TheBrownBottle

He's popped onto my recommends on youtube thanks to algorithms no doubt. Embarrassing shite like this - I've got a feeling if the year was 2026/7 then this one might be a goer. No chance at present. Being 'on the cusp of CL football' doesn't entice the world's best players.

Also, it’s been reported by a couple of decent local hacks (Waugh, Hope) that the club want to sign half a dozen players this summer. Even if they finish in the top four the budget isn’t going to be more than £150m based upon FFP. Once you’ve sounded £90m+ on Rice, that doesn’t leave a lot of room for manoeuvre

Even if we met WHU’s asking price, I don’t see us matching Rice’s likely salary demands. We’re still at least a couple of years away from £200k+/pw players

It’s a shame - he’s been excellent last few games for me. But the lad is made of glass - I don’t think we can afford players who are more or less guaranteed to miss half of our games next year with European football now starting to look more likely than not.

We’d need them if the attendances are owt like Euro 96 - Bulgaria vs Romania pulled a sub-20k crowd from memory, despite both sides having some really big names. France didn’t pull much more than that, either.

They should invite Germany to play their group games there. It’s what Casement would have wanted.

That’s clearly not the point being made

One of those odd games where I’d both take a draw now if offered and also wouldn’t be surprised to see us win. Brentford last weekend was the same. And the ‘rivalry’ isn’t just knobheads on Twitter. It wasn’t just a couple of sad acts with bedsheets in May 09 - that old ground erupted and celebrated like they’d won the league that day. We literally didn’t give a hoot about them before that day. Fuck them, this will always be a fully-fledged Geordie vendetta against this lot. HTL

By Ekitike’s age Henry was a first team regular in a superb Monaco side which won Ligue 1 and had won the WC, playing in every knockout game except the final. Ekitike’s highlights reel looked a long way short of that - anyone comparing him to Henry was being a bit daft; the lad looks a long way short at the moment.

The lad looked unimpressive to me in the admittedly Dennis Wise-esque scouting done on here (loads of YouTube clips). Looked very raw and lacking in poise. Obviously there’s something there otherwise he doesn’t attract those suitors - but he’s come across as a bad egg at PSG. I suspect his attitude at PSG will automatically rule him out on the ‘no arseholes’ rule the club employs.

Luckiest miss in football history for me. If we’d signed Ekitike there was no going in for Isak. I fall to my knees every morning and give thanks to his small-time arrogant twat of an agent and his unprofessional remarks in public which have likely told every club in Europe that they won’t want to deal with him. The notion of sitting on the bench watching Mbappe and Messi play improved a player is daft, too - he’d be better off buying a season ticket at PSG and continuing to play for a ‘lesser’ club if that’s the case. How many talented young players have rotted on Chelsea or Man City’s benches over the years and didn’t improve by watching excellent footballers?

Agreed. It’s a smart through-ball but I think the Twitter gadgie doesn’t understand the notion of what ‘putting it on a plate’ is. Is it even possible for it to be ‘on a plate’ 40 yards from goal? Maybe if the keeper has went up for a corner and is behind play? Even then ….

No worries, I shall quote it to you no more

magvicar doesn't do it so they turn round and go 'Thank you magvicar for the opportunity, thank you for the wisdom, thank you for the laughs.' He does it so, one day, someone will go "There goes magvicar. I must remember to thank him."

I haven't written anyone off. Just saying most of them have been shite this season. I am aware that good players can be plucked from relegated sides, but usually the narrative is around one or two of them - particularly if they've played well despite the circumstances around them. Wijnaldum had a decent season for us that year.

It's striking how many of Leicester's players every top half club's supporters are looking forward to signing, given just how shite they are and have been this season. Tielemans in particular hasn't looked much cop for some time to me.

The argument of the conspiracy theorist right there

Prove this isn't you, magvicar - tell me you don't think the ISS is fake. I mean, obviously 9/11 was an inside job, the moon landings were shot in a studio, and JFK was assassinated from the grassy knoll. No-one is going to argue those.

Yeah, it was a bizarre call by your board not to recruit a centre forward in January - I imagine almost any half decent second tier forward would have done, really. It is still tight for the 5th and 6th slots - and there is usually at least one side which comes into the playoffs with a late surge. I'm got a funny feeling that side might be West Brom, though anyone down to Watford I wouldn't write off (and this is allowing for PNE having a cracking run of form lately). There is no reason that can't be sunderland, of course - though you'll have to understand that I'd be happier if it wasn't

Do you think if Stewart isn't injured you make the playoffs? It isn't over yet, but I'd be looking at a couple of those draws and wondering if they could have been wins with a proper centre forward

Benitez talked about 'Newcastle United is not a stepping stone'. With Bruce, it was back to 'unrealistic expectations' and 'can't compete' shite. Ashley paid millions for a man to be his professional apologist - Benitez actually had enough self-worth and stock in the game not to have to go down that path. Benitez was a La Liga and European Cup winning manager reminding us of what we are and can be. Steve Bruce was a Second and Third Division playoffs winner with a truly weird accent telling us that we were deluded. He can get to fuck, frankly.

Mitrovic destroyed himself by acting like a knacker and generally speaking not being able to hit a cow's arse with a banjo. He wasn't good enough at the time. He's popped a canny few in the last couple of years for Fulham - but at Fulham he remains; I don't see many teams knocking their door down to get him. He's an elite level second division footballer, or a decent PL striker these days - but he's hardly the dog's bollocks.

I've never liked them. Even though I was mid-20s before we lost an away game against them; even with long runs of wins, I fucking hate derby days. Yes, Pardew and co's risible derby performances leading to six defeats on the bounce wasn't pleasant - but then, winning non-stop against them didn't remove the anxiety-fueled sickness I'd feel until FT.

You've lost me now - I'm generally ok with folks not enjoying the football Benitez played etc, but defending Bruce is a line no-one should cross . 'Bruce's team did ok for bit and then everything dropped' - this directly refutes your point. It took the team time to drop away from what Benitez had drilled into them. Bruce actively made them worse - a point further proved by the number of players whose NUFC careers Howe has saved since.

Bayern and AC Milan (if they qualify). I’d want teams we haven’t played before.