Sandro Tonali

[Dubrovnik Dubravka]

The feeling that we've already peaked hurts a lot. It wasn't meant to go like this.

[r0cafella]

Just now, Abacus said:

Yes, I know Gordon was a different situation. Liverpool were dithering about with a fee anyway.

 

I'm just not totally sure how passive we are with it when these links come up with players who allegedly want away.

 

Which is another reason actually Gordon was different, because up until that point it didn't seem like his head had been turned. 

What do you mean by passive? I think we've learnt our lesson and it doesn't benefit us to keep unhappy players around so are open to selling. 

 

Obviously we have a few in mind and hopefully we've done the right thing behind the scenes and told his agent in no uncertain terms this is how much we want. 

 

Personally, I always found the head turned stuff to be absolutely bollocks and just a hallmark of a player who isn't particularly professional, we were only a stepping stone on the Anthony Gordon journey and I think that's quite evident at this point. 

[Abacus]

10 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

What do you mean by passive? I think we've learnt our lesson and it doesn't benefit us to keep unhappy players around so are open to selling. 

 

Obviously we have a few in mind and hopefully we've done the right thing behind the scenes and told his agent in no uncertain terms this is how much we want. 

 

Personally, I always found the head turned stuff to be absolutely bollocks and just a hallmark of a player who isn't particularly professional, we were only a stepping stone on the Anthony Gordon journey and I think that's quite evident at this point. 

By passive, I suppose what I mean is, if Tonali has indicated he wants away, might we have decided on his price and told his agent, either now or when he renegotiated his contract, that at £xm he can go. And then just let his agent get on with that. 

 

Or to what extent might we actively encourage it ourselves. I suppose it amounts to the same thing really so doesn't really matter, just idle Wednesday morn speculation.

[The Prophet]

5 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

I do but it’s mostly on the ball. 
 

I never thought he was as good as some claimed. Never thought he was better than Bruno. He was always loose on the ball.  
 

He was noticeably worse on the ball last season but it wasn’t anything new - just worse. As a unit the midfield has looked disjointed. Tonali isn’t good enough on the ball to hold but also needs better players around him at 8.  I think he’s best playing behind a 10 he can keep passing too. 
 

 

I don’t think he’s easily replaced at all. cm in a Howe system is difficult.  

 

Fair, I thought be regressed off the ball too. He'd often find himself out of position or wrong side of his man.

 

That's ultimately the frustration with him. On his day he's excellent, but we've not seen anywhere enough of it.

 

Aye, let's see. All the noise seems to be we're looking for a genuine six this summer, which would be quite a change in approach.

[TBG]

Andy Howe at the end of another day doing absolutely nothing

 

 

N-O members clocking in "one" last time

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 hour ago, Dubrovnik Dubravka said:

The feeling that we've already peaked hurts a lot. It wasn't meant to go like this.

 

It's a long journey mon ami, keep the faith. 

[gdm]

2 hours ago, Dubrovnik Dubravka said:

The feeling that we've already peaked hurts a lot. It wasn't meant to go like this.

Should really have to say this We won a trophy that many never thought we’d see happen and got CL football twice its going fine 

[Wallsendmag]

What happened last season was always going to have consequences. The better players will be getting twitchy, maybe even losing faith in the "project" that they were sold. There'll be agents being instructed to test the water no doubt. We have a good few players who the top clubs would like to have. Gordon already gone, Tonali might well, and the vultures will be circling around Hall and possibly Livramento although his injury record might put suiters off him. Miley would be well sought after as well but wouldn't expect him to leave. Makes last season all the more frustrating as the talent is clearly there.

 

When PIF bought us in 2021 we all thought, or at least hoped for a completely upward trajectory but it was never going to happen like that as we were immediately stopped from doing a Man City. There'll be occasions where we'll have to go back over a bit before we go forward again. This is one of those times it looks like and puts us at a bit of a crossroads which makes this summer probably the most important transfer window we've ever had. If it goes right and we can push on again and get a top 6 finish then it would appear things are back on track. If we get it wrong again another bottom half finish doesn't really bear thinking about.

[AJ9]

We have a bunch of players that have matured and are probably not as hungry for this and Sandro is one. We move them on, we get in players that feel excited by this.  We need to sell well to bridge the gap, the best way to do this is by developing players and getting them playing well. We have a coach that we know can develop players, who struggled last year, but has an opportunity to refocus. We have come so far and while there are loads of worries there are lots of positives too (youth teams in particular). 

[KaKa]

22 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

What happened last season was always going to have consequences. The better players will be getting twitchy, maybe even losing faith in the "project" that they were sold. There'll be agents being instructed to test the water no doubt. We have a good few players who the top clubs would like to have. Gordon already gone, Tonali might well, and the vultures will be circling around Hall and possibly Livramento although his injury record might put suiters off him. Miley would be well sought after as well but wouldn't expect him to leave. Makes last season all the more frustrating as the talent is clearly there.

 

When PIF bought us in 2021 we all thought, or at least hoped for a completely upward trajectory but it was never going to happen like that as we were immediately stopped from doing a Man City. There'll be occasions where we'll have to go back over a bit before we go forward again. This is one of those times it looks like and puts us at a bit of a crossroads which makes this summer probably the most important transfer window we've ever had. If it goes right and we can push on again and get a top 6 finish then it would appear things are back on track. If we get it wrong again another bottom half finish doesn't really bear thinking about.

 

The only player that has any right to claim to have lost faith in the project is Bruno, because he continues to show full commitment and play at a high level, showing up all of his team mates.

 

Anyone else claiming to have lost faith in the project is taking the piss, because they haven't performed at a good enough level to push the project forward. Need to get rid of any player with this sort of mindset.

 

 

[Moose]

11 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

The only player that has any right to claim to have lost faith in the project is Bruno, because he continues to show full commitment and play at a high level, showing up all of his team mates.

 

Anyone else claiming to have lost faith in the project is taking the piss, because they haven't performed at a good enough level to push the project forward. Need to get rid of any player with this sort of mindset.

 

 

 

This. Tonali and many of his team mates phoned it in, played like shite and couldnt finish in the top half of one of the most wide open PLs in living memory. Was that because they lost faith in the project? Their shite performances are what caused the downfall, and now they have the cheek to think that they're above this and then swan off smelling of roses and blame the mess on every one else?!

 

There are several people responsible for the mess of last season from the owners to the management/backroom staff tot he playing squad. Tonali very much included in that.

 

 

Edited 33 minutes ago by Moose

[TheBrownBottle]

2 hours ago, Dubrovnik Dubravka said:

The feeling that we've already peaked hurts a lot. It wasn't meant to go like this.

Newcastle United was always a sleeping giant, and is more than capable of competing - what we are unlikely to be is a dominant force in English football.  But winning cups and qualifying for the CL?  We haven't 'peaked', we're more than big enough to do that on a reasonably regular basis.  We had a poor summer last year which created the conditions for a poor season.  I always found big transitions like this summer exciting - and I can't say I've blinked at the prospect of losing Gordon or Tonali (or Livramento for that matter).

[Mattoon]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Newcastle United was always a sleeping giant, and is more than capable of competing - what we are unlikely to be is a dominant force in English football.  But winning cups and qualifying for the CL?  We haven't 'peaked', we're more than big enough to do that on a reasonably regular basis.  We had a poor summer last year which created the conditions for a poor season.  I always found big transitions like this summer exciting - and I can't say I've blinked at the prospect of losing Gordon or Tonali (or Livramento for that matter).

 

Yeah, I agree with this sentiment, its not the end of the book, its just a new chapter. I am excited to see what NUFC will look like next season.

[HayDen Traces]

Sad to see the cup winning team broken up but it was stale last year. The squad needs a shake up. Who goes out as part of that shakeup will always be a point of contention.

[nufcjmc]

1 minute ago, HayDen Traces said:

Sad to see the cup winning team broken up but it was stale last year. The squad needs a shake up. Who goes out as part of that shakeup will always be a point of contention.

 

Agreed in an ideal world we would have academy prospects waiting to step up for their chance to have a break out season, we would also be able to pick from our squad who goes to free up room/ deemed not good enough/ no longer affective/ right age and contract length left to sell before they go for nothing. 

 

Issue with that approach is you have to be able to find someone to take them for a price that makes sense and generates the funds to do something with. 

 

Unfortunately for us we arent there on either fronts it seems so if Tonali is at best happy to stay but would like to explore offers to move away then I guess we have to accept that with effectively 4 years left on his deal and already a high earner we cant really offer him anything more contractually to stay.