Dr Jinx

You wouldn’t really know what he’s got planned, I think to a degree if we try the same thing against certain teams this season there won’t be that element of surprise as they know what we bring now. Now if we’re able to adapt and play 2 or 3 systems really well, we could still give every team something to think about which is the ideal.

This lad is far from shite and I reckon would come in to play on the left, maybe Maxi can switch sides. We still need another midfielder.

Why would any player choose Man Utd over any of the other clubs that populate 14th-7th right at this moment in time? Managers and players alike are seeing their careers absolutely ruined by going there. At least a season or two doing well for Wolves will lead to a move to Liverpool or City, there’s a career progression there. And some of the other clubs showing ambition don’t have that toxic vibe coursing through it.

He was fooling nobody, the fucking silage heap.

That he’s not happy with his current one? ?

Our new CEO is due to start the role in a few days, before end of week in any case. I wonder if that’s a reason for delay? Perhaps just in time to ink some deals to inflate the transfer budget?

How or why is Chilwell in the development squad?

He played that role really well in one of the last pre season games. For what it’s worth I think Willock is a better player and athlete than Longstaff but it’s about picking players that can be effective together.. I’m not sure Willock can be with Joelinton and Bruno?

Bruno and Joelinton are very different players but also are not a million miles apart in the way they move a ball around. They compliment each other. Willock just doesn’t really fit around that, he sort of looks like he wants to take players on but he doesn’t have that instant acceleration so he’s ineffective around the opposition box. He doesn’t really offer much protection to the back line and when in possession he’s not the most imaginative with the ball. That’s not to say he’s rubbish, he’s clearly not and he does lots of things really well. He's great at moving past players in midfield and getting a counter attack going, but that’s when he’s had a chance to stretch his legs a bit. And he definitely has a physical presence when we’re pressing. It just doesn’t fit with what the other two are doing. I think with a fully fit squad, Shelvey plays. Until we get a creative in, I think for the moment, Longstaff could play dm, and use Bruno higher up to pick passes?

Not criticising his overall play for one minute, I think he looks fitter and is looking to make the pass more often. Early in first half he made a great run right through the middle.. he just waited to make the pass a split second too long and got tackled.. it’s fine margins in this league. With a few tweaks to his game, he’ll go from being ineffective to u playable. Brighton were very good in fairness, as expected. Not every game will be as tricky tactically. But that diving shit.. no, please Maxi, if you have someone monitoring twitter or forums, just cut that shit out. It was embarrassing. In actual fact if he’d just stayed on his feet, he’d have been through in on the box and could have been a chance.

That dive today was rancid, I don’t ever want to see one of our players pulling shit like that ever again.

I know that but we’re not the other 14 anymore ?

Why are they just comparing him to the riff raff, why not against every club?

Paqueta will go for about 40/45m, maybe 35 and the rest as add ons. He’s worth every penny.

I used to loathe Shelvey, I mean everything about him.. but he did turn things around last season and was visibly putting in more of a shift, none of the previous managers (including Rafa) could get that out of him, but he’s obviously bought into what Howe is trying to do. But then on the flip side, why should a player be that difficult to motivate? I’ve never doubted his passing ability, it’s one of the best in the league, it was his overall contribution when we didn’t have the ball. Letting players just glide by and then getting sent off needlessly. I really thought he was done after that first game after the takeover. But he came back well and did his part for the team. Then in pre season he was looking in his best shape since signing for the club, it’s a shame really as we might have seen what he’s really capable of. Too soon to say he’s finished at the club but depending on who else comes in, it might be difficult for him getting back in the team.

I tried reading that but

The manager did the same with Bruno, let him sample the atmosphere, the pace of the league etc.. got 2 mins at the end, it’ll be 5 mins the next game.. then 20. It’s the right thing to do. Even great players can be caught out a bit by this league.

Man City play with almost 2 at the back at times, they strangle the midfield and control the games so their defenders are rarely needed to do anything. I’m not suggesting we do play 3 at the back, only that it’s an option. Having Sven in the middle of Burn and Schar either side of him would be a formidable situation for any team to deal with, plus all 3 can pass well. You just have a midfielder drop back to help when needed.

The clue to what you’re asking was in the phrase 3 at the back ?

Very tough game but we are much much better now than last time we played them. The onus will be on them to attack, so that might play into our hands.

Where’s he from then? He was at the club 15 years already by the time he got the MD job.

He was great yesterday as he was for most of the games he played for us last season. His knowledge of our next opponents might see him start again, it just depends on what Eddie Howe wants. Botman hasn’t come to play second fiddle to anyone though, be interesting to see when Eddie Howe begins to phase him in. I can honestly see us going 3 at the back at some stage, we were so comfortable yesterday, Burn can do the Targett job. That also might be how you add someone like Maddison to the team without sacrificing an existing midfield dynamic.

The thing is, Lee Charnley was perfectly capable of fulfilling the job Mike Ashley asked him to do. I don’t doubt he could do more positive work. Where I draw the line with that cunt though was his total fucking gaslighting the Newcastle supporters about the state of the training ground and of course his absolute willingness to carry out the orders of Mike Ashley when he comes from this area (iirc). Shameless.

Like watching paint dry though. It’s effective I guess but so slow.