Coffee_Johnny

I’ve been thinking about best NUFC 11 and it is a struggle, different eras, divisions, appearances etc. so I have decided to list favourite players/ones I have enjoyed watching and admired the most in different positions. goalkeepers: Pav and Shay Given defenders: Roeder (leader and what a shuffle!), Woodgate (superb all round), Helder (not many appearances but class act), Albert (loved him), Trippier (best full back I’ve seen in black and white). midfielders: Speed, Lee, McCreery (what a terrier!), Solano (sublime passes and exceptional work rate), Gascoigne (pre-peak but had everything), Ginola, Robert, Roy Aitken (epitome of a defensive midfielder/CB, I wished we’d had when he was younger), Lee Clark (loved seeing him develop), and Bruno (could be a legend here). forwards: Mirandihna (I helped make up his song!), Varadi, Keegan, Ferdinand, Shearer, Asprilla. I’m sure more will pop into my mind once I submit this, but some great memories thinking through past heroes.

He was in my memory. Read the game beautifully, always seemed in the right place. Very cultured and composed. I do think (after a shaky start) Peacock was very underrated and complemented Albert’s play really well.

Not by his standards thus far. A few unforced errors and his normally sublime passing was a bit off at times.

No shame in the defeat, score line, or even manner if defeat. Can’t help feeling disappointed with our ability to keep the ball and craft more chances. Needed ASM to have a blinder and he was very far from that. Not helped by formation I think. Good job they didn’t start all their first choices.

Was just about to search for Cheryl’s phone number…

?

Price for a Wood equaliser??

We’ll have a spell. Need to do pretty much the same and hope they don’t grab another (few!)

Don’t worry chaps. I’ve put on my Ginola socks and Brazil-bought shoes, for extra luck (thus far unbeaten combo—although it is first time of trying…). We’ve got this

Closer it gets, more convinced I am we’re going to play a blinder! (Klopp looks super tense!). What a day. Would love to be there. Chance to derail them (Long overdue pay back). Lovely weather. The crowd will be up for it. We’re playing well. Howay the lads!!!

Our record (NUFC.Com) is better than I thought against these. We usually seem to win after a draw. On that infallible bit of reasoning, I am going for a newsworthy 1-0. (Yes, I did watch them Wednesday. Yes, I was a bit terrified).

Never gets old?

Depends what you equate with high level/top quality coaching and leadership? Getting lost in techniques and tactics does not necessarily equate to being a quality coach/leader. Keegan was a high performing manager at the top two English divisions and England manager. He pitched what he did out of the Shankly book more than the Paisley or modern technobabble coaching manuals, and he was fucking great at it in my opinion. He knew people, let them play, and they (by and large…) would run through walls for him. I think he felt he fell short, at the highest level, but I don’t agree with him. If all the England players had the work effort, fitness, desire to win, and plain old ability he had. His team would have flourished. He didn’t have them enough/the strength of relationship to lead in the way he was great at leading. In my opinion, obvs.

The point in there is that being a great player doesn’t equip you to be a great manager. You’d need to be mad/oblivious to disagree with that. However, Guardiola was a great player and Keegan was a great manager. They both serve as rare examples of excelling at both. I would actually chuck Bobby Robson into that rare group also. Two examples, from a multitude of possibilities who illustrate the norm, are Bobby Charlton and Jurgen Klopp (odd pairing but ?‍♂️) who each tried both roles, but were only ‘great’ at one.

? really made me chuckle. “Fanny blart…” ?

Hybrid Rob Lee and Nobby Solano—who also had a sublime range of passes.

Nope. Since 2016-17 he’s made: 40, 43, 46, 40, & 30 appearances for Leeds. Just missing a lot (17 appearances) this season.

Yep, every time I see Lampard (who seems a decent enough type) I think his bottle has gone. He looks a beaten man. Stepping into bigger shoes than he and, the anti anything red, Scouse Makems thought .

Doubt he’ll make any changes unless anyone is really struggling. He’ll be totally focussed on highest possible points tally. Genuinely hope we thump them, it is due and the positive atmosphere at the mo must be addictive for the players.

Really is quite an astonishing run of form. Especially given we could easily/justifiably had another 4 points from the unlucky away losses to Blue teams (one of whom, I can’t help thinking are heading for the deepest ‘blue’ period they’ve had in over 70 years!).

Ditto; but not as much as whilst reading it being reminded than Donny van de Beek apparently wanted to go to Everton, rather than here, as he didn’t want to be involved in a relegation battle. ?

P.S. I desperately want us to sign Phillips. What a combo with Bruno!

Personally I would love it. (Keep him on the bench, obvs)

Bruno is unquestionably a top drawer player, or at least appears to have everything he needs to prove to be one (over time). Ignoring position, there are hundreds of better players out there (quite a compliment in itself). Hopefully we might get one or two of them.