Abacus

It's a mystery how Brighton aren't 2-0 up, Chelsea looking all over the place

If he wants to go, let him go. After that proposed Liverpool transfer, I think it was admitted that his head had been turned and his form dropped off hugely at the same time. With the right fee, given the rumours he's open to the move, then it's probably "so long" from me. We'd miss him and I do rate him, but at the same time I find his inconsistency a bit tiring. You could say that about a lot of the squad at the moment though, so it's hard to know if it's a general team malfunction rather than down to individuals. Of course it would be better to keep him if he's still interested and committed but that's the bit I don't know enough to comment about. Reading back, I've ultimately just said a whole load of nothing there, but it's the taking part that counts.

0-2, one from Osula and one from errr somebody else.

No idea about Vlach, but why we persist with Ramsdale is beyond me. I wasn't at the game, listened on the radio, forced myself to watch the highlights and read the match reports. Martin Hardy (admittedly not very good) in the Times described him as a flappy handed keeper, or words along those lines. I'm just never confident with him in goal. Also remember when Dubravka was first brought in when very few thought keeper was a priority, and you saw the difference with the whole defence. Then Pope later on. They both fell away, but the point is, a solid keeper earns so many points and helps out the whole defence. I'd give the run in to Pope to see if he can earn his place as a second choice, because I don't want Ramsdale anywhere near the team. He's a dipstick.

I said after the Palace game that it was the first time I've had a wobble about Howe. Didn't comment yesterday as I'd just be emotional (i.e. drunk) and annoyed. I'd love for him to be able to turn things around, but that wobble is increasing. Let's see how the rest of the season pans out but I'm increasingly open to a change. The squad is a bit of a mess and needs a bit of an overhaul, with a clear idea of what we need based on a clear playing style, where I think we've lost our way.

I really liked him in that clip - the competitiveness is so funny. There needs to be a way to bring that out on the pitch more often. Start him please, tell him to keep forward as he's not blessed with pace. Maybe Wissa on the right, at least as a sub, to see if he can create some opportunities to at least give Wolt a chance of shooting. For that we'd maybe need Livramento at RB, as I don't think Trippier has the pace to fill the gaps Wissa would leave behind him.

Loved this - get Nick on the pitch.

Well in retrospect, my build up play was far too over complicated. I'd only used the word sombrero because it's a commonly understood term for a hat and I'd already used the word hat within hattrick, so felt it wouldn't scan as well. Yeah, so anyway, back on topic. I just don't know know how long it takes to recover fully from an MCL tear. I know Eddie reckons he's fully fit, but I don't know if that also means he's operating at peak. With an ACL it's a longer term recovery to get back to your peak even if you are technically fit. And with an Achilles tendon injury I read from a former footballer that you don't quite for a long time. The Ekitike thread makes me feel ill thinking about the recovery needed. I don't know if there's something else going on with him, but he looks like nothing like what we thought we were signing. Overall, it does look a huge mistake, but I don't know if I'm judging him too soon purely for what he's done on the pitch based on his limited minutes.

I thought you'd come back with, that's if he hasn't already eaten it first. Remember, I set them up, you tap them in.

I enjoy the reverse jinxing. When he scores a hattrick tomorrow, however, you must promise to eat your sombrero.

Fully with you on this Holmsey. An awful injury and not something I'd wish on anyone.

All I'm saying is that imminent announcements on the training ground or stadium haven't gone anywhere. They have definitely pumped money in, and that does count as an action, you're correct. You can look at it either way - they want to grow the club as an investment (all up for that), or at the same time the ambitions that have been presented are unrealistic. I don't see them giving up on football in general, and that possibly refocusing on a few more realistic projects is for the good. But what do I know.

Yes, according to the golf folks they said they were into LIV golf for multiple years as well. Actions not words.

It would be interesting if he left and we had a more productive left winger as to what that would mean for striker options, or indeed whether it could bring out more in, say, Woltemade.

If he wants away, then I say let him go for the right fee. Very much a confidence and attitude player. I don't think he's a solution as a striker, but was and is an acceptable makeshift one, which isn't the same thing as a solution. On his day on the left he can be excellent and is sometimes our only real threat, but I don't think there's as much end productivity when at left wing either. So whilst I'd rather he stayed I wouldn't be all that fussed if he went and was properly replaced.

On a completely different note, whenever I read this thread title I'm reminded of Dr Seuss.

Yes I think there's been some genuine concern that he's exhausted, especially after going through the summer without a structure in place supporting him and then straight into a relentless campaign as well. I seem to remember him asking for quick action in the summer, which is the opposite to what happened, as we went from one drawn out pursuit to another, obviously finishing after the season had already started. You could blame who you want for that, but from the outside (and clearly I don't know how it played out behind the scenes), but it had the feeling of a club casting about without strategic direction or the right infrastructure in place. This is not to absolve or to blame, just thinking back to how it felt.

Terrible for him, he was looking like a pretty decent player. I don't much harbor a grudge against him despite him picking other clubs over us, surely many (most?) players with no affinity to Newcastle would do the same. While I don't wish injury on anyone, it has the potential to really derail Liverpool so that's pretty funny given how they (and Isak) went about the summer. So now Ekitike is out and watching Isak take his place, which he presumably thought was his when he signed. Not really working out for anyone, that Liverpool 'power play'. Pressure is on Isak to deliver now and somehow get fit enough to play a full game, which he often isn't capable of even when a lot fitter with us.

Just one of these famous Anfield nights, commentary team.

Never a pen

Oh the Keegan / Kinnear / Shearer season? That's etched in my memory. Boro at home. The away fans having a right laugh, I'm at the gallowgate end full of nerves wondering why they're all having so much fun. "Because they don't give a **** lad, they do this every year", in the words of the sage sat next to me. 3-1 to us, I went home convinced we're staying up. Then Fulham, and the sick feeling then that we were all but down. Hoping for anything, a deflected fluke, a sending off, anything. But deep down you know it. In saying all that, even though it felt the world had ended, that next season under Hughton was one of my favourites. So, that's the ride, isn't it?

I still don't believe they are going down. But flipping heck it might be close. Always remember the seasons we went down and it just seemed like you just couldn't buy a point.

Can't wait to see the highlights

It was quite an in-fringe-ment

Cheers man, for whatever reason I always thought they were further apart. I get the Cantona thing though