Chicken Dancer

Would have been delighted with 10th or below if it came with a cup win. Everything else is a bonus in my eyes. Win the home games and that’s all we will need.

Fulham, Spurs and City in them 3 games please. Still think City will get there regardless, so best to keep Villa at arms length. If we beat Ipswich, we’d be 5 clear of them with 4 to play (if Man City beat them).

Shit happens. Had a horrible feeling all day we’d run out of steam. They’re a really good side, fair play. Hopefully Fulham and Spurs can do us a favour and we’re back to square one. It would be lush finishing as high as possible but 5th will do it. Win the home games and it’s done.

And the rest!

It does make me wonder that when we do upgrade at RW that we'd prefer to keep a right-footed player there. It isn't the norm these days but we/he have shown it can be hugely effective. Actually love how him, Schar and Joelinton - all signings from the previous years - are mainstays in a class NUFC team. Shows the importance of coaching, confidence and belief.

I'd definitely be interested at a (much) reduced price in the summer. He's a good defender playing in a mid-table side. Understand they've just conceded 10 in 2 games but they also recently went 6(?) off the bounce without conceding away from home. He's quick and reads the game well. He's Premier League ready and an England international. If we could get him at £40m I'd definitely bite. Unfortunately, defenders who can spray it like Schar are few and far between. Though that being said, I do think Schar has at least another season of top-level football in him. He's like wine him, both in body and in footballing ability.

I get what you're saying for sure, but I don't just mean this season. The final was a neutral venue and just reaffirmed my view that we can absolutely hang with them, so why not go to their place and play the same way? I'm not being too critical, most teams go to those places and approach the game a similar way. But beating one of them away would change the mentality for us as a club and probably the wider perspective of us too.

I can see anything here tbh. Loss, draw or win all seem as likely as the other. Anything other than a defeat and it's done. A defeat just delays it by a couple of weeks. If we do lose, then City/Villa sharing the points on Tuesday and us beating Ipswich and we are essentially back to where we are now, with 2 games less to play. We're in a great position, so won't get myself too low if we do lose.

I mean he did lift a trophy as captain but hard to look past Shearer, for now at least. Consistently bagged shitloads in plenty average teams. But if you ask that question in 10 years, I suspect the answer might be yes.

I was worried that it was never going to work. I feel like a fool now But seriously, last season and even when he first came back this season, of course there were glimpses but I just always felt he was too similar to Bruno for it to work. Moving him central changed the trajectory of our season. He's comfortably in the top 3 midfielders in the league and I don't think it's outrageous to say he's the best player I've ever had the privilege of watching in Black and White. The engine, the drive, the intelligence. He's just absolutely mint and I'm buzzing he's ours. With him, Isak & Bruno we have a trio of players that can take us wherever we want to go. Add a few this summer and we really are cooking with gas.

I think the day we go to Anfield/Emirates/Etihad and beat them (in the league) will change everything. Without being too critical of an absolutely amazing season, I still am not entirely comfortable with how we consistently roll over at Anfield and the Etihad without laying a glove. We've shown time and time again we can give these teams a game at St James, so I'd like to see a mentality shift away from home in the coming years. We've at least 2 - maybe 3 or 4 - players that would start for any team in the league. It will be a huge hurdle to get over for us mentally, and will give the entire club belief that one day we can win the league. I'm sure it will change, it's easy to forget this is only the 3rd full season since the takeover/Howe, it really still is in it's infancy. But we absolutely can win the league. Never, ever thought I'd think that way in my life, but with the cup win and that, the sky really is the limit. I've never been so excited for the future, it's beyond anything I could ever imagine the belief I have in the current squad and coaching staff. Strap in because it's going to be fucking amazing. Praying for a trip to Madrid in autumn!

This April seems very reminiscent of April 2023 when we just turned it up a notch, scoring goals for fun at West Ham & Everton then dismantling Spurs at home in 20 minutes. A 0-3 defeat at Villa was sandwiched in the middle to be fair, but we still bounced back the week later against Spurs. A defeat this weekend - despite how bad it will feel at the time - is definitely not the end of the world. We've built ourselves a little cushion. I actually think we get a draw on Saturday and we win all our home games. Should be more than enough given we have the buffer of finishing 5th. Aim high now - hunt down Arsenal. If we finish 2nd and win a trophy there's a massive argument that it's the greatest season in our history, given the competition these days. Even if we get Champions League football and a trophy there's definitely an argument.

Funny the money argument man. For one, we’ve not spent that much yet, and secondly, if it was that easy why aren’t Man Utd and Chelsea not pissing the league. Fucking idiots

Good atmosphere and class performance the night. Huge fan of the DJ playing Happy Mondays on Sunday and glad all over the night. He’s on one.

That list is disgusting like. Ten Hag was a fool in the transfer market, that's for sure.

Aye taking nowt away from Villa, they had a great run and a hell of a second half performance, but they’ve definitely had it favourable with this new format. Every game you’d want at home, they had at home. Even getting Brugge was a mint draw. In fairness, you can only beat what’s in front of you, but they’ve definitely had it nice.

You never know! When I was a kid, me old man took me and we saw Rob Lee when he was playing for us. So all hope may not be lost...

Nah Fernandes is class, like. But agree about him not fitting in our side better than the current 3. Not saying he isn’t more talented or whatever, I just wouldn’t swap any of them for him in our side. He’s one of them cunts you probably love when he’s yours too.

We absolutely can batter them but they absolutely can get a result too, surprised to see they've only conceded 16 away from home all season. Scoring early (and first) is absolutely crucial. It could be a long day for them if we can get a goal in the first 20. That being said, I always hate playing this lot, despite doing relatively OK against them in recent years. Definitely think the kick off time helps us - it should be a belting atmosphere.

Aye, Emery seemed to say as much post-match. They were comfortably better than the best team in England over two legs so it was always going to be a tall ask @brummie, but it's not dead yet! I'd guess you would need to score at least 3 to take it to ET though, as I can't see them not scoring. Saying that, they didn't in the home tie vs Liverpool - though not sure how! Was an absolute battering.

Isn’t Washington an NE postcode? All got Mackem accents that lot.

PSG are definitely the best team I’ve watched this season, in the 3 games I have. Unbelievably technical, really impressive. Glad this wasn’t the team that rocked up to Gallowgate last October

Not sure what I’m missing with Bellingham but I’ve watched him probably 30+ times (likely more) and reckon he’s been shit in most of them.

Schar would definitely be in our all-time PL XI though, comfortably too.

Very harsh! He was poor in his first season when we got relegated, but the Championship season and beyond he was pretty good - he got in team of the year in 11/12. He also gave the best performance by an NUFC CB I can remember at Sunderland away, probably until Burn in the final.