themanupstairs

63 before bonuses for Kane© and Firmino, with Elliott, Lascelles and Sterling still to come.

Kane or Salah as captain this round?

Initially went for Firmino then switched to Kane. I haven't done well with a single choice of captain all season, so I'd go with Salah if I were you.

Merry Christmas Jill and gentlemen. This place is still without fail, the best place on the internet.

Wishing all a great year ahead and especially NUFC.

That was a really enjoyable game, more akin to a KK or Pardew team with all that attacking!

 

I thought we made lots of mistakes throughout with their goals easily preventable while ours were all decent strikes. What was noticeale however is we took the game to them and were less cautious which is probably because we had to win and needed to win.

 

Atsu for me was outstanding as was Lascelles and Ritchie put a hell of a shift in and was much better than of late. Every single player worked their balls off and if we keep playing like that, show the same togetherness and fight and try to get at teams, we should be OK especially if we can strengthen. My god though, WHU were awful and I do hope they go down.

 

For those that went, how was the taxpayers stadium?

 

Loved the support for Rafa as well.

Merry Christmas and all, but seriously fuck off with that

What's going on?

But the dross were his signings. No one told him to buy Joselu when he clearly could have spent the 5m on someone far better.

The lad on Newcastle Mad Forum who said it was sold before the £300 million bid was announced by the journalists has just posted again and he is adamant it has been sold and everything is ready for January. I really hope so it got to the point today where I couldn't listen to the match on the radio it was just depressing I had to turn it off.

 

Any chance the announcement is not being made in order to keep prices down in January perhaps? So we can get the most we can for the money being made available?

 

Hoping that's the case.

This, along with the "info" that Rafa has no clue what he has to spend in January would make the most business sense IMO. The downside is the visible effect this whole saga has on the players.

I'm not a brain deficienist like but anyone thinking or saying "he needs to go" should bury their heads in hot lava for the betterment of humanity.

Thing is, it's the first really sticky period during his tenure. He did his damnedest to keep the Sissoko team up, but it was too late. Last season was an absolute battle - a real struggle, but he saw us through. He wasn't rewarded how he should've been, but he's making mistakes himself, no doubt.

 

He deserves the fanbase's support through this period - he's earned it following a successful first season-and-a-bit in the job.

Nah. Sack and replace with Bono.

Truthfully he's limited at Prem level, the work rate might be endearing but offers little outside deadballs.

It really isn't though. Once in 3 matches he'll actually get a tackle right and that's about it. Everything about his game apart from some of his freekicks and sideways passes is substandard.

How has Yedlin gone from excellent to insufferable trash in such a short space of time? Diabolical since his return.

He's a liability from open play. Utter garbage footballer with an eye for a freekick.

We deserve this, all the good korma we've built up over the years.

 

There's been two or three weak attempts at puns and they haven't taken off so far. God willing it stays that way.

 

Needless pun jab.

Excellent

What p*ssed me off was the number of balls he played back or sideways which always seemed to allow them to press and it’s becoming infuriating him remonstrating with his own team mates for minor mistakes when he’s made quite a few today.

This is the crux of it for me. I don't blame him for being just an OK player. He's adequate I suppose for where we are, but he should really be accepting responsibility for his own mistakes especially when he's meant to be one of the more senior players.

People who hate Ritchie dear me, he’s bang average but some of the s**** that gets lauded on here who have never shown 1% the effort of Ritchie, makes me laugh really

Effort to do what? Bollock his defenders when he gave the ball away in a dangerous area to a dangerous winger because of his own stupidity? Not having that like. He has some quality but his decision making is shockingly bad, and his arms constantly waving about only mask his own ineptitude.

Hate Ritchie so much

Yup. Grade A wanker.

What a pair of donkey cumstains. I don't know which I hate more, al pards or Carver.

He knows he has no competition for his place, so he isn't even trying. Been woeful the last few games. I'd cash in on him as soon as the season is over.

Two limos just left St James'. Deals done lads

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV7sv5OjZBC/?taken-by=firetotheworks

Why is Stephen Ireland buying us? #Irelandout.

the morons on sky tonight were on about pulls and how man city and liverpool should be straight onto pulis to employ him as a defensive coach.

This is exactly why the national team is powderpuff. Nee fucker in the country knows anything about the damn sport.

This is where it all really starts though isn't it?  Staveley is no mug and the fat man is exactly what he is.  She is unlikely to be saying to her advisors 'Let's offer him what we can and get it done quickly'.  Similarly he is unlikely to accept the first offer and more likely to suggest a new figure which will be inflated.

 

And on it goes.....

Yup. We also have no idea if the decision to accept or reject a bid is entirely down to MA himself. I doubt he's doing the negotiations himself, and I wonder if he's making decisions himself or taking advice from his advisors.

I played 5-a-side regularly against a Swiss guy who made something like 5 professional appearances for Sion in his entire career. By this point he was 45 years old, overweight, and could still put the other 9 players to shame twice over. The touch, awareness and balance he had was on a totally different planet.

IMO the club is worth 300m. If he was offered 330m cash, he would be out the door faster than you can say No.

Maybe that's what the relegation clause is about? If the process of completing the deal takes that long then maybe they're thinking it might be concluded late into the January window leaving them little time to get players in?

This 100%. It's the only thing that makes any sense, and they have every right to insert that clause to try and speed up the process. If Ashley wants to take his sweet ass time and allow January to pass without any investment, we could be in serious danger of going down.

Staveley wants a relegation clause. Substantial amount refunded should we go down. This all sound ridiculous now.

 

Like buying a house not paying for a thorough survey finding your roof is f***ed then claiming you want half your money back, get real.

 

You buy something in the knowledge it is a club that has just been promoted and there is a risk, fund the f***ing thing! Are we now going to end up with the female equivalent of Ashley?

This post misses the point by a good light year.