Checko

Personally I'd say it seems perfectly likely he'd say internally he wanted to leave. Doesn't mean he was unhappy at Newcastle, but basically all footballers want to reach the highest level, and he can, and is ready to go to the very top. My take is he said he'd like a move, the club basically said 'tough Ekitikes' and with three years on his deal this is the leverage he's got. I think the club were caught out with the eventual reaction, but we know he wanted out or he wouldn't have behaved like this. It seems to me more unlikely he'd go for the nuclear option as the first resort. 1. AFAIK Ornstein said we didn't want to sell and he'd seen no indication Isak wanted out. He can (and did) revise that if he gets new information. 2. Lots of moves get done later in the window (though mid July is hardly late) & we've always been adament he's not for sale. Probably Isak tried to force the issue and gave them encouragement to shit stir, maybe hoping to trigger negotiations. Plus we were going for their alternative target triggering them to act. I wonder if the reported tone of our refusal to Liverpool, our absolute unwillingness to even discuss things, even after he'd said he wants to leave, might have made him think he had to down tools to get anywhere. 3. Would add fuel to the fire if Isak wasn't involved in the promo stuff. Plus that was filmed earlier anyway. Bruno was a bit different as he had a release clause so we couldn't stop a sale, but we didn't intend to sell Isak regardless. Guehi's in palace's stuff for example, even with the noise around him. 4. I wouldn't read too much into IG likes and such. I'm sure he was happy for his friend to get a good move. He was clearly flirting with Liverpool around the same time, Isak's reps leaked his 'wants to explore other options' thing a few days later. 5. Again, our position has alway been we're not selling regardless. We probably weren't expecting the reaction from Isak, but we were always unlikely to give a potential signing from Ipswich the world exclusive that he wants to leave. My take is he told the club he wanted to go to one of the big boys. We said he's not for sale and can meet his ambitions. Note Howe briefing the media at the end of the season how we had money to spend and were going to be aggressive in the market. We've never done that. Seemed to be giving a clear message to the players (or a specific player). But what happens?: miss out on Huijsen, Mbeumo, Pedro, Delap, the guys we want all want to go to the bigger, richer clubs. No CEO replacement, Sporting Director leaves right before the window. New stadium/world class training facilities still not announced. Start of the window was a bit of a shitshow, particularly as a follow-up to last summer., and it doesn't look like we're going to be the ones to get him to the very top. So seems far more likely to me he's said he wants to move, we've flat out refused to even countenence it, then struggled to meet transfer ambitions. He's encouraged Liverpol to make a move, then when we flat out refused to even discuss things with them, even after he'd told us he wants to go, he or his rep decided to down tools or they wouldn't get anywhere. Whereas we were expecting him to be a better pro and worst case he plays one more year and then we can sell him then.

Just need to convince Tonali to change his name to Tonioli and we'll really be cooking.

Just go with K-dawg. You just need some cool shades, a big fuckoff gold chain, bandana and then own it.

Played very well first half, they were better second half until the sending off. Once we were pressed up the pitch we struggled to get out as per. Thought we were a bit slow in changing things up with the extra man. I was wondering maybe Osula on for Joelinton at that point and maybe Gordon/Barnes to and attacking CM. Overall though, despite all the negativity around the Isak situation, we went out, played well in a very tough away game and got a good point.

Played very well first half. They made it a bit easy for us by not really pressing us up the pitch, think they were starting to do that in the final 15 mins and we were a bit less dominant. But gameplan's good, team's working hard. Final ball wasn't great, I'd say that's the problem more than lack of a striker, though obviously that doesn't help. You imagine they'll get a rollicking at half time and come out with a bit more about them so hopefully we haven't missed our opportiunity in that first 30. Elanga's caused their fullback problems. Not the best final ball but I've been impressed by his one-touch play in midfield. Feel he's a volume player - not the most efficient in the final third but he'll get himself into so many good positions he'll make something happen eventually.

Single or double pivotal though?

Looked similar build/playing style to Isak in Dennis Wise reports, perhaps a bit more physical, though not as clinical last year.

Transfermarkt say pewl have spent 334 million and sold 196 million (euros) this window. No net transfer spend last year and with them generally making mad bank they can still spend.

Yeah gotta be the pontiff

Possibly - looks like the 'foot injury' is listed as starting 2 weeks after the metatarsal injury ended so probably a reoccurrence. 'Toe injury', the longest of the 3, is down as happening 3 months after the foot injury ended. Would make sense it's a reoccurrence. Hopefully just desperately bad luck one year and not a problem going forward. Waterboard him with milk to build those bones up.

With J7 as well that gives us three prime number options in CM.

Per transfermarkt: Willock: Season Days out Injuries 24/25 32 days 3 23/24 221 days 3 22/23 19 days 1 21/22 43 days 3 19/20 13 days 1 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-willock/verletzungen/spieler/340329 Ramsey 24/25 39 days 2 23/24 270 days 4 22/23 47 days 1 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jacob-ramsey/verletzungen/spieler/503749 Willock's main issue was that awful run of hamstring into hamstring into achilles into achilles, which may have been exacerbated by not being fully up to full fitness before another one happened again. Always a higher risk of reinjury when coming back. Ramsay had one season where he did a metatarsal, then foot injury and a long time out for a toe injury. He's also had time out with a hamstring issues last three years, which is perhaps more concerning. Hopefully the annus fuckedmetatarsalis was a one-off and he's largely ok.

It's the only way I can think of that makes sense. Or perhaps we can bring our people in. Tell Isak to be a ball boy or he's getting fined.

So the multiball system is there to try and ensure consistency and stop home teams getting an advantage from ballboys etc, and part of the punishment is... they don't operate the multiball system for three of their home games? We goin' git shithoused.

Think Wissa would have been perfect in the Wilson role spelling Isak. Small chance it still happens of course. He could also play that role behind a different star striker if we were to get one and sell Isak. He's probably also good enough to lead the line as our main CF if we get a talented younger guy in who needs a year's seasoning. I like Osula but I suspect his best role will be coming on as an agent of chaos last 15/20 mins where his pace and tricks against tiring defenders might make things happen. I doubt Wissa/Osula up front will be enough on it's own, unless he just goes full Lewis Hall and becomes quality of course.

Feels like every time we've played them since Emery took over we've battered them or they've battered us. As such I'll go for a drab 0-0.

This cunt, who behaved in the same way Isak did which we hate but are fine with when we're on the other end of it, signed yet?

Can't think of many less Eddie Howe players than Mitrovic. Beggers can't be choosers mind. Can't we just sell Isak to Bayern and buy Woltemade?

He does have pretty good passing stats to be fair. Just hope he can defend.

Need to Clockwork Orange Isak that shit.

No worries, we've got a CB who can cover DM already.

This whole 'you're not for sale this summer' stuff could also just be a way of trying to stop Liverpool lowballing.

He only wanted us. Lads, we're bigger than Como! Get in!

No idea how good he is but 99th % for long pass completion percentage All his passing stats are good actually. Carries the ball quite a lot too. Pretty good aerial win %. https://fbref.com/en/players/ff5ea0bf/scout/365_m1/Malick-Thiaw-Scouting-Report From brief Dennis Wise scouting looks big and strong. He's a big unit so probably not the quickest first step but looks a decent athlete when running. Has a nice easy way of striking the ball with his long passes. Of course with defenders it's essential to know how many random fuckups he makes, which tends not to be in the stats or youtube vids, so we'll have to wait and see what his Bramble Quotient is. If it turns out he has a low BQ as well he could be a good player.

Initially Howe was saying how much he and everyone else likes Alex, he's not playing him to protect him etc. The moment Howe started talking about needing to deserve to train with the team everything sounded over to me. It's all very sad how it seems to be ending: he's been a great signing, scored a lot of goals, we won a thing, Champions League 2 years out of 3 & we'll sell him for a bit profit. He's a great player, not absolutely top class - he's not Ronaldo/Messi/Bale/Rooney level by any means, but a very good CF who strikes the ball beautifully. In a possession system where he gets on the ball more he might be better. I'd love him to stay but he's clearly burnt his bridges, Ryan Fraser stylee. He wants to get to the top, which is fair enough, this summer doesn't suggest we'll get him there within the next few years. Just sad the way it's all carried on it & it seems he'll leave with so much bad blood.