Emotic

I just get the impression that Eddie won't know how to deploy a creative attacking midfielder even if one were gifted to him. He seems allergic to the idea.

Zubimendi another one who hasn't impressed at all.

Bumping my comment from last Tuesday. Watching this match, my position has only been strengthened. Wirtz at 116.5 million is like the Lisandro Martinez or Antony-level type of signing. Tiny fella watching the game go past him at speed. I'd be raging at the audacity of Liverpool's 110 million and 120 million bids. They're taking the piss if so.

Pen for Brighton, converted by Milner. 1-1

What is clear is that we can't go on the rest of the season with a rookie striker and Willy Osula. That'd be disaster. And we sure as hell shouldn't be paying 65mil for Wissa or 70 for JSL. So it's all a Mexican standoff. If we can't get a Premiership-proven player in sharpish, Isak stays. We throw him in a boxing ring with the rest of the lads to settle matters, and carry on from there.

Be amazing if we do sign a second striker in the next 24 hours, but keep it under wraps until it's too late for Liverpool to launch a last-minute bid for Isak. Then all the pressure is off us. Pie in the sky though. Might as well expect Jennifer Connelly to materialise in my bed tonight.

Haaland has scored for Man city in an exceedingly dull match so far.

We were linked with both Nusa and Xavi Simons at the very beginning of the window (late June), IIRC. But they were all dodgy links and the rumours have since faded. Nusa is interesting for sure, and if true does indicate that one of our left wingers would be surplus to requirements.

IYAM, Isak still holds some of the cards ("never playing for youse again") right up until the threshold is past. And if the club demonstrates resolve, all his power dramatically and catastrophically (for him) falls away like the Scouse Chariot turning into a pumpkin at midnight. The next day, we can be like "what's it gonna be, lad?". Send him a message FFS.

If @Ronson333is correct (or ITK), it'd be Antonio Nusa we're looking at, which would be awesome. 20 year-old, two-footed, can play either wing or as a CAM. Genuinely exciting player although his numbers aren't great.

Sesko was the out and out striker, Openda liked to play off him in the right half-space. Crazy that Leipzig is so eager to let their entire front line go.

The business of top-level player transfers is fascinating, to be fair. On the one hand, there are sagas like the Isak Affair, with all the skullduggery and undermining and media offensives that drag on over a month-and-a-half (or more). On the other hand, there are deals like Woltemade where seemingly Club A sits down with Club B, plus the player and the agent, and hash out a deal in several days, totally under the radar and all in good faith. Surely the latter would be far less exhausting than the former? Liverpool themselves are left on tenterhooks with 24 hours to go, and they could've literally gone in for a half-dozen top continental strikers for half the price they'd have to stump up for Isak.

Oddly enough, a Catalan giant with a 37 year old leading the line - with two players we've been interested in previously. A Parisian Oil Club with a striker who they don't use all of the time and we've been interested in previously. A German Powerhouse from whom we've just nicked a forward they've been chasing all summer. These clubs actually could have done business with us, and I'm not certain why we haven't. Perhaps it's the "only wants Liverpool" part. But wanting Liverpool over Barca is another kind of idiocy.

Us "coming to them" is nonsense, like. "Hi Liverpool, this player doesn't want to play for us and only wants to come to you. Want him?". Liverpool can tell us "75 million or get fucked". We all seem to forget that the selling club literally holds all the cards in this situation, although the fans feel otherwise. It'd be crazy to capitulate this way. The only thing that makes sense is if the two clubs have already worked out the selling price way in advance, and the only hurdle is the second striker for us. That, I can see happening.

I agree that the Jackson Affair is a lot different. The loan had already been sanctioned and he had already flown in when they pulled the plug. Nevertheless, I would reckon that his reaction would’ve been different if there hadn’t been all this chicanery with Isak and Wissa. I’d expect Jackson’s “black background text” instastory quite soon.

Nicolas Jackson is now refusing to return to Chelsea after they blocked his loan to Bayern A veritable epidemic of stroppiness this window. Clubs should be worried. The Isak Affair might really be a test case for how to manage these player strikes going forward.

Wish to God you're ITK. Barnes sold and Antonio Nusa signed would be another out-of-the-blue delight IYAM. I'd actually even entertain Gordon out and Nusa in.

Wolves and Brentford are asking us to overpay for their strikers. We shouldn't "open the door" so that fucking Liverpool underpays ffs. The gloating from their fan base and the media would be unbearable. I hope Saudis are as proud and stubborn as the other owners. The only "desperation" from our end is that Eddie and the other players seemingly can't stand Isak now, but just fucking draw up a reintegration plan that involves a camp where the squad hazes him mercilessly. Or something.

Not using Elanga properly is a disappointment. Weren't we supposed to be one of the top transition teams?

Liverpool has just bid 35 mil for Guehi. Hope that's all their reserve budget spunked, then.

If Osula bangs a couple in today, I'd daresay it relieves the tension a wee bit. Expectations right now is for us to bring in an experienced striker to bed in Woltemade, but us signing a second striker immediately ramps up the budgetary pressure to sell Isak. Osula scoring tonight may allow us the confidence to go (until January at least) with Woltemade and Osula whilst someone attempts the unenviable task of trying to "reintegrate" Judas Isakariot. Still short, unless Isak does a full 180 in two weeks, but not a disaster.

Again to add to the countless times it's been repeated on here - an Alexander Isak is not just 3 or 13 million pounds more than a Florian fucking Wirtz.

Overwhelming so - fans, management, I reckon players too. Exhausted. But this is somewhat unprecedented. Players have gone on strike before, but never before have these situations been inflamed globally by social media and “client media” to this extent such that the forces that determine a player’s contract situation go well beyond just two parties. And now, three players with links to Newcastle are pulling the same stunt simultaneously. It is something the legal and contracting teams have to deal with moving forwards - putting watertight clauses to prevent such behaviour in future. But in this window, clubs have to decide on what sort of precedent they want to set to draw a line in the sand.

I detest the dilemma that Isak has put us in. On the one hand, we can’t trust him to put a shift in if he stays. On the other, if he gets his dream move to Liverpool in the end, it will surely prove that going on strike is an effective tactic to force a sale under value to a “big” club. It is a terrible precedent to set. Even if we get Wissa or JSL to replace him, they’d repeat this tactic next summer if and when they play a blinder and score anywhere close to 20 goals. Even if we force Isak to go to PSG or Barcelona, he’d get a move to a richer club, against our wishes. Even worse when you think about how Eddie Howe essentially develops players into the optimum versions of themselves. Imagine if we basically end up as the finishing school for players for the “Sky Six”. If PIF and Yasir has any aspirations for the club, we should draw the line at selling anyone below true value (except to the Saudi League), and take a leaf from Marinakis at Forest, who swiftly blocked the MGW sale and launched legal proceedings against Spurs. Over-the-top tactics, sure, but really sent a message not to dick around with the club’s players. And thereafter, no disruption to Forest’s summer window and prep, and they have bought well, and kicked the season off well.

Perhaps the idea is to play him at the tip of a midfield triangle? Double pivot of Tonali and Bruno, with Frattesi as an advanced 8/false 10 behind the striker?