TRon

Not really feeling any excitement so far, I would be looking more forward to a PL game if I'm honest. I just feel numb.

Depends who they are up against really. If Spurs and Man U were performing according to their status it would make our job a lot harder. I'm sure those clubs would be classifying their big money signings as D's as well.

It will be more about making the stadium a big earner from third party events I would think, like concerts, conferences, maybe even shopping and restaurants. I think that's what they are doing at Spurs and other new stadiums.

Agree. People tend to swing wildly in here from "Howe is NOT the man to take us forward!!" to "Fuck off you twat, how dare you question the messiah!" I think our CEO seems to have exactly the right attitude, all the noise from the top is that we have a top manager and he will continue to be backed. I don't see that changing until he's being outperformed by teams with less resources, and even then you have to account for one off seasons.

We can win, but we can't replicate what PSG did. They made Liverpool look like a kick and rush team, PSG's passing was super quick and really intricate. We just don't have that level of technique across the pitch to do it like that. But yeah we can definitely bring a higher intensity and get after them, so we'll have to play to our strengths more.

Fucking hell, just seen this now, so pleased for him. What a shot in the arm right before a cup final! Fair play Tuchel, that is truly out of the box thinking.

I think he's a great manager, and is destined to go on to be a top one, but he does have to prove it over more than one season. Plus, being a great manager doesn't necessarily mean he'd be the right manager for us. Would he stay if Man U came calling after one season of success at Newcastle? You know Howe isn't going anywhere unless he feels he's not being backed.

Salah's agreed a new three year deal hasn't he?

I think it's realistic, we probably have a smaller population to pull from than other cities. North of Newcastle is hardly densely populated.

You could argue that tactically Iraola has got the better of Howe this season, one of the games I thought we were comprehensively outplayed, and by a team with less resources. But that was one match, and despite them having a great season, we don't know how he will pan out long term. Regardless, tactics aren't everything either, Howe is also a great fit for Newcastle in that he feels the city in his bones. You won't get that with many managers, and probably why Rafa was so loved while he was here as well.

From what I read it's not going to be on the stadium itself, it will be on the surrounding areas. If they get funding for it, then surely we could apply for the same if we build a new stadium.

The question about how poor we are in possession can at least partly be put down to lack of quality in some areas. Until we get top tier performers in all areas of the pitch, you could argue it would be difficult to play possession football against the best teams. He can't really be judged properly until he's got a team where he can compete on a truly equal footing.

Yes, and it's success on the pitch which drives the larger fanbase which leads to bigger and better stadiums. The cartel and their enforcers are well aware of that, hence the rule changes after our takeover.

Believe me, we all lived through that as kids and growing older with NUFC. It's devastating at the time, but at least now we know we would use it to rebuild even stronger if possible. Imagine what it was like selling Beardsley, Waddle, Gazza etc when you knew it was just because we never thought we were big enough to keep them.

Personally I have always found their fanbase the most entitled, moaning bunch of supporters in England. I can't stand them as a collective, if we win on Sunday it should please both sets of fans according to your mates logic. It doesn't matter to them, it does to us. So just don't turn up on the day and save yourselves for getting the necessary points for the title.

The easiest way to approach it is to have faith that Howe will have a gameplan and already be sure in his mind how to execute it. He'll know exactly what needs to be done to get a win on the day, then it just comes down to making sure the players are in the best frame to perform and not get overawed by the occasion. We really just need to go out there and perform at our best, win lose or draw.

PSR is designed in such a way that the only way to break the cartel stranglehold is to pump in the sort of money which breaks their success monopoly, and only mega rich owners who don't care about loss/profit would be able to do that. Americans/Businesses are looking to make money generally, for them I would think pumping in billions to compete with the top clubs would be too much of a risk. Far easier ways to make money, and I assume that's why no serious bidders came in, other than the ones who were going to fleece us Ashley style.

PIF are about as good owners as we could have at this current time, politics aside. Just ask Froggy if you doubt it. All the restrictions are being placed by the PL, even different owners would make no difference.

Plus he's 27 so like Barnes, there will only be a small window where we can get a really good fee for him. This is all down to PSR, otherwise we don't need to sell him at all. But if we want to continue to make signings, the only way under PSR restrictions is to make profits on players. Ideally we qualify for the CL, that way we won't even need to consider selling.

Agree, for the same reasons it would have been when Rafa wanted him when he was Everton manager. Possession isn't a requisite for their style of play, he'd be ideal for that type of team.

Read it this morning and had to double check to see who wrote it. Best Caulkin article I've read in a long time.

I can. Cup finals tend to make us freeze like deer in headlights. Hoping Eddie's learned from last time and will have some plan to address it.

While we have to go into the game knowing we can win, I still see us as massive underdogs. We can't use yesterday's result as a yardstick because PSG's passing and movement of the ball was a level or two above ours at present. Secondly, I am not that confident in what sort of service we'll get from the flanks. Tino and Barnes down one side gives no width, and on the other you've got an ageing Trips and Murphy. We'll need those guys to step their game up to bring the cup home.

I agree winning stuff is very important. But realistically if you are a team qualifying regularly for CL football, you will be winning cups as well more than likely.

Liverpool are one of the few teams who can produce a goal from nowhere with a bit of Salah magic for example. But it would be nice if they were made to earn it. I expect Howe will go in with the attitude let's not worry about them and get after them instead. Admirable approach in some ways, but in a toe to toe shootout they have the bigger guns.