James Maddison (now playing for Tottenham Hotspur)

[gbandit]

Don’t think Howe wants loan players with no option to buy, which I agree with. Think he’d only look at a temporary loan deal for a player if we desperately needed someone in, in the last two days of the window 

[Groundhog63]

19 minutes ago, Happinesstan said:

Don't have to tie any knots. We've got two PL players in every position except the 3rd midfielder [I don't class Matty as PL]. However you rate our 2nd choice striker he contributed to all but two of the games that saw the team collect the 3rd highest points over the second half of the season. Ideally we would get a young prospect to develop in time to replace Wilson, but it's not a necessity. 

Sssshhh with the common sense ?

[Happinesstan]

13 minutes ago, Tiotes Witch Doctor said:

Would you be happy with another 11-13th finish? I know I wouldn't, because I can't see us finishing much higher once the injuries start.

I'd be happy with tenth but I dream of better. I think as we are we're a safe bet to finish top half. Somebody compared us to leicester [I think] saying we gained 39 points in the second half of the season, compared to their 27. . I'm not expecting to repeat that over the course of the season, but if we can average 27 per half we'll be fine and dandy, and I see no reason we can't do that.

[sushimonster85]

26 minutes ago, Tiotes Witch Doctor said:

Would you be happy with another 11-13th finish? I know I wouldn't, because I can't see us finishing much higher once the injuries start.

 

I don't know that I would be thrilled. But then, all I really want out of this first full season of Ashley being gone is not to have to ever worry about relegation once during the season. Give me a nice, boring, mid-table finish to fully recover from the last 14 years, then maybe I will start to let my ambition run wild for the season after!

[The Prophet]

To get the thread back on track, Rodgers has been talking about having to "balance the books" again 

before they can buy.

[TRon]

4 hours ago, Shearergol said:

 

If the club agrees that we need a right winger, and they don't bring one in by the end of the window, I would agree with you.

 

There's still a month to go to get these players in, I think a few people are panicking too early. If we wanted lesser players I'm pretty sure we could have landed them by now, but Howe has specifically said we are only looking at a small pool of players who are of the right calibre so seems like we want to buy once but get the right players.

 

I suppose it could be argued we should be paying the going rate if we want the best players, but we'll only know the answer to that when the window closes.

[Kid Icarus]

It's actually ridiculous how quickly this has all happened like. I expected it to happen, but literally the following season people not being happy with an 11th-13th finish or being disappointed in signings. We're clearly on the right track, trying to get to where we want to be, attempting to make big signings, actually making big signings, and have only just emerged from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre house we were trapped in for 14 years, just under a year ago. 

 

 

I'm sorry but everyone's right, the stereotype of the deluded, entitled Newcastle fan is 100% accurate and I fucking hate having to be associated with you nutters.

[Ste]

5 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

To get the thread back on track, Rodgers has been talking about having to "balance the books" again 

before they can buy.

 

[The Prophet]

4 minutes ago, Ste said:

 

 

“I became aware towards the end of the season that the club would have to balance it’s books, then of course that becomes very difficult.

 

“The club will not look to spend money they don’t have and that is where the club is stable and they will always be very sensible.”

 

“It would have to be about trimming the squad or selling your assets [to make new signings]. That’s something that the club are looking closely at.

 

“It’s where we’re at. The squad needs to get trimmed. Until that happens, I have to concentrate on the players that I have.”

[TRon]

It's what we thought tbh, they are obviously willing to sell at a price, it just comes down to whether there's any room to negotiate. But £60m will get you Maddison by all accounts.

[ponsaelius]

Tbf there's a load of players they could definitely get buyers for before Maddison if they wanted to trim the squad. And that's before you mention Fofana who seems to me to be a more likely sale with Chelsea still after a CB.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2022 by ponsaelius

[WilliamPS]

Leicester need to sell someone to bring anyone in - I think they intended to let Tielemans go, but that hasn’t happened.

 

I think that makes Maddison or Fofana leaving realistic. Leicester won’t want to lose a load of players before the deadline then get ripped off in the market, so I reckon they’ll only let one leave.

 

We have tested their nerve on Maddison and up to them to decide who they want to let go. As Chelsea offer CL and we aren’t in Europe Fofana might kick up more of a fuss than Maddison.

[The Prophet]

You'd think they'll want to shift Tielemans. I thought he was nailed on for Arsenal?

[Yorkie]

1 minute ago, ponsaelius said:

Tbf there's a load of players they could definitely get buyers for before Maddison if they wanted to trim the squad. And that's before you mention Fofana who seems to me to be a more likely sale with Chelsea still after a CB.

 

I assume they're open to selling Maddison because, unless he signs a new contract,  right now is the peak of his market value. 

[SUPERTOON]

4 minutes ago, TRon said:

It's what we thought tbh, they are obviously willing to sell at a price, it just comes down to whether there's any room to negotiate. But £60m will get you Maddison by all accounts.

He’s worth it in today market, and considering how much we need players of his quality.

[Ben]

2 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

You'd think they'll want to shift Tielemans. I thought he was nailed on for Arsenal?

Ray Parlour on Talksport saud today that Arsenal need to sell before they can bring anyone in 

[ponsaelius]

Just now, Yorkie said:

 

I assume they're open to selling Maddison because, unless he signs a new contract,  right now is the peak of his market value. 

 

True. But even so I don't think it's worth selling him unless they got 60 million+ offer. They bought him for 22 and Norwich have a sell on percentage.

[Yorkie]

3 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

 

True. But even so I don't think it's worth selling him unless they got 60 million+ offer. They bought him for 22 and Norwich have a sell on percentage.

 

Hence why he's not a Newcastle player rn I guess. 

[Shearergol]

1 hour ago, Tiotes Witch Doctor said:

Would you be happy with another 11-13th finish? I know I wouldn't, because I can't see us finishing much higher once the injuries start.

I would tbh. Just not having a relegation fear would suit me this year. And a cup run.

[Jaqen]

I think not being happy finishing 13th is fair enough, like  

 

I mean we got 11th with Bruce in charge for half of last season and then no Trippier or Wilson for the majority of Howe's time. So that's Pope, Botman, Tripper, Wilson at least added to the starting 11 + however else we bring in and a full preseason of Howe's coaching. 

 

 

[Shearergol]

1 minute ago, Jaqen said:

I think not being happy finishing 13th is fair enough, like  

 

I mean we got 11th with Bruce in charge for half of last season and then no Trippier or Wilson for the majority of Howe's time. So that's Pope, Botman, Tripper, Wilson at least added to the starting 11 + however else we bring in and a full preseason of Howe's coaching. 

 

 

I’m not saying I expect it, but I’d be happy with an enjoyable 11th. Not that signing a backup striker is guaranteed to get us higher though, of course.

[gdm]

4 minutes ago, Jaqen said:

I think not being happy finishing 13th is fair enough, like  

 

I mean we got 11th with Bruce in charge for half of last season and then no Trippier or Wilson for the majority of Howe's time. So that's Pope, Botman, Tripper, Wilson at least added to the starting 11 + however else we bring in and a full preseason of Howe's coaching. 

 

 

 I mean out the last 5 seasons since we came back up we’ve only finished as low as 13th once so yeah 13th would feel disappointing 

[Scotty66]

13th would definitely be a disappointment especially considering we have January transfer window too. 

 

Top ten would be a nice start and something to build on. Europe would be fantastic obviously. 

[Awaymag]

4 minutes ago, Scotty66 said:

13th would definitely be a disappointment especially considering we have January transfer window too. 

 

Top ten would be a nice start and something to build on. Europe would be fantastic obviously. 

6-10th place and good cup runs....will be well happy!

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

There's nothing deluded or overly expectant about bringing in a couple of solid attacking players to finish off a transfer window so we can kick on to where everyone was thinking was realistic this season which was top 10 with an outside chance of top 8.

 

People seem to now be happy ticking over, yes I said it, rather than admitting that we should probably be doing a bit more to progress.

 

I'm aware that this could be premature as we very well may do some excellent business in the next 3 weeks, I can't see it but you never know.

 

But going into the season with what we have now, while not being a disaster would be very underwhelming IMO, just because we were once owned by Mike Ashley it doesn't mean we automatically have to slap on a smile and accept the potentially bad bits too.