jackflap

Given his record it's easy to argue that Howe deserves to be given another year but I honestly think the club should operate without sentiment and make a bold decision. No player has enhanced their reputation this season barring Hall and Osula and both feel almost by accident. It looks like the messaging isn't getting through to the players. We're also controlling the ball in games like today yet carrying little or no threat, like the team is doing thinks for the sake of it without any clear purpose why, this suggests things have gone stale. A massive rebuild is needed this season requiring someone to act boldly and without sentiment, 2 words I'd use to describe Howe's tenure is consistency and loyalty. We're at a fragile growth stage too where I'd fear a missed season could set us back several. Most seasons I'd be in agreement with sticking with Howe as there's plenty of evidence around that changing things for the sake of it isn't a winning recipe but the fact that both Glasnevin and Iraola look to be available changes the math for me.

Anderson becoming one of the best midfielders in the league as well.

Don't want to be overly negative but I think looking back at last season there were warning signs and it wasn't as good as it looks on paper. Carabao success was fantastic but I don't think we should be blinded by it. The league was very weak, Liverpool won it easily, Palace won the FA Cup. Traditional top 6 teams had off seasons. We were playing only once a week and picked up most points during a spell when Isak was unstoppable, very reliant on fortress St James overall. Away record was poor. Villa who I'd consider our main rival almost finished above us despite getting to the QF of the CL and semis of the FA Cup.

This is what has me most concerned about Howe, last few games we've reverted to things we know don't work in the long run. Burn at LB, Murphy at RW(understandable with Elanga rank I guess) Willock at LW last weekend when he's on his way out most likely. You can't describe this as a transitional season as we haven't transitioned to anything, haven't learnt anything except that last summers recruitment was a disaster.

Is the conventional wisdom that Howe is excellent at developing players becoming a but outdated. The main evidence to support that notion would be Burn, Murphy, Almiron but is the argument that he works really well with gutsy but technically limited players not just as strong.

Should be a like a Who wants to be a millionaire ask the audience feature with impartial fans to get rid of this nonsense, games been legislated to death.

Disgusting decision, the guy twists his body to protect his nuts, try do that naturally with your hands behind your back. The fact that we end up analysing it at that level of detail is ridiculous. As an aside that's the first foul Bayern have given away, breathless half of football

Decent player, like a young Hamza Choudhury

He's better than decent on the ball, he gets it out of his feet quickly and really zips his passes to keep the game moving, that's a plus for a guy who's a defensive midfielder. But... he does have a couple of loose passes a game and at least one of them is where he passes straight to an opponent like he doesn't even see them Doesn't do him justice either just to say his athleticism and work rate are his best attributes, they're off the charts, he's like a force of nature when at his best. The issue is that the last few months, for whatever reason he's just not looked his usual monster physically and that makes his iffy passes stand out all the more. I thought this would be his last season here but I thought it would be Real Madrid coming in with a monster offer to have him do the running of 2 guys in midfield to free up the galacticos who only want to run one way, and I would've accepted it. Moving to Arsenal because he's unsettled here and ripping it up would hurt. Desperate to see him and Bruno in a deeper role with a creative player pushed further forward but looks like it won't happen. In hindsight Grealish would've been a decent punt signing but for the wages

Well then lets have a repeat of the Isak saga, have it drag on throughout the summer without signing a replacement and then find ourselves scrambling for a RB in August when the player inevitably forces the move and then we're the ones who end up getting rinsed.

I think it's a no brainer to cash in on him in a PSR world where player trading is a necessity. Excellent player but injury record and lack of attacking output will prevent him being truly elite, right backs aren't that hard to find either, different to a good right winger or a striker, as long as they're proactive in identifying a replacement. If City come in for him negotiate a fair price and avoid a drawn out saga. Think it's beneficial to keep a decent relationship with City. They usually have a few decent young players on their books that they can't find game time for and could benefit ourselves, Oscar Bobb springs to my mind at the moment

Sorting out the Howe succession is going to be crucial for the club. They can only do it when they have stability and structure behind the scenes which they don't have at the moment. It can't be a knee jerk decision as the odds of getting someone in that could do as good a job is very slim. It will need to be planned with a successor lined up in advance but Howe is such a strong figure at the club that he would surely get wind if they were identifying replacements for him and would most likely walk away rather than risk being undermined. I think it'll be a Klopp like scenario where it's mutual and communicated well ahead of time with Howe even having a role in identifying his successor Think the season after next will be his last. Think there'll be an acceptance that we're not brushing the gap between the top sides anytime soon and he'll accept he's taken them as far as he can.

There have been 7 games I think this season where he started off the bench. Definitely looks like there's a reluctance from Howe to start him. Some of it is due him to returning from injury but not all of it

I'd argue having Hall and Livramento made everyone's jobs easier and created more space around the pitch. The field looked noticeably bigger with the way they could stretch it. They kept forcing Everton players into making decisions of who to cover and we looked really difficult to play against. One of my biggest gripes before was how compressed everything was around the middle 3rd of the pitch and we looked very easy to defend against.

Going by past selections this season it would've been either Burn out Tino are LB. Hopefully it'll be like last season where it was around this time Longstaff was finally jettisoned for Tonali after the Brentford game and we never looked back. But it's been a few occasions now where Howe is very slow to cop onto going with whats very obviously the best set up. It was Hall 2 seasons ago, Tonali last season and now Hall again.

Deserves credit after an excellent performance but with Botman and Trippier out it's more a case of stumbling upon our best back 4. When those 2 are back it'll be interesting to see what lessons have been learnt.

Top class, combined really nicely with Bruno. His first touch to get the ball out of his feet and keep the play moving is excellent.

Will be a different beast if Tino and Hall are in the side, hard to get crosses into the box when everything feels compressed in the wide areas and players aren't getting to the byline. Burn did a good job getting forward for Joelintons goal and in fairness to him he is willing but is really just a decoy in those positions and one that the opposition aren't really convinced of. Trippier seems very reluctant to go into the final 3rd as I think he knows he doesn't have the legs to get back. Plus if Murphy or Elanga cut back inside onto their left their delivery has a good chance of hitting the first man and launching a counter or they'll play a risky square ball with the same result. Think Barnes will prove a good foil for Woltemade, his off the ball running is probably his best strength. He made a great run across the defence in the first half but Woltemade didn't spot him.

For the first goal he cushions it perfectly for Bruno to control it and play Murphy in, if his pass wasnt perfect the chance wouldn't have been created. He's a super footballer and has eased Schar out of the side with nobody batting an eyelid

Would give him a start the weekend on the right, neither of the other two are ripping up trees, maybe even let Elanga start on the left to give Gordon a rest after 2 stars for England. Think it'd be an easier position for Elanga to play and might help his confidence, Barnes is all about his runs and link up play so could be a good foil for Woltemade.

Would like him to be a bit braver on the ball in general but that should come, was really good tonight and should give him some confidence and also give Howe the confidence to rotate a bit more if needs be. Had one really nice run near the end of the first half where you could see how naturally he moves with the ball

Yeah nowhere in sight for Brighton's second

Pissed off with that through ball that was just too far in front of him after the goal, felt like he would've made something of it

Love that goal, usually when a player scores one like that it's an instinctive flick using the pace on the ball to redirect it. His thought process was on another level there though, the only way he could've scored, perfect contact and right in the corner, lovely futile scramble by the keeper for good measure. At a massive time in the game too and when he was on the periphery of it. Hard not to get carried away with him

Find it interesting that at the time of the takeover most were harping on about Newcastle been title contenders within 5 years yet 4 years in probably the 2 best signings were around 12m a piece. Incredible as well that arguably our 3 best signings were the first January window when we were in the relegation zone, shows the value in buying character. But my three would be 1. Burn - pulse of the team 2. Bruno - Nearly 4 years now and still never won a prem game he hasn't started 3. Tonali - Unashamed recency bias, Trippier probably deserves the spot but Tonali is a World XI player which is hens teeth in black and white, get giddy watching him. Wasn't even a starter a year ago, team is unimaginable without him now.