Sean

Love how you only post winners. You must be a millionaire going by your post on here.

The tweak in the formation and what it could mean going forward is really interesting I think. Should make for better play from the team. Missing the point as it's not the style of play, it's just Ashley.

Merry Xmas , cheer up ffs I'm happy enough, not wanting NUFC to win doesn't equal unhappy. Merry Xmas.

Wish I could get excited. Got money on us to win (as Man Utd are shite) and still can't bring myself to support this.

Man Utd haven't exactly been great lately. Boxing day is also a pretty good leveller. Who knows which Man Utd is actually going to turn up.

Ayew's goal.

Happy for Everton. They might not waste the money they spend over the next year or so under Ancelotti.

I think the flaw in your analysis is trusting what Ashley says. Ever.

Wait, is this an actual quote? It's fucking amazing how Kenyon, that fake Sheik and now these have all written lovingly about him

Love it.

This. It's blindingly obvious but league position will not and does not make Bruce anywhere near Rafa as a manager. A few seem to want to be able to say he's better/has done better than Rafa though.

Yep, we've been lucky as fuck. We've faced teams severely depleted (Man Utd), other teams that just didn't bother turning up (Spurs, West Ham) and fluked a couple of 1-0s that should have gone the other way (and even the 2-0 at Sheffield United according to some, I haven't even seen highlights so can't say for myself). We've not been fucked by refereeing decisions either for the first season in god knows how long. If the perfect storm keeps up, this form can continue. Otherwise there could be a huge drop off, especially if injuries/tiredness hits at the same time as our luck turns. The Sheffield result and performance if Rafa was in charge would have been hailed as a masterclass, you didn’t watch it .Yep he’s had all the luck eh? Every result the team never deserved, yet it pains you that we sit 9th, it’s fucking killing you Whereas, for you, it's like all your Christmases came at once that we are lucky to be sitting 9th. That ambition.

I don't care who the manager is, it's the owner that's ruined my love of the club. Just can't get any enjoyment, and won't for a very long time as he's not going to sell when the ground is full. It wasn’t any different for you when Rafa was here then? Of course the owner is the problem, but under managers like Benitez and Hughton I’ve still been able to support the team and enjoy the football. In hindsight, it shouldn't have been any different, no. It's an accumulation of all Ashley's actions that have got some fans to this point. I thought Rafa might be able to change things slowly, but even if we get another world class manager ( ) I won't be fooled this time. Fair play to all these visionary supporters who weren't fooled by Ashley appointing Rafa. But I still believe it's better late than never. Like I said I don't care who the manager is. I want Ashley to fail, so by extension I want his football company to lose games.

Yep, we've been lucky as fuck. We've faced teams severely depleted (Man Utd), other teams that just didn't bother turning up (Spurs, West Ham) and fluked a couple of 1-0s that should have gone the other way (and even the 2-0 at Sheffield United according to some, I haven't even seen highlights so can't say for myself). We've not been fucked by refereeing decisions either for the first season in god knows how long. If the perfect storm keeps up, this form can continue. Otherwise there could be a huge drop off, especially if injuries/tiredness hits at the same time as our luck turns.

It's the Pardew 5th place season all over again. Only this time the crash next season might be even worse with a bit of luck. Wonder if Man Utd's team will be as Championship-standard as the reverse fixture?

That's not one of the reasons Rafa left though. He felt the money could be spent better elsewhere. Same thing. He left because there was no trust and no ambition and things were not being done right. The situation you describe is just one of hundreds of examples of this in action. Given how hard he'd had to work to convince Ashley to spend £20m on Miggy, I'd suggest the prospect of seeing double that spunked on a player he didn't particularly rate when trying to strengthen a squad desperately short in several areas was a pretty big factor in Rafa deciding enough was enough. Your just guessing now though. If they had bought him while Rafa was here then I can see the reasoning. The fact is, Rafa would have seen the newspaper articles linking us to him, and would have known it was planted by Ashley and his people (he often did this shit to Rafa). So, yes it's a reason as much as 100 other things. The 'pretty big' factor was a lack of trust and ambition though, as Rafa has said himself.

It's all Ashley's fault. It's his fault for employing Bruce. It's his fault for fucking Rafa around. It's his fault we aim for 17th as success each year. It's also his fault we bought Joelinton. It's also his fault Joelinton is being called a "£40 million" player. It's also his fault that we will never, ever be able to increase the capacity of the stadium. Bruce is utterly irrelevant, unless you feel that, with a slightly better manager, it's worth getting back on board and supporting this shitshow (some don't even need to get back on board, as they can't see the bigger picture to save their lives).

I don't care who the manager is, it's the owner that's ruined my love of the club. Just can't get any enjoyment, and won't for a very long time as he's not going to sell when the ground is full.

Yeah but the highest amount of luck. Probably fluke another win.

I agree in that he probably felt the money could be better spent. I'd be sure he also felt £20 million could be better spent. It's not as if he needs targets identified to him by Ashley and his cronies. I've just not seen it mentioned as a particular factor in his leaving. I could have missed something though.

That's not one of the reasons Rafa left though. He felt the money could be spent better elsewhere. Same thing. He left because there was no trust and no ambition and things were not being done right. The situation you describe is just one of hundreds of examples of this in action.

That's not one of the reasons Rafa left though.

Do undisclosed fees get published in the reports? If so, only about 2 years to wait. Not sure. Hoffenheim themselves said it was the record fee received. Firmino was around £28m? So it’s somewhere above that at least. Not sure why the scepticism over the £40m came from? The scepticism could come from Ashley's refusal until now to spend serious money, and could also come from the fact that Joelinton hasn't really done anything to warrant such a price. So theres 2 reasons. But let's be honest, with our owner, you always need to be sceptical.

Do undisclosed fees get published in the reports? If so, only about 2 years to wait.