GrahamTaylor5

I never really acknowledged how bad Chelsea were until this game.

It is a hard one. Some performances were below what we have come to expect. I was a bit disappointed with Isak but he has lacked some game time. I think ASM played himself into the game as it went on. We do miss Bruno but that is going to happen as it is the way we have set up the team. We also had the early change of Willock which is not great when working to a plan. I thought that Botman and Burn were not up to their usual standards either. However, we have again got a point and we were playing away from home. We may finish 4th still. Our disappointing games end up in draws rather than our better games. There seems to be some good take aways as well. I thought Longstaff had a good game and Miggy took his goal well. I don't think he would have finished that opportunity at any point last season. Even Murphy looked alright. I feel like we are still doing a lot of things well and the other things are clunky/disappointing rather than horrendous. Cutting out some of the sloppy loss of possession and we should be good.

I sometimes think we are a bit harsh on our view of Sunderland. I also think we need to accept that when Fulham were facing NUFC, we were just another Premier League Club. What we need to realise is that when Fulham face Sunderland it is their cup final. I mean it actually isn't and there is a few more rounds to go but you wouldn't think it as Fulham will realise that they have to up their game if they are going to beat Sunderland. You have got to factor these things in.

Am I the only one who is thinking, 'shit, I really hope that is not as bad as it looks... how are Bruno and Joelinton getting home?'

Wow, when did becoming an NUFC fan become extremely exciting rather than manically depressing?

I hope he is able to get them back home tonight.

Thank you for explaining this. I didn't know what had happened haha.

I think it shows the difference between having the cover an extra 9m². Even with a lower level of opposition, everyone has a limit to capacity. Other 3 at the back were not great and a few extra runs coming through due to the drop in quality in the midfield.

I am starting to think that we should really focus on our second string. The gap is so much greater than I ever imagined. I have often wondered how well the likes of Lewis would do after seeing Joelinton and co. I wasn't against buying others though. I am sad to see us out but I don't think we can sustain an FA cup run, League Cup and League. I am gutted but I am hoping that, as a fan base, we will be happy if January is buying 3 or 4 players who do not get into the starting 11. I was hoping that we would improve starting 11 and Willock, Longstaff become subs. I am now happy to get some lower level in and have a clearer structure. This mess has been about 13 years in the making. We have sorted the starting 11 with about 3 decent subs. We need to improve it a bit more if we can.

What is Lewis doing?

I'm very disappointed to hear this. I wonder if that is why he has a different name? I also wonder if that is why his passport said Australia and not Argentina. We need to improve our scouting network if we want to get into the top four.

Credit on the start of thread. Might not have been a win but it still feels good.

It is amazing that the only love he will ever get is as a menace on the touch line haha. I'm looking forward to him getting enough yellows to miss a game.

It is a complete worry on so many levels

Although we are a point worse off. A draw against Leeds and Arsenal feels better than a win and loss

It all started when he said Isak was like a new signing. You heard it here first.

That, to me, was down to poor reffing. We couldn't get a flow going. It feels like two points lost which again is a good sign as it shows the expectations we have now. It was also good to see the players react. Not perfect by a long stretch but Chelsea at home last year is still a very vivid memory so I will not be losing too much sleep tonight.

Just to clarify, my last post was a joke. Although I think this is clear, you can never be to sure with some people. What is bizarre is that last year, I wasn't sure about Howe and 'I knew' exactly who we needed and what to do to fix the mess. I wished away Christmas then sat panicking, even after we got Trippier (even I grasped that he was a great signing but not where I would have started). This year is such a treat. We might get the next Bruno, Botman or Isak. I am loving these players arriving a few days after I have heard their name for the first time. Not only are they top players on the up, rather on the way back down but we also don't seem to spend weeks hearing about something that does not happen. The closest that happened was waiting between windows to go back in for Botman. I think what I have enjoyed the most is seeing how Howe has transformed Joelinton, Almiron and to a degree the likes of Willock and Longstaff. My first real manager for Newcastle was Bobby Robson and I never thought I would have the same level of respect or blind sense if loyalty in a manager here again. I genuinely have no feelings as to whether we are/ or should go in big or wait till the summer.

Eddie Howe has tipped Alexander Isak to be ‘like a new signing’ for Newcastle United when he completes his return from a thigh injury. We aren't getting anyone in January. Howe has been mugging us all off. He is the new Steve Bruce.

They would only be battered because the teams in the Premier League would see them as their cup final. It is hard to play teams who are playing out of their skin, each week, because they know that they are playing Sunderland. We wouldn't understand because we are not the best performing team in the North East, all things considered.

Not sure how we managed to win that. It is the kind of game that always goes against us despite the fact we 100% deserved the win.

How do you miss that but see Willock?

Get in

That is not the way that I saw it. I didn't see Willock make any contact. I may be wrong though.