ponsaelius

Dunno if it was posted but I noticed we now have the second most expensive cheapest ticket in the league after Everton. I did think this has gone under the radar a little bit, considering how they've made bit a of a pig of ticketing in general. Obviously it doesn't tell the whole story, and it may be that other clubs only have some token cheap tickets (and an average price would maybe give a clearer idea), but still.

Pretty sure the player himself pronounces it like that. He has lived his whole life in Europe, it's not unusual for pronunciation to change and/or be assimilated into linguistic norms of that country.

At lot was made about Kane leaving being a disappointment for him, I think it's probably the opposite. He plays in much of the same spaces on the pitch. This gives him far more of a clean slate to be the main player.

Confirmed

If we're looking at Nico Williams and Antonio Silva as our big targets then they will have to be pushed down the line. Neither Benfica nor Athletic are cheap sellers so you're talking huge fees for both.

I think everybody got used to a 'starting XI' last year. I think that guides us in wanting first choice upgrades rather than improvements to the overall squad. However with the games we will be playing this year there won't be anywhere near as consistent a first XI. That will have been behind much of the recruitment decisions too.

Lascelles isn't great but I personally think he's a better PL player than Manquillo. Similarly Trippier is older than Schar if you want to look at long term squad planning. Equally I didn't think any of last seasons players are suitable as the deepest midfielder apart from Bruno which put a huge strain on him over the campaign. Tonali can definitely play there and adds quality of a similar level. While everybody was staring at RW and LB as a first choice weakness, RB and DCM were also weakspots in squad terms that will be seriously stress tested over a 50+ game season.

If we'd gone big on a RCB and a RW we'd have struggled to fill the positions we have done and then have looked very weak in terms of RB backup and with no effective replacement for Bruno. The Hall signing being a loan-to-buy job shows that we're right at the limit of what we can reasonably spend this summer. Not to mention the issues with bringing in 6-7 players in a window from a squad cohesion point of view. We're in a long term process that we all know will take a few summers to get there. We are in a process of signing the right players for each position, even if not in the 'ideal' order. We will continue to have gaps in the squad for a while, but they're getting less and less each year. I think if you're taking into account this context you can't reasonably criticise our business. Right players, right age, long term planning without short term fixes, covering as many positions as possible but without forgoing quality, all in well before the close of the window. They are working as efficiently as could be reasonably expected. And I'd retain that position even if some of the signings don't hit the ground running or if Schar's leg falls off.

Grealish 100 million Chukwuemeka 20 million Cameron Archer 18 million Jacob Ramsey 12 million Philogene 5 million Keinan Davis 1 million 160 million of pure profit. We need to sort out academy out asap. That being said - it's a bit sad how FFP almost means clubs are now prioritising the sale of academy players to pay for incomings.

Yup. Football for fans is an escape from everyday life be that school/work/whatever. When your regular routine is playing, training, travelling to games etc - you're unlikely to want to source that same escape.

Indeed. Plus from my experience your allegiances are properly forged when you start going to games with mates etc in teenage years. If you're an academy through that time you're possibly not doing that, and are more likely to have an allegiance to the club you play for - which is always different to being a fan.

I think his older brother is genuinely a big Toon fan. Not convinced Lewis is. Tbh it's not uncommon for lads who have come through big academies to not really be big football fans.

That was my main thought when watching it tbf. That if it wasn't NUFC related I'd be bored shitless and turned it off. To be fair I equally gave up on the Juve, Man City and Tottenham ones after about an episode each too. Dull.

I rated Tierney highly based on his career to date but I think there's clearly something wrong there with him. Can't just be tactical reasons for Arteta to have such little faith, and for there to be so little cash interest generated this window. It seems almost inevitable that he will be loaned out to a mid-table club at this point. As much as I liked the idea of signing him I'm quite excited that we've gone for a moldable long term option instead.

No chance we'd bring in Tierney now we've signed Hall unless we were able to shift Targett. Even then I'd be very surprised. I think we're clearly done for the window. I'd put my money on Tierney to West Ham on loan before the end of the window.

True. I guess not then

Your other option would be to team up with somebody who has a membership and link your dad's with theirs. Then apply in the ballot for the two together. Then if successful you could transfer your ST to that person. Saves needing to fork out for another membership if you could. Edit: although actually that would probably be technically illegal under the current system as the ticket would be under the wrong name. But I doubt they'd ever check this for a home game.

I think Germany have took in nigh on close to a million Ukrainian refugees.

You obviously didn't watch the game otherwise you would have known that Dias played

Ward Prowse will get WH some set piece goals but the loss of control and physicality in midfield without Rice is so glaring. I'm not sure you can play him and Soucek in a pivot in the PL.

If we'd get twatted by somebody at least I could get angry at what was unfolding. That entire experience just left me emotionally cold. Genuinely felt my eyelids closing at one point in the second half.

One of the dullest games I've watched in ages. Like a Spain group stage world cup match.

I'd probably rather lose 6-2 in cut and thrust game than lose a game like that. Suffocating, dominant, perfectionist misery. Really just feels like I've completely wasted my life watching it tbh Never at any point felt like we were going to score a goal, whereas City never really seemed like they wanted to pull us apart.

Feel like I've wasted 2 hours of my life

How frustrating is it to watch/play against. Wish Guardiola would fuck off.