TheBrownBottle

Hang on, are we cloning Botman or not here? You don’t want to go too deep with the thinking, so you’re letting the rest of us get on with the science of cloning him?

Yep, it’s shite. Mind, ‘Gimme gimme gimme a striker from Sweden’ is right up there with the worst of them as well. Embarrassing stuff

The Mag was filled to the brim with articles in the mid- to late-‘90s complaining about the atmosphere, which definitely took a noticeable down-swing when we became all-seater after 94/95.

That ‘Bruno in the middle’ chant is the only ‘regular’ chant I can remember in NUFC that makes me actively cringe. It is fucking dreadful - I’ve no idea why anyone is happy to sing it.

In the first Judge Dredd movie, they speed up the ageing process of Rico’s clones to just a few hours to get them to adulthood. That’s science for you.

If Dubravka let that in I’d be pissing blood. Dogshit goalkeeping

They had - and a have - a consensus. The vast majority of clubs backed the previous and current rules. The ‘minnows’ of the PL gain just as much as the ‘cartel’.

I feel really sorry for the lad. There’s real talent there, and he’s shown it for us in the past. He’s had so many injuries that it could be combination of those taking their physical toll, and a mental toll as well - his game is about his combination of technical and physical attributes. The lad might be constantly worrying about another injury. Total guesswork, of course. But the current situation can’t go on forever.

Fair dos, I think it’s probably my misreading. PSR has knacked us more than anything else - there shouldn’t be any doubts re that. Howe was chasing Guehi in the summer - he knew we had an issue at RCB. The man knows what he’s doing, and it is a shame that there’s no headroom left.

That second half of the season was incredible - we hit CL form when we looked stranded at Xmas. He galvanised what he had and added steel at the back.

That was a tactical masterclass by Howe. He really does have Arteta’s number. Not so much that first half vs Man City, but it is still Man City away. Personally, I think Man City away can still be chalked off to experience.

I agree, and I’m very much in the ‘Howe is doing a good job’ camp. I’m just not in the ‘he’s performing miracles’ camp.

Here’s the quote I replied to: ’Still don’t think you can overstate how not being backed for 3 windows in a row has made his job that much harder’ Nothing re PSR there.

I know what people mean when they say Howe is hamstrung by PSR - he is. I was replying to the idea that Howe hadn’t been backed, implying that the ownership was at fault on that front. He has been backed to the maximum extent possible - which means he would need to either wheel and deal or stick with what he has. He chose to stick. And it is possible to spend the money we spent last summer and get good players in - Bournemouth paid less for Kluivert than we paid for Osula, for example. I think Howe’s doing (and has done) a good job, and I’m happy with him being our manager. But I don’t agree with the ‘no-one else could do this / he’s a miracle worker’ crack.

There are two managers currently doing better with worse squads.

There are two managers currently doing better with worse squads.

He’s been backed, which is why we haven’t been able to spend as much as we’d like. The rules narrow what can be done, but again there’s nothing stopping us from trading to buy.

I’m not seeing miracles performed. Howe’s doing well with a perfectly good squad. If this is what miraculous looks like, then what are Forest or Bournemouth doing? There’s a lot of miracles going around. Four of the ‘big six’ are having - at best - ‘transition seasons’. I think we’ve got a better team and squad than Bournemouth or Forest, but we’re below them. We could soon be below Fulham and Brighton - and I think we’re better than them too. There’s been no European football and no injury crisis. We haven’t been able to spend - but holding onto players instead of selling them to give you a budget is also a choice. Howe’s a good manager and we have a cup final to look forward to - but a team with the league’s best centre forward and one of the best midfields isn’t over performing.

Timing

Bugger

‘Bad day at the office’ for me. I can understand why Howe would’ve been tempted to do what he did first half after the Arsenal LC match but it backfired. I really don’t want to see Trippier starting PL matches anymore.

I agree he’s not the best on the ball, and that has been a longstanding issue with English centre halves. But BDB is an underrated footballer for me - and this is Man City’s forward line he’s up against, and he’s surrounded by a LB having a ‘mare and sat behind a midfield which hadn’t offered much protection

Just a goal needed. I want some forlorn hope.

We’ve just sold Lloyd Kelly to Juventus - where he starts. BDB looked twice the player.

No, you’re not alone. The awful set up first half didn’t help us at all.