Football 2024/25

[kaosmark2]

16 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I guess with Chelsea we'll need more study. Somewhere between Man City and Wolves isn't exactly representative given Man City were good out the box at Stamford Bridge while Wolves really fell off after a good first half.

 

Newcastle have had a curious one really. I saw us play a 4-4-2 with Gordon as a striker in the first half alongside Isak and it really didn't work, and indeed I felt the shape is why we conceded the goal because Joelinton had to come inside but got crowded out with no out-ball on the left hand side. Murphy, I don't mind, but a club with aspirations we have feels like they'd have him as a Plan B or C at best. It's not for nothing that RW was listed alongside CB as our main targets, which becomes trickier if we do wind up splashing on Guehi this week.

I mostly just think Chelsea will win a lot of games they're expected to win, draw or lose a lot of games they're expected to lose, and have a few absolute mares where they do something stupid. With 8 teams thinking they want to get top 4 I just think there's too much disharmony in that squad for them to have a chance of succeeding.

 

I agree that Murphy's fine. I don't really like criticising him because he works hard, he's got pace, and he does create actual threats going forward sometimes. We've had plenty of worse wide players over the years and I don't really want him to leave. I suspect one of him or Almiron go to make space for another winger, and I'm not insanely fussed as to which. I think Almiron has more of a goal threat but Murphy is better at the defensive work (not that Almiron isn't willing, just Murphy's better at it). Barnes is a good player but I do wonder about his injury record and with Gordon looking like he'll play centrally sometimes we definitely need another option unless somehow Barnes and Wilson both stay fit all season.

 

Guehi is an interesting one. £65m feels like a lot, but take off the English premium and £40m-ish seems not unreasonable for someone his age and experience. I don't really feel like I've got a fair grasp on transfer prices any more, but when I break it down it doesn't seem insane. 

 

Have there been any RWs we've been actively linked to this week? I heard bits of gossip earlier in the window but nothing for a while.

[charlierc]

44 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

I agree that Murphy's fine. I don't really like criticising him because he works hard, he's got pace, and he does create actual threats going forward sometimes. We've had plenty of worse wide players over the years and I don't really want him to leave. I suspect one of him or Almiron go to make space for another winger, and I'm not insanely fussed as to which. I think Almiron has more of a goal threat but Murphy is better at the defensive work (not that Almiron isn't willing, just Murphy's better at it). Barnes is a good player but I do wonder about his injury record and with Gordon looking like he'll play centrally sometimes we definitely need another option unless somehow Barnes and Wilson both stay fit all season.

 

Guehi is an interesting one. £65m feels like a lot, but take off the English premium and £40m-ish seems not unreasonable for someone his age and experience. I don't really feel like I've got a fair grasp on transfer prices any more, but when I break it down it doesn't seem insane. 

 

Have there been any RWs we've been actively linked to this week? I heard bits of gossip earlier in the window but nothing for a while.

The midfield and attack has been really quiet for potential incomings - most rumours around Newcastle have primarily been about defenders, whether it's Guehi, Chalobah, Gomez, etc. Schar getting sent off and having to play Krafth and Burn as a pretty ropey CB pairing against Bournemouth certainly hints that without Botman, we could use an extra body back there.

 

Longstaff is the person that seems to get the big kicking from fans as being perceived as useless, which I often think is harsh but in retrospect making him play a whole season last year injured was a really poor idea. Hopefully Tonali, whose ban expires this week, won't take too long to get restarted. I know Almiron has had a few links out - Saudi and MLS were both linked as potential destinations but neither came to pass, and he now seems to have fallen out of favour after his purple patch in the season before last.

[kaosmark2]

32 minutes ago, charlierc said:

The midfield and attack has been really quiet for potential incomings - most rumours around Newcastle have primarily been about defenders, whether it's Guehi, Chalobah, Gomez, etc. Schar getting sent off and having to play Krafth and Burn as a pretty ropey CB pairing against Bournemouth certainly hints that without Botman, we could use an extra body back there.

 

Longstaff is the person that seems to get the big kicking from fans as being perceived as useless, which I often think is harsh but in retrospect making him play a whole season last year injured was a really poor idea. Hopefully Tonali, whose ban expires this week, won't take too long to get restarted. I know Almiron has had a few links out - Saudi and MLS were both linked as potential destinations but neither came to pass, and he now seems to have fallen out of favour after his purple patch in the season before last.

Agreed on CB. I think it's correct that that's the priority, but just one person in attack would be good.

 

I think Longstaff is decent, but he's much much better in a 4-3-3. He does a lot of unseen work of cycling play and moving to be in position to block passes, but I think he struggles when he's in a central pairing. He hasn't got the creative passing range of Willock who I think fans want to see more of, but I think his off-the-ball work is pretty respectable and I can see why he gets picked more often. Playing 3/5 with Bruno/Tonali/Joelinton/Willock/Longstaff feels like a decent set of midfield options to me. He's the least glamourous name amongst them and probably the least threatening going forward but I think he does a respectable job. Willock looks a lot lot better on highlights and has more memorable moments, but I think has issues when getting pressed heavily.

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Agreed on CB. I think it's correct that that's the priority, but just one person in attack would be good.

 

I think Longstaff is decent, but he's much much better in a 4-3-3. He does a lot of unseen work of cycling play and moving to be in position to block passes, but I think he struggles when he's in a central pairing. He hasn't got the creative passing range of Willock who I think fans want to see more of, but I think his off-the-ball work is pretty respectable and I can see why he gets picked more often. Playing 3/5 with Bruno/Tonali/Joelinton/Willock/Longstaff feels like a decent set of midfield options to me. He's the least glamourous name amongst them and probably the least threatening going forward but I think he does a respectable job. Willock looks a lot lot better on highlights and has more memorable moments, but I think has issues when getting pressed heavily.

These things are easier if we didn't have FFP/PSR to worry about clearly, given this is a time where genuine top end PL-level talent is about £30m+. But we are going to have to fork out something given the CB and RW issues. Ideally I'd have wanted to sell Callum Wilson and bring in another striker but him being injured again probably undercut sale attempts.

 

I think Longstaff gets an unfair amount of stick from some of our supporters but do agree 4-4-2 didn't really work for him yesterday. Making him play the whole of last season having not really recovered from an injury picked up near the end of the previous one didn't help. I like Willock but he didn't seem that sharp last year due to his own problems, and ofc losing Miley before this season started to a long-term injury hasn't helped.

[kaosmark2]

3 minutes ago, charlierc said:

These things are easier if we didn't have FFP/PSR to worry about clearly, given this is a time where genuine top end PL-level talent is about £30m+. But we are going to have to fork out something given the CB and RW issues. Ideally I'd have wanted to sell Callum Wilson and bring in another striker but him being injured again probably undercut sale attempts.

 

I think Longstaff gets an unfair amount of stick from some of our supporters but do agree 4-4-2 didn't really work for him yesterday. Making him play the whole of last season having not really recovered from an injury picked up near the end of the previous one didn't help. I like Willock but he didn't seem that sharp last year due to his own problems, and ofc losing Miley before this season started to a long-term injury hasn't helped.

Yeah. It feels so silly to be hunting around chasing a RW after selling Minteh just to comply with PSR. Probably spending more than we sold Minteh for but to do the financial trickery.

 

Willock has injury issues and I think he's not great off the ball or being pressed heavily. I think over the course of a game Longstaff contributes more but Willock has moments that make him look unplayable. Both are decent and I think it's kinda harsh when fans give them too much stick, but it's well publicised that we're not really after another CM and prioritising other positions and I don't think any sane fan thinks that's wrong.

[thetime]

Newcastle dressing room pictures incoming ..

[charlierc]

18 minutes ago, thetime said:

Newcastle dressing room pictures incoming ..

#traditions

 

For once I'd like to just score a few easy early goals then coast to the end, especially as a difficult game against Spurs is incoming on Sunday and I suspect they won't be as awful as they have been on our last 2 trips to SJP. But it is what it is.

[thetime]

What's that draw all about 

[lost]

12 hours ago, thetime said:

What's that draw all about 

 

It'll be champions league clubs enter the comp at the quarters next season. No #3454 in reasons why modern football is sh*t.

Edited August 29 by lost

[thetime]

6 hours ago, lost said:

 

It'll be champions league clubs enter the comp at the quarters next season. No #3454 in reasons why modern football is sh*t.

The champions league draw wasn't much better.

 

Just realised the europa league has expanded as well, 8 matches in the non knockout stage.

 

Admin people of football, destroying every last drop. 

 

 

Edited August 29 by thetime

[Neil]

20 hours ago, charlierc said:

#traditions

 

For once I'd like to just score a few easy early goals then coast to the end, especially as a difficult game against Spurs is incoming on Sunday and I suspect they won't be as awful as they have been on our last 2 trips to SJP. But it is what it is.

difficult game with spurs?? you're having a laugh, easiest game of the season.

[charlierc]

20 hours ago, thetime said:

What's that draw all about 

Feels like it would've saved a lot of time if they just dumped the lot out in one go like on a Premier League/EFL fixture release day.

[charlierc]

46 minutes ago, Neil said:

difficult game with spurs?? you're having a laugh, easiest game of the season.

Presumably if they were a difficult opponent I dread to think how badly they would've beaten Everton.

[thetime]

Decent window for United.

 

Got a few young players in, staying clear of the big name players coming to the end. 

 

Plus got rid of sancho, still need a striker though. 

[charlierc]

Think quite a few clubs might be disappointed with their windows. Liverpool still really need an extra holding midfielder, Arsenal still need a direct number 9 striker (although Sterling could be an inspired loan), Chelsea still seem to change plans every 10 minutes, Everton having to resort to an already injured Armando Broja up front after he failed his Ipswich medical is a bad sign and Wolves don't really seem like they've strengthened well.

 

At the risk of turning this into a Newcastle obsessed thread, or at least further, I can't say I'm happy with our business either. Feels like Crystal Palace just strung us along for Guehi and we got too distracted trying to sign him rather than going elsewhere and buying a decent CB and RW. Was already annoying to lose Minteh and Anderson due to PSR, and having 5 goalkeepers also feels like overindulgence. But it is what it is. Hopefully the return of Tonali and retaining the big 3 of Gordon, Isak & Bruno might get us somewhere.

[kaosmark2]

My season prediction now the window is over:

 

top 8:

Arsenal
City
Spurs
Liverpool
Man U
Newc
Brighton

Villa

 

bottom 4:

Southampton

Leicester

Everton

Ipswich

 

I'm gonna make the bold call that Arsenal can pip City. Looks even crazier after today's lunchtime result, but at some point you've got to believe in an end to City's dominance, and I think Arse had a good window. I think City have as well, but there's also the added thing that if City lose this season, it might bait Pep into trying to rebuild and reclaim, which I want from a "lets get to watch lots of good football" POV.

 

A week ago I wouldn't have had Liverpool top 4, but I think Chiesa is a very talented player, grabbed at an absolute bargain, and exactly the sort of player they need. They could do with another midfielder as well, and I do think they'll drop points with adjusting to life post-Klopp, but I don't think Man U or Newcastle have done enough to overtake them.

 

I rate Ange, and I think Spurs are only innate Spursiness from fairly safely taking top 4. 

 

There's a clear top 5 to me, and Newcastle might've been able to break into that without European football/injuries like last season, but we probably needed at least 1 if not 2 signings to stand a real chance. I think Villa will struggle to compete on all fronts and drop off, but I still fancy them to outdo a fragmented batshit Chelsea. Brighton made some excellent signings, were already a talented team, and I fancy them to keep getting good results and annoy the big money clubs. Probably not quite enough to actually claim a European place, but thereabouts.

 

I cba filling in spots for mid-table, but my main shout for relegation is that for all the fact I think Dyche is a decent manager, they're just a bit messy and I don't trust them to win instead of draw the key games they've got to do to secure staying up. I think Southampton look the best equipped of the promoted clubs to stay up - and Ramsdale will get them a good amount of points as a signing.

[Neil]

9 hours ago, charlierc said:

(although Sterling could be an inspired loan

i always thought sterling would be a good fit at arsenal.

[charlierc]

5 minutes ago, Neil said:

i always thought sterling would be a good fit at arsenal.

We'll see accordingly.

 

Quite the way to be thrown in given Arsenal's next two league games are the North London Derby and then Man City. The former of which might now be even more complex given that Declan Rice will be banned after his red today for... reasons.

[charlierc]

6 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

My season prediction now the window is over:

 

top 8:

Arsenal
City
Spurs
Liverpool
Man U
Newc
Brighton

Villa

 

bottom 4:

Southampton

Leicester

Everton

Ipswich

 

I'm gonna make the bold call that Arsenal can pip City. Looks even crazier after today's lunchtime result, but at some point you've got to believe in an end to City's dominance, and I think Arse had a good window. I think City have as well, but there's also the added thing that if City lose this season, it might bait Pep into trying to rebuild and reclaim, which I want from a "lets get to watch lots of good football" POV.

 

A week ago I wouldn't have had Liverpool top 4, but I think Chiesa is a very talented player, grabbed at an absolute bargain, and exactly the sort of player they need. They could do with another midfielder as well, and I do think they'll drop points with adjusting to life post-Klopp, but I don't think Man U or Newcastle have done enough to overtake them.

 

I rate Ange, and I think Spurs are only innate Spursiness from fairly safely taking top 4. 

 

There's a clear top 5 to me, and Newcastle might've been able to break into that without European football/injuries like last season, but we probably needed at least 1 if not 2 signings to stand a real chance. I think Villa will struggle to compete on all fronts and drop off, but I still fancy them to outdo a fragmented batshit Chelsea. Brighton made some excellent signings, were already a talented team, and I fancy them to keep getting good results and annoy the big money clubs. Probably not quite enough to actually claim a European place, but thereabouts.

 

I cba filling in spots for mid-table, but my main shout for relegation is that for all the fact I think Dyche is a decent manager, they're just a bit messy and I don't trust them to win instead of draw the key games they've got to do to secure staying up. I think Southampton look the best equipped of the promoted clubs to stay up - and Ramsdale will get them a good amount of points as a signing.

6th for Newcastle is bold imo as I think our depth issues are a problem. Chelsea actually look like they might be better than expected, but the sample size is based on them playing a defensively deficient Wolves and they still lost to Servette in the Conference in midweek.

 

Brighton and West Ham feel like they have the talent to break into the European places tbf. But it's about the consistency as much as anything.

[Neil]

3 minutes ago, charlierc said:

We'll see accordingly.

 

Quite the way to be thrown in given Arsenal's next two league games are the North London Derby and then Man City. The former of which might now be even more complex given that Declan Rice will be banned after his red today for... reasons.

fair red, i reckon.arsenal were fried rice.

[kaosmark2]

4 minutes ago, charlierc said:

6th for Newcastle is bold imo as I think our depth issues are a problem. Chelsea actually look like they might be better than expected, but the sample size is based on them playing a defensively deficient Wolves and they still lost to Servette in the Conference in midweek.

 

Brighton and West Ham feel like they have the talent to break into the European places tbf. But it's about the consistency as much as anything.

We've not got European football to force us into using that much depth though. I think our first 16-18 is pretty good, the issue is past that.

[charlierc]

19 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

We've not got European football to force us into using that much depth though. I think our first 16-18 is pretty good, the issue is past that.

We're already at that point imo given Krafth and Burn really isn't that stable a centre-back pairing. It's why I was disappointed we didn't do more to source a CB given Botman & Lascelles are still out for ages.

 

If nothing else at least Solanke is injured but Spurs still have an array of options to cause us bother and we're not quite at the point of the season where they're falling apart as they were on their last 2 trips north to St James'.

 

But then again I'm not making predictions. It's usually a surefire way to make you question everything you know about football. Though I will say that having incorrectly thought Wolves would struggle last season, I think this version looks vulnerable.

[Neil]

25 minutes ago, charlierc said:

We're already at that point imo given Krafth and Burn really isn't that stable a centre-back pairing. It's why I was disappointed we didn't do more to source a CB given Botman & Lascelles are still out for ages.

 

If nothing else at least Solanke is injured but Spurs still have an array of options to cause us bother and we're not quite at the point of the season where they're falling apart as they were on their last 2 trips north to St James'.

 

But then again I'm not making predictions. It's usually a surefire way to make you question everything you know about football. Though I will say that having incorrectly thought Wolves would struggle last season, I think this version looks vulnerable.

it'll be a spursy team that turns up to play you!

[thetime]

Did Newcastle really bid 50m for elanga?

[charlierc]

11 hours ago, thetime said:

Did Newcastle really bid 50m for elanga?

I'd heard about a £35M first offer being turned down because we didn't include a player going to Nottingham. This second rumour only came through yesterday. More surprised Forest turned that down tbh.

 

Can see the appeal given Elanga was great in the Newcastle-Forest games last season and we'd apparently tried for him during the "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" mini-window before the 30 June FFP deadline before instead buying their third choice goalkeeper for a massively inflated sum.

 

But this is football now. For the saga that went on far too long before deadline day, Marc Guehi is a great player but Palace wanted a van Dijk/Maguire-level fee for him which I'm not 100% sure if it was worth it. I think we should've tried for Trevor Chalobah as a Plan B - someone that ironically actually joined Palace on deadline day.