Whitley mag

It’ll depend how they can structure deals, if a club wants 50 million upfront then I think that’ll rule us out.

The transfer window is undoubtedly a contributor alongside the injuries in my book. Not sure how anyone can argue otherwise when only 1 out of the 4 signings has made a meaningful contribution. We knew at the start of the season we we had the CL to contend with, therefore by default the squad needed strengthening due to extra games we never had last season. You stated that you think without injuries/fatigue we’d have been just fine, the point is we we’re never going to be without injuries and fatigue due to the extra games. The defence has performed admirably without Sven I acknowledge that, but the eye test and these stats show a different story. The effect of his absence has been telling in the dip of other players as well, Trippier looks like he’ll get skinned every week and Schar has reverted to being a liability in a back 4. We’ve also missed other attributes such as his distribution which has made us look vulnerable to the press away from home.

You’re kidding we’ve got away with Botman being out ? I don’t think anything’s further from the truth, Lascelles has done an admirable job but the loss of Botman has been one of the key reasons we’ve looked vulnerable at the back pre Pope getting injured.

Can’t agree with that the squad was way short to fight on 4 fronts, we got lucky with injuries last season and they have to be factored in to any planning. For instance most layman could see last season that any injury to Botman would severely weaken the back line. One of the priorities in the summer should have been a CB with pace. The injuries have been unprecedented, but still think the transfer window was poor and didn’t adequately address needs we had.

I think Schar and Burn did their best to make him look like prime Berbatov yesterday to be honest.

Fair enough but Milan fans said he’s not a great passer and by all accounts had 1 good season. We then proceeded to pay 50 million an Italian record on a player, when let’s be honest players from that country don’t have a great track record of adapting to PL football. We could have had a genuine number 6 in Kone, or a far more technically gifted player in Kephren Thuram. Instead we went down the route of a player who looks like he gets around the pitch, has a good engine but does that offer anything different to Joelinton ? I’m not sure it does to be honest and for 50 million I think they’ve had our eye balls out.

It’s a bit more complex than just saying we signed a top midfielder and top attacker though. Nobody could have predicted the ban or Barnes injury, however were they the right signings in those positions ? Time will tell but my problem is Tonali doesn’t look a 6, creative, or a particularly great passer. Not convinced Barnes is a good footballer, presses well and against top defenders looks weak and doesn’t have a trick. The transfer window was a missed opportunity with CL football and Howe needs to look beyond pace and physicality, as the CL games showed we looked poor technically in terms of passing and creativity.

I would take Ramsdale on loan with a view to a permanent if he looks the biz. Wouldn’t want Phillips long term so would be against us splashing a 3 million loan fee on him. A forward should be the priority and if we’ve got any spare cash that’s where i’d hoy it at. I’d even consider an out and out striker like Sesko and moving Isak wide left to try and spark things. Also it would address Wilson’s long term replacement and future proof us.

Atmosphere better at WHL or new stadium in your opinion ?

Think GK is now a major issue but to be honest I think a wide forward might have the biggest impact, if we could bring somebody top drawer in on the right that might be the route I’d go if funds limited us to one signing.

Feels like a big transfer window all of a sudden with season unraveling quickly. I think they’ll back EH all they can, but just hope we don’t try some short term quick fix like Phillips. After watching last few games it’s hard to know where to prioritise at the minute, be interesting to see how they approach it with so many upgrades now seemingly required.

Still the man for the job but today was a shocker no escaping it. Said before the match our tactics are stale and we’ve been sussed by the opposition. In mitigation though Howe hasn’t had the time between games to tweak things tactically and injuries have limited his options. We’ve got no excuse now though, there’s full weeks between games without Europe and we’re right to expect a massive improvement in 2nd half of season. Players are playing without discipline and he must tweak our attacking play, the obsession with inverted wingers cutting in without a playmaker to break down defences is to easy to read. If he’s backed with money in January he must veer from wanting players who can simply run and are physical. My biggest fear for Howe is his transfer business, it undone him at Bournemouth in my opinion and appointing his brother on the transfer committee rang major alarm bells.

Sad state of affairs not sure what the answer is now think the horse might have already bolted.

Couldn’t agree more he’s reverted back to being an absolute liability, I get he might be frustrated but his ill discipline needs addressing by Howe urgently.

He’s looking every bit the liability he used to be in a flat back 4 prior to his resurgence. Very indisciplined at the minute and all over the fucking shop, needs to be reminded defending is his primary job.

Reading this glad I called it a day after Dortmund at home, sad but can’t see me heading back up to St James any time soon, find the whole experience depressing as fuck even when we’re winning.

For all Tino is more exciting I agree with Burn at left back, we need to get the back 4 back to being solid and if that means going back to basics so be it. However, it’s hard to argue on current form Trippier should be ahead of him at left back.

Very true, but think the signs were even there earlier in the season that both of them just cutting in continuously had become predictable, we need another string to our bow at some point.

We’ve become a bit predictable in our attacking play with these inverted wingers, should have enough today but needs a tweak or two going forward. Think even Gordon is becoming easy to read for the opposition at the minute, front 3 need to be more interchangeable, hopefully Isak’s movement helps with this today. HTFL

Yasir’s number 1 choice was Howe, I think people do PIF a disservice thinking that they’ll be itching to pull the trigger without an improvement soon. I get the impression they’re very clued and will privately acknowledge that this season was a difficult ask to start with and that’s before the injuries and Tonali. I said at the time the Tonali ban was disastrous and so it’s proved, he was our blue chip signing to help us bridge the gap this season. So many things have conspired against us this season, we all owe it to Howe to back him to the hilt for the remainder of this season. If Howe got the bullet it would leave a massive sour taste, we all want him to be the one to end the trophy drought it would be a beautiful thing. Newcastle United will never be defeated, keep the faith and back Howe to the hilt would be my advice to everyone.

Aye, I’m forgetting about this match until after Xmas now already making me feel nauseous.

He’s not immune to constructive criticism it’s just the nature of the game, but all these takes that his job could be on the line are ridiculous. The notion that our British owners will be overruled by PIF and fire him are also fanciful, Yasir was on record as saying Eddie was his number 1 choice and it was other members of the consortium who wanted Emery. From what we’ve seen so far PIF are far more clued up than some of these American owners and they’ll give Howe all the backing in January that they can to improve us. Eddie and co just need to be careful how they spend it, as this is one of the few criticisms I would lay at his door after the summer.

The home end surrendered yet they’re all in the South Stand opposite ?

People definitely need to keep a hold, but losing to the mackems would provoke a meltdown of unprecedented levels. We all need to keep the bigger picture in mind and though I do think he has some flaws, he’s undoubtedly the best man for us in the foreseeable.

Losing to the mackems is hard to recover from as an NUFC manager, in recent times only Robson recovered in my opinion. I certainly wouldn’t want us firing a manager on the back of losing to them cunts they’d love it. However, this is massive for Howe to keep things on track and moving forward in the grand scheme.