Sean

This is my fear with Darlow, I don't feel he performs well under pressure. Let's hope he steps up when needed.

This was what i was thinking.

Hopefully it is just that.

Same. Lets try and be solid defensively and look to get in behind their defence. Need everyone playing to their best tonight too but we can do this.

A large part of it is directed to the supporters, especially the ones calling out the team and abusing them on social media, and also to fans booing the team after the defeat to Watford. He repeatedly mentions the need to stick together and support the team. I just get this feeling that something else is up, theres none of the smiling/joviality that was present recently. Maybe it's just me being pessimistic because of this club but he seems really pissed off and I fear Ashleys fucking up the takeover. Like you say he knows it'll draw fire, so IMO he either knows it's happening, or knows its hanging by a thread, and his demeanour tells me its not the first one. Like I say I hope I'm completely wrong.

Benitez said as much himself. Think we'll see at least a couple. I know he talked about the need to rotate when playing 2 games in 3/4 days, it sounds (or I'm hoping) like the tweets alluding to a surprising change. Probably not tbh.

Not that I think it would happen but his reasons for dismissing Rafa would be completely different from any previous sacking tbh. He'd probably quite like Rafa to be gone if Ashley was sticking around. Their relationship is not, nor would it ever be, sustainable. The only reason Rafa is still here is because of the takeover talks. On both sides. Rafa staying because of what we could be, MA keeping him because he's a hugely valuable asset to any potential buyer. If MA changes his mind, Rafa will be down the road. Just a question of which one blinks first..... I see what you're saying, but the only reason that eventuality would be the case is out of pure spite. There's no benefit to his business position by letting go NUFC's biggest and most important asset. I'd personally say the club would be worth 10s of millions of pounds less and be far less attractive if the manager wasn't there. I know you can't put it past Ashley to act out of pure spite, but if I had to guess, I'd say the chances of him sacking Rafa this season are extremely slim. I think you're underestimating how spiteful he can be, and also how much of his actions at this club are driven by spite. What benefit to his business was hiring Joe Kinnear?! Sacking Hughton when he did to replace him with a muppet fired from League 1? Leaving Carver in charge? None, the only aim was to make things miserable for us in my opinion.

I know it's Wraith (who knows less than us according to some), but maybe there are some big changes in the team tonight?

Because negative news re: this club is usually close to the mark unfortunately. I have zero faith in Ashley to do the right thing here. I think it'll happen. It makes no financial sense for Ashley for it not to. And money is all he cares about. He's a vile, horrible c*** who doesn't give a s**** about anybody, yes, but surely he can't throw this away or it's curtains for getting any sale for north of £300m. An absolute dire day at SJP on Saturday doesn't change that. From what I've read about Ashley, in the retail/corporate world, he never concedes ground/compromises - it's about winning the deal. He's as pig-headed as they come. That's what will scupper any sale, if it happens imho. There's a magic figure in his head, and he just won't meet anybody in the middle. If he wants anything close to his figure (his figure exactly he won't get) he has to sell now. If not he'll lose more money. Trying to "win" the deal knowing the odds are stacked against "winning" it and refusing to meet in the middle risking buyers walking makes no financial sense. None whatsoever. I really do understand the scepticism but Murphy's law getting applied as soon as things go begin to go wrong on the pitch I don't get. We know after the summer we had we'd have days like Saturday. Rafa knew it. Douglas said so on the most recent TF podcast that Rafa knew it and said so off the record, and he tried to reiterate it in the press conference yesterday. Lets be honest, both Ashley and Staveley would have discussed a rough outline of price, terms etc before the public bid. Has Ashley moved the goalposts? He has history. If not, then you'd think in the 11 (or more) days since the bid that there might have been some movement and an agreement reached. It could just be taking it's time, but I think it's best to expect the worst at this point in time. Rafa didn't suddenly decide to talk about how "things could get worse in January" because he feels a sale is coming. No it's not, because I'll feel like utter s**** if I did, imo there's no reason to do so. He decided to talk about it due to the fans imo. Plus he didn't look as angry as he did post QPR last season or during the summer. If you don't think that and think it's an address to Ashley, we'll agree to disagree on that one. Yep differing opinions is fine. I just cannot cope with the crushing disappointment when/if this comes crashing down so preparing for the worst already, hoping to be pleasantly surprised but not confident at all.

As fans I think we'll also need to make things as uncomfortable as possible for him. As a fan base we don't have much fight in us tbh but it needs all heads to get together for one purpose.

Because negative news re: this club is usually close to the mark unfortunately. I have zero faith in Ashley to do the right thing here. I think it'll happen. It makes no financial sense for Ashley for it not to. And money is all he cares about. He's a vile, horrible c*** who doesn't give a s**** about anybody, yes, but surely he can't throw this away or it's curtains for getting any sale for north of £300m. An absolute dire day at SJP on Saturday doesn't change that. From what I've read about Ashley, in the retail/corporate world, he never concedes ground/compromises - it's about winning the deal. He's as pig-headed as they come. That's what will scupper any sale, if it happens imho. There's a magic figure in his head, and he just won't meet anybody in the middle. If he wants anything close to his figure (his figure exactly he won't get) he has to sell now. If not he'll lose more money. Trying to "win" the deal knowing the odds are stacked against "winning" it and refusing to meet in the middle risking buyers walking makes no financial sense. None whatsoever. I really do understand the scepticism but Murphy's law getting applied as soon as things go begin to go wrong on the pitch I don't get. We know after the summer we had we'd have days like Saturday. Rafa knew it. Douglas said so on the most recent TF podcast that Rafa knew it and said so off the record, and he tried to reiterate it in the press conference yesterday. Lets be honest, both Ashley and Staveley would have discussed a rough outline of price, terms etc before the public bid. Has Ashley moved the goalposts? He has history. If not, then you'd think in the 11 (or more) days since the bid that there might have been some movement and an agreement reached. It could just be taking it's time, but I think it's best to expect the worst at this point in time. Rafa didn't suddenly decide to talk about how "things could get worse in January" because he feels a sale is coming.

I'm trying my best to stay really positive. No news is good news and all that. However, the reasoning behind why Rafa said what he said yesterday is starting to play on my mind. It seems quite unnecessary at this stage Same here, it can only mean bad news as far as I can see. Can't see why he'd bring all this up if the end was near.

Because negative news re: this club is usually close to the mark unfortunately. I have zero faith in Ashley to do the right thing here. I think it'll happen. It makes no financial sense for Ashley for it not to. And money is all he cares about. He's a vile, horrible cunt who doesn't give a shite about anybody, yes, but surely he can't throw this away or it's curtains for getting any sale for north of £300m. An absolute dire day at SJP on Saturday doesn't change that. Well I really do hope you're right.

Because negative news re: this club is usually close to the mark unfortunately. I have zero faith in Ashley to do the right thing here.

Believe it or not, but Wraith has regular meetings with Rafa. Exactly, I'm bracing myself for the worst already. So fucked off right now.

They know more than us man. Not everything, but more than us. They do have some contacts at the club ffs.

It's just the most NUFC thing ever man. This fucking club.

"Mike knows what he said...hopefully he can keep his word." It's like the summer all over again. I think yesterdays press conference was a bit more full on than the summer mind, he was visibly raging. I didn't like it, as it definitely seemed like something had changed and he wasn't happy about it. Aye he was fuming yesterday. Wasn’t expecting it to be so obvious. Glad he did it but I’m worried Same. He's starting a war with Ashley again...if he was selling up I don't see why Rafa would need to do this.

"Mike knows what he said...hopefully he can keep his word." It's like the summer all over again.

It's bullshit lets be honest.

Definitely wouldn’t happen. Like people are saying we are completely fucked if this doesn’t happen. It’s game over Yep absolutely fucked. Me...I might follow whatever team Rafa next goes to if I can manage to give up on us...not easy though is it.

He isn't interested in and doesn't want to invest in the club’s future. Not selling the club makes no sense for him, surely. suggest he may not sell us until after the January window just to have the final laugh,and if that's the case then we head back downstairs, on a positive note we may have a couple of Derby's to attend. I almost couldn't care which league we're in as long as Ashley is long gone. I'd be happier in league one under a different owner fighting to get big than in the premier league under Ashley fighting to stay small. Same. I almost don't give a fuck who owns us as long as it's not him.

Finding it hard to be bothered about a game at the minute, the takeover/non takeover is all that really matters in terms of the clubs future. That said, we really do need to stop the rot, stop the negativity and grind out a positive result.

https://twitter.com/tfMichael1892/status/935400953381081088 Just seen this too.

I've got a sick feeling in my stomach regarding this whole thing too...it just feels like all the hope is about to come crashing down around us.