TRon

Yeah I'm not sure what message it's sending if Howe is allegedly giving out new contracts to the likes of Dummett and Longstaff. We need to be looking forwards not backwards. Plus he's massively injury prone.

Not sure it's worth bringing in players for the sake of one game anyway, I think that's what happened with Wood. For the sake of a couple of weeks better just to wait and get your real targets. Not criticising the Wood signing btw, I think we were desperate for a striker, but if we'd been prepared to use the whole window, is he really the one we'd have gone for?

I would just write off the Leeds game tbh, we have a break after that, and I suspect we'll be bringing in most of our signings at the end of the window. Just have to hope there's still enough winnable games to be able to turn it round in that time.

They don't want to sell, IMO they are only considering it because Carlos has kicked up a stink, he doesn't want to miss out on that new pay rise. Can't say I blame them really, they are going to drag this out to the end.

He can actually deliver a decent cross on the rare occasions he gets that far up the pitch. Getting there is the problem, he's horrible at carrying the ball. Won't ever let you down defensively though.

How do you justify 700k a week unless you are winning everything? Sounds absolutely crazy.

Agree. By all means criticise the performances, or aspects of their game, but a lot of stuff gets said about attitudes and wanting to be away, which for all we know, might just be fan's making stuff up from their own imaginations.

Agree. He had a poor game in general on Saturday, but it was noticeable he was the one who ended up challenging two players on their goal while others were stood around watching. He's not that different from Clark tbh, neither of them lack for effort, they just aren't good enough.

Fede should come straight back in anyway when he's fit, he's not as fragile mentally as Lascelles, and I don't really think Schar cares enough.

Carlos was said to be amazed at the offer we put to him to triple his wages. I wonder why we went in so big straight away? I mean he'd probably have been over the moon if we doubled them.

I was talking about Mourinho re the ego, Rafa doesn't really have one, I only made the comparison because they have similar football philosophies, and are both now considered yesterday's men.

Could say the same for Mourinho to some extent, but his ego will be the problem anywhere in England. But these guys are students of the game, they haven't suddenly turned into bad managers. I don't think either will be getting top level jobs in a hurry though, at least not while teams like Liverpool, City and Chelsea are sweeping up everything playing attacking football. They would probably do better doing what Simeone does at Atletico, take charge of an unfancied club and make them punch above their weight.

No worries mate, love reading your insights, you have a lot of knowledge about players.

They will need to be surprise results, we aren't winning against the teams around us, means we will have to start getting wins against the better teams soon. I don't see any way back unless we get another 2-4 players in tbh, it's this window or bust.

There seems to be this general consensus going round that he's not happy in Newcastle, is that based on anything solid, or just because he's not smiling in training shots? Obviously no player is going to be happy if he's not starting regularly, but that's just the game. If he wants to be somewhere else that would be a bigger concern.

I'm surprised we've identified the players we have tbh, the owners walked into a shell of a club with no infrastructure. I think this was inevitable to some extent, I mean we literally only had Charnley running the place previously.

That was genuine mate, wasn't a dig.

I don't really get that, what difference does our position in the table make to him? He's coming on loan, this wouldn't be his club anyway. What a fucking arsehole he must be, no wonder they won't play him.

Yeah he's a proper asset to this place like.

I'm like that as well usually, but I couldn't resist with this one. The bloke's so massive I just couldn't work out how he'd play football. You'd think he was a heavyweight UFC fighter to look at him.

Me as well. Would be gutted if we don't sign him now, wouldn't want to be on the other side if he's playing.

No wonder he gives away pens, he doesn't mind sliding into those tackles right at the death. He looks very hard to get past, and has surprising acceleration for a big man. Looks a great defender tbh.

Sky Sports reckon a lot of clubs are looking at Fenerbahce's Hungarian CB, Attila Szalai, and the fee to get him out of there is £15-20m. Left footed as well, that seems doable.

You don't think Howe has any input?

Just because they are shit, doesn't negate my argument though. The best teams don't win stuff by using players who try to dribble through the opposition single-handely. Maybe he'll change once we get better players in, who know? I doubt it though.