Coffee_Johnny

Gameweek 21 West Ham 1-1 Forest Bournemouth 1-0 Spurs Brentford 1-0 Sunderland Palace 0-2 Villa Everton 2-0 Wolves Fulham 1-2 Chelsea Man City 2-0 Brighton Burnley 0-1 Man United Newcastle 2-1 Leeds Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool

Well, our red and white cousins continue their, relatively speaking, great season. At end of December they equalled their best ever points total at the half-way point (just taking their best ever total and then splitting it by number of games per month this season). They need another 6 points from the remaining 9 available to them this month to keep on track for their 58 point record. Even if they fail to pick up any points in Jan or Feb (8 games) they will still be hitting their average points total for PL for that number of games played. Which shows you just how well they have done, or just how poor previous seasons have been dependent upon your perspective.

Here's an end of December update. The chart shows a preseason predicted trajectory towards 62 points, which is the average required for sixth place in PL era. The expected points per month takes account of how the games fall, in terms of strength of opposition and whether home or away. The formula has been pretty accurate last four seasons. We are four points behind the predicted/expected December total. We have three points already, from the 15 available in January. We'd need 13 of these (rather than the 9 the formula predicted) to immediately get on track by the end of this month. We'd probably need to accumulate 65 points in total (rather than 62) if still aspiring to fifth.

Post-match entertainment?

Gameweek 20 Villa 2-0 Forest Brighton 1-0 Burnley Wolves 1-1 West Ham Bournemouth 1-2 Arsenal Leeds 3-1 Man United Everton 1-2 Brentford Fulham 1-1 Liverpool Newcastle 2-0 Palace Spurs 2-1 Sunderland Man City 2-1 Chelsea

GW19 Burnley 1-2 Newcastle Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth Nott'm Forest 2-1 Everton West Ham 1-2 Brighton Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa Man Utd 2-1 Wolves Crystal Palace 2-1 Fulham Liverpool 2-1 Leeds Brentford 2-1 Spurs Sunderland 1-2 Man City

All the best, to one and all of the ‘online’ Toon Army. In one way or another, you make it a great place to spend some time x 🎄 🎅 🥂

GW18 Man Utd 1-3 Newcastle Nott'm Forest 0-2 Man City Arsenal 2-0 Brighton Brentford 2-3 Bournemouth Burnley 2-1 Everton Liverpool 2-1 Wolves West Ham 1-1 Fulham Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa Sunderland 1-2 Leeds Crystal Palace 0-1 Spurs

This lad should cease his 2025 New Year’s Eve reflections in April. January: scores opener in LCSF 2-0 away win. Scores against Wolves in 3-0 PL home win. Scores twice against Southampton in 3-1 PL away win. February: Scores twice against Forest in 4-3 PL home win. March: Scores against Brighton in FAC away loss. Scores in LCF 2-1 win 🏆 Enjoys magnificent victory parade through city. April: Scores against Brentford in 2-1 PL home win. Scores against Palace in 5-0 home PL win. Scores against Ipswich in 3-0 PL home win. Scores equaliser against Brighton in 1-1 home PL draw. May-December: bit of a blur.

After feeling doubly please at his brace, just remembered that I swapped him out of my fantasy team for Wissa. You're welcome Nick/everyone.

I reckon they will definitely help improve each other in training.

Good question. Here’s another couple. Are you from Wallsend? Do you like bacon?

If anyone, not around at the time, has any doubts about why Keegan is held in such high esteem (manager wise, let alone as the transformational player he was for us) take a look at the record for his first spell. The comparisons are every PL era manager we have had, with at least a season's worth of games. The second row combines the performance of Keegan's team from the second era. To be fair to Howe, the team in Keegan's first spell was already very much his own. Howe's record from January 2022, when we could reasonably say it was 'his team' is better (Howe's record is from the date he was appointed 8.11.21, but he wasn't in charge on match days until 30.11.21). From January 2022 Howe has 150 games, Points Per Game (PPG) of 1.72 and a GD of 85.

Can’t decide if it classes as a nightmare or a dream.

Just had a look at his record thus far, pretty decent but yet to show the potential he evidently had in the youth ranks. Maybe Howe can help him make the step up to full international level. Middle name Decourcey… perhaps he needs a bit of Nookie.

Haven’t checked appearances and contributions etc, but get the sense that Morgan Rogers started to outperform him. Seemed like the must keep of the two of them.

Et tu rocker?

Well I can imagine it, but my sense of excitement is dampened somewhat by having seen them both play. Joking aside, could grow into more of a Yaya Toure style surely?

20th League Cup game last night. 90% win rate, in fact 65.9% win rate in all cups combined. Not too shabby, Eddie.

Is that the Tina and Dave who are Murphy’s buddies?

Or eat shit loads of Kinder choccies if you want to stay fit 🤷‍♂️

He has phenomenal ability. A wonderful balance personality wise of absolute warrior and lovely/nice person. What amazes me, though (and providence I am not tempting you…) is he doesn’t look that fit/athletic, but he is absolutely relentless. Always available, nearly always plays and always there or thereabouts in terms of covering the most ground.

Feeling you young un 😉 (…by a year).

Murphy’s been here for eight years. Maybe we just need to wait another four and Elanga will have a similar resurgence!