Abacus

I went to a few Villa games years back. It might have been where I was sitting at villa park, or how the team was at the time, but it was always a bit miserable. Lots of silence and complaining - possibly like we were under Ashley tbf. A fleeting impression from a while ago, but I always preferred going to the Birmingham City games - even though they were pretty poor as a team, I still liked the atmosphere better. Smaller crowds there, but those that went were passionate about it. I got the sense that there was more expectation at Villa and their fans, which might be a wrong impression, but it was mine. I actually think Birmingham is a great city when you get to know it, but it's not 100% a football city. Ask almost anyone in Newcastle on a Monday and they'll know the weekend's result and usually have an opinion on it. Not the same there at all. I'm sure the hardcore fans are just as passionate as any other, but I don't think the city's identity is driven as much by the rhythm of football as it is here. Maybe because it's a two team city, but maybe because it's a much bigger place as well.

Should be another amazing game, though expecting them to be a tough nut to crack after they'll have watched what happened to PSG. Also more than ever really looking forward to Milan at home now, think that atmosphere should be electric too. What a group to be in!

Gordon!

Great interview from Eddie Howe. It's times like this, when things seem to be going wrong, that you realise what someone is made of. So, Howe is going to be a legend here if as he isn't already. Come on Sandro, prove that you're worth that trust.

He wears big shoes on holiday

Presumably, if Milan knew then Tonali did too. Also, given the strictness of Italy's rules on this, it would make him a bit daft. That's all totally hypothetical of course if there's even anything at all behind this, which nobody knows. Think I'll wait till whatever investigation is done and we know what (if anything) has happened. If there's anything serious, I might get so furious I'll knock half a point off my transfer window score so help me.

I'm not totally sure what his role is, maybe he isn't either. Which is not meant as a criticism - I wasn't sure on Gordon's role either at first and now he's got to be one of the first names on the team sheet. Most of the team are pretty versatile. Originally, a few people thought he might be a Longstaff upgrade, but now Longstaff looks to be pretty indispensable too. Anyway, I've seen enough from him to think he's going to be a real player once he has adjusted properly to the league. It's going to be a (good) problem to have once Willock and Joelinton are back and firing on all cylinders too. I couldn't pick our midfield then. Bruno is probably the one essential in terms of creativity, but after that it's hard to pick a team. Unlike a couple of years ago under that total clot when the main issue was who I didn't want to see playing.

What about when they walk in front of the telly when the match is on as well.

That Liverpool defeat is still a kick in the pants. If only we'd won that, as we should have, we'd be up in fourth place now with them down in 7th. Ah well, hopefully we roll them over at Anfield - that's probably now the game I'm most looking forward to.

I'd be tempted to give Livramento the last 30 mins if we're ahead, to save Trippier's legs a bit for PSG

It's hard to draw anything from this, other than the positive of getting competitive minutes into his legs. With a whole makeshift back line, and in a kind of midfield role instead of LB, in a first half where there was no composure from most players, I'm not sure anyone shone. (Saying that, both Dummett and Lascelles put in a shift and Target was OK.) My point being that it's easy to think the players who were subbed were the reason the team weren't performing, but hopefully nobody thinks that, given that in that half almost nobody could keep the ball.

What an amazing game! So good to see us find our way into the game, click properly - love how we didn't ease off and went for the throat, hopefully fills the team with confidence again. Fine Sheffield United were bad, or we made them look worse than they are, because given their past games I was holding out for a gritty 0-1 win, so that was a bit special. Also, a lot of great performances across the park, but really pleased with Gordon and this from a former undecided / doubter. Already looking forward to the next game, and hopefully giving City a proper scare. In fact I actually can't wait for the Liverpool return game and getting revenge in the league either.

Got a Newcastle supporting mate who is going with his two daughters, so hope it's a good game, and that the milky bar kid doesn't turn up. "Bother outside the stadium" thread on the way.

Surely the release clause only matters if he actually wants to go. Key thing to him staying is that we stay an ambitious club on the up that equally ambitious players want to come to. May be deluded here, but can't think of more than half a dozen clubs right now that would be both tempting to go to and would also have the money to release him.

"Ah pleaded with them to bring in Choudhury, but the Irish FA said, here's what we've got, get on with it."

A fair point, though obviously the odds aren't always the best guide. I still expect it to be a different game at SJP, and therefore going only by the result, I'd still say we have a slight advantage. We may have lost that on another day, but what I liked was the defensive battling determination in the second half - growing into that game will be a lesson learnt and is a real positive to take. But I'm not denying our attacking side hasn't quite clicked yet. We seem to have a number of players I can't quite see where their natural role is (Tonali, Gordon, Isak, Anderson) - but that worked out pretty well for Joelinton (when fit) in the past. That's a bit of a puzzle for Howe to figure out, though I can't help think that a lot of the pieces are there and when it does we'll be a real danger to most teams.

I didn't like his interview where he seemed to take little responsibility for his own development. Obviously, I don't know the internal politics at Man U so that may be a misreading, I'd just be wary of his character. Edit - I say interview, I meant SM post. Could well be out of context as they often are.

Moshiri seems to have had good intentions (well sort of, trying doesn't equate to being any good), but no idea of how to run a club. 777 are a bit of an unknown quantity, but they've a hell of a lot of work to do at Everton from the squad, to the set up, to the stadium. I'd be a bit fearful of jumping from the frying pan into the fire if I was an Everton fan. I bet it's one thing Klopp doesn't start gurning about. In which case, interesting to see how quickly or not this goes through.

An excellent striker, and seems a good personality to have around the place with bags of confidence. Fingers crossed he can manage his injuries, obviously, but he's so reliable in front of goal and someone Isak can keep learning from, as well as Isak pushing him in return. Very happy with this.

Potentially also Rice as future leadership material. As well as, from those already at the top level Kane and Walker. It should be a pretty good mix. England will qualify anyway at a snooze - it's watching them play the same way at the tournament which is what I'm not looking forward to.

I couldn't see Howe going anywhere near international management for decades - wouldn't suit his personality or desire to be at work developing players 24/7. He's building something here and he's got the tools and support to do it. Such a great ambassador for the club too - I can't think of anyone else better fitted for the Newcastle role, as if that needs to be said.

There's a bit more focus on some of the players later on, like with Longstaff and Wilson, though there's probably not much you don't already know and it feels like a PR piece - which it pretty much always was going to be tbf. I can't think a rival fan would watch it, possibly more from a foreign fans point of view who didn't know much about us before last year. Still, there are a few nice bits to watch if you're an NUFC fan. And the bits on Wor Flags were really interesting and probably were my favourite bits. Don't expect too much and it's OK to watch through, instead of the One Show or whatever. Can't say I'll watch it again, but over a beer it's a nice reminder of the run-in to the end of the season, even if it doesn't quite capture the drama of it all imo, which is a slight missed opportunity.

May well need to be corrected there. I thought Clearlake were asset managers, including substantial PIF assets - so it's not like one owns the other. But yes, it may not be as simple as I thought.

Purely from an NUFC point of view, at least, all the time, they are messing with the concept of 'fair market value' here. Chelsea are obviously not a related party, so they can sign whatever deal they like. Not saying this any sort of plan to do that at all, but with that as precedent, it makes it harder to deny a sponsorship to a club like us, who are actually in the Champions League as being fair market value. (The question of Saudi involvement in the League in the first place and whether that's a good thing is a different one for the other thread, recognising that I can't have my cake and eat it.)

Yeah, as Paullow said, when we were at our worst and it was plain miserable watching us, outside of the main tournaments International football was a bit of a diversion at least, even a friendly or a fairly pointless qualifier. Now I just see it as a bit of a nuisance and can't wait for the 'proper' football to be back.