Raconteur

Absolutely - despite his tendency to have a rest, he’s probably our hardest working player. If you were naming our best XI in order, he’d definitely be very shortly after ASM and Dubravka.

I love watching that goal, absolute peach of a finish

I always think injuries can sometimes improve the team selection when it comes to managers like Bruce and Pardew. Yeap, I remember Glenn Roeder doing better when we had lots of injuries. Pardew did in that season we finished 5th when injuries forced him to start Ben Arfa in the same side as Ba and Cisse. When did we have that bout of viral conjunctivitis that saw the players getting changed in their cars?

Seemed ambitious to start a thread so early given the circumstances...

That's a new one. Are you thinking Eusebio?

No, but can easily see Bruce persisting with Darlow

I think it was Yorkie in the match thread who compared our win to FIFA scripting - and that’s exactly what I thought of Joelinton’s assist as I was watching. Some no-mark hack going full jogo bonito with minutes to go, then sliding the perfect triangle pass through to Wilson.

Hard to disagree with this. The top tier playing in a context without the sort of sports science, tactics, training, recovery and tech makes their achievements ever more remarkable. Would throw Ronaldinho into the wonderful group. Loved watching him play. One of the biggest issues with "best ever" arguments is longevity. Ronaldinho at Barca was god-teir football. Ronaldo is (in my books) a "better" player than everyone except Messi and maybe Maradona, but his career was so heavily impacted by injury. That's why I joke that Cristiano Ronaldo, far from being the GOAT, is only the third best Ronaldo.

You're having a laugh - I call my father old timer. It's a term of affection - they were actually pretty decent posters when not drivelling on about Shepherd. It wasn’t just that phrase the whole post just reeked of the superiority of youth. FWIW Manorpark has been posting on this forum for 13 years and whilst I have been aware of his existence until now I can’t really remember any particularly strong opinions on anything. Opinions on whatever are always kept where they are meant to be, on threads about the subject. Compare that to NE5, you’d be talking about Darren Ambrose scoring for Charlton and then suddenly the thread would be taken nicer by chain quotes about the board, with plenty of thrown in PM

Ugh, you've just brought home it will be nearly 1.30am (local) when Steve's Bruce's entertainment machine jogs off the pitch. Why am I even bothering to stay up and watch the unwatchable?

You're having a laugh - I call my father old timer. It's a term of affection - they were actually pretty decent posters when not drivelling on about Shepherd.

Excellent news

It's more than you deserve, but you've prompted me to mirror your turgid verbosity. When I first joined this board, there were two old timers. NE5 and HTL. Both absolute fucking bores when they got on their hobby horse of how Shepherd wasn't that bad, and to be careful what we wished for. These two drove posters from the board with their interminable hammering of the same points. You, sir, are worse than either of them. And so I'll refrain from making snide comments even when you punch people in the face with your utter tedium. I'll not interact with you again

Twice !! It needs to be posted TWENTY times, at least !! I am just ashamed that I did not do what those two have done, ashamed. Actually, there was a reason it was posted a second time, the first time it had to be done in a hurry (another member had asked for it, and I didn't have much time) and I had not been able to "highlight" the many sub-headings in the article . . so it was very difficult to read, just 'one long mass' of words. So, I took my time and did it again - properly. Then (having done that) I actually went back and modified my original posting as well! There, I've explained it for you, though I do not know why you would be so 'churlish' as to mention it in the first place . . . that is a FANTASTIC article, from some real NUFC patriots. Should be re-posted first thing every morning, in my opinion !!!! Funny, my thoughts were - there he goes, using the million words of another to shout “I told you so” at the NO brethren. You then compounded the point by using a million of your own words to call out my churlishness. See, it’s not your opinions, it’s your manner of expressing them. I’ve even tried blocking you, but everyone else either shares your relentless enthusiasm and quotes you, or thinks your relentless enthusiasm is a fucking bore and quotes you. We get it, you were on the “always happening” train from the start. But you’re seriously worse than the most garrulous cross-training vegan in existence.

Bruce saying if there’s any risk that Wilson’s not fit, he won’t play. Cue Wilson being carted off in the 15th minute and out for three months...

This was my first response too. This interview would have been cleared by the all the lawyers, which makes its accusations even more weighty.

So good it had to be posted in its entirety twice...

Don't get the "never go back" craic. Should Keegan have not come back? Obviously it ended badly, but where was that sentiment when he got a tune out of Viduka-Owen-Martins and it seemed Ashley might well be a good owner (!) ?

Would it be mischevious to suggest it might be the English "Irishmen" who were "left stunned" (as reported by The Mail) by the "anti-English" sentiments of the video?

I’d like to know how much the Trailer company initially paid for the sponsorship, and to end up with Hollywood endorsements

We should definitely take you at face value, though

Big contrast from ASM who gets lumps kicked off him every week, while Almiron sometimes plays the stereotypical sniper victim.

I think there’s a lot to this - Ayoze is a very good player, but he’s not good enough to cement himself as a #10 in their team. Therefore, he’s never really going to produce his best out of position or as a bit part player.

It’s all good lads - Hendrick only played against Southampton because he started in the winning side against Everton. Now we’ve banked the L, Brewcie is free to shuffle the pack. An experienced professional like him would see his most reliable centre mid is fully fit again and we’ll see Hayden start against Chelsea. Right?