Sandro Tonali

[Cronky]

He's a bit of an enigma. He seems a shy, quiet lad, but when at his best on the pitch, he becomes a bit of an animal. That's what we need to see more of, and there are some promising signs now. 

 

I think he needs to overcome his natural inclination to be in the background, and start dominating instead. He does have it in him.

[KDT]

Played pretty well but could’ve done a better job in tracking Jones for his goal.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2024 by KDT

[TRon]

11 hours ago, Pilko said:

He was sensational tonight. Needs to be treated as an automatic starter like Bruno is, basically. Took the piss out of Gravenberch time and again.

 

Sean will have his time and place but it should be him starting the Bromley cup game and giving Sandro a breather occasionally, and not the other way around. And I'm more positive about Sean than a lot are.

 

Gravenberch was one of those players who I was disappointed we couldn't get, his fee was low and would have been in our price range if Liverpool weren't in there already. Made my night to see Tonali boss him for most of the game.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

10 hours ago, Kanj said:

You should rewatch the offside Isak goal. They head it back into our side of the pitch and Tonali does this jumping heel trap/flick to Hall first time to cut it out.   unreal man! 

Joelinton did a similar ridiculous piece of control attacking the Leazes. 

[SteV]

Another one on 4 yellows now.

[nufc123]

12 minutes ago, SteV said:

Another one on 4 yellows now.

Thats a shame if he has to sit out a game when he finally has found his place. 

[Lush Vlad]

56 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

Gravenberch was one of those players who I was disappointed we couldn't get, his fee was low and would have been in our price range if Liverpool weren't in there already. Made my night to see Tonali boss him for most of the game.

 

He has been brilliant for them this season and all.  Having Tonali central and Joelinton or Willock in there too should mean we are a lot more mobile.  Jones and Gravenberch get about the pitch and the latter is pretty fast, even.  It helped that Bruno was often matched up against Mac Allister, as he is slower than Bruno, even. 

 

I was impressed at how well the midfield did and how balanced it was.  Even if Joelinton faded a bit 2nd half and Bruno was dead on his feet.  That's where I think we could have done with some fresh legs in there.  Especially after they made their incredibly attacking triple sub. 

[Vaj]

Agree with everything said, MOTM last night for me and I have been crying out for him to play the central role for ages and he hasn't disappointed. 

 

Would love to see Miley come in alongside Tonali and Bruno at some point to give us even more control. If Miley has developed physically as has been reported then I think it is time we put some trust in him and gave him some more minutes. I love Joelinton but he is limited technically and I can see our best midfield being Miley - Tonali - Bruno if it was given a chance. 

[PauloGeordio]

 

[Roids]

On 27/11/2024 at 15:25, Roids said:

An average Tonali game is a good Longstaff game.

A great/good Tonali is a level Longstaff can't reach.

No slight on Longstaff as he doesn't pick himself but they're not in the same bracket. 

 

[FloydianMag]

https://x.com/iftvofficial/status/1866838237731566034?s=46
 

january window on us and Italian media doing it’s usual.

[KaKa]

Oh boy ...

 

If that is true it is such a mess man.

 

It wouldn't really surprise me if he's unsettled though. His role and place in the team still seems pretty unclear.

 

Hope it's just fabricated.

[Decky]

Hardly surprising this is it?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

He can't be allowed to leave anyway. 

[54]

9 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Hope it's just fabricated.

Its the Italian Press, it will be. 

[SUPERTOON]

We would struggle to get half what we paid for him imo. Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s true mind.

[Turnbull2000]

Wouldn't be surprised if true. Rarely starts, we're currently a mid-table team, and we're unlikely to win anything anytime soon.

 

Fans will justifiably be super pissed off though. First he fucks us over with a gambling ban, then he fucks us over on what will probably be a loss on transfer fee. Combined with PSR, that would be a huge blow.

[54]

I'm the opposite, it be very surprised if its true. The way we backed him during his ban, and helped him through it, how glowingly he spoke about how the club supported him etc. He's going to forget about that due to being in and out of the side for a few months? Sounds like bullshit to me.

[Matt1892]

The vision we sold him clearly hasn’t materialised, unless he was told that he would be back up to Sean Longstaff in a bottom half Premier League team.

 

He has been our best midfielder this season, so I can understand his frustration, but he needs to remember that things will likely change at the club soon.

[PauloGeordio]

10 minutes ago, 54 said:

I'm the opposite, it be very surprised if its true. The way we backed him during his ban, and helped him through it, how glowingly he spoke about how the club supported him etc. He's going to forget about that due to being in and out of the side for a few months? Sounds like bullshit to me.

That’s a bingo! 

[wyn davies]

2 hours ago, FloydianMag said:

https://x.com/iftvofficial/status/1866838237731566034?s=46
 

january window on us and Italian media doing it’s usual.

Rather move Joe,Isak or Bruno if we do need money gotta keep him , let's hope it don't happen though and the lower order geto ed on.

 

 

Edited December 11, 2024 by wyn davies
Moved on

[Fak]

Absolutely mental to want to sell Isak or Bruno over Tonali. 

 

And I'm assuming you mean Willock when you say Joe?

[Erikse]

He's going to be a key player in a top club if he leaves.

[Menace]

He's quality. The fact that Howe still can't seem to utilise him is one of my biggest frustrations this year 

[PauloGeordio]

“Last year was a very hard path, but very productive. I’ll will always carry with me the memory of the year that I spent off the pitch because it is right not to forget,” Tonali explained over the weekend.

 

“I think when a player trains all week without his ultimate goal, which is the game, he finds a sense of emptiness inside him. It wasn’t easy to spend the first year away from home without playing an official game, but trying to keep fit. This was the challenge I had to face in the most serious way possible.”

After overcoming understandable homesickness, a lengthy time away from the pitch, relationship struggles and personal issues behind the scenes, Tonali now appears to be thriving at Newcastle - despite his frustrating lack of consistent game time.

 

The former Brescia star is still with his partner, content creator and business owner Juliette Pastore, with the pair recently enjoying a trip to Edinburgh together. With each passing week he looks more and more settled in the north east of England.

 

Both on the training pitch and in competitive action, Tonali is also growing more accustomed to being Newcastle's main man. His recent displays in the 

middle of the park have looked inspired and you feel it is only a matter of time before the £52m signing becomes an undroppable figure in this Magpies side.

Tonali's improvement is no doubt helped by the fact he has struck up a brilliant friendship with Bruno Guimaraes among others, while making incredible strides learning English with his personal, and incredibly-named, tutor - Simonetta Italiano.

 

Despite a lack of recognition at club level, Italy boss Luciano Spalletti is building his new-look team around the midfield maestro. There's been six games and six starts for Tonali for the Azzurri this term, with the national team chief praising the midfielder for his energy of late.

 

Howe has already shut down exit talk

At the risk of repeating oneself, rumours and gossip over an AC Milan return have been doing the rounds for some time. So much so, Howe was asked about the transfer talk earlier this season.

 

"That one is news to me. It is not something I am contemplating. I am trying to build Sandro into the team after his ban," Howe said. "He has performed really well the last few games. I have been really pleased with how he 

is finding his feet in the team.

 

"He is building new relationships. It is not just the player coming into the team it is also the players around Sandro and how those relationships start to form. I have been pleased how they have."

 

Italian reports continue to talk of Tonali's value dropping given his limited football in the last 18 months but with Newcastle needing to work hard for every single penny these days, it is hard to imagine club chiefs sanctioning an exit for less than they paid for the international just last year [£52m].

 

Unless Tonali pushes for a move or refuses to play - which seems unlikely given his incredible determination and efforts behind the scenes in the last 12 months - it is hard to contemplate Newcastle wanting to sell full stop. No matter how much those back in Italy are hopeful of an emotional return.

 

 

Edited December 11, 2024 by PauloGeordio