Coffee_Johnny

To be fair to our Wearside cousins, whilst Sting, Mark Knopfler, and Brian Johnson are genuine world stars, hard to beat Toy Dolls! Also, Angelic Upstarts, Prefab Sprout, Bryan Ferry and Alan Price may re-ignite turf wars about which areas prefer a red or black to go with their white stripes. I’d also add Pet Shop Boys and Lighthouse Family to the North East musical melting pot.

Can’t see us gambling on Wilson staying fit unless we have real confidence in alternatives. Kind of depends on Howe’s appraisal of how much Wood brings (goals can come from elsewhere) and expectation/level of developing striker we bring in. Would be great to go large on a marquee striker but we were basically the third best performing PL team over 2022. Even a marked down turn in that form, which was over 19 games so hardly a flash in the pan, could see us finishing top eight and on track for where they probably see the progression of the club.

Agree. Except they’re from Trafford.

We are being linked with other Centre Backs today (Alessio Romagnoli and Jules Kounde two top drawer examples). Surely it is complete bollocks?

Perhaps the bull elephant had a hold of t’other whilst in the throes of passion?

Back five any one? Three lefties two righties? I’d fancy us at corners!

Also looks good in Black & White stripes…

Just doing some ‘Wise scouting’ of Gabriel Barbarosa (again!). Found a fair bit about interest in him in January, including him asking for a move to West Ham, and a claim that someone from Wolves is over there pestering at the moment. This quote (from Jan, I think) increases the probability of him moving this summer: “Gabigol, who is out of contract in December 2024, believes a January move to Europe would give him a better chance of cementing himself as a first-team regular with the Brazil national team for this summer's World Cup in Qatar. The former Inter Milan and Benfica striker enjoyed a brilliant 2021 campaign in front of goal, netting 29 times in 43 appearances across all competitions.” His movement reminds me of a little of Aguero. He’s a couple of inches taller, but also left footed, has that poacher style number 9 look about him but has played as a wide left forward/playmaker and as an inside forward.

Wonder whether we could/would play two left footers. Must be umpteen examples of right footed pairings

Sad about this. Good move for him and they need his kind of player now Fernandinho is finished.

Canny (an alternative understated appreciation!). Loved the number of right footed tackles shown and the through balls. Not sure about the long passes being a weakness; doubt comes not from the clips but from the comparisons with Schar’s stats earlier.

Paqueta and Botman are the two rumours immediately before Targett and Pope on the NUFC.Com June rumours table. Just saying…

Shall we chip in and get him a pack of these (to help him feel comfortable in our stripes)?

Is he quick again?

Perhaps. But I’ll take the reality of actual previous achievement over theorising every time.

Not at all mid-table in terms of last season’s 2022 results. Look where we would have finished if the season started at Xmas (in comparison to actual top 8 finishers). League table below (games played, points accrued since Xmas, followed by average points per game; which is used to determine league position for 2022 games): Liverpool 18, 50, 2.78 Man City 17, 40, 2.35 NUFC…….19, 39, 2.05 Spurs…….20, 38, 1.90 Arsenal….18, 34, 1.89 Chelsea…17, 31, 1.82 Man Utd..19, 27, 1.42 Leicester 20, 27, 1.35 WestHam 18, 22, 1.22

Good chocolate and chips. Just like his Gateshead home, with better architecture and less chance of getting your heed kicked in!

Lots of talk in other threads re what is realistic in terms of finishing position next season. I thought I would see where we would have finished if the season started at Xmas (in comparison to actual top 8 finishers). League table below (games played, points accrued since Xmas, followed by average points per game; which is used to determine league position for 2022 games): Liverpool 18, 50, 2.78 Man City 17, 40, 2.35 NUFC…….19, 39, 2.05 Spurs…….20, 38, 1.90 Arsenal….18, 34, 1.89 Chelsea…17, 31, 1.82 Man Utd..19, 27, 1.42 Leicester 20, 27, 1.35 WestHam 18, 22, 1.22 Incredible. Best New Manager Bounce ever?

Fair point. We don’t want to be relying on an against all reason/the odds run of form. Fact is though, we will strengthen and we are not far away from being a likely top eight finish. With significantly better choices (in the squad: In sha'Allah… ) then who knows, it could be an incredibly exciting time ahead finding out!

Whereas, I don’t think I’d be really arsed. Beyond being frustrated about our own position, independent of what was happening there. I know enough Sunderland fans to be happy for the likeable individuals who are (unfortunate enough…) to be born into that particular mind/heart virus.

Stand firm and tall and keep looking around. Shake enough trees and something (hopefully juicy) will fall out.

? and ? in equal measure!

We would have finished sixth if we had averaged the points per game Howe accumulated in the last 25 games, over the course of the whole season. So we are not far away really.

Wishful thinking acknowledged, but if we were going big on anyone (or two ?) it would be predicable and sensible for them to be the final signings of the window. See what we’ve got left, what we need, let the unrealistic overinflated prices trickle down and keep the ‘we’ve only got so much to spend’ anti-rip-off card visible. Business tekkers!