ponsaelius

I'd rather have a top quality DM and give Bruno more license - and focus on more pace and goals out wide. That's generally because as much as Iove #10s - I think it would give us the better chance of immediate progression up this particular league.

Yeah we were desperate in January so it's excusable from a pragmatic point of view in those circumstances. But you can already see what a deadweight Wood is. Clearly massively on the downward as a player and we've basically lost a load of money for little return. I think you can do it now and again, and accept the money spent for returns on the pitch, but as a general model in the short term I would definitely be targeting younger players now. Look at the age profile that City and Liverpool go for in general. They spend big but at the right point. It means when circumstances change they can shift the players on - look at the fees City got for Sane and Torres for example.

I think all of our big money signings from now on really need to be under 26. We have got to bring the average age of the squad down. And as much as you can say 'it's not my money' it is simply not prudent at the stage we are at with FFP to spend lots on players whose value will only depreciate. You can really quickly put yourself into a corner. The odd experienced squad player on short term deals is fine - but you shouldn't be dropping big money and wages on them.

I don't see why you can't have 3 major European trophies. There was 3 for a long time.

IIRC for Europe you need 8 home grown, of which 4 need to be 'club grown'. In the PL I believe it's just homegrown which basically means anybody who's come through a UK academy.

Gonna end up like a North East version of Shakhtar, playing 8 Brazilians with the rest padded out with local lads.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles gonna be a great quiz question answer in years to come.

Brutal this even by Mourinho's standards

He signed da ting

Nothing worse than gatekeeping middle-aged fashion police daduals telling people what they should and shouldn't wear. Twitter full of them wearing shite socks, jeans that don't quite fit properly and slight variations of the same adidas kicks. Wear whatever the fuck you want folks.

I really don't rate Rabiot.

If anything it was the absolute polar opposite of hiding - with my abiding memory being watching game after game of every attack going through him. Which was always frustrating because you knew he just didn't have enough creatively as a player so it would always result in failure. As a player with a very narrow function in a particular system he was an effective outlet. It's why he has a stupid amount of caps for France for a player of his talent level - more than ASM, Robert, Ginola, HBA combined. He found a tactical niche in a slightly weaker generation to the current one.

Sissoko never hid. I definitely refute that and always think it's revisionist nonsense mistaking playing shite (and looking a bit grumpy) to hiding. He was always fully fit, played every single game, and always gave it his all. It's just that he was not a very creative or refined footballer so relying on him into be your primary outlet in a relegation threatened side is asking for trouble. He was never good enough to be that player. He became scapegoat for that relegation. While Wijnaldum, who basically downed tools with months left and couldn't get into the side, is looked back upon fondly by NUFC fans for some reason.

71 international caps is an unbelievable hustle from the man like.

I wasn't keen on Dummett getting a new deal but I get the impression he's been signed on largely for continuity and character's sake in the dressing room as we move forward into a new era. With the injuries he's had he was probably looking at almost Carroll style pay as you play level deals from Champo clubs if he left - so will now be on very low wages by PL standards. A very cheap 25th man does allow more scope for salary to be spent elsewhere. But it also wouldn't even surprise me if he ultimately got left out of the squad depending on how things go recruitment wise.

Not very nice that is it

I didn't realise Henderson was from Cumbria. Wonder if he has any affinity to NUFC.

We could feasibly get 5-10 million combined for Darlow and Woodman which should help towards Henderson or another new keeper. Keep Gillespie as third choice because his value is nil and you'd struggle to get another 3rd choice. Outside of the we're probably struggling to get anything for the deadwood. Hayden is perhaps a £6-8 million player but he's off the back of injuries. Clark, Gayle, Ritchie, Hendrick, Fernandez you're basically looking at either nominal fees or subsidising their moves.

We were going after top class players in January. Paqueta, Botman, Carlos etc. These are £30-40 million players and we were bidding the money. We only stepped down from that level of players because of the difficulty we had attracting players in a relegation battle. And we still managed to get Bruno. It's a clean slate now and we basically have a blank canvas for any new signing to come into. A far, far more attractive proposition. Personally I don't think it's worth wasting any money on squad players or fillers. Get top class players of the right age and let the existing starters become squad options.

Convinced it will be Targett and 4-5 Bruno level signings tbh.

Cagliari were hopeless there. You'd be absolutely fuming as of of their fans.

Yeah I'd shift him. Wouldn't even keep around as 3rd choice if we can avoid it.

Thought Longstaff was our best player.

I find the whole celebration gatekeeping a very weird thing tbh. Pitch invasions are class. And so are flares.

Sassuolo stadium is ridiculous. Must be 75% red and black.