MSC26

Depressing that we have a world class manager and seem to be treating him with contempt. A lot of my mates are arguing "other clubs" haven't done much business yet, and the average is something like 2.2 signings for each club so far and their argument is we have signed 2 ourselves...but we need about 8 or 9. I can't see it ending well unless we pull a rabbit out the hat and sign two or three players by the end of this month. I suppose some deals, such as Siem De Jong, literally come out of nowhere, with little or no speculation, but this feels different. If Rafa goes, it will be fascinating to see how many people pack their season ticket in.

First post in a while this. I'm getting more worried as the days pass because we don't even look like we're in for anyone. Linked to 1,000 players in the press with new ones every day. I think we need at least 5 more players in. - Creative midfielder - Holding midfielder, use Hayden as cover as he is untested at this level and we could be throwing him in deep. Plus we we only have three centre midfielders at the club, only two have played PL football. - Winger. - Striker. Gayle might do for the first few games, Mitro can be useful also, beyond that we need a 15 goal a season man at least. - Keeper. I don't rate Karl Darlow much. His communication with his defence is poor and he can make a few errors, and I like Elliot but he's injury prone. Krul is hit and miss. Woodman untested. The massive problem is finding any value and we all know the main thing with NUFC is value. Nathan Ake, £20m. Dummett must be worth at least £15m in that case. We are linked with a lot of these players on loan like Ojo, Abraham and that Man City defender. I dont think they're better than what we have. We need quality players and we need them in fast.

You say that mentality is your only concern and then go on to mention Colback's general shitness and Perez's physical limitations. :lol: Colback running into people comes into mentality - he can simply think about whether to clatter someone or not. Same with Perez, he chooses to bottle challenges and fall over.

I'm not worried about the other teams at all. They're all tinpot clubs we should beat 4-0 every week. If you don't think we should, have a look at the squads, budgets, management etc. We should annihilate clubs like Bristol City at home. My only concern is our players mentality. Darlow is gone. Thinking he was Manuel Neuer the other day when he's not even Rob Elliot. He's made three major errors in our last 7 league games. Rotherham where he spilled the ball, yes he recovered but any decent team would have scored, then obviously Norwich and Bristol. He looks like he's had 30 pills before kick off and just wants to bounce around and kick anything within 30 yards of the box. Lascelles is like a rabbit in the headlights when the pressure is on. Colback just runs into people and fouls them. He's also on the ball far too much for my liking, considering his repotoire is three to five yard passes. Perez is too weak and slow and doesnt want to know unless he has 5 yards of space.

I like the idea of Mitrovic. A big massive centre forward who loves the club and is a complete nutter. He should have scored his free header on Saturday. Nobody hear him, put it straight over the bar. I don't think he has a strikers instict. Too many balls flashed across goal and he's nowhere near them. Still, he was great v Preston over two games, last season he scored some good goals against Norwich in both games and he finished well against Man City. Plus he scored against Sunderland. We need more goals from a striker though, and I'd expect if we get promoted he would be 3rd choice at best if he was still here.

Thought this might be a tricky fixture, but Wolves are 18th. We should win this easily, but then again we are Newcastle United.

His hold up play in the first half was good, and he done really well for the goal. Still people saying he was awful. He missed a chance where he spun quickly and shot, doesnt matter. We won 1-0 and he set up the goal.

I'm certain they will back him in the Summer. No reasons to be concerned. Palace probably decided they wanted a silly amount for a loan, plus the release clause, and we probably pulled the plug on it. They'll spend big in the Summer though. They gave McClaren £110m over Summer and Winter 2015/16.

Nope, the worst thing is to see him not getting backed up. Because I belive if he would be backed 100%, he would stay here for an long time. How do you know he wasnt backed up? Rafa might have said "I want Townsend, I'd say he's worth £13m no more" and Charnley might have went in with £13m and Palace said no. Charnley might have went back to Rafa who said don't up the offer and we'll go back in the Summer. If NUFC were mugging him off, he'd just get up and leave now. He wouldnt have to sit around waiting for another job for long.

How's that? Sometimes transfers don't happen. Look when Keegan was in charge or Robson, we didnt always sign players we wanted. We clearly didnt want to sign players who were'nt good enough for the Premier League, hence targetting Townsend, McCarthy. It's difficult to sign players of that ilk when you're in the 2nd tier for a kick off. Another person who's crying about Benitez leaving when nobody knows what has actually happened, and Benitez is still there. Can't enjoy his reign at NUFC because so many fans are throwing their toys out the pram and speculating that he is leaving or unhappy.

The worst thing about having Rafa at NUFC is the fans obsession with when he will leave. He won't be here forever, enjoy it while he is and stop speculating that he's about to leave or will definitely leave on this date.

VFL Bochum have bid £19m. Burnley bid now rejected.

Mitrovic has a lot to learn, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a 1 in 3 / 1 in 4 striker.

Loved his first 2 and a bit years here, massively declined but still twice the player of Wearside Jack.

This caulkin likes to know everything mind. Rafa must have been given the thumbs up on Townsend, these deals at this time arent easy so i say bullshit from so called ITK Caulkin. Yeah...that's his job m8. Caulkin is a good journo, he doesn't tweet shite for click bait such as Ryder and SportBible etc.

David Moyes scouting network is basically this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Everton_F.C._players

I still think Towsend will sign. Shame if we do lose Mbemba though.

Wouldn't be surprised if the same team as the replay against Birmingham start. Maybe Mitrovic in place of Gouffran. Heard Curtis Good and Tom Heardman are in the squad too.

Dummett is much better as a CB than a LB imo. If we left ourselves short it is inevitable we'd have a defensive crisis. Happens virtually every season. Agree. Dummett isnt a left back at all for me, definitely a centre half. It seems to happen with centre backs and goalkeepers all the time with us.

If we had an obligation to buy Townsend, but they had no obligation to buy Mbemba, then I'd consider it. Problem is, if Clark or Lascelles gets injured we only have Hanley as cover. Then I suppose Dummett could also come in and we'd have Lazaar / Haidara. But for me, Mbemba is the much better centre half.

Rafa also said he was positive and confident of getting someone in. Quite hopeful.

I feel quite positive that the move will go through. They must be quite close to their 25 man limit with Schlupp and PVA signing, plus you know Allardyce will probably hoy some money on a few more.

Aye the steps near me have been painted grey. Would love it if they could expand East Stand and Gallowgate.

Not really that bothered if sign anyone else in this window. I'd only be happy with someone who can do the job in the Premier League. We've got 19 games left, we only need 11 wins and we'll be sat on 91pts which should get us in the top two. We'll be fine.

He's a much better player than Colback, I don't know why we don't use him. He could help us get promoted and then leave on a free. We're going to sell him for next to nowt and it's an area we are light in.