HaydnNUFC

Clubs have bad seasons, it happens. But that’d be one really bad season. It’s quite possible he could equal a consecutive home league defeat record and finish 15th-17th after spending a canny wedge in the summer. It’s possible he doesn’t either. I want him to turn it around hence the ifs.

FWIW I want him to turn it around. Win tonight and the mood flips. C’est la vie in football. I just don’t see how a bottom 6 finish can be excused; we haven’t had an injury crisis like 2023-24 or Spurs last season (Postecoglu won a trophy too and the league campaign still cost him his job) Too many of the signings haven’t shown enough value for money and other than Miley not one player has improved. And it’ll feel like we’re in a cycle; no Europe and we’re class. Back in Europe and its laborious/shite footy until we don’t have to contend with the ‘perils of Europe’ as Howe put it recently. That can’t continue. Yes that’s still a far cry from the Ashley years but they aren’t supposed to be the benchmark.

I think being one of the highest net spenders in his tenure and dropping from 5th to a bottom 6 finish is pretty poor. Postecoglu did the same last season but also won a trophy and still lost his job. We were 6-1 up against a poor side recently yet still didn’t rotate as effectively as he could’ve done. Brutal cup draws? Yes in 2023-24’s case but this season? Other than Barcelona and PSG in the CL there wasn’t one side where we thought we’d be up against it. We’ve been at home throughout the entire League Cup run, playing Bradford, the worst Spurs side in my lifetime and Fulham. The FA Cup draws have been tougher, but regardless of Howe’s record against Bournemouth the 10th placed side in the league at home should be a fixture you’re looking to win. Unless you mean fixture congestion, in which case Howe’s had 2 cracks at a European campaign and come somewhat unstuck. Much less so 2023-24 because we were fantastic at home and still managed 85 goals in spite of the injuries that year. But finishing in the bottom 6 as I said being my personal tether would be inexcusable.

Last season felt like that because we couldn’t spend on top of selling 2 good prospects, this season hasn’t felt that way to me in spite of the Isak carry on due to the players we have brought in for big money are likely going to land us a bottom half finish below the mackems from 5th.

I reckon I enjoyed more games in the second half of 2018-19 under Benitez than I have this season.

For my tuppence from over the last few days if he doesn’t reach Wembley (so that’s at least the semi finals of the FA Cup) and assuming we go out to Barcelona and we finish in the bottom 6 on top of that I’d be in favour of a change. Lot of ifs there mind, as I want him to turn it around. But we have been dire to watch this season, the league campaign is on the brink of becoming shambolic and we still need surgery to that squad, which I don’t believe gets done. Get those ticket prices risen again, David.

The 2029-30 season is 3 summer transfer windows away. Not a chance Hopkinson’s claim rings true.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11246209/newcastle-1-0-manchester-united-matt-ritchie-goal-lifts-magpies

I do actually think we miss Schar's passing ability atm but with Trippier at RB we've got probably the slowest options for the back line in the league. With Man City sniffing about Tino in addition to his injury record, fuck my life if Trippier is still here and getting minutes next season at 36.

What an absolute bell end. Clearest example of letting your team mates down there.

Was a moment in the second half toward the Strawberry Corner where he didn’t bother to challenge an Everton defender for the ball who just let it roll out for a goal kick, the fuck was that about?

25-30 minutes in I think? Was before we equalised for 1-1.

A few pints for the first time in a while and an unreal curry at Dabbawal cushioned the blow of yesterday and whilst a lot of it is old ground, to go into it a bit; - Goalkeepers are fucking horrendous and not upgrading in the summer is negligence. - The defence is slow as fuck. Everton could clear the ball upfield and Beto, Barry, Dewsbury-Hall or whoever looked like they could catch up our CBs and win the ball. - Team has zero creativity. Our 2 goals were shots from distance that were deflected (not 100% whether Murphy’s was or not tbf). For all the ball we had in the second half we didn’t work Pickford until that Tonali volley. - Don’t think Howe has a clue what to do with Woltemade. Him getting subbed after getting 14 touches in a midfield role sums this up. - Elanga and Woltemade getting subbed before an hour in a game that we’re chasing sums up the summer business. - Frustations with Gordon. I don’t think Gordon was stand out bad but the only thing he did all game was give them the winner. - We’ve actually scored a few from set pieces this season but I still feel that we don’t have a decent dead ball taker. Haven’t scored a direct FK in almost 4 years. 3 different takers hitting the first man from a corner back to back in the first half was so bad I actually laughed at the third time. - A 35 year old Trippier is still dictating our general play, especially in the first half, in 2026. Joelinton having a go at the bench to change things was reminiscent of Isaac Hayden doing similar to Bruce. So amateurish. Major work needs doing to that squad but don’t think it gets done. Too many are past their sell by date or aren’t good enough. 2 wins in 8 in the league? 3 back to back home defeats? Next up in the league; Chelsea and the mackems. What joy.

Think that 90 minutes typified everything wrong with that squad. Europe’s gone. Just shite.

Is Marchetti on ice and they just wheel him out for each CL and EL draw?

Inshallah.

I do sometimes wonder that myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCMUV3LK2Ns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eEN_rEZQEY

Most woke SJP has ever been. Felt sick.

Rather play Chelsea. Don’t see them fancying it up here on a CL night.

A draw here would be a decent result for us given Everton and Man Utd are as it stands 2 and 10 points ahead of us and we play both at home back to back next. Don’t think we can catch Man Utd with 11 games to go like but every little helps and that.

QARABAĞ FK @ St. James' Park Qarabag come to the north east to try and create history not only by overturning a 5 goal deficit, away from home, in a CL knockout game. But to score their second goal on English soil in European competitions in over 10 years. Our biggest European capitulations have been, as far as I am aware, 2 goals and both happening away from home against AZ Alkmaar and Sporting Lisbon. LAST TIME OUT? WHAT ABOUT THEM NOW? They've actually had a blank weekend between the Baku bumming and this leg after the Azerbaijan FA allowed them to postpone Saturday's league fixture at Neftci Baku. This will be their sixth competitive visit to England and their results read as follows: 2015/16 Spurs (a) lost 3-1 (Europa League) 2017/18 Chelsea (a) lost 6-0 (Champions League) 2018/19 Arsenal (a) lost 1-0 (Europa League) 2024/25 Spurs (a) lost 3-0 (Europa League) 2025/26 Liverpool (a) lost 6-0 (Champions League) I can already foresee the 'put the kids out' and 'rest players x, y, z' but after looking at PL sides in the past that have taken a large lead on aggregate into a home second leg, very few changes were made as seen below; Arsenal's starting XI against PSV last season, after winning the away first leg 7-1: Raya, White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Jorginho, Zinchenko, Sterling, Merino, Tierney Liverpool's starting XI against Porto in 2017-18, after winning the away first leg 5-0: Karius, Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Milner, Mane, Firmino, Lallana A strong side still needs to be starting the game, however I do think we could see Alex Murphy start at CB given Thiaw's suspension and question marks over Botman's availability. Regardless, should be a formality. Howay the lads!

Spurs’ away games are horrid also, given they’re unable to win at home.

That inflatable Thomas Frank top shithousery tbf