Altamullan

The only ‘news’ here is the starting of a company. If she ‘has only done this three times’ (as originally asserted)—Citeh purchase; her Foundation and now—then that is really exciting news. If ‘she regularly does this’ then no change really. Fuck it, I choose to believe the full-tilt version of the former. The good Ms Staveley is giving us some clues and some free rein, through her new Cantervale project, she’s about to canter into the vale, rename Nine Bar Central Ave, build a cantalever stand, but she can’t reveal just yet.

Can't avail = Can't Help Hidden message. It's off. Or is it 'Can't help myself, I must have this club!' It predicts one of those two outcomes.

Can't Reveal Ha!

Pantalaimon: fictional character which takes on many forms. It’s true form is a Pine Martin, nature’s most adorable assassin.

My predictions for tonight So close to a perfect quadruple. Your runes are strong.

Please resist the temptation to turn your fantasising into a Lukaku stylee song.

? The oil on the Tyne, is all mine, all mine... ?

Ma’ al-salāmah Pet! Here you are chaps, an Arabic word per day: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/wordadayarabic.com/2012/12/21/you-say-goodbye-and-i-say-hello/amp/

Fig on the Tyne... Geordie Arabia...

Both had good games. However, Diame, Atsu, Perez, Lascelles were all on it too. I don’t think anyone in ‘blue’ had a bad game, actually. Real team effort.

This is the first time she has started a company since the City takeover... ... dum, dum; dum, dum; dum dum; da da da da; dum, dum;

Watch the oil suddenly dry up. Just waiting for Trump to unleash nuclear armageddon the second the takeover is confirmed If nothing else i think you just confirmed the new owner is in fact Trump.

Think I'll swap my Iberian Magpie for an Aubergine... Given actual knob shots are out.

Don't worry, it was! It happened before Xmas... I mean on Boxing Day.. I mean now. Bit late but he's definitely confirmed it

He seemed to be clicking his jaw repetitively at one point. He might have a tic disorder/mild Tourette’s (which seems more likely than being coked-up). P.S. or he’s in training for a gurning comp... he’s not Cumbrian is he?? I hadnt actually thought of that. I hope not or i'll feel a bit bad for laughing at him. I just assumed it was some sort of nervous habit. It’s not uncommon, particularly when people are stressed/wound-up. No big deal for him, I hope, either way.

I was absolutely desperate for us to sign Iheanacho. Perhaps we’ve dodged a bullet. (Or maybe Rafa and less strong competition would have given him time to break through).

No ...City

I like Ritchie, for a variety of reasons, but on yesterday’s showing I’d swap him for Choupo-Moting; suspect Rafa would too.

He seemed to be clicking his jaw repetitively at one point. He might have a tic disorder/mild Tourette’s (which seems more likely than being coked-up). P.S. or he’s in training for a gurning comp... he’s not Cumbrian is he??

Credit where it is due, this fella was excellent yesterday.

Perhaps more controversially, the way we use Shelvey annoys me a little. Yesterday, for example, I was sat in the first row, level with halfway (opp dugouts) and there were a number of occasions when instead of continuing forward momentum, stretching Stoke, our player slowed down (Yedlin on a couple of occasions springs to mind and Murphy, I think, another time) laid the ball off to Shelvey to launch a long pass, and jogged forward into space. I am sure it can be an effective tactic, and Shelvey’s passing is a great asset, but it was all a bit formulaic and gives the opposition time to get back into position.

Wrong, we we worked the most hard of all teams yesterday ran 118km in total. That's kind of the point I was making though. It's naiive to think that distance ran = effort without factoring in anything else. Trying to get my head around this. What else would you add to the ‘equation’ to calculate effort? Tackles/blocks/passes/‘ other stuff’ attempted? If we’re talking hard working (as synonymous with effort), only, I’d assume something like distance travelled as the most useful criterion in Football. If we’re talking effectiveness (successful passes/blocks/tackles; shots on goal; distance travelled with the ball; or just possession etc) or efficiency (goals per shot; percentage of time in final third etc) then fair enough. But for ‘hard working’/effort what else would make it less naive?

Ayoze has really gotten on my tits this season, but fair play to him yesterday. Thought he made some fabulous touches and linked-up really well with Atsu (who I also thought was often our most advanced player, in the first half).

I was really confused about that. I had a great view and there didn’t seem to be any contact with his eye/face. Since seen highlights and similarly no contact. Wonder if an eyelash or bit of mud got stuck?