Odear

It might be easier to follow the story of this alleged takeover now that the transfer window has shut. I think some people were half expecting us to announce it and then sign a Robinho type just before the window shut. And then when it was becoming obvious this wouldn’t happen the go to emotion is despair.

I think it’s real but was nowhere near finalised. The comments from Bruce today and some other folk seem designed to take the heat out of the story. There’s no way he’d comment on it without it being an approved statement.

If this fails he will have nowhere left to hide. He can’t use the excuse of not finding a buyer who would be able to compete with the top clubs. So if this doesn’t happen the only reason he can possibly give is that he doesn’t want to sell. At this point, every bad decision he makes will all be on him, no using time wasters as an excuse. Plus it might finally dawn on the rest of the season ticket holders that this cunt is here forever. At least for the rest of our lives for some of us. It would be the point when people just finally give up on the club.

That’s because the only article that’s come out with anything has been the WSJ. Every other local or national paper was caught on the hop. But they know this is a once a year spike in clicks so they are happy to feed into the mindset of the obsessed supporter who are also more than happy to get wound up by the whole debacle. Jim fucking White mentions the next 48-72 hours will be critical based on nothing but yet everyone seems to think it goes in tandem with the transfer deadline. It doesn’t. We can probably accurately guess that Mandy and her pals have come in with a decent offer this time and Mike is the one saying “let me have a think about it” He doesn’t really want to sell. We know that. But he might if the deal is sweetened somehow. This whole thing leaking doesn’t make discussions easy now because all eyes are on them all. And it’s Mandy and the Reubens who are negotiating. The other Saudi party don’t need to be part of this, they’ll just cough up the money once it has the green light.

Helicopter headed straight for Manchester now. We blew it.

The quieter the better. The transfer deadline has nothing to do with the takeover. I suspect if he was thinking of selling it would have been in April or May (speculation). The leak coming out has put the spotlight on something that isn’t done yet. The only news agency that’s written it said anything that can be trusted to this point is the WSJ. The guy who wrote the article said they wouldn’t have published it if it wasn’t very likely to happen. Anyone mentioning timelines or anything else to do with it since is pure guess work/speculation. Those claiming to have sources at the club didn’t know jack before the WSJ wrote their piece.

Man U fans are firing flares at Ed Woodwards house, and our lot will be wondering what their problem is. It’s all relative though. Give them our situation what would they do. Part of me thinks fair played to them but there’s no way their situation is anywhere near as bad as at Newcastle so it seems like an overreaction last night. Or have we been pummelled into submission..

Madness, they’ve spent more than most other clubs in the league, albeit poorly. Would love to see them sold to a Mike Ashley type. They’d be begging for the situation they have now.

It’s just double standards by certain elements of the media. If it was Arsenal or Man Utd there would be little said. The faux outrage would be short lived in any case. Once a decent manager came in and we were signing players, the sporting element would win over. Sportswashing, sure. There’s no cost. We’ve paid our penance and then some over the last 12/13 years.

Will you be done by page 666? Probably not.

Will it be done by page 666?

Surely that contract if it exists, would be counted into the price? Or that might explain how the value is so low. If it were me buying the club, I’d just go along with it and then break contract later. It’s much harder for Ashley to prove in court that a deal like this isn’t breaking some sort of rule

Oh here we go.. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10825562/rafa-benitez-newcastle-saudi-arabian-takeover/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Remember when we were used by Man Utd to flush out the price for Rooney. They (Saudi) have made about 4 or 5 bids for Manchester United. 5 billion was a figure I heard mentioned and still the Glazers wouldn’t negotiate. Maybe this is like the Rooney thing expect going the other way. It’s a leak to the media to put pressure on the Glazers as a buyer like Saudi is a one time thing. Nothing good ever happens to this club. Not like this. So let’s assume as far as NUFC is concerned this is bullshit.

His decision making with the ball has been shocking though, even in advanced positions - so it’s not a positional thing. He wants far too much time on the ball and gets caught on it so much or can’t hold his nerve and gives it away needlessly. He needs time out of the team imo, he’s not currently good enough. So what’s changed? The thing that made him stand out last season was his ability to make space to give him extra time on the ball. That’s a basic ability/skill that some players just have. He was injured, is he still struggling? Did all the links with Man Utd mess with his head? I don’t believe it’s all down to Bruce ruining a talent.. it’s those basic things that you can’t coach a player that have gone missing.

A takeover story is digital gold for the football media sites. Of course they’re going to get carried away with it. Wouldn’t actually surprise me if one of those goons started the rumour to begin with.

I think the main problem is Mike Ashley half wants to sell the club but at the same time doesn’t know what it’s worth. Doesn’t want to run the club in a way to gain maximum value so he’s stuck in this place where he has an asset that’s not worth half of what it could be 350m seems to have been a figure dropped in the media several times. But that seems low to me. The playing squad is worth half that.

I really thought Manchester United would have been in for that kid. His transfer fee was a pittance considering how well he’s done in the CL this season.

Started pre season well. Regressed as the season has gone on. Hasn’t shown any of the sort of play he gave to previous teams. Plays way too deep and hasn’t shown any sign of forging a partnership with the other forward players. I think it’s a case of him not being happy here. Not settled etc. Something isn’t right. You’d expect him to have developed an understanding with the other players after 30 games but it’s not there at all.

Not this time. It’s likely bullshit now that it’s leaked. BZG were as close as it’s ever gotten and with hindsight they weren’t, so..

Schär can get rattled and loses his cool quite easily. Which sometimes it’s good to see the players ready to put up a fight, but not stupid yellow cards. Lejeune is calm and makes the right decision more often than not. He was thrown into the team too quick after his injury. But when he’s up to speed he’s one of our best players. Lascelles, Clark, Schär and Lejeune have all seemed to have gotten used to each other too. It’s good that different combinations at the back can work, as this wasn’t the case last season at times.

Little risk. He could add a lot to the team with his passing ability. If it doesn’t work out we’ll get by with what we have.

30% possession football is the club identity now thanks to Rafa. Bruce with his limited skill set was never going to change much.

Has it been confirmed yet? Gutted to lose him. My favourite NUFC player atm alongside Miggy Just going by what Bruce has said in an interview after the game. It looked quite innocuous at the time which usually means it’s going to be serious. And yeah, gutted for him. He’s been a major upgrade on Dummett. We’re lucky Rafa got Ritchie used to playing LWB because we’ll need him there now.

Cruciate ligament injury. I think that could well have been his last game for the club.