Deep shit?

[Dr Gloom 21924]

47 minutes ago, trophyshy said:

That window is a 9/10. 
 

I had a brief flirtation with the bedwetters after Cambridge but from this day forth I’ll be waving it proudly and vigorously as we storm up the league.  
 

40/1 a top half finish.  

I’m a lot more optimistic after signing a couple of solid defenders and a genuinely exciting midfielder. But I won’t be ready to get the rotary washing line out of storage until we beat Everton and Villa 

[Gemmill 44887]

I'm a bit annoyed that Everton got a signing or two in and changed the manager just in time to play us. I'm completely unconvinced by Lampard long term, but it's a pain in the tits that they might get a small bounce. 

 

Having said that, with 5 new signings we should have enough to beat them. Hopefully. 

[Monkeys Fist 42456]

8 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

I'm a bit annoyed that Everton got a signing or two in and changed the manager just in time to play us. I'm completely unconvinced by Lampard long term, but it's a pain in the tits that they might get a small bounce. 

 

Having said that, with 5 new signings we should have enough to beat them. Hopefully. 

This is a pants-half-wet comment if ever I saw one 

[The Fish 10857]

2 minutes ago, Xa9as said:

Still going to struggle to score I think, even when we had Wilson in the side we've looked fairly flacid at creating chances and opening up sides. Still with Howe it's all been fairly reliant on ASM.  

 

Only bringing in Wood is a massive problem. He's looked way off it for me, and have very little faith in him getting more than 2 or 3 goals. 

 

Guimaraes will change the way we attack mate. The range, variety and quality of passes from him will allow players like ASM, Fraser, Wilson, Willock, and even big Joe to play further up the pitch and in greater space. His ability to control the attack under pressure will be vital. Jonjo drops deep to enjoy the space he needs to ping a 60yd ball. Bruno can glide past a couple of players to open up space for himself in the middle. 

 

I'm not hugely worried about chance creation now, still have concerns about someone getting on the end of the them. Wood is a battering ram, but Guimaraes is more about through balls and finding runners.

 

We have options now through. Deliveries from Trippier, Fraser and maybe Targett (I'm not sure about him) can be gobbled up by Wood. Through balls can be gambled on by ASM, Almiron, Fraser, Willock and Wilson when he returns.

[trophyshy 7083]

Yes Fish!

 

[wykikitoon 20150]

G'wan Fish 

[Dr Gloom 21924]

28 minutes ago, Monkeys Fist said:

This is a pants-half-wet comment if ever I saw one 

You don’t know the power of the damp side. 
 

[Gemmill 44887]

Zero moisture here btw. Don't know how you dare.

 

[Monkeys Fist 42456]

I’m going to assume you posting the worlds most famous user of adult nappies was intentional, wasn’t it? 

[thebrokendoll 9231]

think we've done enough to ensure we should finish top of the 4 team mini league.

think the lack of goals in the team is a concern and will probably prevent us drawing in too many of the teams already on the low 20s point mark. would be great if that could happen so here's hoping fish and the more optimistic and right.

we've got a week to work with the new lads before everton at home, which should be a good indicator. wished I was going and hope those that are create a fantastic atmosphere.

 

[Gemmill 44887]

Bruno does look like a man who loves a through ball mind. Most of his highlights reel was him striding forward and threading a ball through. ASM could profit big-time. 

[wykikitoon 20150]

1 minute ago, Gemmill said:

Bruno does look like a man who loves a through ball mind. Most of his highlights reel was him striding forward and threading a ball through. ASM could profit big-time. 

I think him and Maxy are going to link up well.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

This an interesting interview with a reporter who covers Villa. Sounds like Targett could be well suited to playing behind ASM. Defensively solid and played behind Graelish last season when his game was essentially to give him the ball and cover him. All sounds pretty positive. 

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/everything-is-black-and-white-a-newcastle-united-podcast/id913153082?i=1000549636055

[ohhh_yeah 2967]

2 hours ago, trophyshy said:

I had a brief flirtation with the bedwetters after Cambridge but from this day forth I’ll be waving it proudly and vigorously as we storm up the league.  
 

 

 

 

 

[Alex 35083]

The big thing for me is we now have a team capable of being competitive in every league game and with a sniff of getting something even against the top sides. Before that it was a case of loads of the fixtures being complete write offs, hoping to somehow scrape a draw against mid-table side and relying on picking up a result against the bottom 5 or 6 teams. There’s obviously still loads of scope for improvement but if you’d said we were getting the players we did before the window I wouldn’t have believed it 

[The Fish 10857]

58 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Bruno does look like a man who loves a through ball mind. Most of his highlights reel was him striding forward and threading a ball through. ASM could profit big-time. 

ASM, Willock and Joelinton will benefit most from Bruno, I reckon. First two because they'll have balls to run onto that don't need them to challenge in the air or collect it by the corner flag. Joe because there'll be someone in the centre he can exchange passes and Kibe recipes with.

[Rayvin 5223]

55 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

This an interesting interview with a reporter who covers Villa. Sounds like Targett could be well suited to playing behind ASM. Defensively solid and played behind Graelish last season when his game was essentially to give him the ball and cover him. All sounds pretty positive. 

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/everything-is-black-and-white-a-newcastle-united-podcast/id913153082?i=1000549636055

 

Why have they let him go? Villa aren't that much better a side than we are so I'm a bit unsure on this particular signing.

 

We've definitely done enough overall to turn our fortunes around though, hopefully we can make some real headway now.

[The Fish 10857]

I also think having 3 new defenders + a midfielder who is comfortable on the ball will help reduce the number of individual errors that've cost us dearly this season. Would have loved another CB so that Lascelles was bumped out the starting 11, but we are where we are.

 

Trippier is a huge upgrade on all of our rightbacks, Burn is an upgrade on our CBs (and our first CB bought since Fernandez in 2018!) and Targett... well, I dunno enough about him but he's got to be better than playing Ritchie or Manquillo out of position. Shame about Lewis, I think he was showing signs of improvement under Howe.

[The Fish 10857]

3 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

 

Why have they let him go? Villa aren't that much better a side than we are so I'm a bit unsure on this particular signing.

 

We've definitely done enough overall to turn our fortunes around though, hopefully we can make some real headway now.

They got Digne

[Gemmill 44887]

And Ashley Young as cover, and some other lad who can play LB at a push whose name I can't remember. To be fair I think Gerrard might have just been not being an arsehole to a lad that wasn't gonna get a game for them anymore. 

[Alex 35083]

Well Dummett’s a decent defender who’s had loads of injury problems. Digne would’ve been ideal but didn’t fancy a relegation struggle. It’s a good  signing in the circumstances imo. 

[Gemmill 44887]

Aye, just sensible. Improves the defence, and no obligation or option to buy. If he ends up wowing everyone, I'm sure Howe will try and get him to stay, if not and we stay up, he'll have served a purpose. 

[The Fish 10857]

6 minutes ago, Xa9as said:

 

Looking around a Villa forum yesterday consensus seemed that Gerrard didn't rate him. People saying he had a good season last year under Smith where he was helped with Grealish playing in front off him - but he's been pretty shite this.... 

 

Gerrard seems to play with two central 10's, with loads of space wide for fullbacks but MT has no pace to get past anyone, forever playing backwards or inside and never too far from a mistake. We've essentially signed Villa's Paul Dummett to replace our Paul Dummett, because our Paul Dummett is Paul Dummett and forever injured. 

 

Have to take a lot of noise after a player leaves with a pinch of salt. 

[OTF 7295]

43 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

And Ashley Young as cover, and some other lad who can play LB at a push whose name I can't remember. To be fair I think Gerrard might have just been not being an arsehole to a lad that wasn't gonna get a game for them anymore. 

 

Also probably balancing out their 25 man squad as well. Unfortunately you can't just peddle the shite that isn't good enough, you have to actually offer up something of merchantable quality. Or Jeff Hendrick. One or the other.

Edited February 1, 2022 by OTF

[Polarboy 2311]

I'm going to stick my neck on the line and say that ASM, Wood, Fraser, and Willock will all have 7 or more goal involvements between now and the end of the season. And obviously Wilson should get his customary 1 in 2 when he's back. As far as Willock goes it will depend on whether Howe seen enough against Leeds to start him regularly. It will be interesting to see what line up and formation we have with all the new players in. The addition of Guimaraes could possibly allow Howe to be more adventurous.