Ghandis Flip-Flop

1 minute ago, McCormick said:

It doesn’t necessarily have to be Gordon, Eze would have been a decent option as he actually takes on players.

 

Based on this performance, I’m hoping we can Man Utd our way to a way to a Euro win.

Or Palmer, it was just screaming out for someone to make their full backs worry and stretch the game. Instead it stayed the same everything going down the right and both of Serbia's wingers and fullback being parked on our 18 yard line for most of the second half.

3 minutes ago, Nobody said:

Reckon Mainoo is a better option than TAA next to Rice. Should be Bellingham though, with Foden at number ten and Gordon or Eze on the left 

I honestly reckon Wharton would be even better, but I’m getting sick of this shoehorning players in for England. It should be about the balance of the team, not having the "best 11 individuals" on the pitch.

4 minutes ago, James said:

Southgate has his flaws but I don’t think you can blame him for where people are born.

Eze appreciated this post 😜

Just now, Rod said:

But why was he picked in midfield?  A very important opening fixture and he's put in a position that's almost alien to him.  You have to question Southgate surely.

I have no idea, all I’m saying is he's not the answer at right back either. 

11 minutes ago, Mazzy said:

 

Trent isn't a central midfielder (not in two anyway). The sooner Walker retires and he can just play RB the better and everyone banging on about him playing can shut up

 

 

TAA is a great player for Liverpool, but I'm not sure if the style of football which makes the most of his abilities is ever likely to be played at England. Also we don’t have a VVD to cover for his obvious defensive shortcomings either. I wouldn’t be surprised to see others move ahead of him in the England pecking order before Walker retires.

2 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

He was given freedom to roam and didn't do anything.

 

Don't think the issue is this playing on the left thing.

But it is though. It’s the Lampard Gerrard argument all over again of putting square pegs into round holes. Play either Bellingham or Foden as a ten and have the other on the bench with an actual left forward on the pitch instead. The balance of the team was all wrong tonight.

8 hours ago, OpenC said:

It is, aye, but there's only one way to reclaim it from that sort of subculture and image, and that's to.. well, to reclaim it  

 

Like someone else posted earlier, the knackers of any particular demographic shouldn't be allowed to define it (other than the demographic that is specifically 'knackers'). Every reasonably sized group of people will contain members who make other members wish they belonged to a different group

It would be easier to put it down to just a few knackers if the evidence didn’t suggest otherwise. See today's videos of large groups of England fans singing "German Bombers" in Germany this morning to illustrate the point. It’s fucking cringe on a different level to anyone with an IQ approaching triple digits.

33 minutes ago, jake_horne76 said:

I’m awaiting shipment after a week too 

Me three

7 minutes ago, Ginola14 said:

you'd think PIF could just buy up some hotels and find a way to sell them off through the club so we could go big like Chelsea 

It’s not as if one of our partners own a shedload of property or anything

Just now, Froggy said:

 

And trophies.

One of which you traditionally wouldn’t have bothered trying for, if you weren't a million miles away from challenging for the league 🤷🏻‍♂️

47 minutes ago, Froggy said:

 

And finally you, Sir Pata.

 

Martinez was a bargain for starters. He's incredible, and integral to the way Ten Hag wants to play. The only way you can suggest he's not worth every penny and more is because he's spent significant time on the injury table. Regardless, he was signed to be a partner for Varane. Varane is now gone, so a new CB is required.

 

Casemiro. Ten Hag didn't want him. Everyone knows this. He was a panic buy because we couldn't sign anyone else. He was quality in his first season, but either his legs have gone or he's checked out or both. Either way, we need a defensive midfielder now, as Amrabat will likely leave in the summer also. We literally do not have one.

 

Hojlund was signed to share time with Martial and grow as a player. He ended up being the only striker all year. He's great, and will have a class future, but it's far too much pressure for a 21 year old to play 50-60 games a year as the lone striker. We needed a striker all season to support him, we just didn't have any money to be able to sign one in January. Not even a Weghorst.

 

Yes, ETH wanted Antony, and he's shit. His price was €40m when Ten Hag asked for him. We tried to negotiate, left it too late, Ajax dug their heels in and we ended up making one of the worst signings in Premier League history.

 

Also, the injuries. I've addressed this another thread. I'm trying to be kind. Our injuries were much worse than yours. We had more individual injuries, more individual players out injured, more players injured in a specific role. I've looked further into it to counteract the "days lost" stat, which is the only metric where you were above us injury wise. It doesn't include any injuries that were in place before the start of the season. That means Malacia, Mainoo, Diallo, Hojlund etc. all not included in that stat, which is around 16 months worth of injuries as well.

 

Also, we all know wor Eddie did a great job this season. The same way Ten Hag did a great job last year given the mess he came into. Ignore the fact Ten Hag has won two trophies for a second. If Howe has a bad season next year and finishes say 12th or 13th, would you be calling for his head or would you back him? What if rival fans started laughing at you saying it's great that you're keeping Howe as you were so bad. Would you think they were complete morons who didn't have the slightest clue what they were talking about? Hopefully you see what I'm getting at here.

Please don’t come anywhere near me when I’m in work, as if you come out with something like that in person, I think I’d be off to sort out an MHO and Consultant Psychiatrist and be looking for an inpatient bed.

i particularly like the idea that the reason you guys have failed the eye test for the past two years, is purely because everybody hate Man Utd. I hate to break it you, but I hate Liverpool and Arsenal too, but I can see they have an identity and structure on the pitch. You lot are like Steve Bruce's Newcastle with higher quality players.

Honestly given the PL is funded by the twenty clubs in it, how long are those clubs going to be happy to have millions of their cash being used in legal battles with themselves?
 

But of course they don’t need independent regulation 🤦🏻

5 minutes ago, Jack27 said:

We paid 6m

Is the basis of our argument in regards to the tapping up email etc, that he passed on exactly how his compensation etc at Brighton was structured.

Therefore he might’ve cost us less than £3M thus far?

2 hours ago, Nucasol said:

Getting knocked out by the behemoth that was Hong Kong Rangers…

Well might as well fold the club now then 

54 minutes ago, Nucasol said:

After Melbourne I don’t really think that’s an option.

In Melbourne we played the youth who had already been released. The youth we rated were in Hong Kong playing in a 7’s tournament

22 minutes ago, joeyt said:

I've always had a bit of a problem with players as young as 14 being snapped up by bigger clubs, especially when they have to relocate significantly for it. 

 

I guess players bounce around academies in their region all the time but I don't know it just feels a bit unethical buying a 14 year old

 

Might just be me

Seen the Secret Scout on Twitter discussing that lots of players are now moving before they get to 16 more frequently this summer.  Apparently, the offer of paid for education etc is being used as a carrot to dangle

20 minutes ago, sushimonster85 said:

Anyone order their shirt online actually had it despatched yet?

Ordered mine late Friday, yet to be dispatched

55 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

Was more for the weather in December.

Lack of local knowledge there, it’s significantly worse in February 😂

1 minute ago, Optimistic Nut said:

I'd keep him but make him scout the Scottish Highland Leagues all season. 

Nah, we already have Dougie Ross up here to contend with. Keep that snake elsewhere please

5 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Yeah, never mind the fact Howe brought Bournemouth up to the Premier league from administration in league 2 against all the odds, and kept them in the Premier league for a number of years, all while playing football that was enjoyable to watch, before eventually going down that COVID year.

 

Come on now. Are we really comparing all that to Southgate's stint at Boro?

I can remember lots of Newcastle Fans at the time of Southgate's sacking at Boro when they were level on points with us fwiw, praising Boro for taking action when needed. Obviously looked a bit foolish a few months later, but there are sliding door moments all over football. Who knows what might've happened at Boro if they'd held their nerve back in 2008/09?

I tell you what, I didn’t realise there were as many international scouts on here. 
 

I must also have missed Brexit Eddie signing Tonali, Botman, Isak and Bruno amongst others too 🤦🏻

1 hour ago, bobloblaw said:

 

It's pretty obvious why those are two different things, aside from any shady Chelsea stuff.  They aren't deals from affiliated companies.

Any deal of this nature always has an element of quid pro quo involved, directly related party's or not. It’s naive to expect otherwise

Just now, Groundhog63 said:

Maybees we did 😂 I'd have to do some research for dates 😱

You'd remember me tho. Short, fat, baldy but brilliant. Swore alot. 

At that point I’ll have been a short arse, but fast as fuck 'Gallagher Brother' wannabe 😂 and being a Station lad I doubt I’d have been far behind on the swearing front 😂

Just now, Groundhog63 said:

Who for

The Red Lion, I did join the RAF towards the end of the 96/97 season though

5 minutes ago, Groundhog63 said:

Dudley Hotel, managed by Harry the Bastard 😂

Probs did play 97ish

Oh right 50-50 chance, I might’ve been an opponent in ‘97 though 😂