Lenny

10 years since HBA scored against Everton?!

And IMO, it goes without saying that people are within their rights to criticise a player that's given up.

Nagelsmann too Ralf Ragnick also I'm guessing pretty much everyone in German football, but Newcastle Online knows best Hope they're queuing up to sign him? I hope they are too, so he could make you all look silly. However the German clubs won't touch him for the wages we have gone on to pay him, as Ragnick himself said about why he couldn't compete with us to sign him for RB Leipzig in the first place. Him moving on and making a success of himself is as much down to his application in his new surroundings as the new surroundings themselves. He may well turn his career around, but that won't change the fact that he's given up here, and it's visible on the pitch.

I feel that the biggest influence on his perceived lack of ability is that he looks like he just doesn't fancy it. He's clearly not putting in much effort and hasn't been for a long time, and whether or not he has the right to feel he was dealt a bad hand by signing for us is irrelevant; it's still down to him to deal with it. Where others would have chosen to play for themselves and put the effort in for the sake of their own career, he's chosen to give up and feel sorry for himself. ASM signed to the same club at the same time, and approached the situation totally differently. There were large portions of the season where he was labelled as having no end product, so he was presented with the same options Joelinton was faced with, i.e. give up or keep going. He chose the latter and he's proved to be one of our most important players. There was a period of play against Blackburn yesterday shortly after ASM had come in which he, at full sprint, chased the ball as it was passed continuously around their backline. At the risk of hyperbole (but you get the point) - he probably covered more ground in that sequence than Joelinton did in the entire half! I suspect Joelinton could go to another club under circumstances he fancies, and we'll see a much improved player, however this is why I have little sympathy for him - he's not helped himself here. If, of course, I am wrong and it's nothing to do with effort, then I can't see any other explanation than that he's just a poor player. The version of Joelinton we have doesn't have any considerable qualities to warrant even a place on the bench.

based on....? And even with this logic, shouldn't Almiron be #1?

Would be nice if Manquillo's delivery improved. Last season he found himself in a crossing position quite frequently and, like Yedlin, his delivery was awful. Hopefully having a striker that makes actual striker runs in the box will help and he can just aim for an area.

Great player

Not that I've seen all that much of him, but never been a fan of Bamford

He improved immeasurably last season, against all odds.

Objectively speaking, I think he'd be a decent signing, or at least one you'd see as a good signing for several other mid table teams. Unfortunately, I can't say I really care.

I always liked Armstrong's playing style, but it's not an inspiring signing. Not that I'm anything other than mostly checked out at this stage.

Have great fondness for Cisse, Carroll, Rondon, and even Martins, but I think I just enjoyed seeing Carroll's name on the scoresheet more than the others.

I live too far away (Kent) to have any real impact on the clubs pockets, but I won't be going to any games whilst things are as they are. I haven't paid for any sports packages, nor have I bought a club shirt for years now so that will continue. Shame, I was genuinely thinking about doing both if the takeover had gone through, and I'd have almost certainly been looking at coming up for a few games a season.

Yep, my interest in football depends on it happening.

You'd think the last thing Joelinton would want to do is stand out...

What happened?

I remember watching some Leeds season review video, around the time Speed had come good for us and whilst I was fond of him by then, I couldn't believe how much of a different player he seemed for Leeds. For us he was an engine, a box to box type midfielder, whereas for Leeds he looked almost like an explosive advanced winger. Obviously it was essentially a highlight reel but he looked a totally different player.

I recall Speed being really poor when we first signed him. Speaking of Everton signings; I also remember being furious we'd wasted money on Duncan Ferguson at the time, too. Loved him in the end.

I remember editing Gavilan in CM/FM to be the basically best player in the world, I was so hyped about him. No idea why

Lascelles has actually added carrying the ball out of defence to his game of late, when the opportunity arises. Given though, how we have next to no possession and don't ever have to worry about teams sitting deep against us, he's hardly going to be doing it multiple times a game. His technical game and positioning has improved a lot IMO.

I thought he was fine enough today, however he attacks with no intent or belief. I think it's going to take him a long while to fully believe in himself. The takeover, if it happens and he stays could be good for him and he's afforded the chance to play without pressure.

"Ere, Longy... watch this, be ready"