Tiresias

If all newcastle fans can chip in all the money they have and give it to rafa will it be enough for him to buy it off ashley?

I quite like the guardian's comment though that as much as he revolutionised the premier league at the time, him being called a genius when he first started for suggesting 8 pints after a match wasn't the best warm down in retrospect may have been a little OTT Having said that he married the 'english' running around endlessly to continental technical ability and made the rest of the league up their games completely.

My fear is that Rafa does hold all the cards, nothing guarantees premier league money like rafa does, he keeps players here and attracts players to us and if he goes the fans will revolt again, probably worse than ever before. This all looks good for rafa getting a deal but knowing Ashley I think he will loath being in such a poor negotiating position and instead will see it as some kind of macho show of strength to ditch Rafa just because he can and hire another yes man. (that's just my paranoia mind, I kinda think Rafa will stay)

Remember when Wenger went to the Cluney not so long ago?

Southgate is at the Everton game according to the guardian specifically to watch Shelvey. Watch the pressure on him cause him to lose his head or something

I just use my one free article a week on his column (or maybe its one free a month or something). I won't post whole thing cos feels a little unethical really. It basically seems to suggest Rafa isn't going to walk to be unemployed but he has grown ever more frustrated with transfer windows and doesn't believe promises from Ashley. He seems to basically say Rafa is unlikely to sign a new deal before either proper investment or a takeover and may just see out his contract. I'll post the lovely ending.

Inevitable unfortunately but I think the grueling winter fixture congestion is one of the best things that distinguish the league. Hate managers who complain about it too, every club has to cope.

Don't be stupid Geordies have been buying wolves season tickets and attending games to get loyalty points in their hundreds for a while now so they can strike with this cunning plan, obviously

That Nacho goal from weekend for outside the premier league has a certain something, no grace, just an insane amount of power, the sort that if keeper had got body in the way probably would have knocked him into back of the net too while alan partidge shouts FOOT LIKE A TRACTION ENGINE. In England? I have a soft spot for that Salah goal just for that Maradonna esque shot of him with about 9 players in between him and the goal and he still scores

Lee Cattermole led a delegation to Short to get the fascist sacked because he tried to end their drinking culture pretty sure

Give over no chance. Think with Liverpool and City as good as they are doubt that season will repeat If we keep Rafa, recruit well and get some proper goal threat in the team, and the defence stays as solid and well drilled all next season we could well keep the top 4 honest, we'd at least take a lot of scalps.

I think part of arsenal's problem is they've got into their heads wenger's tiki-taka-lite football style. They can't do Pep ball that well anyway. Wenger was at his best back when there was nastiness to the team and they were winning 1-0 to the arsenal with a mean defence. They had explosive talent up front sure but he was winning the league with the meanest defence. Rafa would certainly bring that bit back.

Just to be a contrarian bastard instead of all this stopping loads of play for VAR mid match just embrace this, get to the end of the half, ref then watches any missed pens, gives players any red cards should have happened and have a few pens for each time for every missed foul. Half time will be 10x as exciting. :lol:

I am torn because on the one hand he must want proper money behind him and be competing for the league. But I also think Real Madrid took a lot out of him. Here he has a project that is his and players who will jump through walls for him (despite, must be said, him lamenting in public quite a lot their quality).

Never go full brexit

I doubt he'll get added to the plans to be honest. If Livermore goes or something though it'd be ridiculous.

Lascelles, Diame (because he just gets better when punched) and Slimani

Didn't know he was wrongly inprisoned

This is getting too close to Sunderland style football friends. Liverpool can fuck off

There's an old guy with a moustache about to bite a kids face off

Amen brother

Frankly I'm surprised enough that Dummet has come good out of our academy, 2 coming good is too much to hope for

Stay away you jinx!

I will admit looking a bit stupid with Shelvey, while I didn't doubt his ability I did doubt his consistency. He has been excellent this half the season, and I was mistaken to kinda want us to look for a replacement (although never thought that would happen anyway). I still have that little doubt a bit about him though, it's not so much game to game inconsistency but he does, and has for us more than once gone on long stretches where he has not quite performed. I am now rather happy to admit that maybe it was as much the rest of the team as him (but we do play as a team so much better when he is 'on it' than when he isn't) that was causing his issues. I am also happy to be proved that he can sit in that deeper midfield role and be better than he can be I think in no 10. I thought earlier that we'd probably end up with Hayden and Merino as holding midfielder with Shelvey best relieved of defensive duties in the no 10 role. I was wrong. I think Merino while obviously has disappointed since that start will come good, Rafa will work his magic on him and he will be strong midfield competition next season. If he's not, well I trust Rafa's judgement and very happy to keep Shelvey and be proven wrong on him being a bit of a luxury. I also didn't see Diame being good let alone this good. I have had a mare this season lol

Yeah sorry happy to have 4 at the back, just think Clark doesn't quick cut it at this level and Mbemba may do but clearly hasn't Rafa's trust. Happy to keep either as last ditch backup but a prospect perhaps coming in, or someone who is also good at right back as well would be sensible I think