Checko

Angry Joelinton is best Joelinton.

Thought he was quality today again. He's got -9 potential. Possibly even -10. Whether he gets there is another matter, but I think he's got the technique, composure and decision making at such a young age to become a top player.

Shame, we played well for quite a lot of the match, their goal came a bit out out of nothing. Game got a bit open and out of hand later. Overall I didn't really think we deserved to qualify from the group though tbh. Feel we really need at least one top playmaker in the squad and a proper defensive DM as well IMO, can't expect Bruno to try and be both roles. Also, is it just me, or is Isak really not very effective on the left? - he's had a couple of moments there, but most of the time I'm really not convinced he produces much. He might be better in more of a free-roaming no. 10 role if Wilson's playing up top. I presume Trippier got a bit of a knock. Anyway, pretty rubbish week but a few players coming back and we can focus on the league & domestic cups now I guess.

Shearer should probably bear in mind that most players don't have their own private Bellamy to do their running for them. That said I think sometimes too much excuse is attributed to tiredness. 'Oh Isak couldn't possibly be expected to control & hold on to the ball, he's a bit tired' that sort of stuff. It's probably the last 15 mins or so of a game where I'd expect fatigue to really start having an effect. Worth mentioning that with 5 subs allowed now, more players can empty the tanks earlier in a game, increasing the intensity of the match & it's the high intensity stuff that takes it out of you more as well - it's not the distance covered that's the key thing, it's really how many sprints and hard efforts you do. That's what's really knackering.

He certainly looked a bit sus under the high ball vs Everton. Tough to come back when you've barely played in a year and a half & I bet every goalkeeper who's played enough games has conceded 7 in a couple. De Gea conceded 7 in one game last March! Still, seems like we're getting a visit from the ghost of keepers past to remind us of just how good Nick Pope is.

I couldn't watch the Tottenham match, was he a bit dodgy?

Also I agree that Klopp's a top manager and I used to like him a lot, but he's just such a whiny bitch now he's quite annoying.

God I miss the good old days when Eddie was untouchable and guided us to 2 wins and a draw over Chelsea, PSG and Man U in a week with effectively 11 senior players fit and we had the most points in the premier league over a 10 game period despite competing in the toughest champions league group and getting through ridiculous cup draws, all while dealing with the worst injury crisis I can remember. The first week of December was so long ago now. Seriously though, this year is a big learning experience for Eddie as well as the players. It's the first time he's dealt with Europe and realistically the squad isn't really a champions league level squad yet. Plus the general toughness of fixtures and injury situations... I can't imagine he'll get a harder season. But tough lessons make great experience & he'll be looking to adjust and improve. Let's face it, 3 good results in a row or 3 bad results in a row and the mood around a football club completely changes. Just need to hang on and the good ones will start coming back.

Pretty poor 1st half. Lacking tempo and purpose. Feel most of their chances came from our errors or direct balls forward but DCL is a very effective target man (though not the best at left foot volleys apparently!). Ref also allows anyone to fall over & get a free kick which doesn't help. Hopefully pacing ourselves and will take it up a level next half, but it's one of those games that could go any way. We need to step it up to win though as we've been below par.

Haven't seen Manquillo in a while - perhaps we've stripped him for parts to keep our current guys going.

Think we're favourites here but could still be a tough game. They gave it a good go for a bit last time till we nicked one on the counter. Wonder if the points deductions has allowed them to take some of their anger and direct it outwards, rather than inwards, which could help them a bit.

If only male ex-professional fotballers can have any legitimate insights on the male game, it does kind of make most this forum a bit obsolete.

I bet you have an absolutely cracking wistful stare.

What? And poison all the sea-horses? Unacceptable.

Should just go 'Full allocation or we riot!'. What will the police think then?

Leazes Park Lake looks like it would make a pretty epic jacuzzi as well.

If we beat Chelsea in a couple of weeks we'll have a league cup semi final a few days after as well.

I like to imagine you handwrite all your posts in a freezing writer's shed at the bottom of your garden, wearing a battered old coat and fingerless gloves, accompanied only by a metal coffee flask, an ashtray overflowing with roll-up butts, and stacks of NUFC history books all over the floor. Then you have to give your note scraps to a kindly old neighbour to publish online for you.

Think we should just fucking ghost them tbh. Rock up with Dummett and Ritchie et al. and be like, 'oh this is a big game for you is it? Sorry, we're just not that bothered. We've just had a crunch top of the table game against Liverpool not long after our crunch Champions League game against Milan, but it's sweet you guys made the effort for us.'

Although Howe likes to stick with the same back 4, I reckon there might be a bit of rotation, manage players' workloads, not overwork Botman straight back from injury, while also giving him enough opportunity to put in some good performances and get his starting job back without flat out just dropping lascelles.

Who's our official budget supermarket partner?

Plot twist: Turns out it was ten Hag all along. He's trying to turn the fans against the players he doesn't like with a false flag operation.

If they were going to go for Farioli and now he's tearing it up, I'd assume they've got a lot of regret there so I would imagine they'll go for another young progressive coach, possibly with a fancy foreign name and nice haircut, rather than a PFM type.

Ah ok, so it's not exactly out of nowhere then. Wonder who they've got in mind.

Weren't they close to sacking him in the Summer, or not renewing his contract, or am I misremembering?