HaydnNUFC

crossovergrid.com/soccer Got 8/9. Seething. New grid every day at 3pm.

Again, apologies for the incessant comparisons to Liverpool 4+ years ago, but like them back then we seem to wait for the right player to be available and then we act. In their first season in the CL they persevered with Lovren, Klavan and Matip as their CBs for 4 months until a deal for Van Dijk, their long term target, became available following the sale of Coutinho. Think that's what's happening with a RCB, looking like that's Antonio Silva, and hopefully is what's happening with a RW. Botman was similar. Personally rated the window a 9/10 btw, never expected to address every area of the squad. It never works like that, especially with the constraints we're under.

Did think this exact move would happen but not until next summer. ~100m from Saudi for Salah who's value won't get any higher given his age atm. Be amazed if it happens this window.

"Considering how we dismantled them in this fixture last season" Aye, where with 10 men for 70 minutes we had a higher xG and MOTM was given to either ASM or their goalkeeper. Proper dismantled.

Just keep it as is imo. This is coming from someone whose birth succeeds the introduction of three English clubs into the CL, mind. But next year's format is fucking shite and I hope whoever thought of it is involved in a chip pan fire.

Two wrongs and that, but I did chuckle.

Good ol' Tory Alex.

Even still, didn't Rangers become the worst CL group stage team ever last season? Lost all 6 games and had a -22 GD. Including a 1-7 home loss to Liverpool.

I live in CLS and also went to PV, left sixth form in 2019. It is about 50-50, though I've seen loads of Newcastle shirts when walking up and down Front Street last couple of weeks. I'm in the Lambton Arms fairly often as it's around the corner from the train station and my best mate from PV is one of the managers there now, TV flicks on a slide show from current deals on food to a NUFC crest on a black and white background saying "Your home for live NUFC matches". A town near the banks of the Wear is full of Newcastle fans, they'll be fewmin. They'll never admit it to themselves but the likelihood is they will never catch us up. Must play on their inferiority complex painfully.

So it was. For both group stages.

We're the team in Pot 4 that not one of the big sides, or any side really, will want btw. Can't remember the last time that a PL club was in Pot 4 for the group stage draw, but it's a PL club with a very good side and what should be a home ground with a phenomenal atmosphere. Our style of play is also well suited to knockout football; pressing teams to death and a vociferous crowd behind the team. It goes a long way. The constant comparison between us and Klopp's Liverpool 3+ years ago in terms of playstyle is there to see, which is a playstyle that's got them to 3 CL finals in the last 5 years. Not saying we're reaching the final btw. But I'm thinking quarter finals providing we don't get a group of death or Bayern/Real Madrid in the Ro16. Don't think we can get PL teams until the QFs, and of course if we get Man City there then it's curtains.

Going to go out on a limb as a #DeludedJawdee but I reckon we win all of or at least go unbeaten in all of our home games. Don't care who we're playing. We've proven we can at the very least compete against the best from the PL, the best/richest league in the world, at SJP. No reason why we can't do that against those in other European leagues. The only teams I probably really fear (if that's the right word) in this that aren't in the PL are Bayern, Napoli and Real Madrid. All the others I'd be more or less confident of doing at SJP. Wonder what reception Tonali would get at the San Siro if we draw Milan, mind.

Feyenoord Real Madrid Lazio Newcastle United Pls. Big European names, 1 giant and a very good chance of getting out the group.

All opinions. Just think that going with both from the start limits how much we can change things if they go wrong in a game. Plan A and B would already be on the pitch. Obviously horses for courses and all that. Think also Isak's injury last season was the first long term one of his career? May be wrong on that. But I don't see him anywhere as injury prone as Wilson, and yet we got 31 games out of Wilson last season which is good going given his history.

I don't think Rashford is suited as a #9 at all and false 9s are a totally different thing to out and out strikers imo. Isak and Wilson together is a good option from the bench to change things up when chasing a game but I'm not a fan of it from the start. Think we only scored 2 goals from open play at the back end of last season when they started and were on the pitch together and those were the 2 breakaway goals at home to Brighton. It restricts Isak who is imo our best attacker, one of if not the best footballers we have at the club, to an auxiliary role where he can be shut out of games as he'd be starting on the left. Obviously this is assuming that we'd stick with the 4-3-3 as I can't see Howe changing that to accommodate getting Isak and Wilson starting through the middle as two #9s or with Isak just off Wilson. Also, Isak is our future through the middle. Wilson however is a fabulous option to have on the bench and to rotate Isak with given the amount of midweek football we'll be playing after the first international break.

I think you'll struggle to find a club in the league that has more than 2 first team strikers. Even those in Europe other than maybe Brighton. Man City - Haaland, Alvarez Arsenal - Jesus, Nketiah Newcastle - Isak, Wilson Man Utd - Hojlund, Martial/Rashford(?) Liverpool - Nunez, Jota (they play a very fluid front 3, hard to narrow players down to strikers) Brighton - Welbeck, Ferguson, Joao Pedro

Feels daft doing it 5 days before the game but already lumped on. There hasn't been a more certain booking.

Bruno to drop a rage fuelled masterclass on Sunday and put his fingers in his ears Ayoze style after he scores our 4th.

9/10 for me. Only expected 4 signings and we've got them. LB sorted, Livramento will end up being a great signings to take some pressure off Trippier's fitness, a potentially elite level CM which will also take pressure off of Bruno given our record with and without him and Barnes will hit 15+ G&A I reckon. Only place where we lack real depth is at CB, though Hall signing means we could move Burn into being Botman's cover and Lascelles as Schar's. Bit of a drop off in quality though and Schar will be 32 in December; remains to be seen if he can hack 42 or so plus games when starting. We also lack pace at CB; though I've always thought the ideal CB we'll want is either too expensive atm or isn't available. We'll want a right footed Botman with pace essentially, unsure who's out there we could get. Will be sorted next summer. I personally also wanted a RW as I feel we lack real quality there. Almiron is good in the press as seen in games such as Brighton (h) last season and always grafts but he lacks serious attacking quality in terms of decision making in possession and build up. Had a fantastic scoring run October-November last year but I've seen nothing to suggest in the 4.5 years he's been here that he'll hit those heights again. I sincerely hope he does. Murphy is almost at cult hero status and is a meme, a good option off the bench as seen against Villa but like Almiron I also think he lacks that serious quality. Like the CB though, the RW Howe would consider an upgrade likely isn't available atm but I do hope we get one sooner rather than later.

*makes account private*

Bruno has been a victim of his own success I think. When he signed, those games after Southampton (a) where got his first start in the second half of 2021-22 and the first 3 months or so of last season he was frankly unbelievable. Probably because of the ridiculous contrast of having Bruno in midfield to having Shelvey, Hendrick and Hayden there only a few months prior. Because many aren't used to seeing him not stand out as much as he did a lot maybe expect too much of him. He's going to stand out like an oasis in a desert of Ashley era midfielders but with a ridiculously performing Joelinton, a great Tonali and the ever improving Willock and Longstaff he doesn't and likely won't.

Despise about 99% of our fans on Twitter. Full of odious weirdos, unfunny bell ends, just general thickos in various cliques. Burnsie, Gallant, Wraith and his mob, that dentist, Sean Casey, Ginger Pirlo, Polls, even Adam P to an extent. Then the multitude of big accounts like 360, Index, Magpie 24/7 amongst others. The polarising views and opinions from the fanbase on NUST in addition to just the mere existence of NUSC. Part of the reason why meaningful protests against Ashley could never be brought together. Now it's just conflicting self interested egos or just painfully unfunny divs that come out with brainless takes. I'm glad that many of our players don't bother with Twitter and stick to Instagram. Twitter is a toxic cesspit of cunts. Probably why I'm on it tbf.

Huge banner of his dogs and one of our coach throwing that bottle at their bench last year imo.

None of the players outside of the defence were at their best on Saturday but Bruno and Burn were fine, no idea why those two were on there. "Is it too early to blame individuals?" ffs

3-0, Isak to be Andy Cole reincarnate and back a hatty in the first 30 minutes. Ah beg.