The Fish

He's not good enough, he's cheap to get rid of and he's taking up a squad space that could go to a better, younger 'keeper. Also, his contract is up in 3 months.

Short hand for "get them off our books" There'll still be suitors for a lot of those players. Dubravka - Sell Think we could definitely get somewhere between £7 and £10m Gillespie -Sell Doubt we'll get anything and his contract will be cheap to buy out. Dummett - Sell Solid Championship defender but he is 31, probably lose him for nothing. Lascelles - Sell Could definitely sell him for c£7m Lewis - Sell No idea, someone could fancy a punt, but again it might be Easier to just release him. Targett - Keep? Unless we can get the kind of money we spent on him I'd keep him. Krafth - Sell He showed some promise, but he's not good enough. c£5m? Manquillo - Sell Doubt he's got a massive wage, and it runs out in June 24. Free Transfer. ASM - Keep? If some lunatic comes in with a massive offer, Ritchie - Sell Free Transfer or retirement for the wee bampot Fraser - Sell He'll go for nothing, unless Ashworth is a sorcerer. M.Longstaff - Sell Same as Fraser. Which is a shame. Darlow - Sell (dunno if his loan deal comes with an obligation) Clark - Sell (same as above) Hayden - Sell (Ditto) Hendrick - Sell (Ditto)

The money we've saved by getting rid of Shelvey, Hayden, Darlow, Wood and likely Fraser, will more than cover the bump in his wages and leave room for more spending on better players.

I guess the problem is that they didn't marry recruitment strategy with the managerial appointments. Look at the money they've wasted on shit. Or even the money they've wasted on good players who just wren't a good idea long term. They've lurched from one playing style to another without any joined up thinking. They've as much right to be unhappy at the mismanagement of their club as the mackems under Short. No, they haven't been relegated, but they have been woefully mismanaged for ages. Only by virtue of the quality they can afford and attract have they been remotely competitive. It's not through shrewd business or good planning.

Why would I be fuming about people being performatively grumpy and intransigent on talksport? It's their job to hold shitty ill-informed opinions.

There are definitely winnable games for Leeds and they have easier home fixtures than Everton do. But Leeds really need to get it done before their last 4 games; Che - LEE LEE - Bri Wol - LEE Ars - LEE LEE - Cry LEE - LIV FUL - LEE LEE - Lei Bou - LEE MCI - LEE LEE - NEW WHU - LEE LEE - TOT

Well I've booked a table, so if it's terrible and I get the shits, I'm blaming you.

fivethirtyeight give them a 57% chance of going down Betfair has them 10/11 to go down with only Bournemouth and Southampton having shorter odds (1/4 and 1/3). Their run in is ; Not - Eve - Could go either way. Forrest are open at the back, but do create a lot of chances. Eve - BRE - If Toney is missing this should be a home win. Che - Eve - Loss Eve - TOT - Loss MNU - Eve - Loss Eve - FUL - Draw/Loss Cry - Eve - Draw Eve - NEW - Loss Lei - Eve - Draw/Loss Bri - Eve - Draw/Loss Eve - MCI - LOSS Wol - Eve - Draw/Loss Eve - Bou - Win but will it matter? 10 - 14pts max imo. Which would leave them on 31-35pts. And while 35pts has been enough to survive in 1 from the last 5 PL seasons, I don't think it will this time around. Leeds adding Gracia, West Ham and Wolves sort of finding some end of the season form, I think an Everton relegation is looming.

This has all be tremendously helpful.

Tough run of fixtures for Everton, can only really see them taking 3-5 points from the next 6 games.

I can't believe you said that!!

Pope - Keep Dubravka - Sell Karius - Keep Gillespie -Sell Trippier - Keep Dummett - Sell Botman - Keep Schar -Keep Lascelles - Sell Lewis - Sell Targett - Keep? Krafth - Sell Manquillo - Sell Ashby - Keep Burn - Keep Joelinton - Keep Gordon - Keep ASM - Keep? Ritchie - Sell Fraser - Sell Almiron - Keep M.Longstaff - Sell Willock - Keep Anderson - Keep S.Longstaff - Keep Bruno - Keep Wilson - Keep Isak - Keep Darlow - Sell (dunno if his loan deal comes with an obligation) Clark - Sell (same as above) Hayden - Sell (Ditto) Hendrick - Sell (Ditto) Kuol - Keep

I will not be silenced.

We've not really played with a central attacking midfielder and I imagine he would have been played as an 8 (or box to box (Or Mezzala if you're felling froggy)). in terms of 8s, there's a few like Milinkovic-Savic, Dani Olmo from Leipzig or bring Mikel Merino home. or CAM I like Atlanta United's Thiago Almada, or Pulisic?

A mate exiled in the US is over so I'm meeting him in Newcastle this Saturday night, and he's been recommended Khai Khai on the Quayside. Has anyone been, is it any good?

So? None of us are professional scouts or coaches yet we all give our opinions about players, formations, tactics. Thing is, the professionals use it, the pundits use it, the betting companies use it, so why wouldn't I see it's value? It seems to bother you way more than it should. It's like getting in a tizz about assist stats. It's only a mugs game if you're a mug. I can use the data to make an informed decision about what to bet on.

If you think that in todays professional game the coaches and analysts won't use every minute detail to gain an advantage in whatever fine margin they can, you're out of your GOD DAMN MIND, sir. Also means you make a bit of money on games you don't care about.

Not trendy, it's just that for me, Newcastle comes first.

Then I produced even more information to disprove your assertion.

Because knowing whether or not a team is creating/conceding chances in their other games, or games against teams with a similar set up to us gives me a better idea of what might happen in our game, how best we might get a result. If I know that Everton are giving up loads of chances but are reliant on Pickford to dig out a result I can continue my one man crusade against the ill proportioned chav. It's more information on a subject I want to know more information about. Also it matters to Newcastle because they'll be able to better tailor the match plan to counter the threat or capitalise on the weakness.

I tell you what your eyes don't help you with, they don't help you see that throughout all of this I've been saying xG is there to provide additional context and to refute testimonies given in bad faith. Not exclusive context, additional context.

Ok, but thanks to the magic of not being wilfully ignorant and the wonders of xG I can see that West Ham were good value for their win (1.8) and Bournemouth deserved nothing (0.4). Whereas Southampton had some really good chances (1.9) and Brighton had fuck all (0.3), so the score didn't reflect the balance of the chances.

Just realised my names been dragged into this. I want no part of this 0-2 loss.