Paullow

340 odd replies in 5 hours . I assumed it must have been merged into an older thread. This is almost RTG 'sportwashing' levels of activity

So what's the deal with this Bakker? He only went to Leverkusen in the summer. Seems to have started around half of their league games, so not sure if he's been injured a bit, or more of a squad player for them, and if he sees this as a step up being in a better league for a club with big potential (and wages), or to possibly kick start a career?

Anar video from Adam P. Remember to like and subscribe if you enjoy it. Edit - actually, not sure if you're allowed to post videos, but he has one up for the match.

This weekend has been massive. Watford were like evens to beat Norwich, and we were about 10/3 or something to beat Leeds, so I had visions that we would have been 4 or 5 points behind Watford, having played a game more, but instead, we are just a point behind Norwich, with us having the game in hand instead - 2 huge results. Obviously a lot of work to do, but it's looking so much better now, and great timing with the couple of weeks break and should be in a better position regarding transfers. I'm around a 5 at the moment.

Favourites to stay up, yes. If you put say £80 on the 4 to go down individually, you would get: Newcastle - £130 profit, £210 return Burnley - £42.66 profit, £122.66 return Watford - £26.66 profit, £106.66 return Norwich - £20 profit, £100 return So you get less back from those 'odds on (first number smaller than the second) as those scenarios are perceived to be more likely. Norwich are still considered most likely to drop at this stage, despite them probably looking in the best position, with more points on the board.

Bet365 updated odds Norwich 1/4 Watford 1/3 Burnley 8/15 Newcastle 13/8 A great opportunity for 'insurance' money for those into that sort of thing, but looking so much better now after both last night, and obviously today's results. Hopefully get a few more in, beat Everton in 2 and a half weeks, and push on.

We obviously could do with winning it, but we do still have to play Norwich (and not Watford), so at least somewhat in our hands to close the gap on them. Well, on paper at least anyway.

Good stuff. A Watford win is by far the worst. If they equalise late, fine, if not, fine as well, but obviously much less chance of them winning from here now.

When was that poll added by the way?

It's not like for like, as the team was better then, although you could also say so were our rivals, but Rafa came in with 10 games to go, and ended up with 13 points, a +4 GD, 1.3 ppg which averages out at 49.4 points per season - he just came in too late, but while a couple of disappointing results, he did well in the short time he was here, especially as 3 of his 10 games included the future champions Leicester away in his first match, as well as draws at home to City and away to Liverpool. Howe, in contrast, has had Burnley, Norwich, Brentford, Watford at home, bread and butter stuff where you'd hope for 9 or 10 points just to stay on course for a modest season. Obviously a couple of unfortunate issues like contracting covid, and Clark being an idiot, but 1 win from those 4 isn't great, and then the hammering in the others as you would expect, but 1 win in 9, and an embarrassing cup exit, 7 points from 9 games (29.5 points per season) and -11 GD - their respective initial periods have been very different. It's never going to happen anyway, and I'd still be inclined to keep Howe, and stick with him if we go down, but I also do think there would be more chance of actually getting the 'bounce' we never really got, certainly results-wise, even if performances and mindset are a little better, if we were to bring Rafa in.

If it does absolutely become 3 from 4, which is currently looking nailed on, and towards the end, that became more of a 2 horse race between us and another, say Watford, then the run in could be a bit of a concern. I may be reading too much into it, but if someone like Leicester were guaranteed 8th, 9th, 10th etc. with a couple of games to go, couldn't do any better, or any worse, not much incentive, it will be in their better interest for us to go down as we would be more likely to be a direct contender to them in the short term, as in an 8-10 side for a couple of seasons, and then potentially ease off against Watford, whereas teams like Southampton would be going hell for leather to beat us in a similar type of match. I'm thinking 8 at the moment, largely because of the possible above scenario - if there were one or two others potentially in the mix then it would be nicer, but it really is eggs in one basket type of stuff regarding our rivals.

Let off for West Ham, game back on.

Like night and day compared to us. Not looking forward to next week.

Dubravka in Zizzi.

We've certainly been linked with a lot of quality players this week or so, and hopefully some of those will materialise, but these two have definitely been a notable downgrade, even if more realistic, and you certainly wouldn't think we'd just had a big takeover if they came through, but if they were joined by a couple more better additions, along with Trippier, then that would be very good, but hopefully not a sign of where the recruitment is headed. Still early days though.

It does just seem a case of quantity and bodies in over anything that's going to significantly improve us. I know we joke about Choudhury on loan, but there were a couple of Ashley January windows where the boat was pushed out when things were looking hideous, and you'd kind of think it was pre takeover. It's clearly proving fairly hard to bring quality in (Trippier did want to come back home, and had worked with Howe, so that went in our favour), but I was kind of hoping for better than this, it kind of does feel like preparing for next year, rather than desperately trying to save our skin.

A derby match for Lille. Just had a look on Live-footballontv and there's so many random stations / streaming sites showing matches these days - WTF is Mola TV? A subscription service I imagine?

3-1 Leeds according to Bet365, although of course possibly subject to VAR. (I've not seen it). 3-1 it is. Very much looking like 3 from 4.

I always think Brentford should still be within reach, but they do have a lot of points on the board, and like the Watford game, they will likely nick a result every few weeks to keep their heads above water. Think we can almost rule out passing them if they hang on to be honest.

yeah, it's a strange one this. I personally think a Burnley win is by far the worst. A point for Leeds at home to Burnley is still a poor result, 2 points dropped, and failed to win a 'bread and butter' fixture. Only 2 points being distributed to rivals, as opposed to 3, is also beneficial, so for me, a draw is clearly the best, and fingers crossed it stays as it is. Leeds potentially being 8 points clear is also really big as it's 3 games, and while we should of course be a bit stronger in the second half, due to a number of teams pushing on, we will still be significant underdogs in a lot of our remaining 19 matches - pretty much all 5 of the remaining 'big 6' games - not to say we will lose all of them, and fixture placement could play a part, but we'd still do well to pick up points in any of those games, likewise away to West Ham will be very tough, amongst others, so it will mean that we would need to win the vast majority of our more winnable games to pass them (inc. Elland Road). We just need to finish above 3 teams and the 3 currently closest around us are the most likely according to the bookies, but it will feel kind of like placing all eggs in the Norwich, Burnley, Watford basket if Leeds were to win today. Definitely hope it's a draw, and just wish Sky were showing it instead of this largely midtable clash at Brentford.

Last year wasn't really midtable IMO. It was a season of shite and struggle, 17th after 34 games, 16th after 36 games, could have still finished 17th on the final day if results went slightly differently. We were 12th as you say, Villa 11th, so both technically midtable, but there were 10 points between them, and a massive 25 swing in goal difference - Villa had a solid midtable season, and that will be what we are after for the next year or so if we stay up, not struggle pretty much all year and win a few matches at the end of the season and get into a crack papering position.

Cracking goal. Elements of the great Yeboah about it.

It's going to be one of those fixtures when nobody knows the best outcome . You can make arguments a lot of ways.

Technically not 'today', but what's everyone hoping for tomorrow in the big Leeds vs Burnley match? https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/relegation Outside the obvious 4, Leeds are by far the next closest in terms of relegation odds, with them being around 3/1 Draw the best?

Huge contrast to earlier in the season when if a potential rival scored, my first thought would be along the lines of 'Bruce's takeaway won't be going down well this evening'. With it looking like the current bottom 4 plus maybe one or two max who have a bad run, these matches are almost as important as our matches themselves. Good start to the match in general (not just from an NUFC perspective).