Dr Gloom

It sounds like we agree. I hope this means we can avoid another summer of never ending CB v RW debate but I doubt it. How else are we going to fill those slow summer months with no footie? There isn’t even an international tournament this summer to distract us. So sign me up for the pointless debating club

that would be the case even if we sign an established player. He’ll bed them into his way of playing before throwing them in to start games

Or more likely it’s some cunt we haven’t been linked with at all

the kid from the Dutch side or the Celtic RW we’ve been linked with would be more affordable

weird, innit. The marauding runs are the same on both flanks but he seems more confident with the final ball on his weaker foot down the left. Maybe because he doesn’t he over complicate it. He just gets to the byline and it stands it up

I love Murphy but I don’t think he’ll ever be an elite player. I’m not knocking him for that. It’s a testament to him for putting the work in - and Howe’s coaching - that he’s still starting games and performing years after the takeover. I’d say an elite RW in the modern game is strong on his left foot and can do the inverted thing by cutting inside and shooting but also has a higher technical ceiling then Murphy and can go on the outside too. I don’t think Joelinton is elite technically but he is a unique player. A brute of a midfielder who covers an unbelievable amount of ground and provides balance to Bruno and Tonali by bullying opponents. He’s a lot like Murphy in the sense that he’d been written off and has come back stronger thanks in part to Howe’s coaching. But I think his ceiling is higher. I’m not sure we will splash out on a proven PL player such as Mbuemo or Elanga this summer tbh. PSR means we have to find better value and that might mean taking a punt on a young player from overseas. I think that’s what we’ll see happen with Mitchell running the show. Whatever option they take I think it’s clear we need competition in that position.

depends on the replacement. If we sign a PL ready Mbuemo type then yeah, I’d agree it would need to be £50m+ I think a cheaper, younger player from abroad is more Mitchell’s style though. The sort of player who may not take Murphy’s place straight away but will push him for a starting spot, give us an good rotation option and has the potential to be better once he’s had the Howe treatment. In the Lewis Hall mould.

If we’re honest Murphy isn’t an elite player and never will be, despite his numbers being right up there this season. He has a technical ceiling - a lot like Miggy. But Howe has got him playing to his maximum potential and a lot of credit has to go to the player for doing what is being asked of him. I loved his first finish last night. He made it look easy but it wasn’t and he is frequently getting into dangerous positions at the back post to score or assist. He’s definitely worth keeping. He’s living his best life, playing for the club he supports, he seems like he’s a well-liked member of the squad and won’t be on massive wages. We’re so light on competition in that position though. Neither Gordon nor Barnes are as effective in that role despite being better technically than Murphy. I expect Howe to buy an inverted RW this summer who is equally happy cutting in and shooting on his left or going to the byline and crossing it. All the top CL clubs have players like that on both wings.

yeah, a lot of times reporters have only had a clue untiil the deals were all but done. isak was one rare example that was trailed months before he signed, but when it happened it also came out of the blue and was completed quite quickly. the protracted guehi saga was the first of its kind since the takeover. not our usual style at all. this summer is mitchell's first proper go at it after the non event in january. it'll be interesting to see how he operates but it sounds like we will be shopping in a different market to previously. hopefully all kept under wraps too. depends on the selling club tough. if you end up dealing with a muppet like parish, trying to engineer a bidding war, you can't stop it getting leaked.

Sounds like they’ve got loads of injuries too

They paid more for Hojland than we did for Isak

they're mediocre but not as shit as they were when we last played them. they seem tougher to break down now. probably helped by not playing casemiro and eriksen as a midfield two!

more on potential RW targets from mark douglas https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/newcastle-options-new-right-winger-70m-target-3607430?srsltid=AfmBOopUWPp2TsKGglITVbA_MMz2nNFLybatjc4clOEOXSvmBjkt9tC3

all that money and can't even organise a trip to a turkish dentist

who wants five wins in a row? the king decrees 3-1 to us

summer was the time to get him. the price as rumoured at £30m then. he'll be double that now. mbeumo would be a class signing, has shown he can do it in the PL and can also cover CF but he'll be north of £50-60m and possibly out of our price range. i think we will a new transfer strategy and will sign lesser known player players this summer - probably from abroad, who mitchell has identified - the sort that don't break the bank. this is why mitchell has been brought in. i think we'll avoid another guehi saga and hopefully do most of our business under the radar.

which one? the need for a RW or a new match thread?

obligation suggests no conditions i thought?

Southampton apparently asking for £100m for him might lead us to look elsewhere

i always found that last bit odd, given he played the best football of his career for us

it remains the one position that hasn't been upgraded since the takeover, i don't think it's up for debate. i would be amazed if we don't sign a RW this summer, particularly if we finish in the champions league places.

couldn't happen to a nicer bloke. similar story to miggy a few years back in that they've both enjoyed the season of their lives for us despite their limitations. again a hat tip to howe for coaching players who fans had previously written to play at their highest level for him. i'm sure RW will be upgraded in the summer but murphy probably has more to his overall game than miggy and i'm sure he will continue to be an important squad player.

3rd and a trophy is arguably the best season of my lifetime, which feels weird to say given how up and down we’ve been at times, but it must surpass KK’s second place finish because there’s silverware and CL football at the end of it