Abacus

Think they started targeting Livramento and then rapidly gave up on that idea

I reckon we'll play Elanga Gordon and Barnes, probably rotating across the front 3 rather than having Gordon solely in the middle.

I always fear a defeat here and really rate Emery. But then, I read Howe's interview with Matthew Syed today when he was watching his training regime for this and I think we'll be as set as we can be for this. Going to need to have a good day from everyone to be up for this so the team will really need to step up in the absence of he who shall not be named. Barnes screamer and Wham hoodies all round please.

I'd be happy enough with Wissa and Samu and him gone even though, to confess, I know literally nothing about Samu other than he seems a raw talent. Instead, it's more likely that Isak can and should be reintegrated once the transfer window SLAMS SHUT. He'll need to earn his fee for when he hopefully moves to PSG next year and I don't have to think of him again. Except when Joelinton boots him in the clockweights when we play PSG in Europe, which would get a bigger cheer than any of his goals while he still plays for us.

I think in the meantime the message has to be that the rest of the squad needs to step up with goals. They are capable of it and will have the mentality to - Barnes certainly, free kicks and corners from the rest. I've no great desire to see Gordon play up front, but it's a formation change the team can be working on now. We did improve with Wood by having a 'proper' striker regardless of what folks thought of him, but I'd say at that time we probably didn't have the wider squad able to adapt without having a striker. That's less the case now, hopefully. Straw clutching yes, but if Isak stays he won't play for a good few matches you would think. So I'm sure they're prepping for that now. Or perhaps I'm just Steve Bruce and thinking of playing with two false no 10's. Isak really has messed everything up with his behaviour, with the only slight caveat being that I don't know what he was told contract wise before this whole fandango. But regardless we shouldn't sell him now and don't have to. House on the market? Here's a one person tent for hippy green m8.

Edit ... Never mind, this has gotten stupid. Think it's fair to say the rubbish twitter press have gotten excited about and fueled all this. As well as thinking there should be some accountability for that, both from the press and him and his agent.

This is the signing I really want. Imagine you're 29 and at your peak and get the chance to finally play at a CL club whose fans will then idolise you if you bang in the bullets set up by Gordon, Barnes or Elanga. A longer term isak replacement, in January say, and this window is a success with all the outside rubbish going on.

The Times reported earlier he'd stuck his rental house on the market for a day or so, then took it off again. Then he put it back on the market again afterwards. At a guess, he's just making gestures to force something to happen. Which it won't because we haven't been offered enough even if he's currently seemingly determined on tanking his own value now to get it done. An even worse guess (as I go right through the looking glass here) is that's mainly because rather than getting a huge transfer fee cut his agent instead will get a hefty cut of any massively increased salary and then get it regularly from his meal ticket given that the agent is reportedly a pariah in a lot of places. Plus Isak can then allegedly* afford to try to bribe more women to pretend to soullessly like him in his tragic car shaped solo bed. *according to one poster here, citations needed. Plays against villa, scores a hat trick, and brings BBQ desserts and then I take it all back.

The list of strikers we've been linked with that I didn't much want but am suddenly dreading facing when we play them just increased by one.

I'm all for this delicious rainbow trout.

For the record, and to be brought up later when I'm proved wrong, I think Mbuemo will be excellent there - he's a pretty known quantity. Cunha is clearly a talent but he seems volatile. Maybe that can be calmed down. Sesko similar, obviously depends how he adapts to the PL in his case but both clearly have the tools and talent to make it. It's all going to be on the manager to make that happen for those last two in particular. What I don't know is how far these were Amorim's choices, but I'd definitely be excited if they were our players, if a little wary of Sesko's ego.

Great. He's just got a minor thigh strain at the minute.

In the next plot twist, Luke Edwards to come out fighting for NUFC after a few glasses of wine. Hope he properly windmills at Romano / Ornstein next. Time for your redemption arc Luke.

We don't need to do anything here. There are no acceptable bids. Yes, it derails the start of our season, but get a decent striker in like Wissa then hopefully not too badly. He'll end up playing for a lot of next season here, is my guess. We can't loan him or sell him to Saudi or anywhere now without a similar replacement, of which there aren't any I can think of. The thing I won't forgive him for is causing this disharmony in the squad and disrupting the rest of our transfer planning.

Alexander, read the small print on your cone tract.

Really genuinely enjoying this consistent anger by the way. Didn't know you had it in you and I'm all for it

Sorry that gym instructor really did a number on bobby. An OK chance he'll be back for a season, then off to PSG or wherever. Bangs the goals in and lets us rebuild in the meantime then I'm fine with that. Talking about Isak there.

There really is nothing to negotiate about. He stays as there is no serious offer and he has no more cards to play, so pull your finger out and play champions league football with us for a season instead. Or, carry on sulking, lose your value and you end up at West Ham or wherever in what should be your prime years. Want to explore your options? There they are.

I would guess, if 5 years is right, it was to spread out the cost of the signing. 5 years being the maximum permissible under the rules. Or just maybe to persuade him to sign. Obviously if he's on big wages (no idea) 5 years a bit of a long term drawback. But that's assuming he doesn't have a standout season at Sevilla and we need him back should Pope get injured / Ramsdale not work out. Loan deal seems the best option for a no 3 keeper.

Definitely yes better a loan than if we sold him now. Maybe not so much in a couple of years, so it's better he's playing regularly and doing well enough to earn that £5m transfer. Saying that, there are a couple of complications I won't bore you with. Just talking about this current window and the effect it would have on PSR. We'd take a big loss on him this year which would impact what we can spend this summer.

I didn't even think he looked that bad that one time he played, or for Greece Well, if it's a loan and he gets some game time it's not that bad. At least some contribution to his wages if he'd never play here. Hope he does well for all parties sake.

Not sure which way this will all resolve, but I hope we act like a big club and make him stay. You can't have every big player being able to be unsettled by some other club and then allowed to leave for less than we want, or at all, if we just want to set an example.

I'd be delighted with this. Get to the end of the transfer window and reintegrate Isak, looks like Thiaw at CB then a midfielder - Gallagher would be great - and then we're ready to roll with a much improved squad.

I thought we were about £5m apart, but I might be completely wrong on that or just misread a report. I've kind of lost track but he's the kind of signing we're crying out for. I suppose what I mean is offer a bit more and show clear intent now so they get their skates on with a replacement, rather than doing it all close to the deadline.

Hope's article from yesterday seemed to suggest that Wissa wanted to come and we thought a dead could be made with Brentford as long as they could get a replacement in. So, if we fancy him then bid again now, not at the end of the window. Give them time to get that replacement. Losing out on Trafford suggests a bit of complacency with a player we seemingly just assumed would join, so don't make the same mistake again.