alexf

Didn't Atletico sign him for £90m (pounds) last summer and he's been class? Not sure how €100m (euros) gets anywhere close.

I have question marks about his ultimate quality and potential. But I think some of his performances this year in the Champions League will be what has caught the attention of some of these big sides. He's far more likely to have Qarabag esque performances against the small teams in Spain or Germany than he would against any Premier league teams. Plus his pace and pressing are really desired assets in today's game. It will be a shame we let him go for what was rumoured to be the price for Liverpool two years ago when we ultimately ended up selling Minteh and Anderson. Obviously with hindsight we should have just sold then if we are selling for the same price now. Always thought he had high potential and higher levels to reach here but if he doesn't improve his composure and finishing then he will never truly reach elite level. Too many times he would sky or scuff shots this season in open play. Have strong feeling Tuchel will start him as his main winger and he's gonna have a good World Cup. Just whether it's worth the risk for the sake of maybe an extra £10-15m we could get if we wait compared to selling early and bagging our replacements as soon as possible.

From Newcastle perspective or in general? For Newcastle it's been really shite but in general it's almost been an all timer. Spurs staying up when they should and could have gone, Arsenal set piecing their way to winning the league, Sunderland coming up after years away and doing the double over us and getting Europa League, Celtic winning the league... Again etc. etc.

I would be utterly astounded if Elanga ever comes good for us. Have zero expectations that he is going to turn his career here around.

They did last season.

Think I've realised that my favourite kits of ours are usually the pure black and white ones without a blue accent. Also with a bit more black dominant than the overly white variants we've had. Really liked last seasons cup winning strip as it was a throw back to the 2002/03 era. Wasn't keen on the current one.

The lack of mobility in 3 of our 4 cb options has always concerned me. Especially when Trippier was playing as well. Sob along with Thiaw we could probably do with another younger more athletic option in there who can learn from the others experience.

Always got the impression Gordon isn't particularly close to anyone in the team off the pitch. Not in the same way you see Thiaw and Woltemade, Bruno and Joelinton, Tino and Hall etc. It seems the club know they needed a big sale to facilitate trading this summer, maybe even two if Tonali leaves and have accepted that it can be Gordon. Just hope it's for good money and we don't regret selling early if he has a good world Cup and his value increases.

Didn't even clock that at first. Tino and Spence are basically the same player, no need to have both there.

I can think of far more times Tino was sleeping at the back post and cost us goals. Not to mention his injury record this season. So not sure what you said above will be the sole reason. It's probably more down to versatility. Likes of Tino can play both sides well and is arguable more defensively sound. Burn covers a few positions too, can play in a back 2 or 3 or even left back if desperate. He's chosen O'Reilly as his first choice and then obviously didn't want another specialist left back in the group and would rather have more players that play multiple roles if required. Not that I agree. I think Hall is a diamond and would thrive on the big stage and it's a mistake to leave him at home.

It astounds me how bad Liverpool have been and yet still likely to finish in the champions League positions. With Chelsea likely to improve under Alonso, Villa expected to kick on. I can see that top 6 being much harder to break back into for us next year. (Arsenal, Man City, Man U, Villa, Liverpool, Chelsea). Real missed opportunity by us ofcourse this year, even if we'd been 10% better we'd have likely finished in and around 6th at least.

Gutted for him. Also think it's a mistake by Tuchel. But selfishly he will get the summer off if he's not put with the 21's. But I really hope he doesn't see this as a Newcastle thing and agents get in his ear telling him he needs to be at a bigger team if he wants to play for England.

Suggests he's injured and won't be playing Fulham then.

I remember Villa's fixtures being a lot kinder in the CL league phase than ours were. Probably something to do with coefficient or something. Which meant they had 2 less games as didn't need a play off. So they got Club Brugge in the last 16, where we got Barcelona. So they only got 1 game further than we did. But yes they did navigate the league a lot better that season than we have this and only just finished behind us in the league that year. But I would, and still have argued that their squad has always been deeper than ours for the entirety of the last 4/5 years we have been competing with one another. They had a stronger base to build from than we did, more saleable assets to fund squad building, and the advantage of being able to flog to Saudi Arabia (Duran 70m, Diaby 50m) and where are either of those players now? Dodgy as fuck that. But we aren't allowed to sell to saudi in the same way as we can't book the profit. Whilst we have had a few better star players in my opinion in the likes of Isak, Bruno etc. Beyond the first 11 i think they have had us beat in terms of depth and have a few decent players for every position. Also, not sure why it needs repeating time and again, but last summer was the most unsettling and derailing to our momentum as it could be. Best player on strike right up until end of August leaving us starting the first few games with no striker, missing out on a shit ton of first transfer targets and ending up splurging all our Isak money on unfortunately players that have underperformed this season and one that was supposed to be plug and play in Wissa getting injured before he kicked a ball and returning as a completely different player to what we were supposed to be getting. Villa have had no where near the same upheaval and distraction in comparison and that shows in their ability to qualify for Europe 4 times in a row whether that be CL, EL or ECL, they have been able to keep a steady momentum whilst we have been up and down.

Actually wouldn't be shocked at Klopp coming back. Hope it doesn't happen, couldn't stand the bloke.