Nucasol

As things stand that’s a 3/10 window. ? Sobering stats alert ? Assuming Hall’s loan gets made permanent that’s: £55m Tonali £40m Barnes £6m Minteh £35m Tino £33m Hall Both by circumstances beyond or in his control, Eddie has been backed to the tune of nearly £180m this summer and £128m of it has primarily been on the bench, treatment table or now a beach in Dubai. 70% of the very extensive summer outlay has generated 3 goals and 1 assist across 28 games in all competitions. In total, those 3 players have played 27 games between them (14 starts, 14 subs).

He’s either a substitute from next season or sold to generate FFP wiggle room. A team with aspirations to consistently be a Top 4/6 side doesn’t have Miggy as their primary RW. He’s bearing the brunt of no options in his position but as a winger I’d expect more than 6 assists over the 130 odd games he’s played for us. As an example: Solano in 2001/02 - 37 games, 7 goals and 9 assists Solano in 2002/03 - 31 games, 7 goals and 6 assists Robert in 2001/02 - 36 games, 8 goals and 11 assists Robert in 2002/03 - 27 games, 5 goals and 7 assists That’s the level of productivity we need to aspire to from wingers if we’re serious about being a consistent European places force.

Agree, leave him where he is.

Bit of a maelstrom of all things starting to add up: - Last summer’s biggest financial layouts currently being layabouts (Tonali & Barnes) - Key positions not covered - Players bought for potential not quite ready or trusted (Hall mostly, but Tino previously) - An injury streak the likes I’ve never seen before (2 x fractured backs, 2 x dislocated shoulders) - An aggressive pressing tactic being stretched by the limitations mentioned above - Worst ever cup draw run which limits the ability to rest and rotate without sacrificing competitiveness - Mr Reliable Kieran Trippier having personal issues off the field which lead to an on field funk - Shit reffing decision in Paris that cost us so much mentally Overall, just a pretty grim last couple of months with the potential January from hell looming. I think Eddie can sort it but he needs both luck with injuries in the second half of the season and the right backing. Plus to evaluate some of his own decisions, including excessive loyalty to some players, in a more critical light.

Getting a couple of goals ahead and having scope to bring on Tino and Alex Murphy would be great.

No issue with him going away as such as there’s probably a reason/rationale, just don’t showcase it on social media. Hardly the best optics given the rest of the squad are blowing like Puffing Billy. Also, the polis generally are telling footballers to stop posting their whereabouts to prevent them being burgled. Shit for brains some of them.

Great for him being a £15m-£20m FFP millstone this season.

Resplendent in a hair shirt and with Tindall ringing a bell screaming “shame”.

I did think that. Possible marra for Tonali.

On the Barcelona links - they’re about to fail UEFA FFP so wishful thinking on their behalf.

Jackson Batshuyuai.

Can’t even get in their team. If you look at the state of our loans on NUFC.com you either see what a shitshow Shola is doing OR how bad some of the ‘talent’ is we’ve stockpiled in both youth and senior teams.

@Paully and the Hebburn Gizmos were all at the Luton game.

Fixed it for you.

Scab bastards. Hope we do them.

Great post and basically where I’m at with it. Take this as the lessons learned season. IF, and it is an ‘if’ at this point, we get Europe next season then Eddie needs a squad and style of playing that allows him to be more flexible and rest senior personnel at the right times over the course of a near 60 game season (38 PL, 10 domestic cups, 10 - 15 games in Europe). I think in some positions - right back - we’re at the point with Tripps and Tino where we can do that, but in so many others we have a cliff edge drop off in quality which means if you take 2-3 out at once we look a shadow of our desired style, especially away from home.

I don’t think it is. Most would have Top 6 and a cup as a pretty good follow on season to last year. I think that’s why so much hangs on the mackems game.

Beat Forest and we’re still on a decent trajectory. Anything at Liverpool will be a bonus. Beat the mackems and Eddie will get a lot more peace.

You know it’s a big game when Oxo Cube, Potato Waffle and Kipling get brought out. Winalot dropped after his last minute rick at Chelsea away.

The lad playing up front for Stuttgart (Guirassy) linked with Spurs today.

Tomori and Botman is a title winning central defensive partnership.

Rightly or wrongly Miley’s emergence might help avoid the need to splurge on an expensive midfielder, obligation to buy or not. I’m with @Mike on this, I can see us making do for the rest of the season with the less strenuous game load. God forbid we lose on the 6th, it would leave us with some two week periods free of games.

Agreed.