Conjo

Hope they're right. Looking past our own issues I kinda like that FFP could be the catalyst that ends up smacking the top clubs back in their face by bursting the bubble. Less transfers, lower fees & wages resulting in less interest in tv subscriptions which in turn further forces fees, wages, sponsorships down ultimately leading to cheaper tickets & subscriptions. Or am I high on fairy dust for even thinking the thought?

I'm comparing us based on our potential, ambition & financial strength. We're viewed as the club most likely to crash the top 6 party. If I looked at it cynically through a players eyes, I'd think the potential to maximize my income is stronger by staying at Newcastle and playing well than to leave for any club bar 10 clubs in the world (6 of them being the "top 6" in England). There's a lot things that needs to happen for one of them to be prepared to pay an acceptable fee & wages for our players considering the players they already have on their books and their own adherence to FFP, so I view the chance of us keeping them as very high even if the players were interested in a move.

Was maybe harsh to quote you, as I for the most part agree with what you're saying, with the exception of the bit I put in bold. Didn't mean you specifically lashing out because we lost to Chelsea either, but others on here. I can understand that you're mad at the performances, I'm not happy either, but it helps to put it in context for me at least. What is realistic to expect out of the squad that has been available, who haven't been able to be rotated/rested properly? I think, looking back, that the general expectations taking our injury/fatigue problems into account has been way too high.

The months where we couldn't field a starting 11 with first team players you mean? My main critism has been that Howe should have started rotating players more frequently much much earlier in the season, and not risked players who were playing through injury/with niggles or just coming back from injury. However, once we were knee deep in injury shit, I honestly think no manager could have done noticably better than Howe has. Pointing at Klopp and how Liverpool has played with an injury ridden squad isn't really comparable (not saying you specifically have made this argument, but seen others have) considering that they have much more quality in depth in their squad, more quality in their youth system and have had many more years to settle their set up towards making players ready to play in Klopps system. Klopp hasn't masterminded some kind of special tactics in a time of crisis - looks to me like they play like they always do with high tempo, high press (maybe some of their younger players have been more energetic than some of their ageing seniors?), which is exactly what Howe has tried to do with us through this period. Feel very confident that Howe will get it right. The last 24hrs it has been surreal to read some of the opinions on here just because we didn't win at a ground we haven't won at since 2012(?) against a team that is looking a lot better than they did at the start of the season, with a good manager and many talented players.

Of course there are never any 100% guarantees. If for whatever reason one of the elite clubs in the world finds themselves a striker or cm short, see Bruno or Isak as the ideal replacement and have a load of money and wiggle room within FFP, sure, they might leave. Slim chance of that happening imo. I don't see any of the elite clubs screaming out for an Isak or Bruno with their current squads, and if they were, I think many of them would think there is better value elsewhere as we wouldn't let them go cheap. Even if our players wanted to leave, I don't see any of our top players leaving for the likes of say Dortmund/Leverkusen, Inter/Juventus/Roma/AC Milan/Napoli, Atletico Madrid/Athletic/Sociedad etc (meaning the clubs in the bracket below the teams already mentioned earlier). Hell Isak joined us from Sociedad after we finished 11th. Do you really think he'd go back to that calibre of club just because of one season with no Europe?

It's not realism, it's just you projecting your own frustrations and insecurities on here because we didn't win away to Chelsea. Seriously, cheer up.

Where and when have they indicated that? All I've ever seen is them saying they will play anywhere to help the team.

Which clubs specifically do you think could afford to buy and pay them, besides those I mentioned a few posts over?

Cheer up miserable git

Yeah, I do believe that. It's not like we're getting fucking relegated to the championship is it? Liverpool didn't get CL this season. How many of their top players left in a huff? Chelsea a mid table team can retain and pick up whomever they want. Arsenal finished 8th twice in a row under Arteta did they have to sell their best players because they didn't want to be there? These are players who are playing for an ambitious club, which they are well aware of, and every player getting interviewed is always bragging about how good group they are. They are getting paid a lot more than what they would get elsewhere in Europe and play in the best league in the world™. One season outside of CL won't scare them away.

Discarding what you think they look at and think of what you class as a manager with limitations: They won't make more money at any other club in the world than Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Bayern, Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea unless they can leave on a free transfer. Don't see any of them wanting to join Chelsea unless the money is so ridiculous even the staunchest Newcastle fan would leave us in favor of them. Same for PSG due to the quality of games outside of CL. Any of the other clubs any player would want to join at the moment, but I don't see any of them spending and offering either us, Bruno or Isak what it would take to price them away.

Luckily it seems we have players intelligent enough to recognise this season for what it has been, that are excited about our project even if we were to finish mid table this season.

Projecting much? Bruno and rest of the squad seem very happy with Eddie to me.

Finally starting to see players coming back and getting their fitness back, only for one LW to get injured in training and the other after 30 minutes.

Crazy talk in here. Good night.

tbf (and this is without checking how many games he's played) ASM has not been injured this season, so fair to say we do miss him. We probably wouldn't miss him if Barnes could stay fit.

One deflection/slight touch and two tunnels for their goals. Conceding one of those in a game is annoying enough, but three of them to lose 3-2 Chelsea definitely had the margins on their side. Not that we played well by any means either, but thought we deserved a point at least. Chelsea did a really good job at nerfing Bruno. Good night to update the ignore list.

Lascelles on. The Rolls Royce needs servicing.

You'd think we should have more passing options elsewhere on the pitch when Chelsea hovers 3-4 players around Bruno at all times and makes sure there's always one player blocking the passing path to him. Started well until their goal, then 15 minutes of Chelsea controlling (but not being dangerous) the game, last 25 minutes we've been the best side. Until our goal Bruno had been taken completely out of the game and literally did nothing but back passes, while Isak was very isolated up top. Gordon offered little even before he got hurt and less than nothing after. Botman with two awful clearances and looking shaky yet I imagine if I scroll back a few pages it'll mainly be cries about Almiron, Longstaff and Burn? Tino is a fucking beast. Schar solid (and handsome) as always. Willock with a few good runs with the ball and got into some dangerous positions. Great bit of skill from Bruno & Isak for our goal.

eh?

Quite the opposite for me now. January and beginning of February was particularly difficult to get excited about as we knew the line-up and bench for every game, and also that it probably wouldn't be good enough. Now we have more rest between games and and key players have returned and starting to get their fitness up so can only see an improvement in our play going forward (assuming no major injury issues comes back again).

Beast in CM 97/98

Looking forward to seeing a back line of Livramento - next Lucio - Botman - Hall lift the CL trophy in 5 years time.