Elma

Brighton nailed on for the win. The others I'm not so sure. If pushed I'd fancy Forest, and I think City might do enough. Brentford really could get something at Arsenal if Arsenal rest too many. Bizarrely I've a sneaky feeling it won't be as easy for Villa as it looks on paper.

Oddschecker already offer odds without the "Big 7", which has added us to the traditional 6. We've beaten Arsenal three times this year without conceding a goal and they'll have Gabriel out. If we're pretty much full strength when we go there I'd fancy us to get something.

Yeah - appreciate the original comment was about starting places but I only said I'd take Romero and VDV in the squad. When fit (and that applies to both) VDV and Botman would be the best two centre-backs and Eddie probably wouldn't touch Romero anyway due to attitude. Am a big fan of Kulusevski and think he'd be great under Eddie. My pet hate is that comments on the BBC/social media etc usually say "the players aren't good enough" when a team like Spurs or Man U underperform, and undoubtedly their recruitment has been shocking. However, people never seem to recognise the impact good coaching can also have, and how much can be done with a close-knit group and confidence. Sometimes it isn't as simple as saying player X is better than player Y, based upon a team's position or even a player's individual form, when it's usually more complex than that and depends upon how that player suits the system the team is using and the individual role they have. That's the challenge the recruitment team have in identifying the raw skillset in a player that will translate into performance in Eddie's system, whilst also balancing that with the player's personality. They've done well so far. If you want success, recruit a good coach who can improve players, let him have a significant (if not final) say on transfers within budget, and give him time to get on with it. Something Mike Ashley absolutely failed to understand.

Quote on TheFightingCock about us while watching our game last night: "They are still boring and predictable to watch but yeah that starting 11 is clear of us by a good margin right now. Players we have that start for them: Vicario Romero VDV Spence Kulusevski Maybe Maddison depending on the system Players they have that would start for us: Tonali Bruno Maybe Joelinton but he’s overrated Isak Gordon Actually closer than I thought tbh" Funny that when fans of other teams do this sort of thing they don't rate our players, but then Eddie rarely gets any credit either. Got to be one or the other surely? It also shows how much Livramento and Hall are flying under the radar. I think Schar and Burn are underrated too although I'd definitely take Romero and a fit VDV in our squad. Everyone's forgotten about Botman obviously

Scores stay like this and we can almost guarantee Europa League by winning on Monday and then winning the game in hand (unless Palace win the cup). Would effectively create a nine point gap to eighth with seven games left. Palace hanging on with nine players though.

As I said in the match thread, I think it was an instinctive strike at goal intended to cause as much havoc as possible. He didn't have much time to think and the glance into the box would have shown only one poorly placed black and white shirt (Wilson). He hit it perfectly and got a bit lucky, but he deserves the credit for it. It certainly wasn't a cross in the traditional sense from his body shape and the way he struck the ball. You can't include it in those lofted crosses that drift in over the keeper's head and for that reason it should be in the reckoning for goal of the season.

Agree that we could have done with them dropping points yesterday, but they still aren't in great form from what I've seen and they technically do have the most difficult run-in of the teams mentioned when you compare the league position and PPG that their remaining opponents have. Plus, they've still to come to St James'. Different techniques used by these two, but similar outcomes - I suspect that unless we have a phenomenally good run-in then Forest and Man City will be difficult to overhaul. https://theanalyst.com/2025/03/premier-league-fixture-difficulty-last-nine-games https://www.premierleague.com/news/4272511

Very true. 😂 For what it's worth I wasn't suggesting we have it tough next week either. Just that this is a weekend we could steal a march.

This weekend is huge for us. Brighton, Man City and Chelsea are all away in derby games. Villa and Forest playing each other and Fulham have Liverpool. The following weekend they are all at home to teams 12th or lower (Villa are away but it's Southampton) while we're at home to Man U, so we need to make hay while the sun shines.

Gabriel confirmed out for the season.

Looking at the goal again, I think Tonali's comments of 70/30 were about right. He was running out of space, glanced up and saw only really Wilson in the box (there were two others on the edge), and made the intelligent split-second decision to hammer it in on goal, as a floated cross would have easily been claimed by Flekken. It was a percentage ball. Did he mean to hit that postage stamp at the near post - no. Was it meant as a cross for a teammate - no. With the pace on the ball he was likely hoping for a defender to gamble, a mix-up or the keeper to spill it. It also had a slight chance of finding the net directly, which thankfully for us it did. For that reason, in my opinion he deserves full credit for it. He played a cracking ball in with great technique and got a little lucky.

That's a fair point. Eddie seems to have Emery's number (that 3-0 reverse aside), and Arsenal panic whenever they play us now. I'd be hoping for seven from those too. Strangely though, last night was my biggest worry with regard to home games. Palace would be the other one. We seem to turn up for games against the bigger names. Seven from those away games means we can probably afford to go 3-1-1 at home for fifth allowing for a slip up, provided it's only one.

I just don't really watch much on YouTube at all (anything I do watch is usually because my other half is watching it or it's NUFC footage). I've seen friends go down so many rabbit holes and come out with some weird conspiracy stuff because some random on YouTube says it's true. Yet when I question who the person is, who is behind them them, or do they know their history/motivations etc they haven't a clue. Mainstream media isn't much better like - but at least it's easier to work out the money/political motivation behind what you're reading and make a judgement based on that. Plus you have IPSO and OFCOM to oversee it.

I always have a chuckle when I read articles by Nick Mashiter on the BBC. His name makes me think of a Glaswegian trying to shave his arse using a small shaving mirror.

Therefore, theoretically Adidas could use this method to work out the fading required on the stripes for the back of the shirt to meet UEFA's criteria?

They are only repeating the same source but it suggests there might be something in it. I think the shirt looks very professional and wouldn't be surprised if it's the actual shirt, or a close to final version. Personally I quite like it and I've not liked the last few. The fade is well done and if they were going to mess around with it to bring something new then that's as inobtrusive as anything in my opinion. I like the stripe width too - as others have said a striped back would be great although doubtful we'll get it. In fact, they probably could get away with it with this shirt if the back stripes were heavily faded.

Think they already have, albeit from the same links. Was on there earlier checking. https://www.footyheadlines.com/2024/09/newcastle-united-25-26-home-kit.html

I generally don't stress on transfers now, whether that's missing out on players or worrying about how new signings will settle. Eddie seems to find the right characters blended with the right skillset. Our scouting team have done a great job since the takeover in supporting this too. It seems like, unlike with many other managers around, provided the new player is within a certain technical window Eddie can coach them the rest of the way into our system. This takes a lot of the jeopardy out of new signings, and the support structures the club have put in place help players settle really well. My only gripe/missed opportunity is the sale of Elliot Anderson, and that was simply bad PSR management and wouldn't have happened without PSR. I also still have a slight concern around Paul Mitchell and how he fits into the Howe/scouting team dynamic, and that won't disappear until we're through our first window where we actually bring players in who positively contribute to the squad, and I can see that the dynamic hasn't significantly changed (i.e. Mitchell is adding to the team rather than disrupting it). With the above in mind, if we do eventually go for Quansah (at the right price) I've no doubt he'll do very well here.

I maintain Eddie would have kept us up without investment, but it would have been tight.

Might be asking some as we've not been as solid at home this season, but win five of the six home games and win at Leicester and we're there. For what it's worth I don't think we will win five but I think we'll pick up more than three points in the road. Forest look good to me and you can never bet against Man City, but Chelsea have a tough run and aren't in form. Villa too are distracted and a bit up and down. It might be sides like Brighton, Bournemouth or Fulham we have to shake off to get fifth.

He wasn't great, but I remember one decent performance in a 0-0 draw when he thumped one off the post. I've definitely seen worse players in black and white.

I had the Subbuteo League Cup when I was a kid. Could have just stuck some ribbons on that. The problem is, it's apparently quite rare now and sells for north of £100.

Absolutely loved him. He replied to one of my tweets a few years back and I was made up. 😂 Cracking player.

Karetsas looks a prospect.

I mean I loved all three at the time, but going from watching McCreery, O'Brien and Brock in the late 80's, to a midfield of two current Brazilian internationals and an Italian international is some shift up. Only took 37 years.