S-Clarke

A good draw, I think it was fair. I don't think either side could have said they could have been comfortable winners, we both had chances. It was a bit frantic and I thought that favoured Leeds more than us, but that's how they play and we should have been aware of it. That's how they started the game, and it was like we had to be 'wound up' and put into gear, after 10mins or so we got a foothold. Typically they score when we're having a decent spell, but that's the way it goes - shocking goal keeping in my eyes. Livramento ball watching too. 2nd half we started well, could have gone 2-1 - and maybe should have, but over all I think a draw is far. Really good performance from Che today, he caused them all sorts of problems. Ely was clever in his movement in our transitions, but apart from that the 'attack' didn't really function. When you compare our '10's' with what Leeds had (Raphinia/Harrison) you can see that we are still a few levels behind in that quality department, in my opinion. Stu improves our number 10 position immeasurably when he plays, without him we're too slow and laboured (and even Stu isn't that quick) Tino grew into the game, but he was pretty sloppy it has to be said. KWP grew into the game as well and then started marauding down the flank as we know he can. Need Broja to get back into the groove though, he's really off it at the moment and his overall game is coming across as frustrated - which doesn't help. Draw stops the rot, lets' see what next weekend brings.

That's a bonus of a draw if there ever was one! We should finish top, if we don't something has gone horribly wrong somewhere! As it stands, as we don't know about Wales/Ukraine/Scotland, then USA will be the toughest, they've got a younger side these days - couple of ones to watch, Tyler Adams and Reyna who both play in Germany, quality players. Pulisic is a really good player as well, but they don't really have much more beyond that. They were better in the 2000's in my opinion. Iran's rating is massively skewed because of who they play competitively to get to these tournaments. Iraq, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Cambodia....just to name few. That's why one of their goal scorers, the 50 year old Daei 'was' the worlds leading international goal scorer for many years until Ronaldo overtook him recently. He was still banging them in during his 40's! They've got a few well known players like Azmoun, Jananbakch (Was at Brighton), Ghoddos etc - but generally they are very low in quality when compared to anyone half decent.

Sort of player who is right up our street in terms of age and 'lesser' known. Not sure about him in great detail, 'decent' scoring record although no mind blowing numbers. I will take any Newcastle link to any player with a pinch of salt, you'll see this all summer with every single rumour. West Ham also seem to get themselves 'interested' in every player as well, without actually being interested.

I think we expected more from our Skacel investment though with a potential resale, sadly he turned out to be nothing more than a middling championship player quality wise.

That would keep the comedy going for a little longer for sure. They complain about Keane and Holgate being too slow, they haven't met our old friend Vestergaard yet. He defines slow.

I thought he was on 100ishk a week, so we might be able to meet in the middle - but apparently he's paid nearly 300k p/w. Shocking, he's no where near good enough for those levels of wages! Those wages will price him out of a move to anyone.

shit or bust for sure. I must admit I'm the same as you, i didn't really focus too much on the finances back in those days - but part of me did wonder where we found £6m to spend in one summer, in our second season out of the PL. I thought it was part of a bright new future, looking back now I've read that Wilde gambled on the expectation/hope of investment coming in during 2006 - but it never happened, so that gamble was critical.

Stern John was alright in our Pearson year, probably would have gone down a year earlier without his goals. The 'log jam of strikers' meant we had to let him go though in order for McGoldrick to bang them in for us. Idiakez was a strange one, he was a star for Derby (along with Rasiak) so when we got him in the summer we got Skacel etc it all seemed pretty impressive. That team was decent - Bale, Claus, Baird, Jesus, Rasiak, Jones, Surman, Skacel, Licka, Viafara, Idiakez, BWP, Pelle, Saganowski & Guthrie from January...and let's not forget Wright. Should have done more than sneak into the playoffs, I think we went a bit all or nothing that summer with our transfers. ''Lets go Wilde'' I think it was.

Oriol has been one of our successes in recent seasons, throughout all the dross we had to endure. But...at the start of next season he'll be 31. The club may have briefed him that we will be investing in a new number 6 in the summer to evolve his position, that's my hunch anyway. I reckon he'll stick around for next season and then leave on a free in 2023.

For teams outside of the 'super 6' it makes our lives undoubtedly harder, as the big teams have so many more opportunities to 'put a bad performance' right in game, let's be honest the reason the 'lesser' sides beat the big sides is because they have off days. More subs reduces those chances of off days. It could benefit us a bit because we play quite an intense game, so having more chances to freshen it up against the lesser sides could be a bonus - but clearly this favours the mega teams with the endless pots of money and first 11's sat on the bench.

Somewhat agree, I do think the top nations have better quality 'starters' though, maybe just not the same level of depth as us, especially at full back. Varane, Pique, Kimpempbe, Laporte etc are on a different level to Maguire, probably a different universe really.

Most sane people get the overall point he made, so stop trying to make an argument out of nothing. It's tedious.

Yeah, I can't see that happening - injuries are probably JWP's only way in, the competition in that central area is quite strong. The set pieces give him a slight edge, but I did notice that none of his corners landed right yesterday yet the one taken by Foden, when he was off, was headed in.

Didn't he provide a forward pass, which ultimately provided the assist to the winner against Croatia? I was against Phillips getting the call up originally, but you cannot deny that he was one of our stars of that summer and surprised many with his level of performances. Given Leeds have dropped off so much in his absence is probably quite illustrative of how underrated he may have been by the masses.

Yeah for sure. I don't see us spending stupid money, our scouting will still have to be spot on...but the biggest change I hope/expect to see is more flexibility. We've had too many years of having to sit down and work out who can be sold before we can even bring in a loan. Based on those finances though, and they'll prob look even better from this year, I think we're in a really decent place when you take everything into account. We've managed the last 2 years very well.

Ralph and the club have already said, and i quote... 'This takeover will enable us to act quicker and bring in new players without having to sell first''

At least most of the replies in that thread are sensible. The bloke who wrote that article seems incredibly deluded though, even their fans can see it.

I'll always see him as someone who could have done so much more, but lost the appetite and hunger to get there. I think he's been treated pretty poorly in Madrid, but he hasn't done himself many favours either and certainly has never endeared him to his fans. A couple of years he was right up there, but he couldn't sustain it. The players who sustain it over years and years and years are the ones I'd class as the best ever.

He's actually made a decent career for himself to be honest. Had higher hopes with that loan signing than Jordan Robertson.

I know what you mean, but I still think he's more than a capable player for our squad. I'd hope/expect us to bring in a starter or two in that number 10/wide role in the summer, but I'd still like Ely in and around the squad. Moussa, Redmond maybe look to move on. Potentially even a loan for Tella to get him regular football, as I'd hate to see him stagnate.

It's refreshing to have someone so committed to the cause. I strongly believe that even after he's long gone, the club as a whole will still be reaping the benefits of the approaches and systems he's put in place. If that paints me as a member of the Cult them i'm all in.

Yes, would be happy with that. He was quality for Hungary in the Euro's from what I remember. If that's the calibre of centre backs we're looking at them I'm happy.

I've always thought he was pretty decent tbh, certainly when I've seen him in the European games. Always seems to have been at Shakhtar and is the one they always point out as a threat. But if we are looking over there, from that Shakhtar side I prefer Solomon - the little Israelian winger they've got, quality. Definitely some interesting players in those leagues who could add in positions we lack.

Yeah, that's ruined it. There will be some interesting options from Ukraine and Russia due to the crappy situation out there, but players like Tete will have much higher clubs than us after them - he is a proper player, champions league level.

Confirmed he's been recalled, certainly won't play but to his credit it's a great come back on his part. Should help him earn himself a decent club in the summer. I can see him topping up the English quota at a Top 6 club tbh.