Varadi

Absolutely nowt wrong with how we're set up, we just lack any quality whatsoever. Aye, we've actually created more than them, just have zero finishing ability, or luck. And it's hardly a second string Chelsea side.

Just needs a single thread entitled "Everything is bad forever"

Yup. Not a clue what Mitro has done, but he’s very clearly done something to irk Rafa. Good/bad is a bit of a basic way to look at it. I think it's much more likely that Rafa thinks he's unsuitable for us, but could be suitable to Brighton because of the way they play. Mitrovic simply isn't good enough for us to change the way we play to suit someone who's let us down time and time again with sending offs and suspensions - which is obviously the thing that's irked Rafa. I see this argument all the time - which would make sense if we didn’t persist on playing Joselu.If Mitro doesn’t fit our system, then Joselu certainly doesn’t either. I’m sure someone will point to Mitro’s disciplinary record now - so I’ll answer that anyway... when was he last sent off in a game? It’s a complete myth that we’ll go down to 10 men with him in the side because he’s not been sent off in recent times. If anything, Mitro would suit our system more with a bit of physicality in his game allowing players like Murphy the chance to get close to him. Whereas Joselu either loses it or taps it to nobody. Because Joselu doesn't get himself sent off and suspended and does as he's told. Whether you agree with Rafa on that is your choice, but I do. If he was good enough/suitable enough for us to put up with it, I'd agree, but he just isn't. The discipline argument is a completely valid argument, like. Not getting sent off during the odd 10 minute cameo isn't anything to hang your hat on and his disciplinary record remains a joke. Whatever argument for him playing is negated by that for me. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aleksandar-mitrovic/ausfaelle/spieler/51152 He’s played over 1,400 minutes in 35 appearances since his last red card, so that argument is a load of nonsense. A load of nonsense if you conveniently ignore West Ham, which there's no reason to do whatsoever. The conversation is about getting sent off and going down to 10 men, did that happen? Howay man, just admit you forgot about it and it completely fucked your argument

At least there's plenty time left in the window to move on to other targets if this one doesn't work out...

If that's true it could be Murray is in big trouble so they're desperate for a replacement

I'm a fan of Shelvey, but as i think someone mentioned earlier he doesn't really fit into Rafa's preferred style of playing, so if we could replace him with more of a destroyer type to play in a 2 alongside Hayden/Merino then I would be OK with it. Need a replacement before selling though - pretty sure Rafa knows this, and makes any move this window very unlikely.

Pretty much

You're right about the squad but it's counteracted to an extent by the fact we have easily the best manager down there. Think this is how relegation battles are going to look most years from now on - as the top clubs keep getting further ahead they drop fewer and fewer points to the rest, leaves us all fighting over scraps. Would love it if they would just fuck off to a European Super League but I think they love having whipping boys to hammer every week too much to actually ever leave.

Noticed this happening this morning. Also, Recent Posts on the Home page seems wrong.

Aye - it's one of the reasons bullshitters like Ashley get away with so much, just need to create enough doubt to muddy the waters a little. After 10 years of it you would think everyone would've caught on, but there's a surprising amount still going with it - think it might be at least partly a kind of Stockholm Syndrome where if you know you're fucking stuck with him you may as well try and make the best of it. He might be buttfucking you every single day but if he stills gives you your tea afterwards he can't be all bad surely?

Just in time for the summer window no doubt

As you well know by now, literally nothing that comes out of Ashley's camp can be trusted, and that includes the bad stuff as well IMO. I wish I could agree, but when has a bad Ashley news story ever ended up being untrue? Aye, it's the terrible stuff that's typically underplayed if anything

Could be that Rafa is just aiming incredibly low this time because he knows the club will never get the players he actually wants. He's probably also given up on any long term thinking and will just settle for the bare minimum needed to keep us up then he can walk away at the end of the season without another relegation on his CV.

Just catching up on all last night's fun and games, no real surprises in Ashley being economonical with the truth again I see. Does this interview with Caulkin not put her in clear breach of the NDA though, or is the thinking that he's already done that by briefing Sky Sports?

Dunno, like. £300m is a pretty fair price, meet halfway at £325m and everyone goes home happy. I'm no Ashley fan but £250m is a pretty bad offer for NUFC as it stands. I know it's a point that's been made, but the club is really only worth what someone is willing to pay. For instance Southampton were valued at around 260 million and had a 75 million asset on their books, a squad still worth much more than ours after he was sold and also a much more solid premier league place.

Recent Premier League vacancies for clubs in a similar position to us have been filled by Pardew, Carvahal and Lambert. Dread to think what we're going to be saddled with when Rafa goes. Personally think he'll see out the season then be off in the summer.

Seems these lot called it from the off: https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/sport/newcastle-uniteds-no-sale-always-cards-heres/17/01/ "It is an eventuality we predicted back in November, when a source close to the club told us that ownership speculation would simply serve to prevent Ashley having to put his hand in his pocket."

Aye. Think I got something in my eye reading that one.

They had players to bring on and try and win it, we didn't. Don't think we sat back so much as we were pushed back, another 10 minutes and we would've lost imo. Rafa is trying to keep a Championship team in the Premier League, think we would be sunk already without him.

Thought we were the better team overall, a decent striker and that's a comfortable home win. Sadly we don't spend money on things like that - full starting XI today was our Championship team ffs.

Think he's our top scorer now?

Went off in ambulance. Rafa was crying. Well that's it then - we're doon

Any word on how Lascelles looked going off? If he's walked off fine it's probably just a precaution.

Is the guy like head of security so would maybe know something like this, or just one of the blokes on the turnstiles?