TRon

Cheers Yorkie, saved me a couple of minor heart attacks.

Update the thread title ffs, I keep thinking it's been ruled out!

Thank fuck for that.

Couldn't ask for much more really. Game is over and we've done what we needed to from our end. Just need other results to fall our way and it will have been a very decent season all things considered.

Keep dreaming.

We just aren't quite good enough to keep them in their place.

I can't actually watch this game so following on here. Fuck me that was a heart stopper.

This.

Could make all the difference.

Might need a rest before that long flight to Melbourne.

Same. At least we've got top drawer cover for Gordon if and when he is out.

I wasn't expecting a win, I just thought with their poor form we'd be good enough to get a point. We just needed to avoid a defeat on the night and that's why it was a disappointment.

With FFP I'm not even sure if £5.6m is a no brainer.

We shouldn't really be going into this game needing a win away from home, but because we couldn't perform in our two previous games, this is where we are. We have to win by any means necessary.

Two games too late.

Fabulous post. I am someone who was always quite sceptical of CMs who lacked pace, I used to roast Shelvey, Colback and Nicky Butt for that reason, but Bruno has completely won me over in that regard. His technique is so good that being slightly less quick is far less of a factor, especially going forward where he has a surprising burst of pace over the first 5 yards. Defensively he will commit a few fouls when he catches people who beat him for pace, but even that is surprisingly rare, because he's got such quick feet.

Was thinking exactly this in the game against Man U where the game sort of passed him by simply because no one was good enough to work the midfield along with him. Either they were stood passively watching, or passing it backwards to one of our defenders.

Yep, from his POV I can understand why he would prefer to run down his contract or move to MLS for a piddling fee. From my POV as a fan I would rather get £20m from a Saudi club which we can spend on a much needed RW who can win games.

Would be a bit of a downgrade in fees for us if he went to MLS instead of the Saudi League. I wonder where we would spend that £250k?

Agree, we definitely need to show a more ruthless streak if we want to keep progressing. Newcastle is a great place for those who know they aren't quite top level material. Higher salaries, the kudos of being part of a big club. There's a reason we've found it hard to shift the likes of Fraser, Hayden, Ritchie, Gayle etc. We couldn't even move Cieron Clark out on loan, he was happy just to stay here picking up his wages.

It didn't work in January by all accounts. Just have to keep him as a squad player for the final two years of his contract if he refuses to go to Saudi because I can't see any other club coming in for him.

He really needed to be there against Brighton and Man U for me. If his absence hasn't cost us Europe it will be a relief but will be happy to see him sold this summer for any reasonable fee.

Same for signings I'm quite excited about like Tosin. Never take it for granted the deal is done until the ink is on the contract.

Jet lag for me is usually there at the back end of the travel, especially if it's been a long flight, but a decent night's sleep and it's gone the next day.