Sibierski

23rd December is their first game. Usually players have to be there I believe a week before first game unless giving special dispensation. So Fulham on 17th December would likely be his Final Cut off appearance before going (if he was called up and if he went). If he made it back to feature off the bench for 15 mins against Sunderland, then followed it up with a start for 60 against Fulham, he would need to score in both to soften anything for me (with wins in both too).

Successful is very hard to get to though. If they’re 13th in Prem, grinding out wins / getting whipped occasionally, that’s never going to fill out a 60k stadium. Once you approach 60k mark, you are tipping into tourism, especially so if your base level is substantially lower. Be a white elephant a stadium that size for Birmingham. Good for the city though.

And that’s what following Newcastle is all about. Many ups and downs, but when the memories come with friends and family, they are worth their weight in gold

Only hope we have against PSG away, will be them picking up 4-6 points in their next two away games, qualified in top 8 going into final game and happy to rest many first team players. Can’t stress it enough though if we don’t get top 8, we have to finish between 9-16 and get that home 2nd leg. Looking at fixtures left, a side like Barcelona will finish on 16 points because they have such easy games left, so there will be some big changes in table this next 2 GWs. Will say there’s a good possibility us and someone like Liverpool could finish on 13 points and end up on different sides of the cut off, making it a possibility we face each other in the knockout round.

If he’s just started training with the team, Sunderland game in 2 weeks is too soon IMO. Likely plays a u23 game in this next week or two to see how his body recovers post 60 min game. Fulham then on bench and appears and he’s ready to be starting for games such as Chelsea. Just as ACON starts…

At same time, you watch them and they're so open defensively and weak, that Ange football will only make it worse. Especially when they concede even more from corners.

Yea, I was sold on him being a fresh name, but after he signed for Liverpool, he had a joke season, making silly errors and he still looks a joke this season. Allison will be remaining number one till his contract ends.

Someone needs to cut his hair when asleep. Be back to 15 G/A in 15 games in no time.

Could go for a Leao type, where with him and Wissa, it's players who can play central but also LW, and with Barnes it's a 'output' LW. Not sure that helps us, but if we want a goalscorer closer to Wolte, it's logical.

They will need HG players moving forward after selling a load, so there will be a bit of a focus on two signings that contribute to the first XI that are HG IMO.

This will be a guy that’s regularly in the England camp and hearing about title challenges, UCL etc. and whilst his stock is high, probably want to cash in on it if it’s felt we’re not close to that (which we’re not really). Plus the Liverpool move is possibly there for a small window these next 6 months.

Back him all the time, but even I’m getting big vibes of a guy that’s got one eye on a move either in January or summer. People who are hounding him right now, better not act all shocked when he wants out because that’s what most want isn’t it? I’ve always wanted to keep him, because if he added goals he would be a proper top winger that would cost us £70m+ to get close too. But the goals don’t look like ever coming because his finishing is still so poor. Think if an offer does come that’s circa £70m, we have to take it. Give Barnes a new deal as the back up LW as he moves into his final years and go and sign that technical winger which we didn’t do on the right. What move is possibly there for him though, I’d say Liverpool, only if they feel they have to get a LW and CB in January.

“Who’s telling them not to press, just do it”. Well the manager? If 10 outfield players went out and did their own thing, they would likely be torn apart at the top level.

Conflicted, Isak score and give it the big’un in front of the away fans, or Sunderland to kick the shit out of him and injury him :/ Hopefully get both.

Slot is surely sacked in next week if they continue losing.

Should be he drops off and we have a CM ready to run behind along with wingers. Their CBs won’t want to be pulled into midfield, and that’s what we need Wolte to do, but it then requires runners behind or it turns smelly real quick.

Must win if there is ever one, with Sunderland being the next away after that. Can’t be going into the derby having not won an away game all season Chance to hook up 4 consecutive Prem wins too if we win, which proper changes the mentality around things. Squad decision is huge for Howe, but I fear he will revert to type in certain positions. Team prediction; Pope: Tino, Thaiw, Burn, Hall: Tonali, Bruno, Joelinton: Barnes, Wolte, Murphy Prediction: Same type of performance. Start well, then eventually sit off and allow Everton to build up steam and get their crowd going. Final 30 spent chasing a result where performance is already in the dirt.

What is our style though for a winger? I couldn’t say that for any of our wingers expect Murphy, which is out of feet and deliver cross soon as possible.

People need to stop using likes of Hall as examples of players giving time. One, he should’ve been playing a lot more earlier, we had to endure Burn being torn plenty at LB before it happened. Two, he was a young player signed for the future. Ramsey etc are not the same. They’re signed for now, otherwise what was the fucking point? If Howe wants those players in future, he needs to be told no. Better off getting more of likes of Hall instead, where if they’re not played, they’re 19 and not so bad. Not someone at 24+ and on first team wages.

We still comfortably qualify, but top 8 hopes are gone. Likely need to go to PSG (after winning next two) and get a point which is never happening. Just got to ensure we finish top half of the 9-24 places so we get 2nd leg at home, point at Leverkusen and win at home to PSV should do that.

Burn did communicate to Hall to do one in second half, clearly a “fuck this set piece shit off Hall, get it swung back post”, but Hall underhit it Our set pieces have got worse this season. Just laughable at this point. Whenever we get a free kick from a shooting position and it’s a game I’m watching on TV, always a good time to go to the toilet / get a drink because it never threatens the goal.

How we started was brave and it worked with success, going man for man. But as soon as Marseille adjusted during the half and started to find space, we sat off and that was the theme throughout. Just seems far too often now that our approach outside of a press is to sit deep and be pragmatic. That type of football 100% has a short shelf life and players lose buy-in over time. We’ve seen it so often at other clubs and we won’t be any different. We need to get better at wanting the ball and having periods of dull possession and moving the opposition around, probing to push them back. Sitting deep doesn’t utilise Tino / Thaiw recovery pace either. Really hope he finds something working this weekend away.

Pope situation is a quite reminiscent of a lot of our squad. Players that have been good for us, but players that are on down slope, players that are still liked by Howe, players that we can’t get away with keep rolling out if we are to remain at top end consistently. There’s so much that needs doing to this squad and I’m fearful we won’t get it right after the money wasted last summer on such average players. Can’t afford for any of our next 3-5 buys to be duds / players that need time. Because our top stars won’t tolerate it if there are suitors elsewhere and we end up in a contentious cycle of a step forward, step back.

He just screams of a player that can look good, but fundamentally doesn’t help address our issues (technical / passing). Both him and Elanga are £100m for shrug of the shoulders impact. Better off spending that on 5 randoms abroad and have 2 kick on and 3 be meh.

Think when he starts against Fulham and we win, he’ll stay in there onwards. He won’t be starting against Everton.