Ace

2 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

With the contract situation and relegation Maddison can't go for anymore than £40m man.

If he goes for that price, bigger fish will be circling I think

3 hours ago, Rafalove said:

Yikes.

 

 

 

If Fournier has known about that for this long and only released it now he should be in bother too

7 hours ago, Cronky said:

 

I kind of feel a line has been crossed here. Please can we leave young children out of this kind of banter?

A Young child funded by the tax payer and pushed into the public eye to make money for the Hapsburg grifters.

If you want to blame someone blame the prince of pegging. 

7 hours ago, BlueStar said:

 

Might you be able to change your avatar to something less like mine please?  Keep thinking I'm losing my mind and going "Hang on, I don't remember posting that..."  

That better?

hopefully nobody likes the badge shiny 

I wouldn’t complain if they took Gallagher off the market as they’ve been linked with him.

Surely Mctominay can cross the divide to 

I think the best thing this lad could do is get away from his agent. He had discount Raiola vibes 

That second goal was huge as Bayern were really getting into the game and if they had got the next one could have went on to win it. 

4 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

If we're getting another wide man I don't see ASM staying. 

 

New winger, Gordon, Almiron, Murphy, Anderson, plus Isak, Joelinton & Willock who can play there. I don't see a gap for him. 

To me Maxi is the one who offers a bit more creativity and something different 

I think Barnes is a good player but I don't know if it just me but he feels very similar to Gordon. I feel we need more guile as we already have a couple of not to be disrespectful but runners. 

1 hour ago, Mikky said:

Based on rumours 

Tierney

CB??

Ugarte

Veiga

Diaby

J Pedro

 

As good a window as you can ever get tbh

Make that CB Todibo and I’m at half mast 

3 minutes ago, Danh1 said:

Fair point re the Metro being nearby. I live in Hebburn so it’s ideal for me tbf, was more thinking of pubs etc nearby. Gypsies Green would’ve been class. 

It is certainly better than where Gateshead Stadium is mind.

They opened that Tams bar at Bede which seems to do good business on a match day. The sima arms was always a canny meeting point to walk down from but its no good now it keeps pretending to be fancy restaurants. The only other ones within a 10-15 minute walk if you like local flavour are the Jester and Red hackle (Hackle is the Jarrow FC bar as well)

Hogarths in the town centre used to do a free mini bus back and forwards

2 hours ago, Danh1 said:

I went to the 0-0 draw the week before last. Class set up they’ve got, a decent match day experience despite the ground not being in a great place. 

Its always canny being able to have a pint at pitch side, at the start and end of the season when the weather is best its absolutely spot on

Yeah the ground used to be ran by the Filtrona company hence why its there, its on the outskirts of the town but its with in close distance of the metro so easy enough to get to, there was some talk when Thompson took over that they might try and get gypsies green which is right on the sea front but apparently the cycling club who use it weren't happy about losing the track round the edges

7 hours ago, Superior Acuña said:

 

Christ didn't realize they'd fallen so far. One of 4 teams to beat us in the 2009/10 season. From that to playing South Shields in 13 years.

2 were in the same week, lost to Forest on the weekend and them mid week

Was the making of Andy Carroll that week 

Still remember Geremi skying it over the roof 

10 hours ago, Disco said:

Unrelated but would be a good option for the RW for us. 

Chukwueze? Yeah he looks decent 

Just now, lovejoy said:

 

definitely.

 

we'll be seeded as said 'whipping boys'.

Fine with me I’d want as many big name teams as possible first time out 

Getting there is a long way away still though 

34 minutes ago, Disco said:

What’s their ground like? Be good to have two teams in the Conference like. No idea what type of football they play but I’d have no issue sending youngsters to the Heed given how they like to get the ball down and play it out.

We’ve  just built a new stand with seats on one side and then have 2 covered standing sections behind the goal. The other side of the pitch has the old small seated section as well as the marquee and pub where you can get a drink.

The level we were at they were the only professional club so had a big advantage. Generally Sewper Kev has had them playing quite negatively when they should be pushing on.

The owner seems to like the Sunderland connections rather than a potential link up with NUFC. If we can get to the conference (which is the stated aim) we’d be stupid to not try and get some players in 

5 hours ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Have discussed this with those I go to games with in the pub funnily enough.

 

CL groups because of the seeding tend to be 1 very good team, 2 decent teams and 1 whipping boy, ie Bayern, Newcastle, Marseille and Viktoria Plzen. We'd probably be aiming to finish 2nd in that. Maybe get 1 point from Bayern at home, 4 points from Marseille and 6 points from Plzen. If only it was that simple.

 

But ideally you want 3 sides you've got a good chance of beating to get to the knockouts. SJP is going to be mental from matchday 1 of the group stages and even more mental for a 2 legged knockout CL tie. Teams won't relish drawing us imo.

Surely we would be a 4th seed if we got there? 

Great win for shields. Good to see them finally get up after the travesty of the leagues getting cancelled.

Good to see my home town getting to that level

Sewper Kev not managing to throw it away ?

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

 

I think it would work. Mostly because of how well Howe managed to make it work when Shelvey played there with Joelinton and Bruno at the 8 positions.

Interesting thought process, didn’t think of it that way

I know Tielemans isn’t as athletically limited as Shelvey but I found him very defensively suspect. The spurs game really showed his limitations there and I’d worry about Tielemans there personally.

I know if we want to strengthen well, we will have to go after free agents most likely so I’m not totally against the move but would prefer him playing as an 8. 

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

 

The Tieleman's rumours have resurfaced again recently.

 

On a free I think it's a very strong signing. Very similar to Bruno too in that he can play in both the 6 and 8 positions, and if Bruno is ever out we'd not lack creativity to the extent we do currently. Was also quite surprised at how decent his defensive numbers are.

 

Fresh start with us and I think he'd be back to his best. We could benefit from Leicester's poor season wish has seemingly turned off some suitors for him apparently.

Do you not worry about Tielemans athleticism especially if he’s asked to play the 6 role?

Id sign him personally to complete the set of the Anderlecht 3 after Mitro and Mbemba from when I worked over there a bit. 

I love Rafa but it shows how his stock has fallen that he’s thought of as a poorer option than Angry Ted Lasso. 

2 hours ago, KaKa said:

If we make the Champions League how do you lot see our midfield three going into next season?

 

I think I'd like to see Joelinton, Bruno and a new top central midfielder in the main first 11.

 

With Willock, Longstaff and a new younger Bruno alternative as the rotational guys.

 

Thoughts?

 

I think you have it nailed even though Willocks recent form puts a lot of pressure on Joelinton.

The way I see it our midfield need the following:

First a physical monster who can dominate games and run teams ragged which IMO we have 2 great candidates for this in the 2 Joes.

Secondly we need a press resistant 6 who can dictate the game from deep but has the physicality and defensive nous to stop us getting countered. Bruno is amazing at this and there aren’t many players who have the skill set so IMO that will be our big challenge to find someone like that. Rice is the dream but I’d like Ugarte as well.

Our 3rd player is where I think we can improve most, Longstaff does a great job and his workrate is invaluable and I could still see him getting game time in games we need to be more solid but we need more creativity wise from that position especially to break down deep blocks. I’d be a bit wary of putting someone like Maddison who’s more naturally a 10 back there as I worry it could upset our balance so we need to find someone with a CM’s physicality but a 10’s creativity.

Bruno is the obvious answer to that one but then for me that means we’d be looking for 2 to play that middle role and finding one is hard enough. 

4 hours ago, McCormick said:

There’s a premium on PL players because there’s less risk associated. Buying a high-performing player (at the right age) from your own league almost guarantees the success of that transfer. Not to mention the bedding in period needed for players from other leagues. A good transfer policy should have a mix of both PL and other league transfer targets.

 

I would say though, you’re getting less value from the continent these days too. Nunez, Antony and Scammaca went for 80, 80 and 35m respectively so it’s not as cut and dry as you’re making out.

I agree, what we have done so far is a great balance, a base of premier league proven players with high end talent added from abroad.

Obviously it’s just rumours but the links at the minute with premier league players aren’t inspiring with players like Mctominay and Billing linked who are average at best. 
 

IMO initially getting proven premier league players was needed as we needed as we needed to build a base but now we have that base I think there is definitely more value in looking abroad and even taking risks from the South American leagues.

Regarding the cost of those players 35m isn’t really much for a CF these days and if Scammaca comes good in the future it will look like a steal.

On the other 2 the first Nunez doesn’t look great when you compare to Man City getting Haaland and us getting Isak but you have to remember Haaland had a release clause and we only got Isak at that price because he had a down year last season.

He was always going to be a raw prospect but he has high end attributes and if he improves his finishing he will end up being good value. He’s been said to be poor but he’s still got 14 goals in 35 games this year.

The Antony one I always thought was a reach as he is decent but is a bit one dimensional and think that one was more a case of them having their eyes out as that is who bald Klopp wanted.

Even then though he was a young Brazilian international who’d played in the champions league, it wasn’t like it was taking a punt on a nobody. 
 

You are right it isn’t cut and dry though and there will always be exceptions to the rule. For example we got Pope and Trippier for sweetheart deals really and they are huge for us.

There will always be prem proven players who don’t measure up, there will always be players from abroad who get overpriced. I just feel on average there is better value to be had looking abroad. 

2 hours ago, Manxst said:

Team mates with Joelinton at Hoffenheim? Still a no for me- too old and wages too much. 

Think Big Joe signed the summer he left 

Would anyone consider going for Firmino?

On a free, loads of experience, grafter and still has ability.