Dman

I know we have a heavy squad as it stands, but if we were to lose Aribo, Smallbone, Fernandes and Dibbling that leaves us incredly light in the center of the park. I could easily see a world where we get both (should we move all those above on).

Maybe I'm bitter, but I have never wanted someone to fail as much as I do this wanker. Its fantastic (and blindingly obvious) to see that his style and stubborness isn't translating well up there.

a relegation battle would make much more entertaining TV than a lower mid-table finish.

In this context, I'm not sure that's something to brag about

Maybe - We've been poor in pre-season however. Lets hope it clicks and quickly.

Aye..? They all signed for us in the championship, other than BBD...

Absolultely no chance. We'd do increadibly well to get 60m - on par with Lavia for me. He's going to the top though, I've no doubt about that.

As would every single other club in the country.. or is this another "Newcastle love a number 9" nonsense statement.

It sure looks bad when you crop out the part that I say I have no confidence that we'll win...

For me it has to be a back 3/5. We have a ton of CB's and something like Edwards, Stephens, Quarshie strikes a nice balance of experience, class and power. We have some pretty decent wing-backs in Sugawara and Manning, but both are suspect defensivley. If downes isn't fit, I think we struggle for stability defensively in the middle We have no genuine wingers (Robinson aside) If we want to get the best out of Archer (who'll be the top goal scorer in the champ if we do), we need to play a front 2. Bazunu Suga, Edwards, Stephens, Quarshie, Manning Charles, Downes?? Sesey Fernandes?? Dibbling?? Smallbone or Fraser Downs Archer

Based on pre-season, I have no confidence that'll we'll win this one. However, Wrexham aren't anything to fear. They're a side of exeperienced journymen.

Girona, who are owned by the city group?

Football lost its morality a long, long time ago. If he's a good player and will help us achieve our goals, I couldn't really care where he comes from.

Hes shite. He makes an occasional sensational save, but is unstable and costs us more than he gains.

It would be offset against the cost of the future purchase. Say we value him at £20m, there is a world inwhich we could get half now, half at purchase. Somoene like Ramsdale doesn't come cheap. Especially when Newcastle are desperate for a new keeper.

I'd rather see him on the wing, than I would BBD or Armstrong. He's been playing behind the striker in pre-season, which he's been pretty poor at. Good enough to be back-up to a new first choice left winger, but wouldn't be upset if he moved on.

TBF, we've got Edwards back who is like a new player for us this season.

Obviously it'll never happen and tbh, I don't want it to either - he's burnt too many bridges with his attitude imo. However, can you imagine he decided to knuckle down and become a first team player again, whi didn't quit whenevr the going gets tough.. He and Quashie would be absolute monsters at this level - would suit Still's system to a tee.

From what I've seen, Will Still plays with genuine wingers. Armstong isn't that. He may or may not get goals at this level, if you play to his strengths.. but I don't think we're going to do that, so we need to move on as from what I seen in pre-season to date, he has been extreamly poor.

In which case, we either need to accept chunky a hit on them or face the fact that we're going to have to risk stretching the budget to replace 3/4 players in key areas.

All be it pre-season against lower level oposition and lower intensity than we'll hopefully get come 2 weeks, but I'm really concerned about us this season. Our squad is a complete mess, too many players who either don't want to be here and/or aren't good enough to be here. We look toothless going forward. We need to move in the transfer-window for effectively 3 players to play behind the striker and we need to do it quickly. BBD, Fraser, Armstorng aren't going to cut it. If they are our 3 attacking midfielders come the end of the window we are in big, big trouble this season. Archer has been scoring and will score at this level, but we need to build a side around how he plays, rather than him suiting how we want to play.. which obviously isn't ideal. Downs untested and Stewart looks rusty. Robinson has been our stand-out attacker so far, but he's young and raw - we cannot rely on him. Still plenty of time to go, but I fear we cannot afford a slow start to the season, given the fixtures we have in august / september. Worrying.

I'm not sure, and I'm happy to be corrected, that I can think of a single goal against us last season that was as a result of a "lapse in concentration"

I mean, neither played in England.

I'd say the 2 aren't mutally exlusive. Obviously Ramsdales wages would cause us a problem, but the reason we wont keep them, is because they aren't going to want to apply their trade in the championship.. I don't blame them in a WC year, either.

I mean, obviously he is as he is simply far too good and consistent for the championship. However, playing devils advocate, do we potentially need another anyway? Perhaps someone slightly different in make up - more technical etc. There would absouletly be times next season where we could play fernandes in a deeper role with someone else in the 10.