Gallowgate Toon

It's been a sobering week but it's this shit that'll make it all the sweeter when we win something.

You just know someone on the board will have used the term 'low-hanging fruit' for this

Struggling to get past feeling sad seeing a local talent go even though it is a fantastic price. I feel a big part of the last couple of years for me has been the sense of pride in seeing more local lads and boyhood fans in the squad, even when Longstaff had me tearing my hair out last season. Good luck to him. He seems a great lad and he has talent imo.

Champion. Ended the season so well - he just feels like an NUFC full back to me. Unless he gets injured, he should have some serious impact over the course of the season. I still think Howe will protect him a decent amount, as he should, especially with Kelly knocking around, but if he has a good preseason then he should have well graduated the 'not being used for months on end' role

If we're still in trouble then it's absolutely appalling by the club and heads should roll. Actually, the fact we were waiting until today is already appalling enough for action. Amateur at best. Seems to me like we were banking on a major player to go. We've actually got lucky Minteh had the form he had.

Sad it's come to this but it really was better than many alternatives.

If Minteh does go, I expect we'll have a very preferable buy-back or some equivalent. I'd love to keep him now but I'm not sure we have any current buyers for the players we'd ideally get rid of. I think DCL would be steady. We create well for our strikers, he won't need to be anywhere near as much of a workhorse in our setup, and he's good foil for Isak if we ever need to play them as a 2 as he's more of a target man.

I can maybe see see why he doesn't give Palmer a go if he's worried he won't do the work the other way, but Gordon is awesome both ways. I would've thought he'd have been a Southgate golden boy for it.

Midfield is nowhere to be seen, up front one-paced and too similar.

Chelsea have just chucked away a seasoned manager that showed excellent form for half a season for... Enzo Maresca. He's a totally unproven gamble they've employed to not push back on transfer choices. It shows that they're still running at least a portion of a clown show. Olise showed last summer he takes his career seriously, I think he'd want more assurances of the stability of the project.

Bellingham just feels like he has something that nobody else in this team does and it's pure self belief. He doesn't seem to need system safety blankets or feel scared of consequences - just pure he is him stuff and he loves it.

I have a feeling we might bring out a back 3 more this season and he seems absolutely perfect for a LCB in that structure. Very, very handy player if he can stay fit.

Tomorrow is going to be a struggle in the self-restraint department.

Still occasionally think about him pinging a sweeping switch with his left against Villa like it was nothing. Can't wait to see him back.

Gordon said his preferred position is left but he didn't say he doesn't like the right. I thought BIG looked pretty dynamite against Spurs, tbh, and I think Howe sees games and situations for it as well.

No chance Chelsea are kicked out of the EL for dodgy finances?

Quite weird that we flew a few across the world who aren't in a summer tournament to stay for 3 days.

It's all about pathways innit. This lad is very young for a 'keeper and, if we're in Europe, should see plenty of gametime in a bedding in season. Pope now has a question mark with his shoulder and is getting a bit older but still a good age for a GK - we have a period coming up where we can probably make some decent money on him.

What a waste for such a talented player.

If he can stay fit, he'll be an absolutely fantastic addition to the squad. He's almost perfectly built for the hybrid LCB/LB role when we're more likely to be on the defensive side in matches imo. Barring injury, Hall will be our main LB next season but I think we'll see some 3 at the back tinkering with Hall pushing up to LWB.

Palace have had about 6 good games They have some good players but their hyping because of one good run has been fairly mental imo. Ah well, onto the next one. Lots of good operators for this position imo.

Moron.

He's played a lot of full-throttle football over the last couple of years to a very high standard. Personally, I'm sure he stays, but we need to make sure we have enough in the squad to continue to bring out the best in him but, most importantly, protect his fitness.

Sounds like he just needs to sack off JT, since they generally split defensive and offensive coaching Not sure how we're going to do it but if we give him the right tools, we'll win something next season and play some bloody good football along the way.

Aye, he's the real deal.