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.

Arrested development voiceover...."he did not"

Didn't say that, said we would have had a realistic chance at winning it. Which we would have. Just look at our European and domestic cup performance this season. Did well in CL until we dropped off a cliff defensively against Barca and knocked out of both cups in later stages by the eventually winner of both, Man City. We wouldn't have faced anyone anywhere near as tough as those two in the Europa. Plus it would have meant easier fixtures to bed in the likes of Woltemade, Wissa, Elanga and, Ramsey. So yeah I stand by my comment, we would have had a realistic chance of winning it.

Don't forget it's also a route back to the CL if you slip behind in the league. Agree with what someone said earlier. My main desperation for reaching CL last year and why that last Everyon game felt like torture when we lost and thought we'd messed up was that it would mean we lost Isak and possibly others. Well we lost Isak anyways and tanked in the league this season and will lose others this summer. So yeah I would have preferred Villa to have got CL and us Europa in hindsight because I think it would have meant a better season of bedding in new players and probably a realistic chance to win a trophy and gain CL qualification for the next year.

Sorry but I can't help thinking of the Neville Southall "Well done, he's 13" When I think of this Villa "achievement". They only had to beat Forest essentially to win a European trophy and even then they lost in the away leg to them. Considering Forest were in relegation contention all season and were missing two of their best players in the return leg, that wasn't all that difficult either. Will be the same if not worse for Crystal Palace in the conference. Was same for Chelsea last year. Said before but this competition is not the same as UEFA Cup from previous years. It shouldn' t be seen as the same level or equivalent.

Arsenal apparently will spend another £300m in the summer. Can see them consolidating and winning it again if Man City drop off as will be expected without Pep.

Ugh, can very realistically see Sunderland getting conference place now and even worse, any prem team in that "should" win it. Chelsea at home is about as winnable a fixture as they could get at the moment. Only silver lining would be I can see their league form tanking next season if they had to juggle European games.

I reckon Murphy will retire here. Probably happy on a lower wage, loves the club and won't kick up a fuss if only a backup utility player for remaining years. Eddie probably see's him as a model pro etc. We still need a core of leadership players who keep standards high and inform new players what it means to represent Newcastle even if those players aren't first 11 moving forward like Burn and Murphy. Especially if there is a high turnover of players this summer.

Spurs will likely beat Chelsea. Chelsea are the worst team in the league currently and have the cup final distraction. Spurs are a better team on the road than at home as well.

Pens are important. But it shouldn't be all you provide. As others said, take them away from his numbers and it's below par season for him. If Barnes was good at them and was the designated taker and you added those goals to his open play stats he would be posting massive numbers. A free shot at goal 12 yards out is a hell of a lot easier than trying to score from open play when everything is moving quickly. It's a good way to stat pad if you can become your clubs main taker. See the likes of Palmer, Bruno F (before this season) Kane, hell even Shearer massively boosted his tally being a great pen taker.