Coco

Is Elliot not a scumbag? Am I misremembering him being involved in something off the pitch?

I recall overhearing a Liverpool fan ranting to someone on his phone about Zubimendi. Apparently he would be on his deathbed, miserable and alone, regretting the decision not to join Liverpool. Delusion isn't a strong enough word.

Kaiz, I say this with the best of intentions. Put your phone down, turn off the computer, walk away from the internet for a while.

It's not really a fair comparison. I think Brighton seem content to keep taking punts on lesser known players and flipping them for profit when the time is right. It only really becomes a problem for them when it consistently fails, or they overextend. It's much more of a club strategy, akin to the RB model, than using a transfer tactic to close a gap to clubs above. That club is built from the ground up to be a cohesive system. They're not reliant on any one player, manager, backroom staff, or DoF. They don't seem to be desperate to push on, break the top four, win trophies, etc. I'm not saying they don't want those things, but it definitely seems like their ethos comes first.

It's not going to make him a sub though. The double ACL injuries brought our need for a replacement CB forward a year. You'd think if fully fit, our existing roster of centre halves is fine for a year sans Europe. But drop Botman and Lascelles for pretty much the entire season and it's a different story. Tosin was the cheaper option, to cover us, but if a top player is available, then we've shown that we'll make that opportunistic move.

My bad, carry on lads.

This is fucking tedious. They're signing a highly rated young player. Stop getting all of your knickers in a twist trying to put a negative spin on it, just because it's Man U. Is it any wonder Froggy spends so much time on the forum, when you're all fawning over him, trying to stir the pot.

FFP.

People losing their minds over us trying to pull the same stunt as Chelsea, Villa, and Everton? Except it's not due to some morale outrage, but the deemed quality of said deals. It's indicative of the saleable assets we have. We don't have an academy pumping out prospects to trade like pokemon, so anyone with value is on the block. This is modern football, thanks to FFP. If we shift Minteh or Anderson, it frees up a wedge to reinvest, on top of whoever comes the other way.

I see that move as trying to snap up a "Cole Palmer" type signing (since he's a popular drum to beat this season), without the significant fee that Chelsea had to pay. Until our own academy starts producing talents, it's going to take an element of gambling on prospects that we can poach from elsewhere for low outlay. If we end up in the ECL, it can provide a great route for some of the brighter lights that we have in our youth to get meaningful game time and kick on.

Who is this ref? He's fucking dogshit.

Just another Tuesday.

Exactly, but unfortunately those are in short supply if the last few weeks are any indication. I'll be more than happy with another season where we legitimately try our best on all fronts, hopefully finish top 7/8, and see some of the young talent we've assembled start to bed into the side. We're building something here, and that doesn't happen overnight.

I appreciate the gesture, but I'm Irish and have dual nationality so I'm already well versed. Like I said, I'm pretty sure it doesn't apply to u-18. The athletic article summed it up quite well.

Pretty sure that doesn't apply to under 18s, but I could be wrong. Found this... https://theathletic.com/3093862/2022/01/27/brexit-may-deny-irish-youngsters-a-clear-path-to-english-football-but-they-have-new-options/

Brexit is probably more of a factor. English clubs can't hoover up Irish youth like they used to, so they go somewhere else.

Next. He's a quality player and I'd have loved to see him here, but if he didn't want to join, move on. So much of our success recently is built on team chemistry, desire, and work ethic. Getting someone in who buys into that 100% is the priority. There are no shortage of options, and I trust Howe and Ashworth to make the right call. They've earned that trust.

Interested in everything. Just me. No dates are a problem.

I'm living vicariously through Mike's adventures.

Yeah, I'm definitely out. My sister crashed her car, drink driving, and her life is in shambles. Nobody hurt, thank fuck. Gonna be staying out with her for a while to settle her down and help her out. Puts any slim hope of me wrangling away to bed. I'll be watching the game from her sofa.

Had it been last week I could have tried, but shit happened last night and life is kinda up in the air right now (my sister had a bit of a breakdown and got arrested for drink driving, now my folks are in full on panic mode). I'll have a clearer picture as the week progresses, but it's honestly looking unlikely.

I was "busy" last week and completely missed this. Very tempted, but I don't think I can swing it. Likely going be sat at home, wishing I was over for all the craic.

Grew up in a family of Liverpool fans. So, I hate Liverpool. Early 90s (maybe 91/92), my oldest brother went to Uni at Teeside and my folks went over to visit him. Somehow they brought back football shirts for me and my other brother. A home and an away shirt. Being the Liverpool fan, he was a spoiled shit about it and I now had two Newcastle shirts. Started from there. I've kinda grown into the misery that came after the initial highs, and I genuinely feel a deep bond with the club and by extension, the region. Shit's weird like that.

Worried that the stamina drops off a cliff after too much longer. Hard to think two weeks of training can fix that.