sushimonster85

If you thought January was bad for reporters using us for clicks/to shift papers the Summer is going to be on a whole other level. Don't believe anything till they're holding the shirt. Also, while we're on. If we're talking about stealing continental keepers from mid-table sides, give me Jose Sa at Wolves over anyone already mentioned.

I'm the same, rather than looking at any one individual game I have the mindset of 4 points from these three (well, four including Norwich away after) games would likely see us safe. Which should be doable. Should.....

I assumed it was an April fools, but the official tweet from the club took you to a page where you could pre-order it....

Definitely. Currently have Max, who has an insane top speed, but then seemingly needs 10 minutes to fully recover from any sprint.

Will say the same thing with the Bailey 'budget' that I said when Edwards came out with a 'budget'. Take any budget talk with a bucket of salt. They will have a general idea in their head, but (like with Jan) it will be done on a player-by-player basis. On the one hand there is no real upper limit to what could be spent, but on the other (as seen in Jan) they're clearly not going to go mental.

It makes sense that Botman may now just be one of many targets, rather than the number 1 CB target. He had that status in Jan thanks to a combo of ability & us having no other left footed CBs. Now we have Burn we don't have to focus quite so specifically on left sided centre backs.

Yep. Don't forget this Summer is Covid contract fallout. Load of fantastic players available on a free. Wouldn't be shocked to see us in for at least Boubacar Kamara on a free. I actually think our big statement signing may be one of the higher profile free agents. Costs more in wages and signing on, but save money on the transfer fee. Honestly think someone like Rudiger could be on the table.

To be fair to Luke Edwards, I wouldn't be shocked at all if he has sources at the club giving him those vibes. It's far better for bargaining if the press are reporting that you're not look to over-spend in the Summer, rather than having a bunch of 'NEWCASTLE TO HAVE UNLIMITED TRANSFER BUDGET' type stories. The truth will likely be somewhere in between, as it was in Jan. They will have a list of targets, enter into negotiations and see if they can get a price they're happy with.

In terms of pure shot-stopping I would totally agree. I'd even say he is better at that aspect of being a keeper than some of them. But it's pretty clear at this point that Howe want's a keep who's comfortable with passing the ball out from the back. All those keepers are better with the ball at their feet that Dubravka. Out the lot mention I personally would want Leno.

Think Miggy will always be one of those players who shines in a non-elite league. Great work-rate, and decent technically. It's his decision making and physicality that let him down. Drop him in the Dutch or Portuguese league where he will get a touch longer before being closed down and I think he'd do well.

I see a lot of people are in the same boat as me and very nervous for this one. It's a different sort of nerves than I have been used to from earlier in the season. Not the same 'fuck we need 3 points here or we truly are fucked' but more 'I really want to beat these bastards and help see them relegated.' I am not even too nervous about the 'win this and we're safe' side of it. Not wanting to jinx anything, but we have plenty of opportunities to pick up those extra 4-6 points it will likely take.

To be honest, given the PIF is already worth over £300B, I don't think any fluctuation with how much oil the Saudi's are going to be pumping will matter to us one way or another. They could earmark 1% of that for us, which would transform the club in terms of playing/coaching staff, executives, and infrastructure, and still not even notice. And that's not accounting for commercial revenue coming in.

Imagine it will be this tonight. I know people would prefer Joelinton to Longstaff, but Howe has consistently shown caution with injured/ill players. I think he will likely do the same here. ASM is the only other one I wasn't sure on. If he still isn't fully fit I reckon it could be Murphy, which would mean Fraser left, Murphy right.

Absolutely. If we can get a goal in the first 20 minutes the crowd will be all over them. If we can get 2-0 up by half time the atmosphere in ground will be absolutely toxic... aside from the away end.

I don't know, I'd still be inclined to give him that big rest. Sure, we have a great chance for 3 points, but wouldn't you rather have him available and as fresh as possible for the Wolves (h), Leicester (h), Palace (h), and Norwich (a) run? That is going to be a huge opportunity to go on a run that will properly confirm safety.

He isn't awful when it comes to the attacking side of the game. It helps that with each of those clubs he was working with one of the most talented squads in their respective leagues. He clearly massively under-performed at Chelsea, and arguably at Derby as well. He can't organise a defence for toffee.

Top coaching from Lampard..... To be, something like this is the only hope he has. The game a few weeks ago showed he (and then later Gerrard) are no where close to Howe as coaches. As for the flags and banners, the ones they have had out already have looked a bit shit. Even if they got their act together, Goodison isn't a great stadium for flags/banners/surfers. No one tier is tall enough for them to work.

If FM22 is accurate I want to say it has a release clause of around £50m...

Aye, seems like he has burnt his bridge, at least for as long as Clark is still there. Mental really, when you consider he has been one of the in-form wide players in the league since Jan, and Scotland are hardly flush with talent in that area.

Was also surprised to see how much Villa fans don't rate Mings. They express very similar thoughts to the ones we have towards Lascelles.

Agree with this. That side is largely the same one Bielsa transformed from mid-table Championship level into a PL outfit, and I think if they manage to survive this season they will have to spend big now Bielsa is gone. From those sides mentioned, Raphinha, Richarlson, and DCL are the only players really worth looking at. I would say McNeil, but I don't think he would get in our current 11 past Max or Fraser.

Exactly, under Ashley and Bruce it would have been "well, y'know we're going to go there and just try and limit them as much as we can. But we know we can't compete with them"

He clearly learned after his absolutely balled up attempt at time wasting at West Ham, where he went down injured, but totally off the field of play.

This is so weird. I am actually really looking forward to this game. A defeat (or even a draw) last night & I would've still had a lingering relegation worry in the very back of my mind, and wouldn't have been fully able to enjoy this as the totally free hit it now is. Now we're as good as safe (fivethirtyeight put us as a 2% shot at getting relegated) I just want to enjoy the match, hope the lads give it a good go and we give a good account of ourselves. Can honestly see us even nabbing a cheeky draw. BDB with a stoppage time equaliser from a corner prompting absolute scenes.

I do worry people are going to be a little disappointed when Bruno starts playing regularly and they realize he isn't an attacking midfielder.