WilliamPS

Given the current options off the bench I’d keep him and play him, rather than having various knackers kick lumps out of him in the SPL. If you’re good enough you’re old enough loans make sense if you aren’t getting game time, but would that be the case?

The media know Newcastle are interested in fresneda as they know the scouts were there - beyond that it’s guesswork Maybe the scout report came back negative. Might be scouting ahead of a summer bid. Or he’s on the plane A first team backup for Trippier feels smart as if there’s a European campaign you’d think it would be too many games for Trippier next year. However it’s not an immediate issue so it wouldn’t be a big shock if it was left to the summer

If you had a really defensive DM a la Declan Roce type you could have a much more attacking LB though, so it’s a question of balance in the side

100% this. He can now sign a pre contract agreement with foreign clubs, in 6 months he can move for free to a PL club - consciously or unconsciously he will be holding back as a big injury would be disastrous for him personally. It will get worse as the season goes on. Having a player who wants to leave enter the last 12 months of his contract carries this risk (if the player is desperate to stay it’s totally different). Leicester should really try and move him on now.

Arsenal are a better side, at home and in great form - so expectations have to be set accordingly. However I don’t agree with the suggestion Newcastle should be passive and worry about Saka etc - if you try and contain a team like Arsenal the likelihood is they take an opportunity and win. You have to do play your best team and try and cause the opposition problems. For me, that means starting ASM and having him stay high up the pitch. Give White a decision to make about going forward, give Arsenal a constant headache about leaving ASM one on one with a defender - as against Man City. That means Joelinton, Burn and Botman have to be on it when Arsenal attack down the right, but you have to trust players

Not sure where this anti Dubs stuff has came from - he’s a good goalkeeper, way better than Karius and club needs two decent keepers. Darlow is a liability. Dubs has never let the club down and course was going to be frustrated at Pope coming in Welcome back! I’d start him in the FA Cup game at least

Philips is currently being Pep’d. He was used to a certain standard at Leeds and now is having to adapt to Man City’s higher level. Grealish had the same last season. Philips will either emerge a much better player or if he fails to make the grade be cast off.

Don’t think it’s ever ‘too early’ for CL, you get bags of cash, play against the elite teams, attract the best players and also deny the opportunity to another English club

Howe stuck with the winning team from Leicester yesterday but now time to play the best 11 - ASM and Wilson in. I’d take out Wood and Willock, leave Longstaff and Joelinton in for their energy and workload in midfield. Willock off the bench after 60, a role he is very effective at.

Shows the value of goal scorers - lack of fitness for ASM and Wilson (and perhaps Isak) costing 2 points today A lot of the other players will chip in with a few here and there - which is v important - but regularly scoring in the PL is a skill and to win week in week out you need your goal scorers on the pitch

Every opposition manager will get asked that q or a similar one and many will give a more hostile answer than that one And of course it’s the money - last season relegation was nailed on. No takeover cash = no Howe and no signings. It’s not just the money spent, it’s the promise of much more cash to come as well, so historic net spend isn’t so relevant. No way Botman, Bruno and Isak sign, and Howe/Ashworth etc commit unless they believe the spending is going to run and run. Personally I’m happy with that, but I totally get why other clubs will massively resent it.

Chelsea haven’t strengthened that much despite the outlay as their transfer management has been so poor - losing Christensen, Alonso and Rudiger for nothing. basically 180m to get back where they started.

It’s touch and go. Season isn’t even at halfway mark. To get top 4 the form from the last 16 games has to last for another 22, that’s a big ask from the players and from a relatively shallow squad. It also means winning the home 6 pointers against Tottenham and Man Utd at least. But it’s not impossible and winning the first two games since the World Cup has restored the momentum

I just can’t hope West Ham win, such a bunch of miserables

If it’s illness it’s just bad luck for Wilson - he’s got kids and right now schools and nurseries are absolutely riddled with sickness so no shock if he’s picked something up. ASM is a top player and the grief he is getting is bizarre. Managing his fitness will be tricky given Howe will want his contribution for Leeds and Arsenal so we shall see when he gets off the bench.

If ASM plays having Joelinton behind him works really well -off the ball Joelinton covers the defensive duties so well ASM can be left high up the pitch as a great outlet on the break. In possession, teams doubling up on ASM gives Joelinton space for his driving runs. I don’t think the willock/ASM combination would work as well.

Spot on. England have the players, this time Southgate got the tactics and selection spot on. But the team doesn’t have the ruthlessness of winners. Compre with the England cricket team, who now consistently over perform in the high stress high stakes scenarios as they have the winning mentality.

Now they have binned off Ronaldo, Portugal are undervalued. No way they’d be an easy semi for France or England. If England and France have an absolute battle, say 120 mins + pens, and Portugal have an easier time against Morocco, Portugal will fancy it. Good midfielders, good goalie and now appear to be getting goals.

Spending a month in a training camp in Qatar when you’ve no hope of playing probably isn’t for everyone - doubt there’s much more to it than that Brazil and France have done well to get everyone some pitch time

Why is it sad? I don’t think ordinary Brazilians are duty bound to give a retired footballer some sort of special status. if you saw England record goal scorer Wayne Rooney on the street would you give him any special treatment?

Netherlands Argentina looks quite evenly matched, looking forward to it, but don’t think either looks like being the overall winner. Two sides with a few v good players but they’re both uneven

Unless there are personality issues I wouldn’t listen to any offers in January - the squad just isn’t deep enough.

Tbh if you dig out the threads from the Sweden games, Croatia and Italy you’d see the same issues - England have relied on set pieces or one off moves down the flanks for goals. The midfield has always been poor, although what’s worse this time is he has options (unlike in 2018) With Southgate I think the most they can be hoped for are minor player changes - likely Sterling out for Grealish or Foden. I would like to see a move from the 4231 to 433 to get the midfield functioning and get players closer to Rice but this is probably too big an ask (comically small change as it is!)

Southgate has such form in refusing to change things when a game isn’t going well it just sets people off - England lost the euros final partly as he refused to adapt so not really surprising Sending Henderson on to save the day is pure WUM

Cos the World Cup is mid season and there was only one week between the leagues pausing and kick off a lot of the squads /starting 11 were probably nailed down 3 months ago. No matter what the form is like a lot of managers probably don’t want to fiddle with defensive partnerships, especially at CB and between CBs and GKs. had it been in summer with a training camp and friendlies am sure things would be different.