Unbelievable

He’s in the under 23’s

He’s not bang average like, far from it. He’s having to make do with the odd minute here and there because he’s got the likes of Kane and Son (understandably) before him in line, but he’s been consistently amongst Holland’s best players over the past two years, creating and scoring at will from a wide right position. For the money he’d cost, at 24 years of age and just coming into his prime over the next few years, he’d be an absolute steal in a position where we desperately need an improvement to our first XI.

We should swoop in and get Bergwijn for the 17 odd million Ajax are reportedly bidding for him tbh. He’s come out and said he wants regular football at a good level first and foremost and isn’t fussed about CL. Could even probably get him on a loan with option to buy.

Yeah, that looks like he’s made up his mind like

Well, assuming we're on a budget choices will have to be made. I doubt we'll spend the majority of it on two players for one position when we obviously need reinforcements in quite a few other positions.

I don't think that is the case per se. We're not expecting to qualify for Europe, are we? Just make decent progress. Strengthening a few positions should achieve that, alongside replacing Gayle with one of Europe's top rated talents who we can afford to bed in because we still have Wilson to be the main forward and Wood (shit as he is) in case of emergency. If Wilson were to tear his ligaments in a pre-season friendly we might have to reconsider, but bringing in yet another forward will only serve to stifle the opportunities we can offer our >30m rated prospect who needs playing time to adapt to the league.

RIP big man. I still cherish the memories of him and Cabaye dominating midfields. One of the few enjoyable things we had under Ashley. Shame he never got to see the Newcastle we will hopefully become.

Absolutely! Building up the academy and bringing in players we can develop into future stars will be crucial to being able to catch up with the top clubs under FFP.

But that’s a bit of a false equivalence I would say. It’s like pointing out that top clubs in England would rather qualify for CL than win the FA Cup, which has been treated by many managers as a nice opportunity to give the stiffs and youngsters a run out since at least Wenger 20 odd years ago. Does that make the FA Cup irrelevant, or the cup final game insignificant? I wouldn’t say so at all. Going back to the Nations League, I think the timing here at the end of a long season is unfortunate, because at least some international managers definitely seem to place more value on it then they did meaningless friendlies. Because that would be and was for a long time the alternative. Now at least teams play teams of similar strength and there is a promotion/relegation structure that adds interest and importance. in any case, it’s fine if you don’t like it. I do happen to take an interest in the competitive element of it, and I doubt I am alone in that.

Guardiola is on record as wanting an international job next…

Again, I don’t think that’s accurate. I loved the first edition and how we reached the final beating Germany, France and England along the way. I think this type of disdain is similar to what we always get for the Europa League or the new Conference League. Yes, they’re not CL, but again I can tell from experience of people around me that e.g. Feyenoord reaching the Conference League final was great for them. I’d liken it to us winning the 1969 Fairs Cup. That too may have been a bit second rate as a competition, but if you’re competing in it and winning it, it still massively beats pre-season friendlies and that’s the same for the National League. Hell, I even celebrated when we won the Intertoto in 2006

Don’t think that’s accurate. It’s a damn sight more competitive than international friendlies used to be.

Lucky escape

And 1-0 to Hungary

Pen

Almost a howler from Dino

Milan is part of the elite like They may not be as good as Liverpool, Man City, Bayern or Madrid, but nobody should be surprised to see them regularly in the CL quarters or semis and win domestic honours in one of the best leagues in the world. Us, we’re a project, a doer-upper. We could be elite in 5-10 years time, but it’s hardly guaranteed and for a player living in the here and now they represent a more attractive option than us, even before getting into non-footballing reasons.

There is no talk whatsoever with respect to a WC squad for him. Unless he joins a big club and immediately impresses, and one or two of the players in front of him in the queue sustain injuries I’d say there’s no chance. in terms of whether he’d be a good fit, you guys have probably seen more of him than me :lol:. I trust Howe and the recruitment staff however, so if they want him I’m confident he’d be a good fit.

We do indeed. Ake is ahead of him too.

Now they do. It ends 1-4

Belgium don't claw one back

Depay in Holland is just plain dreamy like. A 4-0 drubbing at home a few months before a World Cup can't feel great for this Belgium squad.

4-0

3-0

2-0 Holland