Off Topic English football

[Woody]

21 minutes ago, Rob said:

100 is nothing to a wealthy guy like you 

Enjoyed the game tonight tbh. Ive got my appetite back....well untill Newcastle play anyway.

[samhardy]

One for the stat fans:

Today was the 8th season in a row where a penalty was awarded in Sunderland’s opening league game of the season. Every one of the 8 has been scored.

[FuddledFox]

36 minutes ago, samhardy said:

One for the stat fans:

Today was the 8th season in a row where a penalty was awarded in Sunderland’s opening league game of the season. Every one of the 8 has been scored.

Not boring or obscure enough of a stat that one.

[samhardy]

21 minutes ago, FuddledFox said:

Not boring or obscure enough of a stat that one.

Pretty hardcore stuff that stat but everyone knows all the important stuff between Oxford and Cambridge happens on the water.

[Ashez]

Back to back cup final defeats for the billion pound squad and best manager in the world........

[Woody]

4 minutes ago, Ashez said:

Back to back cup final defeats for the billion pound squad and best manager in the world........

All the money in the world mate....doesn't guarentee silverware! 😂

I've got a tenner on Liverpool being champions this season. Hopefully they won't let me down 😉

[Ashez]

Just now, Woody said:

All the money in the world mate....doesn't guarentee silverware! 😂

I've got a tenner on Liverpool being champions this season. Hopefully they won't let me down 😉

Feeling oddly confident not going to lie. 

My worry is how Gomez/VVD cope and what the front three will be like as Mane and Bobby weren't the best last season. 

If we sign another forward and a midfielder I'd fancy our chances. 

[Woody]

10 minutes ago, Ashez said:

Feeling oddly confident not going to lie. 

My worry is how Gomez/VVD cope and what the front three will be like as Mane and Bobby weren't the best last season. 

If we sign another forward and a midfielder I'd fancy our chances. 

Best thing is they haven't had to play through the summer so have had a propper break. Or did they compete in the Olympics?? Not sure my self.

[FuddledFox]

1 hour ago, Ashez said:

Back to back cup final defeats for the billion pound squad and best manager in the world........

Can’t imagine Pep losing much sleep over losing a friendly.

[Rich]

I just can’t believe the league is starting next week, Newcastle are never that prepared but I feel like we are even more unprepared than usual. I always can’t wait for the season but it hits fast that I shouldn’t have been excited.

[Ashez]

2 hours ago, Woody said:

Best thing is they haven't had to play through the summer so have had a propper break. Or did they compete in the Olympics?? Not sure my self.

Gomez and VVD? No, they've only just started playing again. I think VVD went with the Dutch to the Euros as a cheerleader though haha. 

I don't think Mane has played but Bobby went to the Copa America. 

44 minutes ago, FuddledFox said:

Can’t imagine Pep losing much sleep over losing a friendly.

Sssh, that's not the point 😛

38 minutes ago, Rich said:

I just can’t believe the league is starting next week, Newcastle are never that prepared but I feel like we are even more unprepared than usual. I always can’t wait for the season but it hits fast that I shouldn’t have been excited.

At least you have a few top goalscoring talents, that's pretty big usually. Apparently you, Burnley, Brighton and Southampton are after Nat Phillips. 

[geordiekrispy]

5 hours ago, Rich said:

I just can’t believe the league is starting next week, Newcastle are never that prepared but I feel like we are even more unprepared than usual. I always can’t wait for the season but it hits fast that I shouldn’t have been excited.

The fact that we haven't signed a single player means it'll be even worse than when we only signed Gael Bigirama

[hhooo]

14 hours ago, geordiekrispy said:

The fact that we haven't signed a single player means it'll be even worse than when we only signed Gael Bigirama

You might make the CL final and then go through 2 full years of horrible form!

[Woody]

14 hours ago, geordiekrispy said:

The fact that we haven't signed a single player means it'll be even worse than when we only signed Gael Bigirama

I think Willock has been left out of Araenal's squad for todays friendly. Hopefully that means he is coming back.

[Woody]

Ok. Apparently Arsenal have accepted a £25m offer from Newcastle for Willock. 

This is way out of our budget so dont know how true this is.

 

[Rich]

16 minutes ago, Woody said:

Ok. Apparently Arsenal have accepted a £25m offer from Newcastle for Willock. 

This is way out of our budget so dont know how true this is.

 

It’s on sky sports so hopefully it’s true mate, honestly thought it would be a loan. For us to be spending that on a player is weird. Even though it’s not that much in today’s game. This is Saudi Money😂

The thought of like these kind of signings happening more often under new owners is what’s keeping me positive.

[Rob]

I think you’ll look back on that with regret next season in the Championship.

[Dai_]

41 minutes ago, Rob said:

I think you’ll look back on that with regret next season in the Championship.

This hurts me 💔

 

I think £25m is a massive gamble. I know he was essential in our end to last season being quite successful and without his goals there was a serious chance we wouldn't of stayed up BUT I am concerned if its the only business we'll be doing.

[geordiekrispy]

1 hour ago, Dai_ said:

This hurts me 💔

 

I think £25m is a massive gamble. I know he was essential in our end to last season being quite successful and without his goals there was a serious chance we wouldn't of stayed up BUT I am concerned if its the only business we'll be doing.

Totally agree.

Willock was essentially to us staying up last season, but doesn't mean he's going to do the same this season.

If it's the only signing we get in, we're screwed. We have a weaker squad overall than we did last year. Yes the players who have gone were not exactly first team regulars.

But they were always available if needed.

We're got the bare bones of a squad now.

 

[Woody]

7 hours ago, geordiekrispy said:

Totally agree.

Willock was essentially to us staying up last season, but doesn't mean he's going to do the same this season.

If it's the only signing we get in, we're screwed. We have a weaker squad overall than we did last year. Yes the players who have gone were not exactly first team regulars.

But they were always available if needed.

We're got the bare bones of a squad now.

 

Bruce is still playing with a back 5 too through preseason!

I'm chuffed to bits we have Willock coming back but we do need more. I hope that Watts gets his chance but Lascelles needs a steady head next to him. There must be another Coloccini out there! 😆

[Rich]

Anyone know any arsenal fans @Woody @geordiekrispy @Dai_ I really want to know how they feel about leaving someone who scored 8 league goals for a bottom half club. 
 

I’m now reading than Phil Jones and Ross Barkley will be targeted after him, I’d be pretty happy with that tbh.

[Dai_]

40 minutes ago, Rich said:

Anyone know any arsenal fans @Woody @geordiekrispy @Dai_ I really want to know how they feel about leaving someone who scored 8 league goals for a bottom half club. 
 

I’m now reading than Phil Jones and Ross Barkley will be targeted after him, I’d be pretty happy with that tbh.

My one mate who's an Arsenal fan thinks we've got him cheap. Another, which is the one I agree with thinks Willock will never break into the Arsenal first team so is happy to see him leave for first team football. 

[Rich]

27 minutes ago, Dai_ said:

My one mate who's an Arsenal fan thinks we've got him cheap. Another, which is the one I agree with thinks Willock will never break into the Arsenal first team so is happy to see him leave for first team football. 

Yeah I honestly don’t think he would play for them, so may as well go for the money, hopefully a few more follow.

[Woody]

2 hours ago, Rich said:

Anyone know any arsenal fans @Woody @geordiekrispy @Dai_ I really want to know how they feel about leaving someone who scored 8 league goals for a bottom half club. 
 

I’m now reading than Phil Jones and Ross Barkley will be targeted after him, I’d be pretty happy with that tbh.

Defo be happy with that. An experienced head next to Lascelles and a playmaker in midfield. Good bye Shelvey 😂

[Rich]

17 minutes ago, Woody said:

Defo be happy with that. An experienced head next to Lascelles and a playmaker in midfield. Good bye Shelvey 😂

You see Bruce’s interview? He said Shelvey is massive for us next season, why I don’t know, hopefully he can stop losing men. Something @Rob is so good at not letting men go, wonder if he could help him? 🤔

[Dai_]

13 minutes ago, Woody said:

Defo be happy with that. An experienced head next to Lascelles and a playmaker in midfield. Good bye Shelvey 😂

 

2 minutes ago, Rich said:

You see Bruce’s interview? He said Shelvey is massive for us next season, why I don’t know, hopefully he can stop losing men. Something @Rob is so good at not letting men go, wonder if he could help him? 🤔

I don't get the hate aimed at Shelvey. Personally, I love him. He's being thrown into a holding role as part of a 3 very defensive CM's. The central CM is fine, holds the position but the ones either side have so much covering to do out wide. They're being asked to cover opposition wing-backs when they attack. The way football is going, attacking wingbacks are a major part of how teams play these days. Shelvey always gives his all even though its often clear to see he's not the most mobile and is and will always be our most gifted passer of a ball.

He'll be the central one when Hayden is fit. Him, Almiron and/or Willock will be the ones asked to go wide so he'll be able to sit and hopefully pick a pass when it's available.  

Barkley is appealing though. He has the engine and is decent with the ball. Even though Chelsea fans and more recently Villa fans have not been kind about him, I think he'd suit the way we try to play. Jones would ve very welcome too.

[geordiekrispy]

I actually don't know any Arsenal fans at all.

I think Willock is definitely needed he brings something else to our midfield, but we have a fair few central midfielders now, if we sign anymore then that's the end of the Longstaff's I reckon.

We need wide players, either wingers or wing backs. Another central defender is never going to hurt especially someone with some experience in the Premier League. And another striker to fill in for Wilson when he's injured, as Gayle is just not good enough at this level.

Shelvey is a weird player, sometimes he can be awesome and run the show, but others he just seems to be invisible. For a team like Newcastle we can't afford to have a luxury player like that, we don't have a good enough squad to be able to carry a missing central midfielder.

Back in th day when Ben Arfa or Robert would go missing it was ok, out central midfield could cope as they'd be out on the wings or behind the striker.

Edited August 9, 2021 by geordiekrispy

[Aaron Thornton]

9 hours ago, Rich said:

 Phil Jones

 

Edit: Dont know why it's so small but my question still stands

Edited August 10, 2021 by Aaron Thornton

[Rob]

Abraham to Roma for 36m? Interesting move and value.

[Rich]

15 minutes ago, Rob said:

Abraham to Roma for 36m? Interesting move and value.

Mourinhos new Drogba or Millito as he lifts Serie A next season in a massive turnaround for Mourinho.