Memphis

Journalists need to be very precise with their claims, specifically - is a £100m "war chest" representative of the total value of the deals, or what we're actually going to spend *this* summer? £100m could easily be amortized over a five year deal at £20m/yr (not including wages), so if we spend £100m this summer, that could end up being £500m worth of paper value. It wouldn't bc of wages, etc but you get the idea. That's an extreme example but that's why the specifics matter.

The club is much more PR-savvy these days. I'll bet we see something in a day or two from Howe or Eales with a (public) explanation.

This is all too organized to have been a shock to anyone within the club. It was clearly set up to be announced today so as to avoid in-season distractions. Nothing wrong with the announcement itself. As to the decision, here are some theories: 1. Eddie Howe sniped another DoF. He didn't feel that he could work with Mitchell and was annoyed at having his transfer power reduced. He won the PIF power struggle and this is the result. 2. We have found a new CEO and since Darren Eales was instrumental in bringing Mitchell in - and they have worked together - change was needed and demanded by whoever is arriving. 3. Mitchell tried to snipe Eddie. He undermined him, with the backing of Eales, only to find that Howe massively overachieved in spite of them dragging their feet and not signing anyone. PIF saw through the scheme and backed Eddie. I think it's some combination of all three, but mostly 2. This is a pretty smooth exit, though it is abrupt, and everyone seems to be on board with how it's gone. That speaks to a pretty orchestrated process. I don't think this will impact this window all that much, but obviously it depends on the timing of the replacement. I would expect there to be a much more streamlined process and I would expect Eddie to get more power in this process, which I think he has earned. All in all, not all that bothered yet.

I think a lot of people are underrating the importance of culture building and consistency. I could understand the idea of Howe keeping Wilson around as he's done with other players in order to maintain the standards and help the younger or newer players get acclimated to the expectations. Team culture is built over time and the standards that are set have to be maintained. If you don't have the benefit of having some of your best players having been in your team culture for years and years, you have to have help building it. Howe is in the process of doing that and keeping Wilson around - as long as he's not keeping better, younger players from playing - could be really beneficial to team building. It makes sense if it's for those reasons.

Hm, good point. Maybe his clone then.

I think that was his twin Ben Svotman out there today

Let the summer begin!!

Ultimately this was a zero-sum thing. Either we made the Champions League and continued our ascent, or we didn't. And we did. So I'm going to end up not giving a fuck about how it happened.

We didn't deserve it today. But we did deserve it over the course of the season. I'm fucking annoyed about that shit performance. Awful. Nerves got to us. 3-4-3 doesn't suit us. Nothing really suited us. I'm still on edge. But it doesn't matter. We got there in the end.

WE WON EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T

You can see how the decades of toil and frustration have scarred so many of us. We have a scenario that we would have all jumped at months ago, a scenario that didn't seem possible a few years ago, and there are so many who are scared shitless of a loss. We control our destiny. Simple. We need to beat a team we should be beating at home. We do that, we are in the Champions League with a third-placed finish after winning a domestic cup. Incredible stuff. We just need to grab it.

You would think after winning a cup and all the success we have had that people would relax a bit and accept when we have a lackluster half without all Howe all of a sudden being shit and the team bottling it and all that. We have it in our hands. Beat Everton at home, we are in the Champions League. If we can't do that, we don't deserve it. We would have snapped someone's hand off to be in this position 5 months ago, let alone 5 years ago.

I can't help but think about Alisson and Ederson and how their distribution is vital to the intent of those sides. Take Villa even, remember their 2nd goal against us when Martinez played it over our press right into Tielemans, who had acres of space to start the move that ended up with a goal. We end up so often having only one way to play because Pope cannot reliably distribute the ball. He is a fantastic shotstopper but there is a lot more to goalkeeping within the tactical framework we want to use. I think a better ball playing keeper would improve our consistency and ability to dictate play against lesser sides.

Kind of, but even then you have Dan Burn, who played a very competent LB for ages. Krafth too. And we will need versatility in the system they can play, too. I think it's different but even by CB standards, I still think we want versatile players.

If we have learned anything from the last few seasons, it's that Howe prizes versatility more than most. I would imagine that every player we target (apart from Trafford obv) would be able to play multiple positions at a high level. Any rumour involving anyone who doesn't can be immediately dismissed.

If he actually turns down a legitimate offer to play for Real Madrid because of his loyalty to Newcastle, what an incredible statement that would be for the club and Eddie Howe.

Fuck me what players would want to play in front of some of these fans ready to slate them for one bad game after a season like this, have some perspective and calm the fuck down

Not much energy today. Our whole thing is intensity and energy and we had neither of those.

Get all this poison out in one game and let’s finish strongly.

Looking like one of those days. Been second best most of the game. It happens. Three games in the week catching up to us. And some bad luck too.

They’re doing to use what we usually do to others. Need to get a grip.

Watching his performance again from yesterday, it was genuinely elite-level stuff. I cannot believe how much better he's gotten, and how much more consistently he is putting in quality balls. It's impossible. It's like if Matt Targett all of a sudden looked like Nuno Mendes, what on Earth is happening? He is such a great character and has been selflessly supportive of others for years, loves the club, loves the people, you can't not love him - and now he's a superstar all of a sudden. What a season.

Like most everyone else, i figured he was done as a top-level player, but I couldn't be happier to be wrong. It really is fitting for him to be playing a key role in this side as it was him signing that started all of this momentum in the first place. Running more than he has in ages, he's putting in quality deliveries and linking up perfectly with Jacob Murphy on that right side. Appreciative that he handled Bruno being named captain with such class as well, that could have been ugly. Thrilled to see this version of him back and I'm happy to have him for another season in this role.

How would we respond to winning the Carabao Cup? 12 points from 12, 14 goals scored, 2 conceded Mentality monsters.

Can't believe he's our player. Thunders into tackles, first touch of a ballerina, passing range for days, never gets tired. We've said players were world class before, but this guy - this is what world class looks like. Would stroll into pretty much any midfield in the world and make it better.