LionOfGosforth

Tubes is probably Lee Charnely's internet persona. Wonder what Tubes thinks of Shelves?

Got a weird (naturally pessimistic) feeling we're gonna lose this one to a daft goal, like a deflection in the last minute. Dominate but lose.

Me too. Well not nervous exactly, just a bit of apprehension. Think the season will be more of a grind than some think with quite a few close, tight games, unlike 2009/10 which was a procession almost from the start. Will be a relief to get started and if we get a few wins on the board early doors, will help everyone relax. *edit to add* I have full faith in Rafa to make the adjustments that are needed but I wouldn't be shocked if we start out a bit slow in the first month or so and even lose a game or two.

See I don't get this, why do you think he'd improve so much under Rafa this season. Everyone basically looked like s*** before Rafa came in, but within a few games he had most of them looking like new players. But Wijnaldum was one of the few still looking no better, one of those who ended up really costing us when we failed to win against Villa. Wondering around the pitch like he didn't have a f***ing care in the world. Personally think he had already decided to leave by then. If he wanted to commit and grow under Rafa, there was a player worth keeping. He wasn't, whether the club had sickened him early on and Rafa coming made no difference, I don't know. I think he would have improved under Rafa if he was prepared to put the work in and he just wasn't. Talented but a gutless waster, think Liverpool might regret buying him eventually.

I know what you mean. I'm largely pleased he's moving on, I mean what's the point in trying to keep a player who doesn't want to play for your club, regardless of ability? He probably only performed in about 8 games all year And the fee is more than we could have expected really. That said, he showed in flashes what he could do, in those games he looked so quick and smooth, great at arriving in the box at just the right moment with an eye for goal that few of our other players have. I can only imagine he'll have some eye catching displays for Liverpool next season (probably all at Anfield while the sun shines) and it will piss me off a bit. Yeah he's gutless and it's particularly galling given he really does have ability in there. You wonder what he might have been able to produce with more heart and consistency and also time under this coaching staff. Ultimately he wasn't prepared to bother, so fuck him. Invest the fee properly and we move on

Can't understand what they were doing. Result of zonal marking or what? 2 free headers for your opponents in your box from a corner is never good news. They were both standing in yards of space, so many players could have marked/and or picked them up and didn't.

Darlow is fine as cover, too early to be sure on how Sels is going to do, can take keepers from other countries at least a year to settle and adapt, even the good ones (Schmeichel, De Gea etc). Elliott is just average and fat. Unless we get offered silly money, i'd also prefer to keep Krul.

Sounds like the bloke in the white shirt who escorts him after Janmaat greets him, asks him "What did he say", as in, what did Jamaat say to ye mate

think Southampton in April.

Fans chanting that they want Gini to stay and that they want Sissoko to go apparently before booing Gini on. Sounds like they struggled to work out what they actually want. I wasn't there but seen a couple of people tweeting that their was boo's at half time as well. Toon Brexit.

Interesting, thought he went for a small fee. Strange they didn't see a player in there worth a new contract. They did, he forced the move as he wanted first team football I think. Were they that well off in potentially world class box-to-box midfielders that could be worth a world record fee some day that they couldn't give him a few more first team opportunities? Being facetious but man, and not that they care, but they don't half looks like stupid c***s where this is concerned. See Tooj's post, explains it better Still, Cleverly and an ancient Scholes were preferred to him. Seems mad now. Wasn't just that, Rafael was played in midfield ahead of him as well Wow, just gets better

This is certainly true. His highs are very high and he has a great highlight reel. Perfect for the modern, short attention span, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram era. It's really not and he'll prove it as long as Mourinho isn't stupid enough to play him like Deschamps did. See, this is where the logic breaks down a bit. Mourinho is quite stupid at times (see Schurrle, De Bruyne, Lukaku and countless others). He just loves spending monopoly money on players, first class at doing that.

Interesting, thought he went for a small fee. Strange they didn't see a player in there worth a new contract. They did, he forced the move as he wanted first team football I think. Were they that well off in potentially world class box-to-box midfielders that could be worth a world record fee some day that they couldn't give him a few more first team opportunities? Being facetious but man, and not that they care, but they don't half looks like stupid c***s where this is concerned. See Tooj's post, explains it better Still, Cleverly and an ancient Scholes were preferred to him. Seems mad now.

Interesting, thought he went for a small fee. Strange they didn't see a player in there worth a new contract. They did, he forced the move as he wanted first team football I think. Were they that well off in potentially world class box-to-box midfielders that could be worth a world record fee some day that they couldn't give him a few more first team opportunities? Being facetious but man, and not that they care, but they don't half looks like stupid cunts where this is concerned.

Interesting, thought he went for a small fee. Strange they didn't see a player in there worth a new contract.

This is the most baffling part about it. Not the fact that they're ludicrously overpaying for him, that they gave him away for free a few years ago They didn't give him away did they? Thought Fergie wouldn't play him so he forced the move? I think i'm right in saying he was sold for about 1 million euros. If it was more, it wasn't much more.

another in the category of why the f*** did you not develop him yourselves and save £30m! Common denominators here are more f***ing money than sense and Mourinho. Off the top of my head, he may have tossed Schurrle and De Bruyne away too for relatively small fees, stand to be corrected though. Really don't like Mourinho, c*** bores me to tears. De Bruyne one really makes Mourinhio look bad, sell him after you've been at the club for 6 months and barely used him, 18 months later he's at a rival for a giant fee and has become one of their best players. Thats just s*** management and shows his limitations The Special One indeed. Aye special at being hideously overrated as a manager and being given far too many well paid jobs and being more impatient with players than a 3 year old wanting his crayons.

another in the category of why the f*** did you not develop him yourselves and save £30m! Common denominators here are more fucking money than sense and Mourinho. Off the top of my head, he may have tossed Schurrle and De Bruyne away too for relatively small fees, stand to be corrected though. Really don't like Mourinho, cunt bores me to tears.

This is the most baffling part about it. Not the fact that they're ludicrously overpaying for him, that they gave him away for free a few years ago why didn't they play him more, its utterly insane. If he was coming off the bench and starting vs the relegations teams/cups etc then he would have probably stayed and of all people to cock this up it was Ferguson. Don't recall the fee involved and it isn't as stupid as the Pogba thing but they pretty much gave away Pique as well. Just need Chelsea to bid 80m on Lukaku and the stupidity circle will be almost complete

Regardless of his "value", I just find it funny they had him on their books a few years back as a kid and basically gave him away and now have to spend 100 million to get him back. If that doesn't illustrate the stupidity of English clubs and the money swilling around our league I don't know what does. I still don't understand how a transfer like this can exist given their supposed debt and FFP. FFP - might as well stand for Fucking Farcical Pricks man.

From 5 million years ago. Tbf he looks in decent shape, he's just got a bit of a wide face and questionable facial hair. Facial hair is nee good but the jeans are really manly. Manly Hanley

Aye? Canny interesting.

I wouldn't harshly judge anyone's actual footballing ability in the current squad until they've had some time with a proper coaching and managerial structure, the type that is now in place but hasn't been for far too long. Sissoko could be an effective player for us given time under the new staff and used correctly, Rafa clearly likes him and what he brings to a team. As for his character and motivation, I don't think he's wanted to be at NUFC for probably at least 50% of the time he's been here so I would expect him to be sold when the right offer comes in. We don't need disinterested players next season. Of course he could stay and "tear up" the championship if properly motivated but I think it's a given he'll leave, he's apparently felt that he's above our level for too long now. Don't care if he goes so long as he is replaced by a player who cares and actually has some ability and wants to be here. But for those saying he's useless etc, I think most deserve something of a clean slate under Rafa, at least from an ability standpoint, if not a character perspective.

Hate Schurrle's face, he looks like The Scream

the Italian lass has a huge right lug, bigger than me grandad's.