Ronaldo

Ey? Closest in years?

Not if Howe persists with that midfield 3, which unfortunately I think he will. It’s a game for for 5-2-3 / 5-4-1 all day long.

I just hate that midfield 3. It’s bloody awful to be honest with zero athleticism or creativity. Good result nonetheless.

In 01-02 I can remember at least 5 games we won away from home from losing positions. Outrageous. Box office.

Woodgate for the last 10 games or so too. But it speaks mainly, I think, to the quality of our midfield and attack. Teams were shit scared of us and with good reason. We did get shown up a fair bit at the back that season and in the preceding season. Thing was, every chance we’d score the same amount or more at the other end. Tough to kill a game off when you’ve got Speed mopping up with Dyer, Robert and Bellamy in transition.

S.Caldwell was bloody useless. Genuinely one of the slowest footballers I’ve ever seen and his judgement did nothing to compensate for it.

The Wilson injury was the catalyst I guess then to say fuck it, needs must.

Didn’t we enquire about Isak start of window and were put off by the £70m release fee? We only agreed to go back and offer close to that after Wilson got injured and Wood was so bad against Wolves we genuinely looked better (and nearly pinched it) with no striker on the pitch.

What happened?

Lascelles isn’t an obvious leader either to be fair. We’d be losing a backup CB, end of. Certainly not in the context of players of the levels we have now.

Bye Trip.

We could do with another one or two of them capable of doing that.

That model isn’t sustainable for what the owners want to achieve. It’s OK for the odd 6th-8th finish.

Are the goals bigger over there?

Actually staggering how quickly they all adapted but then again players of that level tend to find a way.

Given that would make Krath our Gigi Cestone (prior to his death) you’re talking utter shit here.

RvN’s first touch was absolutely brilliant. He scored some lovely goals for PSV, Man U and Real. Pippo Inzaghi he wasn’t.

To Germany too. They couldn’t even settle in Spain.

If Hope is telling lies he needs calling out. SAF would have him hanging upside down with a fucking fork up his ass.

Bruno for those probably, or Longstaff.

Given that it’s always Trippier or Schar now that probably doesn’t need answering.

We’re just naming great players we don’t like personally now.

Declan Rice.

Someone will be mentioning Rooney soon, at this rate.

This.