Heron

Key players missing. Lost in Gladiator 2.

Aye I think we kinda know - like we have to take the rough with the smooth and we get a lot more plaudits than owt else like. Just still gets on your wick a bit. Think it's only ever on social media though tbh and nearly always X. I think folk just like being WUMs and contrary on there in the hope of likes.

Not really seen it that way but appreciate you saying so and aye, without wanting to sound to self righteous you're right. We took the choice to benefit the team and the club, not ourselves... Honestly think folk are so short-sighted and entitled in their complaints. After all...it's a voluntary organisation.

The Keegan display will happen, just not now. I could be wrong as well but not entirely sure we have communicated it would definitely be Liverpool, we certainly didn't say Keegan would be there either. I get people might be irritated by this, but now isn't the time for celebrating Keegan whilst our manager is under fire (if social media is to be believed). For one, some folk will say we want Keegan back by doing it now. Others will say we want Howe out. Others will say it doesn't benefit the team or club and others (again) will say it should be saved for a time of celebration and joy. Trust me - myself and several others have spent several hours (at least) preparing and implementing the display before it was transformed just yesterday. It's not been done without any of the considerations folk will list and ultimately they will still get what they wished for at a later date. Anyways...Eddie Howe himself has said on multiple occasions how we (Wor Flags) have shown intelligence and issued the right message at the right time. Personally, I think this is our strongest point as a group. So we've taken this bold decision. There'd be folk complaining irrespective of what we do. Folk complained about the Dortmund display last year and the Isak display at the weekend all because we lost those games. Social media is a cesspit man. Anyways...funny how folk claim we're in bed with the club on Twitter. Yet the ones making banners in reference to the clubs ownership, TV times and ticket prices and leading protest versus Ashley were some of the same volunteers. That's right, you did so much for your club whinging on Twitter didn't you... (Not you @NUFCDoog)

It's a display to encourage the team to stand up to be counted utilising a previous quote from Howe. Social media full of whoppers as ever.

News to me like.

Bad example. Fair

That's not right though unless toure literally talking about the kast two fixtures which is only like 16.7% of the season. We played better versus Man City, Everton, and a few others and didn't get the results that matched. That was after poorer performances but picking up results. So that's a pretty small sample. Inconsistent aye, poor for the most part performance wise maybe but not getting worse every game.

But the same goes for every club from us to third at present really l, and most will be asking the same. Villa, Spurs, Chelsea, etc. We obviously need to perform better and get more points. To actually be...second even. I don't think anyone is disputing that, that's fact. But the point is, we aren't the only club not finding consistent form.

Speaking of this season, statistically only, there is nothing you have said here that proves or disproves whether Newcastle could or couldn't be that breakaway club. If our average points is x then the average of clubs around us is also very similar to x. So basically what you're saying is you dont think we can be or are that club which is a separate discussion.

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The manager can control elements of performance but not all performance. He can field 11 men and give them the strategy and tactics but they play the game. Likewise he can substitute players and change the above until hopefully said players or strategy work. However, again he is relying on the players to perform. There is a mixture happening at present, some of which cna be attributed to Howe, others to the players. However, to some degree those above Howe also control his capabilities to get a performance and results. All in all, we're performing as a club where last seasons finish and this seasons start suggest. Amongst it and competing but not excelling. The manager is just the quick and immediate solution to everyone in football. Sometimes, it's just a bit short sighted imo and there's elements of it being shown by our fanbase. Extreme scenario (of course) but if we won the league on 1-0s where in some games we never had a shot on target, would folk still be complaining about performances? Alternatively - folk were complaining when we performed well but didn't pick you results... Appreciate this is a bit of a waffle response, but I guess my overall point is that the issue isn't all Eddie and he is perhaps a contributory factor as to why we aren't getting performances rather than being the focus of all our downfalls. I'm of the view that those above him operating at board level and beyond to the PL etc. have created the most issues for us, as a club and that has upset the apple cart from top to bottom - but that doesn't mean Howe is blameless presently.

Good lord. Some statement that.

This is somewhat fair. However, on this forum we have some suggesting it's a results business and then on that basis he's under fire. Then, others saying it's more about performances. I mean ultimately, it's both and we want both, but results are the priority and with the exception of some silly ones this week and a couple from earlier in the season, we're not doing all that bad. We've beaten or got results against teams we're less expected to and dropped them in the reverse scenario, like about 16 of the other teams in the division.

Pardew sympathiser! Get him!

This is an interesting bit. You're right to do it this way too. I just tend to combat it online because I think it manifests into something more which enters the stadium. I feel others probably do the same. It is right that everyone has their opinions and can voice them and they're considered but far too much online (particularly social media) isn't actually objective (not saying you here - in general - about everything in life). It's all polarised shite and I think folk on both sides bicker to keep it at their door rather than letting any in. Plenty reasonable discussion and debate on here. Thankfully. However, the odd absolutely bizarre and frankly stupid remarks in between. Even seen Howe called a "fraud" yesterday elsewhere. Horrendous take.

Ultimately, it's for our owners/board to decide and I actually think that decision has already been made and he'll be gone in the summer unless he wins something or gets CL football (let alone Europe). I wholeheartedly disagree with that stance but I think that's where the club is at and Mitchell will get his man. The departure of Mehrdad and Amanda and last summer all point towards that. The club hasn't been ran as "Champions" there have been some stumbling blocks and some incorrect situations and decisions made which have impacted Howe and the playing squad. He'll just be the fall guy for it all. He hasn't got answers at the moment and performances have been slipping and he needs to be held accountable for some of that but ultimately key players also aren't performing and they must own that too. Everyone must own their own areas. I'm sure internally Howe and the playing staff do, they just aren't publicising it (rightly so). Howe needs to find some solutions to prevent the above situation developing and I desperately hope he does. I just think as supporters are role a present is to support and be thankful and respectful enough to Howe to back him and give him the best chance we can of succeeding as he has done for us on his tenure. Not showing him the door at what is really the first opportunity.

Well...we're currently 4 points off the CL spots. So aye, we're currently in the race... Doesn't mean we will be come the end of the season necessarily. But we are now.

Whilst I agree with what you said. Fans did push for him to be gone and the grass wasn't greener. I think that was more the point being made. You are right about appointing Souness though. I just tend to see a lot of problem identification rather than provision of solutions which frustrates me. If there are better managers out there who we can definitely attain then who are they? And can they do better than Howe under existing FFP regulations etc. I'm not saying they don't exist FWIW. I don't really watch anyone other than Newcastle and Inter, but I doubt there are many.

Exactly. This is also forgetting that a whole plethora of players have been developed under Howe to the point some were considered Championship players and qere playing in the Champions League. In no particular order I can think of all these players who have improved under his watch (off the top of my head): Pope Hall Livramento Burn Schar Murphy Almiron Gordon Longstaff Joelinton Miley Anderson Krafth

70m we spent on Vlachadimos? That sounds like a load of bollocks to me like, sorry. Also, £15m for a young striker who he believes has the talent to develop into a more regular starter isn't all that bad to be fair. Lewis Hall cost more and he's developed him well - he's been our best player this season.

Perfect.

Well...last season we scored the most goals we've ever scored in the PL if memory serves me right. So equating it to 6-8months seems a bit excessive. Especially when for around 2-3months we weren't playing competitive football. The performances haven't been great, for the most part. Ironically, we picked up less points in games we played better in. But I don't think we're incapable of scoring again or winning games or performing. Given Howe's history here, I have little reason to believe he cannot reinvigorate this squad, albeit, both he and the players currently seem somewhat downtrodden. For me the key thing missing is confidence and belief. We've lost our "being bastards" and intensity is no longer our identity. It has been criticised since for perhaps burning players out but if that is how we find success then we should quickly get back to it.

Mbappe is shite.

Blocked. See ya. I too want to see this list.