Mattoon

Impatience has definitely started to kick in, not so much about the deal being done but the silence is deafening, just want some juicy gossip to keep me going!

He's going to win everything, get a statue and retire here

Palace, Huddersfield and West Ham for me, but you could probably switch West Ham with Swansea, it'll be close in the bottom 5 I reckon.

My feelings exactly, if we can keep in the top half until January and presuming the takeover goes through before then also then there's no reason why we can't push for Europe. I'm more than happy with a consolidation season and kick on with investment next season and I don't expect anything more but I'm not ruling out a serious push on top 8 with the right backing.

This was a great game for me, yes it was boring as fuck and we were nowhere near our best but when that goal went in I was jumping around at work like an absolute loon, I can't tell you the last time I was as passionate about a win/goal. I don't know if it's down to all the take over talk or just being on board with Rafa but it's the first time I've felt the passion come back since before the Pardew era, to this extent at least. If/once the takeover is complete it's gonna wake up a sleeping giant not just on the pitch but in the stands.

The only thing I'm disappointed in is that he scores with his head and not the thunderbastard we all expected

I would say it's going exactly as Ashley's 'people' have planned it. I'm one of Kieth Bishop's plants aren't I? I fucking knew it!

I think it's about time we uncaged Mitrovic for a game, worryingly we've struggles up top without him.

Exactly what I was thinking, if it was a Barry Moat type character I'd tend to agree but this is a whole different scenario, she brokered the deal for Man City and has had 2 attempts at buying out Liverpool. I can't see Amanda Staveley being involved in a staged bidding and if it weren't true she'd be the first out to deny it. The only way it could be a rouse is if Ashley himself is setting it up to pull the rug. To think this is anything other than genuine interest is hollow earth levels of lunacy.

I'm trying not to let the hope build up too much, it's hard though. I've still got doubt as to what Ashleys true intentions are but I guess that's what his 10 years of ownership has caused. I've already ordered my commemorative shirt with "Treble Winners 19/20" on it

No problems, I already laminated a photo of her. You're welcome

Fantastic news, what a steal!

Individual stats doesn't matter, the team does if Shelvey and Merino is our best partnership means Merino having less favourable stats who cares? I know I personally couldn't care less if he never scores as long as this level of performance keeps up. It's not about stats as such, it's about the fact that we can pretty much guarantee of the two of them Shelvey isn't ever likely to contribute a lot in terms of goals as he never has. Merino has that potential but won't fulfill it if he's playing deep. Yes, it could be that playing him deep allows the team to function better overall but I'd personally like a CM who can be a goal threat. In a team struggling for goals such as ours it would be beneficial to the team to push him up and bring his goal scoring game out. Id rather Shelvey be further back where he can find space and ping his 50/60 yard pinpoint crosses in.

What's this I hear about Merino scoring 10 goals in a 4-1 demolition of Slovakia?

No one likes a good blobby bashing than me, but honestly although he could have done better, that was such a great shot and was in the back of the net before most keepers would react. More upset with him not stopping the Stoke goal, than that one. It was more annoying that no one closed him down and allowed him to take that shot, Blobby was probably the least responsible for that goal tbf

Don't even know what I'm looking at here, apart from a load of moaning pricks - who the f*** is Westy? This is Westy. Kill it with fire before it breeds. That ain't gonna breed that'd be unnatural selection. Clearly shitting himself in case his mam hears him

Northerners can't have nice things

Amen Brother!

That's enough for me like, think I'd stay too

I think we'll be strong at the back, this is the most organised and tough to break down NUFC side I've seen in my 21 years supporting the club. The only thing that I'm worried about at the moment is how we're squandering chances up front, we needed a goal scorer in the summer and we still need one now, the guys we have will score, I just hope it's enough. The only worry is one mistake is all it takes for the opposition to score. If one of our front line can find some kind of form we'll be fine. If not we need to get a goal scorer in January. We have enough in the team to get a result here but I think it'll be a much more cagey affair than the previous games.

Is that why they've returned 1000 tickets. Seems to be a common theme, other teams really think we're a pile of pony, championship fodder, they'll definitely win by x clear goals. Keep thinking like that for all I care, it gives us a solid advantage, we've already silenced 2 teams that thought they were going to steamroller us.

Not the 5-0 result the Swansea fans were predicting then ?

For all his faults Lascelles played a blinder today, match winning performance by doing what counts, when it counts, good lad

You know it's gone to shit when not one of the threads on the front page is about us.

Is he Scottish?