Yorkie

If Hall is fit then three/five at the back is the way to go imo. Thiaw-Botman-Burn is an immense battalion of CBs to be taking on the road and shouldn't prevent us from being an attacking force. That Thiago looks strong and clinical so makes sense to pack the defence.

Don't bother. Just Butcher's daily reminder that everything is awful.

Aligning with most of my related decision-making around that time, for some reason I thought it might be good to take a lass I fancied at uni to that one. It was awful, I was awful and thus concluded that sorry little romantic conquest.

Sounds like he's available tbh.

Tonali will obviously leave at some point because he's exceptional and he won't be able to fulfill his potential here. Bruno makes you believe that it's enough just to be worshipped but Isak proved the opposite. I don't think he's said anything to set hares racing there, and it's no "come and get me" plea. He's just given an honest answer.

I mean that sounds like a dreadful mess. Definitely a theme of the home kits so far, with bits just randomly not matching up etc, generally under the sleeves/on the sides. I'm desperate to like an Adidas home one, like. The two predominately blue aways are bangers.

Binning off the CL and Europas in favour an FA Cup style tournament would be very interesting tbf.

Heartwarming to see PL clubs dropping points again. Hopefully Villa get embarrassed again tonight, though probably very unlikely.

Jesus, embarrassing for Celtic. AEK Athens, who absolutely annihilated Aberdeen in the last round, currently 1-0 down at home to Shamrock Rovers.

That design flaw is an anchor on even an amazing kit (from the front). Such a shame. Quite excited to see the real thing all the same. I'm ready for wacky. This season's is neither nowt nor summmat.

Of course you do.

Have you just done that from memory then, KI? I'm in favour of something a bit zany as long as it's done well. Eg Juventus' this season (apart from the back).

Do it ASAP

So all the stripes are the same width, but they're just way narrower than we're used to?

Can't picture what you mean here. Striped across the top?

W7 D1 L1 against them since they got promoted.

Sorry is there something to be concerned about re those quotes? All he's saying there is that he doesn't want to bullshit anyone.

Fucking hell. Merry Christmas, love Dan.

I absolutely adore this bloke, one of my favourite Newcastle players of all time. It's gone a bit under the radar that, at 35 and after all his up and downs, he's delivering performances that aren't a million miles off his best across 2023. Shout out for finding the exact cubic centimetre to enable Burn to connect and bend that header in. Immaculate cross.

It seems like we do have a policy whereby the players' opinion of their own fitness carries a substantial amount of weight in selection decisions.

Just to be totally on brand, if you trace the beginning of his downward trajectory to the summer before last, then PSR has played it's part in effecting his career here. He's been honest about having his head turned then, when it otherwise wouldn't have been if our need to sell wasn't extremely urgent. The impact of that situation was real and he even lost his best mate at the club (see Neville pod) in Anderson.

It is quite difficult to argue to the contrary. The only thing to say in his defence is that he's played well twice, against Barcelona (where he genuinely looked lethal for a half) and Union SG - which is obviously caveated by the poor opponent - but he was still good. Then the mitigation is in how the whole attacking unit feels deficient at the moment. Beyond that, it's impossible to deny he's looked very ropey and - worse - totally unsuited. That's where my faith in the manager comes in, though. Surely there must be some method to the madness... The avatar stays until he scores.

Think a lot of it's to do with his appearance tbh. Not trying to be edgy with that either, genuinely seems like a factor.

Pope - 7 Trippier - 7 Thiaw - 8 Botman - 7 Burn - 7 Bruno - 5 Tonali - 7 Joelinton - 7 Gordon - 4 Woltemade - 6 Barnes - 6 6 of a performance team-wise. Total pain in the arse that Wolt can't get a rest; think I'm probably being generous with a 6 there cos he was barely in the game beyond a few moments, and continues to not look like much of a threat unless there's high balls into the box. Gagging for a fit and firing Wissa to return.