Superior Acuña

Money is an important factor, but I do think the massive prestige of ManU is a big draw too. As money-driven as a lot of players might be, I do think there's also a lot of players that will care about that kind of thing too.

I reckon I probably underestimated the effect of having a threat like him occupying defenders, even in games where he didn't make much of a direct contribution.

This is part of a little cup competition in Rwabda, with Liechtenstein now playing Aruba (who beat Macau) in the final. None of our football hipsters there? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_Series_(men's_matches)

Liechtenstein beat Tanzania! In Rwanda...

Reads to me as if at least some STs will become available (not many I'm sure)

I don't find it very controversial or suspicious that he can play a football game 8 days after getting a minor injury but not 4 days.

I thought Sandro would be looking higher than ManU if he was to leave. Good season and CL next year, but a team that’s finished below us the last two seasons, is a shit show behind the scenes and has a temporary manager. Unless ofc it’s easy for him to move on again next summer. Like most, I can deal with him leaving for a good fee. Prefer abroad though obvs.

Just going to have to agree to disagree there. Yes, that's all part of it, but his looks, personality etc are def too imo. The amount of times I've seen men at matches triggered by a player wearing a hairband, pictures like this broke people's brains. I've heard more vitriol to Gordon in the stands than any other current player. People think Murphy is shit and get angry, but people have a visceral dislike of Gordon - that they were happy to overlook when he was playing well but comes creeping back in when it can.

Horrendous

Did you have ManU fans at school in Newcastle? I didn't that I'm aware of (born 89) - there was one Man City fan (felt sorry for him...).

I see Middlesbrough actually scored 4 on four occasions, in addition to 6 on one. That's canny mad, but then they wouldn't have been relegated from results (3 point deduction). Also their form was so streaky.

When we went down in 2016, we scored 5 and 6 in two home games (5-1 Tottenham, 6-2 Norwich). That's got to be rare for a relegated side? Any others in PL era scored 5+ two or more times and gone down.

Gordon seems to have an emotions and soul too. He's not just an empty vessel for some football talent DNA like Owen was.

If we're losing two 'big hitters', from an emotional POV I hope it's Tino and Tonali. I have little attachment to Tino and it won't really bother me seeing him in a Man City shirt for good money. I like Tonali and hope if he goes it's in an amicable way, but I see him as a good pro, nothing like the attachment I have to Bruno. Losing Gordon with all our other striker issues would be worrying.

Three even. Probably had a negative effect on Liverpool too, this season anyway. edit: As Lovejoy already said

I didn’t boo, and wouldn’t boo this team who I think are a good bunch and have given us a lot. I’d strongly oppose booing in the other games. However, I felt badly let down this weekend and I don’t really blame people for doing it on this occasion, especially as it followed the away disappointment. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that they heard on this occasion how let down people felt (though it’s somewhat diluted by people booing any old loss!) Personally I’ve stayed and waited toclap the players on their little lap, every game win or lose under Eddie. Sunday was the first time I didn’t clap (seat position/line to get out meant I couldn’t leave in time to make a point though )

He got legitimately criticised for being poor but people are primed to give him shit, because of the way he looks etc. A substantial amount of people hated him from the off, had to wind their necks in, then were thrilled to have an excuse again. I’ve heard him called a scouse cunt too many times at matches.

Ah probably missed cos i was in part of Leazes that seems to get lots of visitors

That Guardian article says Howe was jeered by us - sounds like it was directed specifically at him. I didn't see any jeering at Howe personally.

Agreed, I was there too. I remember it being very toxic and I was not at all happy about our fans that day - but it's not true to say Bobby was hounded out. Although such a negative reaction to the team is clearly going to contribute to pressure on the manager.

You can definitely argue with league position when the season isn’t over. And you can still argue with it at the end too, cos it’s not the only factor in who’s ‘better’. But even if you don’t agree with latter, you def can’t use an unfinished table to say that one team with 1 more point is objectively better than the other. It’s a fair opinion from AG.

I watched his interview, I thought it was as good as can be - we need actions ultimately, but they can't not give an interview either. He's correct about Sunderland and he's not using it to have a dig at them, he's explaining how we've no excuse for losing to them, which is right. Especially when we were ahead - these are the third lowest scorers in the league.

You did imagine it. We did play them in the cup the season before though.

I see our league position closely matches our defensive record. We have the 14th best defensive record. All teams above us have conceded fewer goals, as well as two teams that are below us (Palace and Forest). In contrast we have a better goals record than 5 teams above us, including Villa, and only one team below us is above (Bournemouth by a goal). So we're 8th for goals scored. edit: Wow only Forest and Wolves have scored fewer than the mackems, and that'd only be Wolves if we didn't give them two yesterday.

Thing is too they can’t just make up for this by winning the next one. Winning the next one doesn’t make up for them doing the double over us this season. Not that they can say much more like.