WilliamPS

Had his card marked since 2001 when his matches sport for the away win at arsenal was so biased and petty the Times did another more balanced report in Newcastle’s match preview at the weekend. He’s an unimaginative hack

Wilson should not be dropped for a winnable game at home to save him for a likely defeat away at the weekend. Of the 3 games this week this is the one to prioritise. This is the game to go for all 3 points so I think Targett in for Burn and Willock in for Longstaff, which makes the team a little bit more attacking in midfield. Be nice to see a substitute cameo from Shelvey too.

If the manager has lost the dressing room, the captain and senior players talking to the owners/CEO is fair enough IMO. Up to the owners to then decide who to back

Bruno will leave at some point in the next two years, it’s inevitable as he’s good enough to play for a team competing to win the CL in that timeframe. Fergie couldn’t keep hold of Ronaldo, Liverpool couldn’t keep Coutinho, Newcastle won’t keep Bruno. Real, Barca and now City and PSG get who they want. Just enjoy watching a top player in the meantime and be confident the owners will invest over the seasons to make the club more and more attractive to top players so the pool of teams who can pick off the squad will get steadily smaller. As it’s been so poor over the last few seasons people have forgotten what it’s like to have coveted players - Cabaye probably the last one (excluding players sold on relegation, which is a bit of a fire sale). I hope we get two more seasons and also hope the fans don’t go loopy at the owners when they make the decision.

Be toughest game since city, a point would be a good result. No way Murphy starts if ASM is fully fit, Murphy has done well but they are different levels. Joelinton provides the cover on the left so ASM can stay up the pitch. Starting Murphy over a fit ASM is absolutely crackers

Yeah the teams to focus on has shifted massively. the good news for 7th is Leicester, West Ham and Villa haven’t had the best starts, but NUFC aren’t many points above. I think these 3 are the ones most likely to make up the top half by May I'm still hoping Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal win every game against mid table teams as doubt they’ll be close to NUFC by the end of the season. Would be nice to have to revise that

Liverpool fans getting blamed for something they haven’t done! Excepting a small minority, I expect pretty much all Liverpool fans would be respectful. the PL panicked and shit their pants on Friday, when other sports were far more sensible, and now the PL need an excuse they blame the fans, and people actually lap it up! Starting to understand why Liverpool fans have a victim complex considering the blame for this has immediately, unjustifiably been put on them.

this is crackers Man Utd are expecting to have Dubs as a 2nd choice but people think Nufc should accept Darlow? Any fee has to cover buying a replacement, a loan makes zero sense.

Sweden didn’t qualify, gives him extra time to recover anyway

Maybe he flew in for a Board meeting where they agreed the plan

Hope he stays, great club servant Darlow is not good enough to be the No.2, he has unfortunately proven that over and over, so if Dubs goes someone else needs to come in - so a loan without obligation makes no sense. Whatever was saved on wages would be lost on a transfer fee.

Have you seen the wages they chuck about? Probably treble his money, if it’s true

After their carry on with Lingard in January they should be rinsed. Twice the price anyone else pays

He should leave for his career, he’s just not good enough for where the club want to be. If he stays his best years will be wasted as a squad player - don’t think he even makes the bench outside on an injury crisis

Have to be realistic about the level of commercial income the club needs. the sleeve sponsorship covers Trippiers wages, that’s it. the club need the full range of commercial deals, like man Utd have all sorts of weird deals like a preferred tyre provider. One or two deals won’t allow the massive investment needed.

This time last year the squad was relegation cannon fodder. Now it’s top 10 material. In one year that’s quite the turnaround. If you look at the teams that go down the most common reason is they cannot defend (hence the career of Sam allardyce, all he did was fix defences), so it’s no surprise when the club was bottom of the league in January the focus was on the defence. That means it’ll be a bit longer before the attacking line up is equally revamped. In the meantime enjoy watching a team compete in every league game, instead of getting battered with 20% possession every time, home and away.

If Pep rates De Jong this would be the most comic move. Annoy Man Utd, demand some cash thrown in and have top level replacement

If they get to the CL proper are they still likely to sell? Presume they will have more cash and will want to go as far as they can in the CL

Win against Brighton and wolves and do well enough against City and can look at some talented hungry players at CL clubs who don’t want to sit on the bench. One of the big issues is players arent willing to take a chance on Newcastle yet - but a strong start might turn their heads, especially if it’s initially a loan.

Leicester need to sell someone to bring anyone in - I think they intended to let Tielemans go, but that hasn’t happened. I think that makes Maddison or Fofana leaving realistic. Leicester won’t want to lose a load of players before the deadline then get ripped off in the market, so I reckon they’ll only let one leave. We have tested their nerve on Maddison and up to them to decide who they want to let go. As Chelsea offer CL and we aren’t in Europe Fofana might kick up more of a fuss than Maddison.

Maddison’s agent trying to get his client more money is nailed on - it’s pretty much his job as an agent. Maddison probably isn’t on big bucks at the moment and for him and his agent it’s win-win, either a move and as a club record signing it’s a big salary - or a new contract on vastly improved terms. Be naive to think otherwise.

The first bid is just exploratory- to see if Leicester make a counter offer, or suggest a deal is possible for the right price or rule it out completely. if Leicester counter with 50m we might be on. If they say no deal is possible the club moves on.

The financing deal is just cash flow management. The tweet confuses the amount of profit/lose the owners are prepared to accept (which includes how big they set the transfer budget) with how the club manages its cash. if the club needed cash to pay a transfer fee they could just a short term loan from literally any bank or even borrow from the owners

They know overpaying this year will restrict next summers window - when in theory the club is a more attractive proposition to more players. It’s fine judgement between not overpaying this year vs failing to strengthen sufficiently to make the leap to European places challengers.

Newcastle scored 44 goals last season, West Ham 60 Leicester 62 Man City 57 Arsenal 61 Within that 44, Fraser scored 2 and Almiron 1. A right forward who can get 10+, plus cover for Wilson is essential to get that 44 up to 60 odd. A lot of the possession stats will improve with Trippier back in the side. Good full backs take the pressure off CBS and CMs and Targett/Trippier were a big reason the possession stats improved post January.