Upthemags

Newcastle bring in players immediately ready to start for the first team challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)

I suspect Trips is pushing hard for this - he's had such a terrible run of form the last few months you can't help but think he fancies a fresh start at a top side alongside Kane... No ill will at all the lad gave us more than we were due. No real qualms considering Tino will be getting the benefit of the playing time.

Think it goes without saying fresh faces will be coming in

Really hope we'll look elsewhere than Onana...

For me technical ability is our most glaring weakness midfield. Outside of Bruno I can't say any of our regulars look comfortable on the ball

Any word on fee?

What a ridiculous list

Hard disagree - that same style got us Champions League football last season. What we need is more quality on the pitch, and fresh legs at 60 minutes on account of the accumulation of fatigue/injuries, and we are lacking in both categories

Lewis was the least of our problems today but well put

There's not much point in lambasting the lad as everyone was on their last legs, but with 2 minutes left in the match and a point on the line, he really ought to do better than give Bob so much space there. All things considered though its hard to be upset with the result... it's belaboring the point but the better/more deserving side won and we should be fine with that.

The more I watch us the more I think we need upgrades/reinforcements in just about every single position if we want to be a top 4 side

agree it's weird. Very poor defending from Trips and Schar which lets in 2, but we're plainly just not a good team at the moment, and bad teams don't get results

That's true 91 minutes a bit more accurate

Tripps just doesn't have the legs to play a full 90 anymore

Dubs continuing to bail us out

Our back line turns to Championship levels in second halfs... not gonna get results like that

On the bright side, if Barnes indeed needs the surgery, then we'll effectively start 24-25 season with two summer transfer windows of reinforcements

I find it very strange as well - the clubs hungriest to win exploit every loophole they can find, and, in many instances (City, Everton, Chelsea etc), go so far as to openly violate the rules and (largely) get away with it. With that said, this posturing from Howe - "[no one likes us]" "[no one wants to deal with us]" - might be the club publicly setting the stage/expectations for some late-January moves that'll come in with the Saudi clubs.

Rly not bothered by talks of needing to sell one of our stars - the brain trust is smart enough to determine whether any sum offered will be sufficient to replace said player with even greater talent in return. Players like Bruno, who have become a "brand name" so to speak, will cost suitors a healthy premium. Only helps us in the long term.

Unless the party line on Barnes has changed - the latest is that they originally thought he could avoid the surgery, but he reaggravated the toe in training. In the event that the surgery is indeed required/the pain doesn't subside, it'll be another 3-4 months before Barnes is back.

To those lukewarm on Solanke - sure, on paper, we have 2 top-class strikers when they're both healthy. But when was the last time both were healthy and fully fit? And when would you expect them to both be healthy and fully fit, if ever again? Miggy will be a squad player come next season, but he at least can stay on the pitch. More pressing in Howe's eyes, i'd bet, is the concern that if Isak and Wilson go down again at the same time, we're a relegation-level side. And there's a greater chance of that happening than many would likely be keen to admit.

Solanke bid (if real) confirms what many suspected all along - the money is there for desirable targets

It definitely makes less sense as a short term move, but as a long term move, with Miley's ascendance, Tonali returning next season, and Longstaff's recent form I don't know where he fits into PIF's lofty ambitions

Getting a fee for Longstaff makes almost too much sense

Never let them get even a hint of a comeback with those two fantastic stops, the Botman deflection and that try into the bottom corner - my MOTM today