TheBrownBottle

Hard to say - up to Howe and the club. I’m ok with anyone going if Eddie thinks it’s best for the club. No-one is irreplaceable.

They can’t smokescreen publicly available accounts. It’s pretty easy to see that if we’re following FFP, then there isn’t much wriggle-room. I’ve seen this from NUFC fans every transfer window. Loads in the summer talking about ‘we’ll spend £150-200m, easy’.

The wandering hands do increase the punchability factor

It’s a bullet we’re most likely going to have to bite sooner or later.

He sounds like that Pete Donaldson bloke from Football Ramble. Proper monkey hanger accent.

Champions League money is in the current year, unfortunately- that’s gone. By not even dropping into the UEFA Cup (a run to the semis would’ve added another c.£10m) that well is dry. No European football next season will have an impact on income - though you’d think that more commercial deals would’ve been landed by now. Truth is, as was mentioned earlier in the thread, we really need to start bringing some transfer money in. Particularly from players who’ve been here a while.

We’re going to struggle as this current season is still hampered by 21/22 when we ran up a massive loss. Also, we’re out of Europe - which cuts off a revenue pipeline - and our league finishing position looks dicey, which would be the other additional revenue source at this point. I doubt we’ve got much wriggle-room - but bringing funds forward from the summer is a non-starter.

No, that’s what incompetence and a blank chequebook looks like. I doubt Howe, Ashworth and co. would be spunking the best part of a billion on wingers and defensive midfielders

True, but it’s such a weasily cop-out by a perennially shit journalist. ‘Some fans say there’s no plan B. I don’t think that …’

I think an annoyed and frustrated Howe has finally had some thinking space and will have been working on what he’s doing as well as the players. Everything we’ve seen from the bloke suggests this will be the case. I’m still going for a shock win, because I am that daft, but whatever happens I think we’ll see a vastly improved performance.

I also think it’s the better goal for the reasons you’ve outlined - each to their own, though.

Yeah, definitely see where you’re coming from on that. If you’re making a list of top ten greatest midfielders of all time, he’s in there for me. But he’s not a Pelé / Maradona / Messi level player, for me at least.

The headbutt doesn’t change the course of the final, of course. Though it wasn’t exactly a good idea He does get elevated, you’re right - and I wouldn’t elevate him above Iniesta, personally. But in terms of his era, he was absolutely the best midfielder around, and for a spell probably was the best player on Earth.

Haha yep. Still scored, mind

It’s a weird list. Most of the goals are from the c21st. Carlos Alberto’s goal not being in the top three just shows that whoever made the list doesn’t appreciate great football. Even the blurb doesn’t mention what makes it truly great - every single Brazilian outfield player touched the ball before the goal is scored. In a WC Final. It’s perfection. At least van Basten’s volley is in there.

Zidane was overrated? Like all the very best players, he did it when it mattered most.

Yep, that’s boiled my piss. I can’t stand Ryder. He’s a shit stirrer with the worst grasp of written English I’ve ever seen from someone employed as a journalist. That was a cowardly approach to that question - he could have asked it without the ‘fans’ patter.

Is Lascelles back? I don’t think trying something new is a bad idea

The lack of even lip service to contrition is surprising. I know that there is a view that this is a private issue, but it’s a matter of public record - I’m kind of shocked that there hasn’t even been a bland statement via his agent or the club.

I don’t there is even the remotest similarity there. Tonali’s own actions caused this situation - it’s not bad luck or something that could happen to anyone.

European qualification should be the aim - it should always have been the aim for NUFC, even under Ashley. I’m not that bothered if that means Conference League etc. Europe is Europe.

I haven’t seen evidence that he isn’t. So I’m taking it as red that he is.

I would start Burn ahead of Livramento at centre half if given the choice. But I’d play Livramento at FB ahead of Burn.

I’m happy to hold Bruno and Isak to account for not doing what Milan would have done - a professional foul. But Milan had FOUR forwards on at that point. A draw meant they were out of Europe entirely - what Schar did was take a wholly unnecessary risk and we paid for it