M1tche

Loving that pretty much everyone has the same thought on the group. Had a few work mates trying to wind me up about it, but i absolutely love it!! We've waited a stupidly long time for this and it would have felt like an anti climax to not have truly big clubs rocking up at St James' for the group stage, those nights are going to be electric. Already know I wont get a ticker, but ill definitely be heading up to be in the city for at least 2 of those. Bring! It! ON!!

I hope today prompted us to look for someone who is a proper DM, the amount of times we got caught out by no-one naturally covering that area was annoying.

I thought the lack of replay for the Akanji on Schar tackle was a bit odf as well. Although Schar also made nothing of it.

Incredilbe debut, 2 things that stood out to me massively. 1 was the clip over the back line, it didnt end up coming to anything, but I used to love that pass, sometime with even looking, you get ot just over the FB or between the CB and FB, knowing a winger or striker will be close to getting on the end of it. The other was the left footed cross field pass to Gordon, absolutely glorious and ridiculous in equal measure on his weaker foot.

I know, I know. I have knack of saying 1 thing and then being proved very wrong lol

That's a lovely goal, perfect from Isak and 1 trick Miggy finishing well

Unlucky there

Anyone know if this is a strong team for Fio?

Isak hasn't looked at it at all pre season from what I've seen. Hopefully it's from training before games, rather than from not being sharp yet.

Loving the crowd noise only on this. We don't look great so far, especially in transition after losing the ball

Legend!! yes please

judging by that, it should be todays front 3, tomorrow middle 3 and a mix of the 2 games for back 5 next week. Unless something mental happens

Im liking the look of this short spell through the middle this half

Im fully sold on this lad now, looks so comfortable on the ball and does that old trick of short, short, short and then a lovely longer pass

That line up has made me more excited for the game, get to see a big chunk of Miley and Tonali

So much of the content has me smiling to myself like an idiot, having this feeling towards the club again is brilliant. I never stopped supporting, but for a long time there was no realy excitement behind that support, now im sat up waiting for team news for a pre season friendly that will finish about 2 hours before I have to get up for work. Ill hold Howe, his team and this set of players in very high reguard for bringing all of that back.

I know its a friendly against a National League side, bu Miley looks a very good player based on that little showing. He just seems in control at all times, and brings things to his speed.

Why do we even has so many Full backs on the books?? Al

1 - 0 Gateshead

Lewis misses a sitter

For those not watching it looks like its Manquillo Savage Burn Targett Longstaff Trippier Anderson Ritchie ASM Lewis

Site won't let me buy any tickets, just keeps saying age unknown when I select tickets . Any ideas would be very welcome (Ignore me, I hadn't linked the ticketing account)

It's a small thing but him not having to trot across for every set piece, will beneficial both for cutting down some of the running and also for variation of set pieces

His delivery from set pieces is consistantly spot on

I got bored and turned it off, but it looked like he barely run for the 1st 60 odd mins and didnt pretty much everything 1st time. Massively conservative performance