adios

Totally agree with that first paragraph. I think Murphy was bought when Rafa thought he had more to spend though. He didn't realise he was spending 30% of the budget or whatever it ended up being.

He's brilliant, isn't he? The actor...no so much the serial killer.

The only thing that fat cunt is investing in is an early heart attack.

Your posts always cheer me up in some perverse way, @Noelie.

That's a fair point.

Maybe we're splitting hairs but I'm not sure either of them can play the #10 role in that system. If either of them can, it'll be Merino.

I probably mean a 4-1-4-1 with three cartistas but @The Fish will be along to explain that to us later.

Maybe the answer is a 4-5-1 with Gayle. He'd thrive off balls from Shelvey and Merino but can't really play them together in a 4-2-3-1. I do have faith that confidence will return under Benitez with even a couple of half decent signings and results. The problem is making it to mid-January without those things.

The trouble is where he fits in Rafa's preferred system. I'm not sure the results so far with the 4-4-2 are all down to that formation but it's not looking too clever right now. Can Gayle play the lone striker role with the quality of players behind him?

To a Benitez side with stacks of cash? Quite a few, I'd imagine. The side primarily needs a Premiership striker and a #10; that hasn't changed. What's changed is no attack leading to way too much pressure on a defence completely devoid of confidence.

Look on the bright side, Ashley will be curry-shitting his pants right now. Agent Benitez knows what he's doing.

It's very meaningful.

I've already sold them to @Kid Dynamite, sorry.

We're all agreed on a Joselu hattrick today then?

That goes for both of you.

More or less my thoughts too.

Darlow, Yedlin, Lejeune, Clark, Manquillo, Hayden, Merino, Ritchie, Murphy, Joselu, Gayle

Shiraz Jack tbh.

Telling them not to argue with him is a short step down from arguing with him.

Don't listen to him! He'll have you running drills every night for months before you graduate to even hitting a ball.

Are we still talking about you giving them a lift home?

Enjoyed this headline far more than I should have. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/5091764/amanda-staveley-newcastle-mike-ashley-curry/

Why isn't this version on Spotify?