Optimistic Nut

Guessing Heffernan hasn't developed as we'd hope? Same with McArthur.

I think that would have bitten us on the arse without the red-card but fair enough. I'd play to our strengths (high pressing game) but Botman & Thiaw at CB. Even with a deeper line I'm not confident with Schar and Burn against this lot.

Takes away our biggest strength though? If Thiaw's fit, just play him and take advantage of his pace.

Bid £40m just to try and force things a bit. I. A gentlemanly way, of course.

Romano, Ormstein, Jacobs.

Like with the Guehi thing last year, I just don't think we like playing things out in public.

Wonder if the Three Stooges were stung with some of the feedback yesterday as this has been quiet today. Not like them.

I reckon even that was just because Wilson was injured.

Obviously this will change when we're likely going to have a minimum of 10 extra games. When it's one game a week, I don't think it's too much to expect.

Saying that, the best football Bruno's played was when for 3-4 months he was dragging our midfield almost single-handedly. With no breaks.

I've went from neither, to both, to just Haaland.

Those two players (Tonali in particular) very rarely look tired during a game and we mainly played once a week. Why wouldn't they play that much? It'll be different this season.

Think I would too if we could get them. You could keep one for 3-4 years, get £20-25m back for the other in a couple of seasons and sign a younger striker when hopefully we're even more attractive to join.

Villa losing him and spending money on someone they had second half of last season to replace him? Seems like they'll be a lot weaker.

I'd back him to score more than Sunderland's top scorer this season.

Newly promoted teams will often have one striker who they go through. Carlton Morris managed 11 for Luton ffs and he's found himself at Derby. Don't think it's unrealistic to think Calvert-Lewin could match that.

Think he'll get around 12 goals there. Good signing. Sunderland should have done everything they could for him.

How many of those wins were when Wilson was on fire 22/23 season though? Would like to see that from 23/24 onwards. I'd be happy with that if we had Wissa from day 1 but will likely be 3-4 games.

I think between them, Elanga, Gordon & Barnes will have enough of a goal threat, just it's not ideal.

I know it's not his first-choice position but we really need him to step up the next couple of weeks and act like a senior pro until the centre-forward position is sorted.

Personal taste but I cannot stand the current version of Blaydon Races. Preferred the old one as part of the build up.

Might trust him a bit more now there's more quality around him?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNK26KrNlaj/?igsh=MWN6ZmpjdnRvOXphbw== Seems like he's had a good pre-season. There'll probably be some "gentlemanly agreement" that keeps him out of Saturday, but I'd run with him after that.

Think we only do this if Willock left. Hall will probably be the 6th/7th if he stays.

If that happened and you took all the Ormstein/Jacobs/Hope/Romano noise out of it: Elanga Ramsdale Thiaw Ramsey Wissa is about as good as I think anyone would have expected. We got our new RW, the GK to push/replace Pope, pacier RCB, midfield upgrade on the current backup options and Wilson's replacement. Still feel we're going to need a number 9 to replace Isak, though.