ponsaelius

Ah shit. One of a few I haven't got round to ticking off. A real shame but hopefully they turn back up in the Wearside.

The stadium location is both the best thing about the club but also a massive pain in the arse for their dreams of revenue maximisation at all costs. You can read between the lines to see how they are grappling with this reality. Perfect location means guaranteed huge crowds every week and an iconic stadium brand for the club, but it also means no fucker is interested in rocking up an hour before to eat and drink overpriced shit when there's a thousand better places in walking distance. I've heard on the grapevine that they are completely not interested in the arena site. I do find it mildly surprising if true as it's probably perfect for fulfilling the niche of not quite being out of town but also being peripheral enough that they could probably drag people in early the way Spurs stadium does, or have it surrounded by fan parks and soulless club associated eateries ?

The survey is awful mind. There is one cursory mention of improving the atmosphere. Literally everything else is about improving corporate, comfy seats, food and drink, how much you are willing to spend. All stuff I literally couldn't give a single fuck about - but this seems the way it's going to go. Particularly jarring when you consider Mehrdad's comments on atmosphere.

They won't say it explicitly but there's only basically four viable options: 1. Expand Gallowgate, East Stand and stadium wide renovation. Max capacity probably about 62k. Positives are minimal disruption and retain historic location. Negatives (depending on your perspective) are probably limited in terms of internal improvements and means stadium is maxed out forever in terms of capacity. 2. Rebuild on same site. Perceived positives are it is possible to more or less do whatever you want while retaining historic location. Unlimited scope for corporate and offering for hosting other events. Could go to any capacity which desired. Main negative is that demolish and rebuild will mean at least 2 years in exile either at a temporary stadium or another stadium somewhere else. 3. New stadium on the Arena site. As above positives are the scope to do more or less whatever you want. No disruption at all. However complete loss of historic location, and also slightly more peripheral in terms of relationship with the city and transport nodes. 4. Build new stadium on Castle Leazes. Again more or less freedom to build whatever type of stadium you want up to any capacity. Although it is in a new location I would say it retains the spirit of the historic location - particularly if connected down to Strawberry place through enhanced/new parkland. No need for any play in exile.

It's physically impossible with a demolish and rebuild. Spurs half built theirs first directly adjacent before demolishing WHL - and even with that it still meant almost two full seasons at Wembley. I don't think we have the physical space to do something similar. It would be 2-3 years.

If it has to be a rebuild it has to be on Castle Leazes. I just can't see us being in exile for what would be a couple of seasons of football in order to build on the existing site.

There's certainly an irony that considering our injury crisis he'd have probably been in the squad for most of this season if around. Obviously based on these loan spells he's a fair way off PL standard - but then clearly so are the likes of Parkinson, Ndiweni, Diallo etc who have been on the bench recently.

Schar will know fine well he's been one of our best players over the last two years. He will be wanting one last big contract before he goes back to CH.

The fixtures have seemed particularly brutal just because of how hard our cup draws have been. The next five league games aren't too bad as a group, tbf.

Pope is a lot better than Dubs mind, especially the 2023 version of Dubs. That being said when he came in against Man United in the cup it was really noticeable how much better we were playing it out from the back. Together with Tino being in at full back we might be able to compensate somewhat with a bit more control in games.

Yeah but it can also be a drag if you get a few knocked out as it's an average not a total. Spain losing Osasuna in qualifying will significantly impact their average for example this year.

I don't think UEFA website is up to date (or at least for some reason doesn't give an accurate reflection of the state of play). This is best site for tracking coefficients up to date: https://kassiesa.net/uefa/data/method5/ccoef2024.html We're currently 2nd - but any of the big four could get it probably. All depends on who can stay in Europe in any form as getting knocked out altogether can be a drag on the average later in the season. Edit: I have worked out why UEFA website isn't 100% up to date. It hasn't yet factored in the bonus points for getting out of CL group stages (other countries have all had the 5 points each added on where they're through on the other website). Belgium won't get any of these. So the above website is a much more accurate reflection of the current state of play (and likelihood of which countries have a chance of being top two).

What are you basing that on? Only two countries get the extra place so it's very much up in the air still. It's pretty important that both us and Man United make at least the Europa League if we are hoping for 5th to be worth a CL place. If we were both to go out altogether it would drag the league average down over the rest of the season.

Reckon the bizzies will allow the 15% allocation? 6000 away fans lol.

Last time they did that everybody was on the piss by 8am tho it always has the opposite effect.

The draws this season man. What I'd have given for some absolute shite at home so we could rotate FFS.

I thought Mbappe was very good on Tuesday mind.

I know it's not science but they had 9 big chances according to my scores app which is definitely the most I've ever seen. We definitely rode our luck for large parts which is why I'm not too disappointed, despite the blatant robbery of that decision.

I was in the home end and it was a weird mix tbh. I thought their ultras were very good from the off and kept at it most of the game. Where I was sitting was in a much less intense area of the ground, but the support was still decent. Fans were stood up for a large part of the game (this would never happen at SJP), and reacted well after our goal to try and get behind the team (as if needing to respond). On the flip side of this there was also a very clear mix of hardcore support and a touristy element in together from ticket reselling - of which we were obviously contributing to. I could imagine pre-Qatar that there would have been a much more authentic feel to visiting the Parc de Princes - although the team would have been a lot shitter. The weirdest thing was definitely the bloke on the PA trying to jee up the crowd in the second half. I don't think I've ever seen that at a match. I don't even think it was that necessary either as their support was decentish throughout in the circumstances. Would also say I was right next to the away fans and our lot were good. Probably slightly less merriment beforehand compared to Dortmund and Milan saving some energy for the match.

That was what it was like for Dortmund up there. Only home game I've been to this season and it was completely bizarre. Has put me off applying in subsequent ballots tbh.

Milan have got Francesco Camarda on the bench. Only turned 15 in March, scored against our U19s earlier in the season.

Whoever made the Zanetti comparison is spot on. Obviously a long way to match a player of that level but stylistically extremely similar - especially now I've seen him on the left as well.

Say what you want about our summer window but there's no doubt this lad was an absolutely superb bit if business. Excellent footballer. Looks completely competent at left back too. Literally my only worry with him is if he picks up a recurrence of his injury.

To be honest while I was disappointed with his error for their goal, and I think he had a bit of a ropey game, I really appreciate the way he is trying things which are risky. He will play the pass through the lines, or carry the ball into midfield, even if he's not 100% confident in doing so. It's the reason he's been able to step in so well despite his limitations.

Fair play to these lads. Remarkable stuff in the circumstances.