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And yet, when Paul Mitchell essentially called this out, he got slated?

What we really need is two or three additions in January. The problem is, thanks to our PSR position, we can't do that without selling one of our best players. This is why managers ultimately get binned off, it's easier/cheaper than large scale player turnover. I'm not saying it's right, but we've got three big games coming up and if we don't get the results we need our season could be effectively over before Christmas.

Second half has been embarrassing.

He's only just about to turn 27 too, he's not a pensioner. We could easily get 3+ seasons out of him. I also wonder whether the glut of "links" to PL players is a combination of name recognition driving clicks/engagement plus UK journalists having more contacts within the UK. For example, if we've been watching Semenyo then they'll be more likely to pick that up compared to some young lad playing in Portugal, because they don't have as many sources there.

I mentioned him in passing a while back on the basis that I think he's a left-footed RW who is the right age and I think his contract expires next summer. Don't actually know anything about him though. Edit - me and quite a few others I should say

If I was a PL team in need of a left winger, Barnes would be very high up on my list. Let's face it, if we didn't have Gordon, Barnes would be starting every game for us without question.

That's what our season will depend on. Howe has come up with a fantastic strategy for games like this, shape, team selection etc all spot on. Now we need to do the same for the teams that are happy to let us have the ball. Assuming we're going to stick with the 4-3-3 I reckon our best bet is Tonali at 6, Bruno playing further up on the right side. I'd also have Barnes on the right, I think he'd link up well with Bruno and he's more two-footed than Gordon.

My exact thoughts!

Could we not say "OK we've accepted £5m/year because that's what your rules limit us to" then, if the rules change as a result of the court case, we can claim the extra however many million? Isn't that partly what City are chasing, lost income?

I know for a fact that there were NDAs about the expansion of the training ground and Craig Hope had an article written and posted within about a week.

There's someone on Reddit comparing equivalent results from last season and I think we're 1pt down from the same fixtures last season.

That's it really. Signing doesn't work out? No problem, just sign someone else.

Sounds like a guess to me. If there is ever a concrete move to build on Leazes Park I reckon it will leak almost immediately, there's too many people that'd need to be involved.

I agree with all of this tbf. I've thought a lot about the Mitchell/Howe thing and I've said before, I think a squad "reset" is coming. One or more of the "purples" will be sold and that will fund a squad refresh. The question is, do the owners trust Howe to have another crack at it? On the last paragraph, definitely. I have the same attitude towards players, if I think they've had a crap game or whatever I'll slag them off on here or in other private conversation, but I'll never call them out directly (eg social media) and I'll always give Howe and the players 100% backing whenever I'm at a game.

That's what I mean though, he's not been injured. He played 12 games before his ban, he's been available for 13 games since he's come back. All that time in the middle he's been training with the first team (unless there's an injury that hadn't been reported) so how long does he need to work out what his strengths are and how to work him into the side?

The Tonali thing I really can't get my head around. By all accounts, Howe massively rated him. Obviously what happened last season he couldn't have seen coming but Tonali has had the best part of a year just training. How has he not worked out what to do with him? It's all well and good questioning the balance of the squad but Eddie's fingerprints are all over it, that's undeniable, and he has to take his share of the responsibility too.

Personally I don't think so. I think the issue is that we've gone hard at the Champions League qualification, attracted the likes of Bruno, Isak to achieve that, which we did. The problem is we've gone backwards since then so how do you re-motivate those players? I think missing out on Europe all together has been a pretty big psychological blow to our top players and that's reflected in their performances. Could they be casting jealous eyes at other players at other clubs? If you're even 10% off it at PL level, it'll show. Now it'd be absolutely fair to say that the players should still be able to motivate themselves to go again but we all know it isn't that simple.

Bar a couple of good performances we've been bang average this season. Not solid at the back, very little creativity, the very definition of mid-table mediocrity.

Late goal or not, we deserve absolutely fuck all from this game

Like clockwork.

It's not even just a case of "not doing everything they can", it's that the transfer strategy seems completely at odds with the commercial strategy. OK, you want to grow organically, not ruffle feathers etc, if you believe that's the way to ultimately get where you want to go then that's the owners perogative. But don't chase £50m+ established defenders, especially if you know (as per recent reports) that any substantial spending would mean another rush to get some money in before 30th June.

Where is the original quote/article?

Under the proposals clubs would basically have to apply for licenses each year/season so the first time a PIF-owned NUFC applied they'd be told "No"

I could be wrong but I think that was suggested when the case started, partly due to the complexity of the case but also on the assumption that whichever party loses will appeal the decision.

I'm giving a 6-0 win and a 0-1 loss exactly 50% chance each