Transfers, 2024-25 season

[Toonpack 12487]

18 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

I dunno if Howe sees it this way but I’d like to see us sign a number 10. We are unlikely to find another player with big Joe’s profile but I think we need a plan b when we’re required to play a more possession-based system. There have been a few games like Everton this season. We’re brilliant when teams leave space for us to break into but still sometimes struggle to break down teams that sit deep. So another midfielder who has the technical level to link up with Bruno and Sandro but also play a bit higher up the pitch and thread those balls through for Isak to run on to. 

 

That's the problem though, against a packed defence (low block if you're hip) there's no space to run in to, we need someone with trickery who can beat a man leave him flat footed and pull the defence out of shape, thus creating space. I'd add, we need to start taking a pop from distance which we rarely do, although latterly Tonali did start doing that. 

 

Tonali's got a cannon at the end of his leg, and he's pretty accurate, we should have it in our locker to create opportunity for him centrally in the 25 yard range, even if saved it gives the chance of second balls or ricochets.

 

 

[Meenzer 16937]

1 minute ago, Gemmill said:

Hopefully if we do sign him, people can at least do him the courtesy of SPELLING his name correctly. Then we can maybe work on pronunciation. 

 

Joelinton likes this post.

[PaddockLad 20086]

We’re highly unlikely to get everything we need. I keep thinking how much a direct replacement for Murphy would be. This word  “upgrade” is bandied around a lot. How much is a player that’s going to produce what Murphy did/be an actual better player in a brilliant season for him personally and the club as a whole but one where we scraped into the CL by the tiniest of margins with a squad that is utterly paggered and will be playing 8 extra games between September and the end of January next season? 
 

Looking at it at a basic level we need to get a player at least as good as Murphy and whose performances need to be there almost immediately for us to just tread water in the league. That’s just one position. The other truism “not signed a player for the first team in 3 windows”… that could largely continue iyam. We’re only getting one maybe two iyam.

 

There maybe are 4/5 under the radar wonderkids out there in Europe somewhere ready for a premier league/champions league assault who are willing to come here but in all likelihood there isn’t; Szoboszlai didn’t come. Kushanov didn’t come. Evidence suggests we’re not at the top of these lads’ lists or more accurately their agents don’t have Mitch on speed dial. Or that we just couldn’t afford the asking price and those with deeper pockets were ahead of us in the queue. There’s a huge list of good and in some cases brilliant players stretching back to Modric and beyond who had better options. We’re already seeing rumours of players we’d be keen on actually (and in all our books fucking inexplicably) talking to Man Utd and not us. Who’s speaking to a team that aren’t even in Europe let alone the CL? 
 

This sounds like I’m not looking forward to the next three months (am not looking forward to all the bullshit that’s for sure) or to next season and that really isn’t the case, it’s going to be fuckin amazing for due to my strong opinion that the “bullshit 6” have now been fractured beyond sky sport’s repair budget and the league is extremely competitive (at least right down to 18/19/20) and a European adventure that could really (IF we get our recruitment near on perfect) put ourselves on the map so that the best young players do consider us worth joining 👍🏻

 

 

 

[PaddockLad 20086]

13 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

too obvious - and buncey. there will be some cunts we've never heard of in the mix 

“buncey”… think you’ve been in that Laadhan too long me old china  

[OTF 9021]

6 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Hopefully if we do sign him, people can at least do him the courtesy of SPELLING his name correctly. Then we can maybe work on pronunciation. 

 

 

He would be a quality signing, especially as his versatility is in areas we've been looking for depth and improvement. Wilson's outgoing wage..... Champion's League.... surely we can be incredibly attractive. We have a proud history of Cameroonians.

[Toonpack 12487]

1 minute ago, OTF said:

 

 

He would be a quality signing, especially as his versatility is in areas we've been looking for depth and improvement. Wilson's outgoing wage..... Champion's League.... surely we can be incredibly attractive. We have a proud history of Cameroonians.

On that subject, wouldn't he be pissing off to the ACN December/January, not ideal.

[Christmas Tree 5609]

I refuse to believe this window will be nothing less than very good.

 

We’ve been in the news for cup win, CL qualification, Isak and playing good football. There must be loads of good younger players who fancy a bit of that. (And they can’t all go elsewhere).

 

Flight Radar is on standby!

[Gemmill 53717]

"Nothing less than very good" sounds like a long lost Housemartins album. 

[Gemmill 53717]

Howe's "we need to move quickly" alarm will be fucking blaring this morning if a) our interest in Mbeumo is real and b) he's definitely in talks with Man United. 

 

If ever there was a transfer window when we should expect to be a bigger pull than them, it's this one. Wages notwithstanding. 

[ewerk 34826]

Mbeumo has outperformed his xG more than any other player in the league this season. Does that mean he's a world class goalscorer or has gotten very lucky?

[Ayatollah Hermione 15415]

If he signs for us, the former. If he signs for Man Utd, the latter 

[Gemmill 53717]

2 minutes ago, ewerk said:

Mbeumo has outperformed his xG more than any other player in the league this season. Does that mean he's a world class goalscorer or has gotten very lucky?

 

Too small a sample size. I think there's only Messi has done it across a career. 

[Dr Gloom 24500]

1 hour ago, Toonpack said:

 

That's the problem though, against a packed defence (low block if you're hip) there's no space to run in to, we need someone with trickery who can beat a man leave him flat footed and pull the defence out of shape, thus creating space. I'd add, we need to start taking a pop from distance which we rarely do, although latterly Tonali did start doing that. 

 

Tonali's got a cannon at the end of his leg, and he's pretty accurate, we should have it in our locker to create opportunity for him centrally in the 25 yard range, even if saved it gives the chance of second balls or ricochets.

 

 

Corners look a lot better with Tonali taking them too 

[Craig 7837]

23 hours ago, Christmas Tree said:

Pay attention to what’s being said. EH was asked in his press conference the other day to say warm words about Mitchell and very quickly side stepped the situation. There is tension there whether you like it or not  

I'd be stunned if Howe did anything BUT side stepped a situation like that. He's repeatedly refused to be drawn into any situation where his words could come back and bite him on the arse. His ability to be measured in everything he says is one of the reasons he fits the role of head coach perfectly - particularly when you consider the criticism our ownership comes in for.

[OTF 9021]

40 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Howe's "we need to move quickly" alarm will be fucking blaring this morning if a) our interest in Mbeumo is real and b) he's definitely in talks with Man United. 

 

If ever there was a transfer window when we should expect to be a bigger pull than them, it's this one. Wages notwithstanding. 

Surely they can't just buy themselves out of the trouble that they bought themselves into.

[Gemmill 53717]

2 minutes ago, OTF said:

Surely they can't just buy themselves out of the trouble that they bought themselves into.

 

The entitled way Ratcliffe goes on, it wouldn't be a massive shock if they dug a massive PSR hole for themselves for which he expects "but it's me!? The billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. Remember?!" to get him out of it. 

 

And with the PL, it might just work. 

[Toonpack 12487]

23 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

 

The entitled way Ratcliffe goes on, it wouldn't be a massive shock if they dug a massive PSR hole for themselves for which he expects "but it's me!? The billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. Remember?!" to get him out of it. 

 

And with the PL, it might just work. 

 

It worked with their covid tour write off, so no doubt that there'd be a dodge found for them.

[Craig 7837]

They'll no doubt pull a similar trick to what Chelsea have done post-Abramovich. Find ways of being able to generate cash. 

It reeks and does nothing to dispel the notion the PL look favourably on those at their top table.  I heard a suggestion the other day that the PL arselick those six as they're paranoid the breakaway Super League will still happen. 

Chelsea getting CL is the one that got away IMO - it'd have been wonderful to see both them and Man Utd squirming.

[Gemmill 53717]

None of what these clubs get away with would be possible without the spineless representatives of the other 8 to 10 clubs that help them get this stuff voted through. 

 

Maybe this can be a turning point though, cos they've all seen in the starkest terms what can actually happen to one of these clubs if they spend really badly, cos they've all finished above Man United this season. There should be a reduced incentive across the board to voting to help them spend their way back out of the mess. 

Edited 12 hours ago by Gemmill

[MrBass 3235]

Reported by the Sun so take with a pinch of salt but, supposedly, Delap has agreed a deal with Man United. 
 

If true, that’s one of our rumoured targets gone.  

[Andrew 5774]

If thats true he's fucking stupid and we're possibly better off without him.

Anyone picking man u at the moment is either horribly advised or thick as shit and we don't really need either of those things hanging around the club.

[Craig 7837]

Either that or they believe they're going to be what turns the club around. It's surely down to poor advice from his agent most likely telling him "you don't turn down a club like Man Utd..."

He'd have been far better off moving to an established PL club to cut his teeth further before making the jump to a club where he's likely to be permanently in the spotlight. Everton, Palace, Fulham would surely be far better options for him at this stage.

[Tom 14471]

I imagine the agents fees Man U pay out have something to do with that. Only Man City & Chelsea paid out more  

[RobinRobin 13110]

3 hours ago, t00nraider2 said:

"Why would anyone come to Newcastle?"

[Christmas Tree 5609]

We need Mandy back