Cronky

Man U have just spent a fortune on Antony, so I can't see them chasing after Miggy.

He wasn't top of my list, but in the end I was impressed by the way he had clearly convinced the club that he had the right ideas and motivation to take us forward, and I was happy with his appointment. I didn't know what had happened at Bournemouth (and still don't) and I wondered how that and his lay-off had affected him. It turns out that he's come back stronger, with renewed energy, ideas and conviction. He's turned a setback into a springboard. Analogies can be dangerous, but I can't help but think back to the Clough / Notts Forest episode. He'd had success at Derby, but failed at Leeds and got nowhere with Brighton. Then he took on an ordinary bunch of players at Forest and it all took off. What I can remember from that season when they won the league in their first season after promotion (Imagine that happening now) was that everyone was initially seeing it as the sort of temporary boost that a promoted club often gets. A commentator (I think it was David Coleman) then said after Forest had beaten Man U 4-0 at Old Trafford, 'If you think the Forest bubble is going to burst, forget it'. I've been expecting us to hit some kind of mid-table brick wall, but it hasn't happened and I no longer expect it to happen.

Looks like a good all-rounder. Confident in his decision-making. Arsenal are the club that gives the rest of us hope - they bring good young players through. It's a tough task trying to compete with Man City and their ready-made stars, so it would be great if Arsenal could sustain their current form. Not competing in the CL will help them.

Speculation about Yannick Carrasco. Left back seems to be a priority. http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-gone-newcastle-january-now-sale-pl-still-interested/

Shame Kevin de Bruyne doesn't rhyme with Chris Wood.

That podcast confirmed what I'd started to think a few months ago - that our guy is ahead of the game. He's been on his own unique journey of self-education in the arts of football management and, combined with his experience, he is now in a class of his own.

Southampton made a good start, but after 10 minutes, I just knew we were going to win. Even though we didn't have as many attacks, what we had looked far more likely to penetrate. This team has so much confidence in what they are doing, and that confidence is very infectious.

Linked with Eden Hazard. If he can be restored to his pre-Madrid state, that would be something. We don't have his equivalent. https://www.elnacional.cat/ca/esports/hazard-confidencia-courtois-desti-decidit-retorn-casa_912462_102.html

Ha ha, I've long since retired from all those bruising Keegan debates. Everyone's being nice right now, so Iet's leave it at that.

Absolutely agree with you. I've seen comparisons with Sir Bob and Kevin Keegan, but Eddie's achievement dwarfs anything we've seen before. Moreover, the way it's been achieved is remarkable. Even after the January window, I still thought the best bet with our squad would be to play defensively, like Rafa and Bruce, but he's done it by playing on the front foot.

I can't see Leicester selling Maddison in January, but it looks pretty certain that he'll move next summer. Not necessarily to us though. Are there some issues of a more personal nature with this player? It seems odd that he only has one England cap. Like Howe, Southgate does put a high premium on good spirit within the squad.

Five minutes into this game, I saw this lad take the ball out from defence, exchange a one two with a team mate in a narrow space near the touchline, and then bang in a first time shot from 40 yards out, right out on the touchline, which only just missed. It it had been on target, the keeper wouldn't have saved it, and he would have become a You Tube legend. The transformation in this lad's mentality is amazing. His skill has always been there, but he's adding confidence and imagination.

Assuming DCL is able to demonstrate his fitness over the intervening games, yes I'd take him, simply because he is virtually unstoppable in the air. If time is running out and we need to sling the ball forward quickly that would be a very handy option to have. Other parts of his game are decent, but that's what gets him on the plane. Rashford I don't see as an out and out striker, and I'd choose other options out wide. Toney and Watkins look limited technically. Abraham is the other possibility, but I haven't seen much of him recently.

I know what you mean, but it's out of our hands. I think he'll go as the third striker behind Kane and Calvert-Lewin. He will offer something a bit different. I wish he'd shut up about the World Cup though.

We're a team that's greater than the sum of its parts, and somehow Dan Burn encapsulates that. I also love seeing how Sean Longstaff is developing. I never quite gave up hope with this lad, and he's now back on track.

When all's said and done, it feels better than those days, because it's happening now. I look at our squad, and I don't think it's any better than Villa, Wolves, Everton, West Ham, Leicester etc - teams who are struggling in the bottom half. But we're turning them over, we're in the CL places and we're still improving. I've been waiting for the bubble to burst, but I now think that's not going to happen. What's more, if Eddie does guide us to a position where we can win something, I don't think we'll waste the opportunity. There's something very strong about his and his team's mindset.

To start with, I have selfish reasons for not wanting too many of our players to go to the World Cup. It only increases the risk of injury or burn-out later on. (no pun intended) Burn has been great for us, but that's under the umbrella of Eddie's coaching and the spirit within our squad. Take him out of that, and it could be a different story. A major part of his contribution has been his leadership, personality and communication skills, which might get lost among the big egos of an England squad. Besides, England have got a number of decent CBs to choose from.

It just looks like PSG only grabbed him to stop him from going somewhere else.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/agent-confirms-newcastle-uniteds-eguinaldo-25363002 Eguinaldo, 18 year old Brazilian. Looks incredible on You Tube. Two footed, strong, fast, great touch, knows when to release the ball.

The January window might be more busy than usual, coming soon after the World Cup, where a lot of players will be on display. However, it can be risky, with judging players on only a few games. As for Bruno, I can't see him wanting to leave, so soon after the birth of his son, and with things going so well for him at the moment. Longer term, if we get a silly offer, and he decides he wants to go, then let's be pragmatic and cash in. I'm assuming we'll be abiding by FFP, and that will be a consideration. He's been great for us, but I actually think £40m was the right market price for him. One has to bear in mind the Howe-factor. He is making all our players play above themselves, and Bruno is no exception. Eddie can do the same for any replacement coming in.

I see what you mean. I didn't see that dotted blue line at first. But have they measured the position of the ball in the air correctly in relation to the pitch? Normally with VAR, they only have to measure the attacker with the last defender. When I saw it live, he looked clearly behind the ball, but yeah, perhaps that's wrong.

I think you do, don't you? To be in an offside position, the player has to be ahead of both the second last opponent and the ball. Kane was clearly behind the ball. I can't believe that the VAR official made such an elementary mistake though. Maybe Kane was offside when the cross went in?

Never mind that. I'm thinking he's knocking on the door of Ferguson, Clough and Mourinho. Seriously. On paper, this squad should be nowhere near the top four.

We have the best defence in the Premiership but we're playing without a defensive midfield player. In fact, looking at Bruno, Longstaff, Joelinton, Shelvey and Willock, none of them are much good at defending as individuals. Our man is tearing up the rule book.

Well if anyone is sounding preachy here it's Mr Holt. We all live in the same hypocritical world but whatever, someone needs to tell Klopp to wind his neck in. The way he shouted in the face of that linesman against City was a disgrace and it's becoming rather typical of him now that he's under a bit of pressure. And yes, it does influence the way youngsters behave and the way refs all the way down the ladder get treated. Is anyone at Liverpool having a word with him? I doubt it.