Stottie

7.5 probably. For a new transfer team, they did brilliantly, so ferk it, let's give them 8. Lingard, and it would have been close to 10, mostly for Lingard's ability but also for having second threat to draw shifts and doubling up away from ASM. The main fear is that injury to ASM or Wood leaves us exposed. From the last eight games actually played, us 9 points, Norwich 6, Burnley 5, Watford 1. On top of that, we're the one who got five new players, two of them world class. If Burnley's new striker bangs in a dozen, then yeah we may go down. Rafa racked up the points but we still went down because the Mackems did too. Muto and Joelinton also scored goals in the Bundesliga, so I do not fear this new Burnley blerk myself. For us, Bruno, Burn, Targett, and Trippier should give us far more possession, and the job now is to turn that into the right service for Wood. I'd be tempted to try Ritchie back at RW just for his crossing ability. Trippier gets up and down, so we could work it on that side with overloads and triangles, not pace and trickery.

This is getting tiresome, but it's going to happen isn't it. West Ham are a point behind Man U and have easier remaining fixtures. Man U were below them five-six matches ago. They are competing for the fourth CL place with Chelsea nine points ahead in third. Man U would have to be mental to give West Ham a leg up.

Have they got any money? I know there was Digne but they bought two fullbacks for Rafa.

Get it done! I'd sell Almiron for a cut price to any taker if the folks upstairs have set a budget. LIngard is proven PL quality, which Ekitite though young and exciting is not.

J Lingz! Get him in!

More stats and a heatmap here. https://www.sofascore.com/player/matt-targett/368134 The Crazy Defensive Skills vid on YT has some almost showboat-y flicks and backheels. He's clearly confident on the ball. Some well-timed tackles too that will probably concede a penalty once he's in a black and white shirt. Digne to Villa was Rafa's doing, and maybe he's done us a favour here.

Perhaps Ekitite has been chosen with one eye on being a mercurial ASM-type outball/havoc-wrecker when ASM is not playing. That said, I'd like Lingard too. I've given up on Almiron and haven't seen enough from Fraser. I think Murphy is talented but it sounds like he doesn't listen to instructions.

Dan Dan DAAAN! is the new big man at the back. We don't need two of them, not when we can have a blerk with a twinkle toes sexy dribble who lamps it into the top corner once a season. The obvious captain and first name on the team sheet is Trippier.

As of lunchtime on deadline day, is this what we're looking at? Targett sounds like a pure FB, so assuming 4 at the back. fwiw, our lineup against Man U in the last game before the transfer window is here. https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1549724/Live/England-Premier-League-2021-2022-Newcastle-United-Manchester-United

I guess the thing to do here is watch the Ekitite situation and if the deal can't be done in time, sign the cheque and give Man U what they want for Lingard. We need another striker for options, even if its just Lingard as false nine. That's assuming of course we can't have both.

I still rate Auba, he's just missed a few sitters like that game against us. I think its premature to write him off and would have been up for loaning him, even with the risk of an Adebayor to Man City type result. Good luck to Eriksen, and pleased Ramsey isn't coming here.

If Ekitite is coming, we don't need Lingard to play false nine (cough, cough, if Wood struggles....), so he's reverts to right wing and AM only. Still he's pretty good at them and a big upgrade on Fraser. The West Ham highlights video has some great goals but more importantly shows him carrying the ball forward with ease. That will happen regardless of whether the shots are all going in. I must also admit to having a huge soft spot for Lingard ever since that "Mommy!" video when the West Ham fans were throwing cans at the Man U bus.

Here are his stats. He comes out well in the defensive ones at the bottom. 3141 minutes won't be far off ever present.

With all these signings, Ekitite and Targett just in as accepted, I'm at pretty much zero now. Seventeen games to go, and we need 23 points for 38. W6-D5-L6 would do it. I can't see the others doing that. Last eight fixtures played, NUFC 9 points, Norwich 6, Burnley 5, Watford 1. And we're the one with half a new team. With relatively easy fixtures coming up, the only issue is the new lads gelling quickly to make the most.

10/10 window.

Gerrin!

We give Lingard signing on cash now, and he walks on a near free if we go down would mean more signing on cash in the summer. If he just wants money, he can do an Oscar and go to whatever minor league has the most cash in 2022. Re:Henderson, I wanted a backup keeper but didn't expect it to be Dubs. Presumably we only get Henderson if we promise to start him.

Lingard would have covered wide forward, AM, and false nine, a lot of cover from one player. Lingard, Burn, plus a proper attempt at a(nother) statement signing, at the level of Botman or Carlos, would have made me very happy. A failed attempt would be fine, because I think those two would be enough. Both Lingard and Burn can be bettered at the individual positions of course, but they offered lots of flexibility and cover and are 100% Premier League ready.

Yep, the deal is probably off now. Ferk it, that looks (and sounds) horrific for the lass. Maybe Lingard gets the chance he wanted at Man U now. The good Lord moves in mysterious ways. We still have a couple of days, a list of players, and owners prepared to spend.

Ferk it, just pay it. Give him a two and half year deal. Left back who can cover centrally. That sounds good to me. Our most winnable games are coming straight away, so we want players who can slot straight in. A good points total in February and the resulting confidence/momentum should seeing us through the harder games afterwards.

Germany scored after a keeper's hoof was allowed to bounce against England in the World Cup in South Africa. It wasn't John Terry's finest moment.

Lampard lost to Bruceball two years ago with a midfield trio of Kante, Jorginho and Mount. That game where Hayden scored in the last minute.

If Man U mess him about, Mason Greenwood etc. will be watching.

In terms of effect, I bloody well hope so! What a massive contribution he made to them. In terms of Bruno's current stature and what all the football geeks are saying, Bruno may compare better with City getting Tevez, who they poached from Man U. Bruno is not a striker, but is an established world class player who sounds like he'd walk into pretty much every team in the league. Look at the acrimony from other fans and journos at us getting a player of this stature. This turns the applecart upside down. Tevez, CRonaldo, and Rooney were amazing together at Man U. One of the PLs greatest ever combinations. Once at City, Tevez got them knocking on the Top 4, Silva and Yaya the next season got them in, and then Aguero won them the league. I think Tevez is a bit of a forgotten man in the story.

T Lingard can play false 9, he did for a few games at West Ham, so he'd be two for the price of one in terms of squad numbers. It's unfortunate his deal looks likely to go to the wire, because having a fallback like him would strenghten our position in getting another more established striker in a last minute deal.