The Fish

Yeah, I don't get the hate for Southgate, done better than a stack of managers have. Like you say, he's been on the shitty end of some fine margins or suspect decisions. Tough shit, that's knock-out football. Honestly? I genuinely think it's English exceptionalism at play. I wonder if the expectations around the England side suffer because of the quality on show in the Premier League, which is erroneously considered a reflection of English football. England have a decent international squad, but there are still glaring weaknesses; CB, Centre Mid etc. Sure England have got a chance in the tournaments, but the expectations are that England should win the fucking thing and play great football on the way.

Better ways to spend £40m imo

I got a signed Pardew print off a mate one Christmas. It was funny, I wasn't wound up. And I'm sure my mate isn't telling everyone what a magnificent own it was.

That's a good point to be honest. In the 14 seasons that Ashley was taking the legs out from under us, they finished above us 5 times (twice by virtue of us not being in the PL). We finished above them 9 times. Their average finish was 15th, buoyed largely by one 10th placed finish in 2010/11. Our average finish was 13th. Average point return was 38. Ours was 45pts. Only got more than 40pts in 3/14 seasons. We managed it 10/12 times. In those 14yrs they didn't have a single season with a positive GD. We only managed it twice. They had over a decade to sort their shit out, and instead tumbled down the leagues in spectacular fashion. We sorted it out in under a year. Yes, we spent a bit, but you can't tell me that with the proper planning, they couldn't have achieved a good return over 10 seasons?

I'm out.

Jonjo isn't defensively minded enough for me. I want David Batty kicking seven shades of shit out of everyone.

True enough. I'd love either of them at Newcastle to be honest. But I genuinely think the biggest weaknesses in the current squad are a true number 6 (DM), a Trippier-esque left back and depth at CF, RB, and maybe CB.

I cannot believe you forgot Lee Johnson. He won the Pizza Cup don'tcha know.

I won't be as clued up on Felix as Diego, but I think he plays more like a left sided attacking midfielder/forward. He'd be like an improvement on ASM. If he was available and if he wanted to join us and if we could afford him, it's easy to make a case for signing him. But purely in terms of what the squad needs right now, I'm not sure left sided attack is where we're weak. That said, Maddison is a right sided attack and with Almiron playing the way he is, I'm not sure that's a weakness either. Both are improvements, both have bags of potential, both will likely move to elite clubs very soon. Might be a case of striking while the iron is hot.

In a thread where whataboutery is absolutely not going to be tolerated a mackem has just replied to a post saying that Racism is a bigger issue than a mid-season friendly in the middle east by asking if the poster thinks paedophilia is ok?

Didn't even realise they deleted that. What a bunch of fannies.

Didn't take long, same here.

A 'Staff Member' Where. To. Start.

Oh no, it's become self aware!

Wouldn't want a ban for whataboutery now, would I?

Bored bored bored.

Top right has 100% just dropped a rip snorter of a fart.

Missed it in it's entirety, don't suppose any of you lurkers know if there's a highlight package doing the rounds on the world wide web?

I'm endlessly keen to learn, unlike some other people I won't mention.

Why, is your vision based on movement?

I did not know that. Crack on, dear boy.

Yes. I wouldn't listen to a new Gary Glitter song either.