Polarboy

It was only Dubravka's first full game when he played for his national side last week, so not that surprising. I can think of one or two others who on recent form are much bigger weak links, but lets hope the emotion of the day, and the training they've got in the last two weeks, will paper over any inadequacies Darlow or anyone else has in the short term.

BBC reckon we'll be playing 3,4,3 to match up to Brentford, but then again I'm not sure how the BBC come by formation info before a match, especially when it's the first match of a new manager.

Hope is saying he might make the Arsenal game yet depending on if/when symptoms started, and when/if he tests negative before then.

Or get his twin Neddy Howe to stand in for him.

Fuck sake. We just have to hope we do the same as West Ham did when Moyes was isolating and go on a winning run. I swear it's going to end up that the Saudi Prince is actually skint. One step forward and 50 steps back with this club.

In fairness the last time Shelvey looked decent for any extended period of time was during the era of Laudrup and then Monk at Swansea, who both really just kept, or tried to keep, what Rogers had created in terms of a football philosophy i.e. progressive football with pressing and a high line. I'm getting dangerously close to backing Clarko up, so I'll stop there and say that the baldy cunt will likely let Howe down 😉

For definite it's a much better state of affairs when a manager is talking up his players and the team. You just have to hope that they aren't delusional when it comes to said players actual worth to the club in the medium to long term.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12472328/howe-ive-been-impressed-with-the-squad-so-far

If he can If he can get both consistently contributing something worthwhile to the team, then he's a fucking genius. Only time will tell, but if Howe can coach King into a player, then perhaps all is not lost with Voldermort and Big Useless Joe.

I see Howe has praised Shelvey as a great technician, and said he's been great in training in the lead up to Brentford. Voldermort must literally suck off the entire team in training every week. I suppose if I was to be charitable Howe is perhaps just trying to gee up a limited, albeit in some respects talented, player until he can replace him. It's not as if we have a plethora of choices when it comes to someone who can actually pass a ball forward, which of course is crucial to any manager who actually wants to play front foot football.

At least one journalist, iirc, has said Edwards is not coming to us, and that would make sense given PIF want a director now, and not at the end of the season. I'd be more than happy with Emenalo. He was after all the first person to take Salah to England, and also had a hand in signing De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku etc.

Ruben was for Lampard wasn't he? Iirc they're mates.

Didn't know Eddie Izzard was a Villa supporter. He must have been in proper lad mode in this photo, as nary a bit of lippy is in sight.

I don't know if I'd say it's good news. Lampard was nothing special at Derby, but then again look how far they've fallen now, so perhaps he did a better job than it seemed. At the very least the name recognition of Lampard and Gerrard should motivate a number of players in each respective squad. They could easily get a bit of a new manager bounce.

They do have a better squad and currently double our points, so in one respect Howe to us is more of a risk, but without having read all the media surrounding Gerrard to Villa, I'm sure they've licked his arse raw in comparison to the Howe appointment. Edit. The difference of course is that Gerrard probably plays golf with half the pundits, played in a team with them etc. Howe by comparison seemingly keeps his private life very private.

I see he's moving the family up after Christmas, so that's good. Commuting between Newcastle and the South coast wouldn't really be workable or desirable logistically even if he wanted to of course.

The worst thing about it is that a lot of, if not most, of those journalists are only asking that question as box ticking exercise to cover their own backs. It's a pantomime.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did Pep, Tuchel, and any other Chelsea manager during the Abramovic era, and Bruno Lange, Santo ever get asked if they were comfortable about where the financing of the club came from. If journalists asked the same questions of everyone it would be one thing, but they clearly don't.

Ake is at Man City, so they might actually loan him to us, given we're pariahs in arms.

According to some reports Emenalo isn't as nailed on as some have suggested, and that Edwards from Liverpool may still be in the mix. If that's the case whoever we get will be elite to say that least. The man who took Salah from Basel, or the man who signed him from Roma. Seems like Emenalo has the edge for that particular find. But yeah, I'd be ecstatic either way.

Didn't Bruce, after being criticised for going on holiday to Portugal during the previous international break, defend himself by saying, ah sure there was only a few of lads about because of the internationals, not like I could do much even if I was there.

Imagine the players actually making space for themselves to receive the ball, and in better areas. That's what Howe seemed to be trying to get across to them. The team is so static and disjointed, that if they can take in and reproduce his instruction in games, it's going to make us look like an actual coherent unit.

Joelinton unsurprisingly has a look of utter bewilderment on his face as Howe is giving out instruction. In fairness to him maybe his English still isn't great.