Checko

Dodgy Dan's definitely the pantomime villain now so might as well have some fun with it.

Looking at Mateta's career stats he's score 65 league goals from 65.8 xG, so his finishing overall has been fine. His base goals per game in past years looks terrible, but he hadn't actually played many minutes. I agree he's been on a particular hot streak and he'll cool a bit (16 goals from 11 xG this year is unsustainable unless you're one of the greatest finishers in history, which he probably isn't), but as usual, if you make plenty of chances your striker will probably score plenty of goals. https://fbref.com/en/players/50e6dc35/dom_lg/Jean-Philippe-Mateta-Domestic-League-Stats Gotta say it's nice when a guy who's been struggling for a bit comes good. EDIT: Also, as TCD mentions, things like movement/anticipation - qualities that get you in the position to have the xG in the first place are very important. I don't really know how he stands here.

Imagine you're seeing someone for a bit, then you start hearing from your mates she's been seen out with some rich nob, the sort of wanker who makes pissy comments at homeless people, and it turns out she's started seeing him behind your back. You're outraged, she says she's going to leave you for him, you have an angry break up, block her on social media, don't respond when she wants to come and pick up her beekeeping costume (turns out she's a keen apiarist in this analogy). Yeah it's good you're not going to waste too much time on her. Yeah the rich nob and her deserve each other. Yeah you get your favourite CDs back. Still, doesn't mean you should necessarily be happy about the whole thing. I mean, now you've got the hassle of going out on the pull again when you've got a Netflix boxset you'd much rather be getting on with. And besides, you're still using CDs. Who does that? I think that's more or less Unbelievable's point.

We definitely didn't consolidate the squad properly last summer. We got one CM, swapped one winger for another and brought in two back-up fullbacks. Plus bought one to loan out for the future. Obviously doesn't help that we then lost the CM all year and the winger for half the season. Could still turn out to be a good window long-term, but we probably didn't strengthen the overall squad as efficiently as we could. This was then compounded by injuries early on and relentlessly tough cup draws. If we can get the two frees in defence then that definitely helps numbers this year and gives us a bit of wiggle room to try and buy quality in a couple of areas. You must be looking forward to next year. Reckon you'll have a Europe challenge in you?

He's not saying he's disappointed in NUFC tbf - he said he's disappointed for NUFC, due to losing a highly rated member of staff and possibly some cash.

Right sided 8 - but if Bruno goes I think he might take the Bruno role.

I agree - I think Bruno's happy here & don't think he wants to leave, but he's ambitous and if a very top team like Man City came in for him I don't think he'd turn the opportunity down. Which is fair enough.

Yeah think Man City were going to spend a massive wadge on him last summer then this emerged and they thought... maybe we'll wait to see if you get banned for life first.

Agree, I think the weakest point of Howe's set up is that our wingers often stay very wide in passy passy phases leaving our striker very isolated and it become very difficult to move the ball forward through the middle. It's a bit like we're set up to counter even when we want to do more posession-based stuff. A legit playmaker on the right could do a lot for us.

Had no idea Viana's been Sporting sporting director for the last 6 years. Bring the handsome bugger home!

Sick a palm tree either side and a giant Bruno bucket hat on top of the sign and it'll look fine IMO.

Also yeah, Nick Pope's been class and I'd be sorry to see him go tbh.

OH MY GOD JACK'S POSTED IT IT'S FUCKING HAPPENING!!!!!

Actually where's that AI pic of Joelinton wearing a cape on a sausage roll, holding a bottle of brown? Can we just use that as our badge?

I like our badge, though don't like the light shade of blue with the name. I wouldn't mind a slightly simplified version of it. It is a very formal coat of arms design though - I'm all in favour of trying to push the circular NUFC badge with the little magpie as an addition, though I'm sure marketing experts would talk about brand awareness dilution or some such term. I think the NUFC is a good, simple design, well-suited for less formal stuff like street clothing etc.

Yeah I'd pick Atletico over us tbf, especially as he already lives in Spain.

Wonder if there's some thinking about playing some 343 / 541 (however you want to call it) next year. Worked for Palace since Glasner took over and obviously Leverkusen this year. Think Inter did something like that as well and they've bossed it. It's very in right now. CBs like Tosin and Kelly who are fast and comfortable on the ball would work well with that on the outside and we have 2 very attack-minded fullbacks it would allow some freedom to.

40 million Euros is 3,407,000,000p at current exchange rate btw. Does feel like this big bearded Georgian one has some legs. He's clearly being sold this year.

Do we want to sign a load of Sporsy players though?

Yeah quite possibly. Just have some memory of us being stronger in the second half of the last 2 years of Rafa, but I don't want to look it up because I'm probably way off!

This cunt signed and done his hamstring yet?

Felt with Rafa that he took a little time to find out what worked best, but he'd tinker a bit and find a good system. Which is probably the sign of a good manager.

Seen Brentford have a 'director of elite performance'. Should get one of those rather than a regular performance director!

It's the premier league's money and the premier league's shareholders (the clubs) generally wouldn't want that money spent strengthening potential rivals.

He's a journo, and sometimes journos post bad news which people don't like. Injuries only happen if they're reported. I quite like him tbh. He has a reputation for being very negative but I don't think that's the case. Certainly watching his post match reports on youtube he doesn't come across as such. If anything I would say the fact he's a fan of the club (as far as I know, - his son certainly is) means he's not always the most objective. He does the thing you've mentioned all fans do of overrating his club's home-grown players a bit for example. He will be pro-Newcastle (he fucking loves Eddie Howe), so definitely worth bearing that in mind but he is knowledgeable about the club as far as I know. He was reporting about there being an informal agreement between Ashworth and Man U back in mid Feb for example (which turned out to be true it seems) before any official contact made, so he's not clueless.