Geordie_once_removed

Those kits would be amazing. I've not bought a kit since Wonga sponsored the shirts. Those would tempt me back.

Though it'll be a real shame to see him go, he was the one bright spot in some bleak times, I can see ASM being sold this summer. With Gordon, Joelinton, Isak and Anderson we have 4 players who can play his preferred position and while he would be useful given the extra games next year he's probably our most sellable player. The way FFP works any profit made on him goes straight on the books allowing the purse strings to be disproportionately loosened for other signings whose cost can be spread over the years of their contacts. For these reasons, plus his fitness issues, I suspect he'll be the one sacrificed in order to make the squad more ready for playing in Europe (and qualifying again next year).

In a previous post I said I felt he was his own worst enemy as he kept getting in good positions only to be possessed by the ghost of Obertan at key moments, hence the heat he attracted. I'm glad Eddie got the exorcist in as he looks not just a great squad player but a decent starter at the moment. Yet another player who highlights the unbelievable job the coaching team are doing.

It reminded me a bit of the Villa game I was at earlier in the season. That was quite flat despite us mullering a team and set of fans we have an odd bit of rivalry with.

He's a pass for me. I he's clearly a good player but his end product just doesn't seem to justify the wages and fee he'd no doubt command. Also we're still at that status where I feel players coming from clubs like Barca would feel like they would be doing us a 'favour' by joining. We just don't need that attitude in the club.

For all the money Chelsea have spent they look less like scoring than a 14 year old me, and I had to wear a head brace for a bit. Poor recruitment.

Indeed I was very excited when it looked like he was coming to us. Justifiably it seems. Still very happy with Howe it worked out in the (Holt)end ?

That keeper shirt looks great! I would like Umbro to make our next kit. Wouldn't be big money spinner bit they make nice kits.

German football teams merchandise is next level. Which is odd as having lived in Germany for almost 10 years I'm always struck by their lack of entrepreneurial spirit and general desire to make money.

I don't know enough to say if he was improving them but the timing seems really odd. Especially as they have just backed him to do a Team USA! version of the old Lawrie Sanchez at Fulham transfer strategy. ?‍♂️

It's a 5 for me. While there were clearly good aspects like getting big earners who didn't contribute much, like Wood and Shelvey, off the wage bill. Also Kuol and Ashby look like sensible low risk buys with big potential. But it feels like a missed opportunity and we should have been bolder in addressing some obvious weaknesses in the team. Gordon feels like a big risk at that price.

Once seen this can never be unseen.

Without wanting to be dragged into a "he's shit - no he's not". This is just another fee that makes me think that fees are hugely inflated at the moment. What has he done to justify costing this much? I ask genuinely as I've not followed him closely so I only see the obvious e.g. 21 and no senior call ups, on the bench for a team that looks relegation bound.

I like Longstaff but he stood out today as clearly the weakest link in the team. We should keep him and he can play an important role (as a squad player) even in a team competing for the league but he's not starter quality unless it is in a specialised role for a particular game.

He was great when he came on, as others have said he needs to start now. Him and ASM now gives us a different way to play. I think the issue with the last few games is that we only really had the one formation a d style of play.

Everytime I click on this forum I feel like I've had a brain injury like the guy in Memento and unknowingly to me I'm reading the same 10 posts about if Chris Wood was shit or not.

He looked really out of his depth yesterday and flat out of confidence. He cut back and played a negative short pass several times that killed the momentum up that wing. It's such a shame as he was one of the players I was most excited about seeing what Howe could get out of him. We'll do well to get a couple of million for him. I could see him becoming the new Saivet where he just keeps getting loaned out on subsidised wages as no one will buy him.

So what does he have to do to get an England call up? Given some of the other cloggers that have a cap (say hello Michael Keane), surely he's good enough. He's also decent with his feet and versatile so you can't use the same justification that was used to pass over Lascelles in 2018. It would be great for the profile of the club to other potential signings if he did.

Barkley would be a bad move on any kind of deal. He was a prospect, but he never made good on his potential and it's what 5/6 years (longer?) since he turned in any consistent performances. People forget he was out of favour at Everton before he joined Chelsea. It also would send the wrong messages to players like Anderson. He's a scouse Jack Wiltshire basically.

Like most others I don't resent Dubravka wanted to leave even of it is back up. Also like others it does gaul a little that it is for Man United, who as has been widely discussed acted last tossers of the highest order last January. Where I differ is that it would be catastrophic to have Darlow as back up. Even the top 4 have a significant gap between their first and second choice keepers (Chelsea the exception?). For me he's fine, he doesn't command his area particularly well but he's a solid shot stopper. It's not fair to overly judge his distribution as he last played regularly under Bruce and we all know what that did to other much better players.

Murphy's issue is that he's almost a victim of his own 'success'. As in he gets in good positions/initially does good things, then he kacks it up. So we have an exaggerated impression of his shortcomings. He's also miles better that Obertan, who was basically the footballing version of Roadrunner after a pretty serious brain injury.

Wow, how do they still have 11 men on the pitch. Some strong case in defence of VAR so far.

Defensively yes, but he's also put in some nice balls.

I keep thing "Longstaff is showing tidy feet tonight" then I realise it's Anderson.

Ahhhhhhhhh, this is the transfer hit I've been after. What a nice surprise to find after I've been resisting checking in as not a lot was happening.