Polarboy

More than a little annoying that what I suggested in half jest in terms of the scoreline has come to pass. It has to be said though, that while we've been pretty poor, both Maddison, the diving cunt that he is, and Tielemans have shown why they are so highly rated.

Maddison needs a slap across the chops.

Leeds given their injuries, fixture run and general form could very easily slip down into the relegation fight, as could Southampton, and maybe even Everton if their slide continues, but they'll likely pick up when DCL is back fit. I really don't think it will just be a four horse race, there's always at least one club who slide into it from a relatively safe at the time position.

😂 What a sickener for Watford. Two late goals with a penalty in the dying minutes. I seen Carragher say we'd want a draw, but I'm more than happy with Watford losing in this fashion, especially when we could possibly move out of the bottom three should results go our way. Hopefully this loss has been psychologically damaging for Watford. Raneri was saying that needed to at least draw the game beforehand, which probably wasn't wise on his part upon reflection.

There's been a covid outbreak in the Leicester camp. Lookman, Amartey, Iheanacho, Vestergaard, Perez, Benkovic, and Daley-Campbell haven't travelled to the Napoli game. Obviously only really Lookman, Inheanacho and Vestergaard are starters, or in Iheanacho's case someone who usually plays at least 20 minutes per match so important if not a nailed on starter. Regardless it's yet more disruption to the Leicester team before the match on Sunday. Everything seems to be pointing towards us having a very decent shout at getting a positive result on Sunday, so expect us to lose 4-0 😉👍

His face still looks like he's chewing on a lemon, but I'm willing to put that to one side permanently if he keeps us up 😉👍

If we were to go for Botman I'd like to see us go for a centre half with premier league experience, and more experience in general, as well. A 40m price tag and all that pressure from being put in a team half way through a season of fighting relegation, is unlikely to see him hit the ground running. The rumours about Trippier don't seem to be fading either. It makes sense given he's played under Howe before. Then again even though he's 31 he would perhaps still expect to get a few more years of Champions League level football yet, hence the Man U links from a while back. But perhaps if the noises from the Champions League clubs in England have gone quiet, he'd take a fat late career contract, and a reunion with Eddie.

They've only kept one clean sheet all season against Wolves in the first weekend of games. A score draw at the least is possible if we approach the game in the correct manner.

Turns out he's quite likeable when he's not trolling us with his performances, and doing it to the opposition instead 😂

So this fella is trying to imply that Staveley is too fond of the limelight to hire a DOF? That sounds like absolute nonsense. It doesn't even make any logical sense. Amanda could have a spread in Hello magazine every week if she wanted, and park the DOF in the basement to get on with his actual job is if she wanted. So aye, I agree with Paddock, Emenalo has likely got a pet lip because he didn't get the job, and this journalist is facilitating his tantrum. If that is the case maybe we're better off without him, despite his very impressive CV. Emenalo himself of course seems pretty fond of publicity with his features in the Guardian about him being a social justice activist. Which of course on the face of it can be a very worthy pursuit, but the well has been poisoned somewhat by Twitter activists, celebrities etc, many of which clearly see it as a way to enhance their own profile and power above anything else.

Not sure about Lingard in some respects. He's definitely better than a lot of what we have in the squad, but there's no guarantee he'd display the same form as he showed when at West Ham. He was in the best form of his life at West Ham during that period. You could say he's been wasted at Man U in an expensively assembled squad, but he's also had a habit of going missing for long periods of the season when he's gotten a chance there in previous years. So yeah I would take him, but I wouldn't throw stupid money at him. Then again I suppose given the fight we're in it might be the case that we have to throw stupid money at players who are merely good as opposed to great. As for Howe lowering expectations I think he's trying to keep the players he has now focused, perhaps also lower the agents and clubs expectations when they try to overcharge us, and lower the expectations of the small minority of fans who think it's feasible to get superstars in January if we just throw enough money at it.

This Shelvey fella looks a decent player. Can't believe some of our fans call him Voldermort. I'd never do such a thing myself of course. That was far too tense once again, but amazing relief at the end, and hopefully this will raise the confidence of the players, who must have also been wondering where the first win was coming from. Strangely we may go into the tough run of fixtures relaxed knowing that whatever we get will be a bonus, which may result in a shock result or two against the "top six" sides. Big Joe was everywhere again this game. As a pundit was saying, who's name I can't recall, it may be that Joe would be better deployed as a Fellaini type player for us. Basically a big, disruptive battering ram for us in midfield, but who also can carry the ball forward with pace and strength.

According to Craig Hope, Howe still has a chance to be in the dugout for Arsenal. Tindall has been confirmed to be taking the pre-match press on Friday, but if Howe can pass a Covid test the same day, then he'll be cleared to take charge. Conveniently Eddie's symptoms appear to have started exactly ten days before the Arsenal game 😂 Or at least that appears to be what Hope is saying. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will discover on Friday if he can lead the side out at Arsenal | Daily Mail Online

Well they came to an accommodation over the piracy thing, with Saudi paying them a billion iirc in compensation. So I'd say it's not beyond the realms of possibility that relations have thawed enough for them to do business in other areas.

Yeah I imagine most of our business will be loans with options to buy given the position we find ourselves in. So perhaps he'd be willing if it was a loan. Having said that a player needs decent character to come into what could be a tough situation. Can you imagine if he came in and he was relegated with us for a second time. It really doesn't bear thinking about. Our business will of course depend largely on how well we do in the league between now and the window. Of course it seems unlikely that we won't at least be close to the bottom three given the mountain that Bruce, Ashley, and the players have left us to climb.

I see Wijnaldum is being linked with us again on the back of him apparently being unsettled at PSG through lack of game time. It could just be people adding two and two and getting five given he's benched, we have a lot of money, and he used to play for us. If there is anything to it he's exactly the type of versatile high quality, box to box midfielder that we're crying out for. Personally I couldn't care less that he jumped ship from us, because could you blame any player with ambition and talent for leaving us when Ashley was in charge. The only thing I can see scuppering it is that Wini's ego might come into play. You can't take much more of a backward step than leaving PSG to go back to your old club who are in a relegation fight. The promise of better times would take some faith on his part, but even then he's 31, so he doesn't really have time to be dreaming of what we may become down the line.

I saw an article titled "Should Callum Wilson be Dropped for the Arsenal Game". Obviously my first thought was what the fuck is this nonsense, but apparently Wilson is on four yellows and would miss the Norwich game should he pick up another against Arsenal. It's definitely something to worry about and weigh up at the very least, when obviously we're much more likely to pick up a result against Norwich than we are Arsenal.

There still seems to be an obvious issue with his composure in front of goal. The amount of times he falls on his arse when he's under pressure in one on one's, or more or less one on one's, points to things other than a lack of balance. I'm not sure if you can coach that out of someone, or if a few goals will build his confidence sufficiently. The goals that he has scored have generally been in a busy box without too much time to think, as opposed to the aforementioned type of scenarios.

With regards to relegation it's much worse in my eyes than a jolly in the championship for a year. You have to cut your cloth accordingly in the C, and that means buying players who want to play at that level. It would put back our squad build by quite a lot. Suddenly we'd be very happy to hold onto players like Clark, Lascelles, and the rest of our Championship level defence.

😄 Nah, I wear boxers mate, don't know about you 😉

Strong whiff of pissy nickers about 😷

Get Dubravka and Fraser into the team and we might actually do something. Fraser didn't put a foot wrong in his albeit short introduction, he looked well up for it, and even helped prevent a likely goal to add to his assist. If we can get Fraser back to his best form at Bournemouth he'll be a big asset. Big Joe is the physical embodiment of schizophrenia. More often than not he turns into an 80 year old granny when he gets into the opposition box. But aye, surely the added assuredness of Dubravka in nets will help us out at least somewhat. As bad as some of our defenders our, it can't help their nerves and subsequent performances, when they're likely thinking in the back of their minds that Darlow could drop a bollock at any time. Of course Norwich and Watford has left a really shitty taste in the mouth. Not that a draw was really acceptable today regardless of other results.

Before Howe came in we were shite at the back and shite going forward, so one out of two isn't bad 😉👍 In all seriousness though we can't expect the world after just two weeks training and the imposition of him having to isolate. And I have to say Big Joe not looking so useless. Of course it still seems like it's fifty, fifty as to whether he'll fall on his arse, or pull off a Cruyff turn and go on a mazy run every time he gets the ball.

I take back everything I said about there being bigger liabilities than Darlow in the team 😑

Follow the light.