Kid Icarus

I've warmed to Alcott slightly purely because his interests go beyond the top 6 and generally has some good insight. Him and others (just as we do) all come unstuck when they start making predictions.

I think it lines up with how certain sections of our support have form with criticising players like ASM, Sissoko (or HBA for that matter) despite being some of the top creative players outside of the top 6. As below

If that's how you see it, fair enough. I thought he was really good at Spurs after getting beyond being ridiculed when he first got there, especially in the Champions League. Re the bit in bold, anecdotal but my boss is a Watford fan (was on a recent behind enemy lines sort of thing on True Faith I think) and we've spoken about him before - he rates him for where they are and puts the blame squarely at them not being able to defend/their owners' hiring and firing model. We boo literally every ex-player, including James Milner. I agree that the perception of him here is bad though, that's what we're disagreeing about really. The reason he was compared to GW was because the accusation of him was that he hid when we were relegated. GW was invisible away from home, wasn't getting on the ball towards the end of the season and was dropped. Digging out Sissoko for hiding is based on very little anyway imo, but seems especially weird considering how guilty of that Wijnaldum was. Wijnaldum was and is obviously the better player, but in terms of graft and heart, Sissoko beats him hands down during their time here.

This, more or less. Especially the way Wijnaldum's weirdly viewed fondly.

Aye, because you brought up how Sissoko being in the starting 11 of a relegated Watford team said everything you needed to know about him. I just brought up all the bits you'd missed out. Judging them solely on their time here, I thought Sissoko was alright despite his regular big time charlie interviews with the French media (lining up with the way NUFC was sold to him as a stepping stone at the time) but I don't think he went missing, certainly not to the extent that Wijnaldum did anyway.

You brought up Sissoko at Watford. If you just want to talk about his and Wijnaldum's time at Newcastle, go for it.

Considering Gini fucking Wijnaldum was in the same team, the idea that Sissoko went hiding is laughable like.

Wey he's 32 now, but is it also no coincidence that he was in the starting 11 of a team that got to the Champions League final and a rotation player then starting player in the league, finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th? Or is it also no coincidence that he was a rotation player in a team that won the World Cup? Seems a bit selective to only point out his career with us and Watford.

Not digging them out because we're all clueless, but it's canny funny how unbelievably wrong this is considering how lauded they are on here https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLKQWHu7/?k=1

Wouldn't say he was class, but he was decent. There were tons of people in our support who thought he was shit though.

If Toney follows his 12/5 season with a 3 goals 3 assists season like Mitrovic did then yeah I'll agree.

You're looking at a chances created table where he's top and saying it's really poor.

This is just isn't true if you've watched anything of him in 2022. He regularly uses Targett and Joelinton on the overlap, plays it inside to Bruno and Wilson, or puts in early crosses. Dribbling is his strength, he's absolutely right to do it regularly too.

Probably the 12 goals and 5 assists in 33 appearances with a newly promoted side like, something the other 2 have never got anywhere near doing.

Was Dubravka really bad under Bruce or something? I've only known him as a generally very consistent safe pair of hands tbh.

Of course he does

Henderson is a bit of an unknown for me, but I'm surprised there's a preference for Pope over Dubravka tbh. At best that's a very mild upgrade imo.

'No history' about a club that moved to its home 21 years before Arsenal did is a good one.

Ashley Barnes is worse than Sigurdsson and Greenwood combined.

Well I know you would, but I don't think most people are going to compare a transfer spend higher than Man City's with Mike Ashley's at Newcastle just because the funds are generated in the same way. The proof is there that Man United could have spent the same amount of money they have on recruitment, with the Glazers still taking money out of the club, and been very successful at the same time.

No I get that like and don't disagree.

From what I've read about it, it's comparable in some ways, but there's no way you can possibly compare in terms of transfer spend, even relatively. I'm not in any way saying that spend should be the end of the argument or it's the be-all-and-end-all though. I've said many times that Man United are the 'all the gear, no idea' team of the football world.

TIL Mbappe rates Ekitike

His lack of pace would put me off I think.