Paullow

A bit different with West Ham. Their group is reasonably strong for the Europa League, certainly compared to Liverpool's, but they are still playing the likes of TSC Backa Topola where they started Ings, Kehrer and Mavropanos, who haven't started a single league match this season, likewise Fornals, Kudos, Cresswell and Ogbonna who have only started 1 PL match each, plus their cup keeper, so that's 8 of your XI who are fringe players. The Europa League, and certainly the Conference, definitely allows you to use your squad more in the earlier stages, and big names are not going to be pissed off if they are rested for a few of those earlier matches, whereas a Bruno, Trippier, Botman etc. wouldn't be best pleased if they had to skip a PSG match that they worked so hard to qualify for the previous season.

Slim pickings on TV tonight, a couple of Italian Cup matches on ViaPlay, but there is also a bottom of the table clash in Holland - Ajax vs Volendam, bottom vs third bottom (sounds crazy). Hopefully a chance to see Kuol play for the visitors. You can still get 11/1 on Volendam to win, so more than likely it will be a home win, and probably comfortable, but shit will really hit the fan if they don't and Ajax are still bottom come full time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/dutch-eredivisie/table Match is on Mola TV, an app, which I think is still free. I had it at the back end of last season and watched the final day of the Belgium league which was amazing as the lead changed hands between 3 different clubs, but deleted it, so will look to get it back and cast to the big TV.

A better keeper would have been out quicker and narrowed the angle after Almiron's heavyish touch for the first one.

Aye, no complaints with that team. It'll be tough, but no doubt they'll give it their best shot.

Yeah, Ritchie for Longstaff and the rest is probably what I think. It's probably stronger than I would have liked, but probably just about the right balance between giving some key players some much needed rest ahead of Arsenal and Dortmund, and not completely sacking the match off.

No Brewcie, but Gillingham have appointed Stephen Clemence as their new manager. Like with Howe, perhaps Steve put in a good word

Never say never!

Aye, they've gone for 2 on Weds crossing over. Not helped by most of the clubs playing on Sunday due to Europe, but in the past they have put a match on the Thursday instead. Mind, I know it was an earlier round, against lesser opposition, and almost certainly not a priority to either, but Sunderland played Crewe in the League Cup on the Tuesday evening after playing Ipswich at 5pm two days earlier on the Sunday.

https://www.live-footballontv.com/ It's a poor week for live football. Nothing appeals to me on Tuesday and Thursday, and I can't really be bothered with our match too much, although I will of course be watching. Leicester vs Leeds does look really good on Friday though.

Good to see WBA win. Still early, but the bookies in terms of top 2, promotion, top 6 etc. odds kind of have a clearer 7 teams - the obvious current top 2, Leeds, Southampton, Boro, Sunderland, and WBA. https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/top-2-finish https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/promotion https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/top-6-finish A few other teams are currently up there, like Hull and Cardiff, but possibly more likely to fall away like what we are seeing with Preston following their excellent start. Watford and Norwich are looking bang average, and there's not many other parachute teams around, and beaten playoff finalists Coventry are well off the pace points wise, so it possibly / probably will be the likes of Leeds, Southampton, Boro and WBA that prevent Sunderland from making the playoffs again, so I'd therefore like to see those win more often than not.

I've definitely taken a lot more interest this season, probably mainly due to the YouTubers. I would often watch a NFTV or Pearson video last year, but mainly just for something to watch as I like general match vlog types, but I am actually far more interested in how they get on this season, and did have the Burnley match at least on in the background when it was streamed on nufc.co.uk (although not YouTube) the other week. I'd definitely look to go to SJP if they played a match there this season, some of it just to be at the stadium on a rare occasion, but I'd be a lot more interested in the actual outcome than if I had gone during the Alnwick or Barnsley matches in the past couple of years. The win at the weekend was in the cup. It was meant to be at Gateshead Stadium, but due to the weather, the match was switched to somewhere near Kingston Park, but not the actual KP stadium where they usually play. There was apparently no website / YouTube stream in the end due to the late change in venue.

Mostly https://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=190810&start=440 I thougt @The Fish might have been on there with a Newcastle perspective.

Started today for Volendam vs Excelsior. Subbed at half time when they were 0-1 down, but they turned it around in the second half to win 3-1.

The way I see it, we'll be in the League Cup next year, and the year after etc. whereas there's no guarantee we'll be in any form of Europe next season. We have 6 big injuries, 3 very likely starters, 2 fine to come in and not really notice too much difference, and also a good young player who can play a number of roles. In a couple of years, after continuous strengthening, there will be no Dummetts, Ritchies, Manquillos, Krafts, Gillespies etc. taking up a place in the 25 man squad mainly due to them being good I'm the dressing room. We'll also have far more good younger players who won't need a place in the 25 man squad, and ultimately have far more options in the case of an injury crisis like this. It's just not feasible to have a squad of so few competent options (when a situation like this occurs), and you can't expect them all to play Sat-Wed for about 4 weeks straight, especially with our intensity, something has to give, and because we're still relatively early in the competition and we have a fairly tough match on paper, to me, this would be the best time to rest as many as we can. A shame because we obviously do badly want to win a trophy at some point, but it's just unfortunate circumstances.

When was the last time we missed a penalty? In an actual match, not the Palace shootout.

Aye, kind of looked like he was saying farewell at full time. Not all him, as there was Critchley or someone before him, but their record this past 24 months has been diabolical.

I didn't actually see the West Ham game, but this feels less like 2 points dropped to me, possibly because the goal was later at W Ham. Quite content with this result. I'd consider W Ham away the harder match on paper as well.

When you're missing Isak, Tonali, Barnes, Murphy, Anderson, Botman, even L Miley, and 4 of your 25 man squad contain Kraft (harsh I know, but still), Manq, Dummy and Ritchie, it's just not feasible trying to juggle 3 or 4 competitions, plus it's a tough match on paper, so it won't feel like an opportunity missed if it was say Bmouth at home again like the L16 last year. Rest them all, and keep them as fresh as possible for Arsenal.

Dubs Livra Dummy Lascelles Kraft Ritchie Hall Willock Targett Some random youngster like J Miley Ben Parkinson

Yep, same. It would have been a long 20 mins or so without that breather and Neto going off. Disappointing to let the lead slip twice, but given the circumstances, it's a decent enough point. We'll lose ground on some of the upper echelon teams, but it's a point more than I was thinking for a long time. Sack off that cup game in midweek!

Wolves player the spitting image of Isak there

Wolves assistant looks like Eddie

Subs really are baffling. Both FBs on yellow cards, knackered, and we have like 5 FB subs. It's as if Howe's trying to prove something. Bizarre/

Kind of feels a matter of time til they score again. Coming on strong last 7 mins or so.

Fuckin hell, what an eventful half that was