jonny1403

12 minutes ago, Jackie Broon said:

 

So in your categorisation exactly which are "the easiest fixtures we could have hoped for" if you're not including the other bottom four teams at home in that?

No, you're right, technically the fixtures were not the easiest possible fixtures that could have been generated ffs 

The point was that they were certainly easier than the next ten, and I stand by that.

52 minutes ago, Jackie Broon said:

 

I'm not sure about that, in hindsight we had a tough start.

 

West Ham H 2-4, have turned out to be top 4 contenders, not an easy fixture.

Aston Villa A 0-2, an away match against a better side than us, not an easy fixture.

Southampton H 2-2, expected to be relegation fodder but are a solid mid-table team, not as easy a fixture as it seemed.

Man U A 1-4, not an easy fixture.

Leeds H 1-1, one we'd probably expect to win, maybe could be described as an easy fixture.

Watford A 1-1, maybe could be described as an easy fixture, but it is away.

Wolves A 1-2, a top half team away, not an easy fixture.

Tottenham H 2-3, not an easy fixture.

 

5 definitely not easy fixtures and 3 debatables.

 

Brentford H 3-3, playing a team at home that had just lost to Norwich and Burnley, easy fixture.

Arsenal A 0-2, not an easy fixture.

Norwich H 1-1, easy fixture.

Burnley H 1-0, easy fixture.

Leicester A 0-4, not an easy fixture, but probably easiest we're going to get away against a top half team.

Liverpool A 1-3, not an easy fixture

Man City H 0-4, not an easy fixture

Man U H 1-1, not an easy fixture

Watford H 1-1, easy fixture

 

5 definitely not easy fixtures and 4 definitely easy fixtures. 

 

 

 

 

That's a weird way of categorising it given that you've equated matches against West Ham and Villa as the same difficulty as Liverpool and City . You also for some reason think Watford away, a pretty awful team, is debatable but Brentford, a far better team at home is definitely an easy game?

A much simpler analysis would be to flag that we had two top 6 teams in the first run and four plus Leicester in the second run.

8 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

But every aspect of it other than the results somehow, we’re pretty much all 18-20th in the league. Howe just hasn’t had the sheer luck Bruce did before this season.

 

 

 

And people forget that we had 10 games at the start of this season that apart from 1 or 2 were the easiest fixtures we could have hoped for. We were firmly, firmly in the shit before Howe arrived thanks to Bruce.

3 minutes ago, nufcnick said:

 

What part of what he’s just said is untrue? 

Maybe the fact that he's had only 10 games in charge of us? Half of which have been against the top 6 and with one of the worst squads we've ever had in the PL? It's honestly embarassing, we've come out of a decade of mediocrity and people are still kicking off. We deserve all the stick we get from the media at times.

7 minutes ago, Wandy said:

Just remember that only two weeks ago we had one of the worst results in our history, so the idea that the current manager is blameless is bullshit. He has also had the luxury of the most supportive home crowd for at least 15 years and we have little to show for it. Even Rafa didn't have that luxury and Bruce achieved results against the exact opposite backdrop. The honeymoon is over and it's time that the support showed it's teeth a little more as we are sleepwalking into the Championship. 

Christ our fans 

23 minutes ago, Fantail Breeze said:

 

It’s not an impossible position at all like.

 

People are rightly concerned based on our business so far (as I mentioned yesterday which has already cost us 2 points vs Watford) and it doesn’t mean you hate the owners or love Ashley if you point that out.

 

The concern isn’t necessarily with the owners for a CM either. I think Howe is having a big influence on areas we need strengthening and I’d speculate that he (wrongly) doesn’t see that as a priority.

 

 

 

How on earth did not signing a CB cost us 2 points v Watford? Trippier was beaten in the air for the goal. 

2 minutes ago, Gaztoon said:

 

Burnleys defence as been pretty impressive this season.. only 7 clubs have conceded less.

Ask on any Burnley forum, he's been very poor individually.

1 hour ago, STM said:

What a shit show. Not bothered about losing out on good players but I will be annoyed if we don't have other negotiations running concurrently.

 

Surely, at this stage, 25m on Tarkowski would be a smart move? Burnley couldn't turn that down and we would instantly improve.

100% no. He's been awful all season. 

41 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

 

Does anyone else despise the use of the word 'project' when talking about running a football club 

Quote

Newcastle have made a fresh approach to Manchester United for Jesse Lingard. 

Lingard is out of contract at Old Trafford in the summer and has no interest in remaining at the club beyond this season. 

Newcastle's current league position means Manchester United would not strengthening a direct rival for the top four. 

Lingard is believed to be interested in what Newcastle have to say and may favour a permanent move. 

Lingard's contract situation means he can move on a free in the summer, so any offer from Newcastle would need to reflect this in terms of the finances on offer. 

Lingard has a good friendship with Newcastle's new signing Kieran Trippier, and is thought to have been impressed by the clubs ability to attract a player of his calibre to St James's Park. 

14 minutes ago, macphisto said:

Yes, for the top players but not for what we need for the here and now to improve the team. This is a unique situation in terms of our position in the league relative to our finances now. I don't think you can go off the past too much.

 

I would be staggered if there had not been numerous approaches to the club prior to January by agents offering players this window who we could get and would improve the team. Maybe not the best players but definitely better than what we have which wouldn't be difficult.

No, for everyone. Just look at the stats for every January transfer window over the last decade. Clubs don't want to sell. I'm sure there have been 100s of approaches by agents to us, that doesn't mean a thing if the selling club doesn't want to think about selling until the last week in January or, in the case of a number of our targets, the summer 

3 minutes ago, macphisto said:

Two thirds of the Premier League are not facing relegation and 19 teams in the Premier League have won more games than us.

 

The league title is sown up by Man City, realistically only four teams are in relegation trouble all there's no reason for most teams to push the boat out in terms of buying players.

This happens every year though. It has nothing to do with clubs not wanting to buy players and everything to do with selling clubs not wanting to risk weakening their squads in the middle of an important run of fixtures. 

Just now, PlymouthGeordie said:

 

Not at all.

 

But we moved from one complicated deal with Botman on to another with Carlos and especially in the Carlos transfer it appears we're prioritising the perfect deal over having him in for Watford/Leeds.

 

It's risky.

I agree with this, yes. It might have made sense to try and get a lower profile, reliable CB in earlier. But we don't know who is available. Two thirds of the PL clubs haven't signed a single player yet. People just don't want to do business in Jan.

1 minute ago, alijmitchell said:

Agree with that. The longer the window goes on, the more sellers can drive up their prices. There is literally no incentive to sell, as long as you feel you can get a similar deal in the summer. It should have been a number of take it or leave it deals offered before Jan rather than all this dicking around.

And almost all of those take it or leave it deals offered in December would probably have been rejected, as has been explained multiple times.

5 minutes ago, PlymouthGeordie said:

 

The bit where we targeted a player out of our price range and then subsequently targeted another player in Carlos where we have similar issues which are also delaying/preventing the deal.

He wasn't out of our price range though. We were led to believe Lille would sell. It's really not our fault the selling club changed their mind. You seem to have an expectation that every transfer can be done in a few days when that really isn't the case in January and especially not for a club in our position.

7 minutes ago, CFlan said:

This is the kinda deal that should’ve been done in the first week in Jan. 

And Man United would almost certainly not have agreed to do a deal in the first week of Jan. Why do people still not get this.

7 minutes ago, PlymouthGeordie said:

 

I agree on this.

 

But Botman was our number 1 target and we spent 2 weeks on him and failed.

 

We now appear to have spent the best part of 2 weeks on Carlos and on the face of it progress appears slow and as a result we'll likely play 2 winnable games with no new CB and we've dropped 2 points in the first of those winnable games.

 

It's not great is all I'm saying.

But what part of that do you think is our fault? You can't just say 'pay what they want' because it isn't as simple as that. Lille moved the goalposts a number of times apparently. You can't just say well £70 million will get him so pay that because this isn't football manager and spending that much does still have repercussions. 

Is Alfonso Leocadio legit?

1 minute ago, Awaymag said:

as I said each to their own -Carlos has stated he wants to come.  Im not offending if he doesn't come in the end, just find Trensa comments condescending, that's my opinion.

And, with the due respect because this is your home and I am a tourist. 

Today there is not color, talking about sport performance, between you and us. Tomorrow maybe It is different but not Today. 

Not sure what of the above you feel is condescending. He's just pointing out the objective fact that Sevilla are La Liga challengers and we are horrific right now. Of course money talks but he isn't saying it won't. 

2 minutes ago, Awaymag said:

The lad sounds like he looks down on NUFC as not worthy, dont know why you engage with him some much, but each to their own.

English isn't his first language and to be honest Sevilla are a million times a better prospect than Newcastle right now. I don't know why people get so offended by the idea that a player might turn us down, a lot have already 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/spanish-la-liga/top-scorers

4th top scorer in La Liga atm 

6 minutes ago, Nine said:

I wonder if Howe will go to a back 5 with him now as Schar isnt suited well enough to a 4, I'd prefer to see Schar dropped and stay in a 4 as we dont have a left wing back for a back 5 right now. Dummett doesnt offer enough going forward and Ritchie is a disaster defensively so for now a back 4 would be best I think. If we sign a decent left wing back I'd expect a back 5 is what we'd see most weeks.

Just play Dummett as the LCB and Manquillo LWB.

18 minutes ago, Fantail Breeze said:

 

Matthias Ginter

Andrea Belotti

Calum Chambers

 

Is it possible to be pickled onion space raiders?

Literally all been linked with us already 

52 minutes ago, xLiaaamx said:

It'll just be Wilson and a keeper for now. 

We can't unregister Wilson unless you don't want him available for the rest of the season.

NUFC.com say Dummett is in the squad. Get him in at lb, we need solidity.