takanohana

I'd rather he was...The Rock in our defence. Boom, that's comedy right there.

It's a long way back for them now.

Right, post Bournemouth that needs to be addressed for sure. I was thinking more about playing through full-court press. Cleary's video convinced me Guehi would be v useful for that.

Guehi would help with this, and be better at it than Ibou.

What is it all blokes in Hughes' team? Can't anyone multi-task?!

Love those little symbols journos use these days. They make like reading boring text and stuff kinda fun.

Not sure Newcastle keeping him would be irrational. There have been instances before where clubs dug their heels in and re-integrated player. And if no deal this summer, I'm sure Isak will be back across the picket line soon enough. Not handled well by Newcastle for it to get to this point, and if they were even half competent at signing replacements, we probably wouldn't be here. But can understand them now refusing to let him go in the circumstances.

Find it a little concerning there are few if any reliable links to other forwards. At the same time I do have a feeling that Hughes and co are v good at this, and have a plan in place. If not my garden fork is ready.

We surely have to get two attacking players in if Harvey leaves too. I know Wirtz could be seen as an upgrade on Harvey positionally, so him leaving doesn't change that equation. But we're then clearly short of options up front even assuming we get Isak.

Does Rodrygo track back or is he a fancy dan type of player? Post Diaz and one game into the season, I want someone who does the hard yards and gives 110 percent.

Yes, probably not if everyone else stays fit. If we don't get Isak, can see him moving up the list of genuine sub options though, to do a Bournemouth. Slot throwing him on when we needed a goal seems already a significant change from last season (though admittedly options were limited).

V few decent strikers around, and those that do exist are trapped in a multi-club game of who blinks first. Chiesa's stock rising daily.

Barely credible that they are rushing out weak public statements like that in response to Isak's. Embarrassing themselves.

If Paul Warhurst doesn't get off his sofa to play a season with Northwich Victoria, Isak deal is not getting done (Romano).

V different type of player but Gerrard was significantly better than Modric imo. His all round game and drive was immense. He suffered a bit in that his all-action style was critcised for not being disciplined enough (Benitez said that?) But many of the teams he was in over the years were such that they couldn't win without him e.g. running over to the left wing to take the ball, driving at the defence and leathering it into the far corner.

Deja vu all over again with Arsenal then, plus the change, Arteta doing Arteta stuff.

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27...thought he was younger for some reason. Then maybe no.

Thought he was going to Spurs? Agree though, we should be in for him if we're talking about a couple of attacking signings still.

Yeh their midfield and defence still looks sh*te. Let's hope they can take a couple of points off Arsenal though.

Not sure the set-up (owners, mgt & players) of the two eras was comparable. As someone mentioned, peak Gerrard in the Jurgen era would v probably have led the team to titles too.

Yeh I didn't phrase the last part right, clearly Gerrard one of our best ever for anyone. Love Mo but I'd put Gerrard just above him and after Kenny in a top three. Gerrard's all round game, his drive, and ability to grab hold of a match and win it was something else.

Hard to compare. Gerrard was a huge player for us in an era we generally weren't competing for the league. He seems to have fallen out of favour a bit (for reasons I don't fully understand) but for me remains one of our greats.

Word is an abomination alright. File Explorer is the one that really winds me up though, like something left over from the 70s with the same sh*t functionality.

I don't mind Shearer. Generally fair if not the most insightful. Backs his club but get the sense he has a soft spot for Liverpool too.