LionOfGosforth

Headband or let it flow in the wind?

Maybe it's my imagination/persecution complex but I feel like we're the only top half PL club that is in the media daily for basically selling all of our best players. I know there's an information vacuum and 99% of it is utter bollocks anyway, but this is getting ridiculous like. We're a CL club, we're not selling anyone we don't want to ffs.

It's simply indicative of the player pool we're shopping in and it's challenging and aggravating at times. Each time we've gone for a real game-changing player, the establishment have basically said "nah, we're having him", despite in most cases having shown little interest prior. Mbeumo, apparently declared only Man Utd weeks ago. Foolish on his part but we got Elanga so no harm done, even if Mbeumo may be more technically proficient in the immediate. Twice now we've gone for Pedro and he's ended up somewhere else. Now Ekitike may end up at Liverpool because God forbid, we improve our front line. Funny how scared of us they are in a way. If it's not PSR, it's the cartel "deciding" who goes where. It's frustrating but hopefully, we'll get the 3-4 more we need.

Agree it's a bit cheap but when there's only seemingly one team interested, we're not exactly in a position to drive too hard a bargain

Clearly limping aal ower on the Austria training video, while running full pelt

Both might as well be, and probably are, on the payroll at the scouse twats, leaking everything they can for them

Our bid for Ekitike really rattled these cunts eh. This response, within 18 hours of our bid, clearly a low-ball effort and deliberately leaked to unsettle our player, was basically a "know your place" from them, wankers.

Aye, I suspect he'd have developed under EH in the interim 3 years really well but perhaps playing in France at PSG and then a spell in Germany has rounded him differently. He is very slightly built but such a smooth and elegant looking player, hope it happens!

2-3 minutes was enough for me, looks a smooth and brilliant dribbler with a great shot on him and loves working a 1-2 as well, class

I mean as if any French lad wouldn't have a go at PSG, criticizing him for that is bananas.

Made the mistake of scrolling through my FB feed that has some online Toon fan groups embedded somehow, the patter from some of them man "divven't want him" "Wouldn't join us 3 years ago, fuck him" "Aye preferred PSG to us, he made his bed let him lie in it"

Except if this comes off, he'd be bedded in for the new season. Christ.

Terrified to believe and end up disappointed

Love the auto-adds of Trafford and Scalvini to any future lineups, as if just getting this one done isn't pie-in-the-sky enough

Yep had lost track of him completely since he went to Swansea. Think we hoped he'd be a PSR flip and it didn't pan out.

Think I could watch a video of AE meeting our players and listening in on the little conversations all day long, 8 minutes ain't enough

Fair, he did say that. I had to watch it through again as I was distracted first time around by work. This is where EH will put the work in to unlock even more of his potential and there's few better coaches anywhere to do it.

It's his two-footed-ness that i'm most excited about and who knows what else Howe can unlock, it will be exciting to find out

Watching the Adam Clery video on him was odd like. He kept saying "don't get me wrong, think he'll be good but..." and talking about all the stuff he doesn't do particularly well. Oddly negative for him. Think Elanga will be perfect for us personally.

They finished 3 points ahead of us, despite spending like 2 billion quid, utilizing every loophole under the sun and generally ruining half their player's development. They're a fucking disgrace, hope they go bust.

I think anyone joining Chelsea probably know what they're getting into and deserve little understanding when it goes tits up, other than that i'd largely agree.

Don't think I did that? Madueke is quite clearly driven differently and Kudus has plenty of WHU fans claiming he downed tools a lot last year. Mbeumo is a really top player, one I wish we'd had a shot at.

Great point this. I believe the likes of Mbeumo, Madueke and Kudus are probably (currently anyway) technically better than Elanga, but if any of them can match or better his attitude, desire to improve and not just collect his wages and be a clear fit for us and the way we play, i'd be stunned.

Ramping up the announcement for next week, will probably heat up then

Scenes when Murph starts at Villa and has a shitter