he'd be more valued if he was explicitly drilled to just recover the ball and lay it off, and get rid as soon as he's passed it so he's not caught in possession.

Murphy in short shorts?

Maxi looks leaner

NOW THERES A GEORDIE THAT CAN FINISH WITH HIS FEET

Badly need some guile up front, come on Isak.

Off the ball : 20 Composure : 1

Don't forgett Dummett.

Isak's good, Isak's good, Alexander Isak's good. But there's only one of him fella.

Yep, he's amazing now. Even under the first few months of Howe he couldn't get a game. Then over the summer he evolved into his final form

He was

I've just realised, we'd moved into the parallel universe over the summer where Almiron becomes as good as Messi. You know, in the normal universe, he's still like he was in the Bruce days. I like this parallel universe.

His physique is not suited to the continual high-press strategy we play with, it's one for explosive pace and strength. He's built like a sprinter, not a marathon runner. Compare his build to Longstaff's or Almiron's. Joelinton is a freak of nature and isn't a fair comparison, but his long, gainly stride that comes with his height helps him cover more ground easily. I don't think he's an ideal player in the team that we're trying to be. I think we'd have to change him so much to play the way the team does that we'd lose his best attributes. Maxi was my favourite player since he joined the club, a beacon in the fog, a flicker of joy in an overwhelming fog of apathy. Not sure where this post is going, probably something along the lines of 'thank you for getting me through the Bruce years', but his time must be surely coming to an end with us at some point in the near future. And when he does move on, I'd wish him every success wherever he goes. Can see him ending up at a club like Everton if not abroad.

Any random first-choice striker in the championship/league 1 or Chris Wood... I know what I'd pick.

Mentioned in https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11606337/Man-United-Liverpool-Arsenal-Chelsea-kids-hoping-shine-FA-Cup.html