Geordie_once_removed

If this turns out to be DCL for about 15 million, with Minteh going the other way on loan I'd be fine with it. My only concern would be that Dyche doesn't seem the ideal manager to help develop a winger with flair.

That's kind of what I expected. The main cost to Man U would be political in that they look cheap, amateur and ultimately not as trustworthy to potential employees which would matter some as those at the top end of the industry may not want to deal with that, so they would be overall a less attractive proposition.

I was meaning towards Man U. On the one hand there is a clear disruption of a rival due to approaching their employee but legally I'm not sure that would be much of a case as we presumably didn't have to put him on gardening leave. It would be politically costly to Man U and make them look a bit cheap and amateur but beyond that I'm not sure if their would be tangible consequences.

Apologies if asked already but what are Newcastle's options if Man United decide to walk away? Can they still demand some compensation? He clearly can't come back and you've lost the use of a key employee (while still paying him). On Southgate as a manager, I broadly like him as England manager but international football is so different from club football and I think it will really expose his biggest weaknesses as a manager and not really compliment his strengths. Specifically his lack of tactical flexibility and ability to impact games with changes while no one will really care that much about how he carries himself with dignity and seems to impart that on his team. When you're a club manager you're not really representing anything bigger/embodying and broader principles, so why would people care that much.

Gordon, Joelinton, Willock and even Anderson could play there with only minor changes to the established system. Even with ASM leaving it seemed the position we were strongest in.

I wonder if Chelsea signing Tosin ahead of us meant we went for Trafford over the Georgian guy as he's cheaper and we now need to reallocate some funds to buy a CB. To me the signing makes a lot of sense as do most of our transfers. The only one I still don't really get is Barnes.

Happy with this. Though he does look a bit like Sloth from The Goonies.

That looks just like a Viz fake newspaper page for 'Take a shit'.

Just like Everton going for Phillips is the most Everton signing possible at the moment. Hendrick signing for us under Ashley was such a peak Ashley move in such a terrible way. I feel bad for the guy, before he'd even kicked a ball for us he had already become the personification of the deep malaise the club was in. But by God I'm also glad to see him going and another connection to that period severed and relegated to history.

Oooo that is such an Everton signing.

I wonder that without European football the club might actually spend more than it was planning to in order to show to the top players that as a club we're still progressing hoping this will make them stay. I think next season is perhaps the biggest in the clubs modern history, if it goes well and Champions football is secured I think it is possible to see Newcastle win the League within the next couple of year. If we falter then that will see Howe go and a number of our top players pushing for moves and we become a northern Spurs, the nearly men, who occasionally taste European football but are never realistically in with a chance of winning the league.

That'll do pig. That'll do. Goes hand in glove with their "strategic" approach to owning a football club. Have a money ball approach to player recruitment based on buying young unproven talent, then hire a manager who just left a club due it's policy of signing young unproven talent over more experienced players. Can someone get me some popcorn while I sit back and enjoy this?

Fecking Scum United. I'm mainly hacked off for three reasons. 1. I live on continental Europe so I've possibly lost a chance to see is play live. 2. Scum United fans won't appreciate playing these games and we really would have. 3. It shouldn't have gone down to this. Everton and Brighton at home should have both been won and Scum United were there for the taking.

Exactly. That's why hopefully he'll end up going there and even the ashes of the club will catch fire and burn down.

I wrote this as part of a longer post in the Next Season thread: "Chelsea are a close second behind Villa in terms of our biggest threat, their team has a lot of talent I just hope they do something stupid like sack Pochettino who seems to be slowly turning a group of individuals into something resembling a team." So it was all me, you're welcome. Allegri is available, has a big name, seems like a bit of tool, has a dislikeable face, isn't great at developing youth and seems to be on a downward trajectory in his career. He's perfect for them. I shall use my powers to now make this happen.

Wow, just when you think they couldn't do any more dumb things. It's like they really don't care at all about meeting PSR. Him and his staff's payout must be £10 million plus. Who would actually want to go there now?

Personally I think they are more likely to sign him if they don't go up. In the past he's shown he can get unsettled when not first choice but he's not really good enough at the top level. If they get promoted I think they'll say thanks for your service and send him back, looking for younger players (e.g.Whittaker) or abroad. If they lose he's shown he's a cheap option who is good enough to help them with a promotion push.

I see a top 4 finish mainly as I look at our rivals (except Arsenal and City) and see some clear weaknesses. Liverpool have a creaking defence and have been spoony this season, I see a post Klopp hangover coming. Villa I see as the biggest rival but they faded at the end of the season and the rigours of the Champions League might stretch their squad like it did ours causing a similar drop off to us. Spurs faded even worse than Villa and I think they'll struggle even more as teams adapt to Ange's tactics quicker than he can (or will) adapt in turn, if I were a Spurs fan his body language during some of those recent defeats would concern me he just didn't seem to know what to do. Chelsea are a close second behind Villa in terms of our biggest threat, their team has a lot of talent I just hope they do something stupid like sack Pochettino who seems to be slowly turning a group of individuals into something resembling a team. Man U, based on their curret players I don't see anything to fear and they won't be able to sign all the players needed to change this. All their bluster over Ashworth is because they can't afford to even pay half a reasonable release fee. It seems they'll have a new manager (which will impact their recruitment both financially and in terms of planning) and their recent record here isn't great, so I hope for another season of mediocrity for them.

You know what, I'm starting to think our recruitment team and manager might know a thing or two. He was great today. Bring on a summer training with Eddie et all and I think we can expect a very impressive season next year.

I agree and disagree, I do see him still having a role over the next 2/3 years. But strictly as an impact sub or as part of a clearly designed game plan e.g. against someone like City where we plan to ceed a lot of the ball bit be really rapid on the break

Yet another performance that should (but won't) shut up his critics. He's a real asset to the team when used correctly. I really hope he's here next seasons, albeit with a shiny new RW who starts most games ahead of him.

Assuming Livramento is out I'd go for a slightly leftfield choice of: Pope Krafth - Schar - Burn - Hall Anderson - Bruno - Joelinton Gordon - Isak - Barnes Longstaff offered very little against Man U so I'd pick Anderson over him, he's also been good defensively so would help out Krafth who is an obvious weak link but still gets the nod over Trippier who isn't looking match fit. It's time to unleash Big Joe and I just want to see that front 3 on the field together more. Hopefully they would be very fluid and hard to mark.

Going for Beth's title as most positive and reasoned poster?

I'd keep it as the manager. The captain can always signal to them they think it should be reviewed. For me this would add an interesting extra layer to being a manager.

I would scrap the "clear and obvious bit" it's just far too subjective to ever work. Yesterday's foul on Gordon is such a good example of this. In real time I didn't think it was a foul. Based on the first couple of replays I still didn't. When I saw the one from behind and I saw the heel step I thought it was a foul and a penalty. Is this a "clear and obvious" error? I'm not sure. The decision is wrong but if it takes 3/4 camera angles and slow mo to spot it is "clear and obvious"? In one match this is given, in another it isn't then you have this situation where everyone gets angry at a system that is supposed to remove human error. It's well meaning but unworkable. For me the solution is pretty simple. 1. Scrap the clear and obvious bit, when a decision goes to VAR their job is to make the correct decision regardless of what the on field referee decided. 2. Give each team 3 VAR referrals per match. The managers have 30 seconds after an incident to call for this by, for example, pressing a button on a watch they have. If their decision is right they keep the referral, just like tennis. 3. As soon as a referral is activated and play is stop the clock also automatically stops, to try to stop them being used as a time wasting strategy. 3. Only one referral is allowed after 85 minutes again to limit them being used in a tactical way to break up play/momentum in the crucial final minutes of a game. 4. I would also be tempted to put in place a max 1 minute rule for reviewing footage starting from when the first images are reviewed. Also perhaps limit the slowing down of the footage to half speed as when you view somethings in super slow motion it warps the perception of them. Particularly the case for potential sendings off due to dangerous play.