In our poll for the quarter-final tie at Manchester City over the weekend, which we lost 2-0, Bruno Guimaraes yop the poll as our best player with over 30% of the vote.
Rumors are brewing that the top executives at Newcastle think we need to sell one or more players this summer to be able to spend money to strengthen other positions in the side.
And we know Bruno has a release clause in his contract for £100M, so we could sell him to a top club and have that £100M (and more depending on PSR) to spend on new players this summer.
We really hope we are not still in the business of selling our best players, and we would prefer to keep Bruno and sell some other players – maybe like Sean Longstaff and others – but not the current star of our side – that seems a little daft to us.
What do you think?
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217 comments so far
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 1:51 PM
Comment #41Fenham
Isak isn’t bulky but he’s stronger than he looks. Slim doesn’t mean weak. Isak holds his own pretty well. Just hold up and back to goal play isn’t his deal. Smart runs, ball into feet, half turns and running in behind is. No problem with that, we just have to play to it, rather than a target man long ball style.
His numbers speak for himself as a striker, he has a fantastic ratio for us up top and we would be stupid to move him. Center forward allows him the fluidity to drop deep and go wide if he pleases anyway. Stick him on the left and he’ll have to stay there to provide width and do tracking back, which isn’t his game at all and would knacker him out.
We lose all his goals and goal threat moving him wide.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 1:51 PM
Comment #42*play big more???
Pay big money.
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 1:55 PM
Comment #43Raj
I personally don’t think we will splash big on a striker. I think we’ll spend a decent wedge on a young striker who’s already pretty decent, but will be happy to rotate with Isak. Who let’s face it, will need rotating and subbing regularly anyway. So whoever that striker may be, will see plenty of game time regardless.
Then, we always have the option to change tactically and move Isak wide if we want to bring that other striker on and have them both on the pitch.
I just don’t think we should move Isak left or start him left, as we lose all of his impressive goals and numbers for us.
Why would we move a goal every 2 games in the league striker out wide, just to accomodate a new striker who hasn’t proved they can score any goals with us in the league?
That would be stupidity of the highest level.
Sacrifice guaranteed goals from your main striker, just to accomodate a new unproven striker in the team.
Big Archie
Mar 20, 2024 at 1:56 PM
Comment #44I can only think that everyone who voted for Bruno as man of the match either were not there, or were drunk.
The problem as I see it is that fans remember one good run or a good pass and forget all the other crap that happened.
Bruno was horrendous, as he is almost every week.
It took the youngsters to come on before any kind of enthusiasm was shown.
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Comment #45Isak is averaging a goal just under every 2 games for us.
That’s amazing.
Not many striker average that in the league consistently, but Isak has for 2 seasons now. That’s with injuries too.
If signing a top striker means we sacrifice Isak up top and scoring goals. Then I say don’t sign a top striker.
We already have one.
Sign someone who accepts Isak is the main striker and they’ll be behind him or beside him on occassion.
Isak is supposedly being targetted by Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona, PSG, you name any top European side. They’re linked with him.
What does that tell you about how good a striker he is?
Keep him as a striker.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:04 PM
Comment #46Adamn_92,
If that’s your solution then fair enough, most people are wanting us to buy a top striker, probably not thinking it through with what happens to Isak, that’s why I’ve wanted a right sided Isak. Whoever it is they need to be seriously un injury prone.
Munster Mag
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:07 PM
Comment #47Assassins, correct. Bruno asked for the release cause. We can’t count on loyalty from players in reality. Thats a dangerous game and 100mill gives us a lot of protection.
Please God he stays, because going to Man City would be a terrible look for a club trying to close the gap.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:07 PM
Comment #48Adamn_92,
His ratio is fantastic but he’s injured a lot.
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:08 PM
Comment #49Raj
A right sided Isak type player makes far more sense.
We finally have an amazing striker who has a sensational scoring record for us over 2 injury hit seasons and a relatively under-quality squad still.
Just imagine when he has better quality around him and can stay fit with a rotational striker.
The idea that some don’t think he’s a center forward is mightily insulting to him. Or that we should sign another striker and force him out wide.
Jesus christ man, what more does he have to do to convince people he should be our striker 😀
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:09 PM
Comment #50Raj
Agreed, which is why a rotational younger striker is perfect. So they can come off the bench or provide Isak rest when he needs it. Cup games, some European games, multiple games a week etc.
Hell, even a relatively top striker may be ok with that. Not like ‘ top top’ player, but pretty decent nonetheless.
Munster Mag
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:11 PM
Comment #51Happily sell quite a few of our players even though I love them all ( or most )
Some bloke on here was telling me recently that Miggy was close to world class at one point last season.
Lordy. The bloke is one footed and missed a sitter in the CL that wud have got us through, but he cudnt do a tap in with his right.
World class indeed! And about 6 blokes hearted him!
Munster Mag
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:14 PM
Comment #52Adam/raj it’s a hard one.
Isak looks so good coming in off the left Adam but doesn’t hold the ball up well as a “traditional” prem striker.
I think we may need 2 forwards bought.
1 like Solanke, and one can play on the right.
Hibbit
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:17 PM
Comment #53another careful word stab in the back from Munster
” Please God he stays, because going to Man City would be a terrible look for a club trying to close the gap”
a £100million would really help us close that gap ,
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:18 PM
Comment #54Munster
I couldn’t care less, respectfully, if Isak ‘looks good’ coming off the left.
I’ll take not looking good and banging in goals for fun up front, over looking good and not scoring goals on the left, all day long.
He doesn’t need to hold the ball up as a striker.
There are different types of striker. That’s not his game. That’s fine.
He’s scoring goals and has good feet and link up play in and around the box, as well as the ability to run in behind. We just need to play to those strengths more.
He’s scoring so many goals.
I don’t get why people are trying to paint the idea he’s not a good center forward for this league.
His goals say otherwise and the interest of all top clubs in Europe say otherwise.
Literally don’t know what he can do to convince some people.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:19 PM
Comment #55Munster,
Solanke is a 90 minute man, he’d cost £50M minimum. Would he join knowing he’ll be spending 20 games a season coming off the bench. There are two solutions imo. Find a right sided Isak who is just as happy on the wing as he is through the middle or play Isak on the left. I suppose a third option is to play two strikers in a 4-4-2.
SlickInCo
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:20 PM
Comment #56I can’t see them selling Bruno unless he wants to leave. I would look to move out Wilson, Miggy and Longstaff first. Those plus the Ashworth money should be a nice bump. If they can move Lewis, Fraser, and a couple others off the wage scale then there is no need to sell any of our big 3 stars.
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:20 PM
Comment #57Anyway, i’m being boring and rambling so i’ll stop now.
I’d only repeat my points anyway.
It’s there in black and white that he’s a phenomenal premier league striker.
JaveaToon
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:21 PM
Comment #58I wouldn’t say it’s “a terrible look”, just the way it is. If they meet the buy out clause and he wants to go, there’s nowt anyone can do.
JaveaToon
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:23 PM
Comment #59I’d say anyone who thinks Bruno is “horrendous” almost every week either never watches the games or is drunk when they do.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:31 PM
Comment #60Natural goal scorers I’ve seen
One of the best was Denis Law – record speaks for itself
485 appearances 227 goals
55 games for Scotland 30 goals
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:33 PM
Comment #61Adamn_92,
If the new striker has a 1 in 2 or better, does that not negate Isak not scoring through the middle, it did when Wilson was banging them in when we qualified for the CL.
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:36 PM
Comment #62Raj
It would be fantastic if that ended up being the case and we then had 2 strikers to rotate with similar scoring records.
But like you said yourself, is there going to be a top striker like that, who is willing to come and play that rotational role? Be tricky to convince them.
For me, we already have that striker in Isak. I think the smartest play is get a decent young striker, who is happy to rotate, will still get goals when they play and will improve with us over time.
Or, like you say, a right sided Isak.
That way we have Isak, Gordon and whoever that right sided Isak is, who can all be fluid up top and all can fill in as center forward. But Isak remains first choice when fit and available, without the other winger/striker losing game time.
Everyone wins.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:37 PM
Comment #63SlickInCo,
Aye, firstly someone has to meet the clause then he has to want to go, he might not fancy a return to Ligue one, it looks shite.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:39 PM
Comment #64Adamn_92,
100% not are we getting a striker even on the same level as Solanke that would be happy to rotate. As I said you’re going down to Broja/Origi levels and that’s definitely not what we need.
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:40 PM
Comment #65Raj
I think Howe and the club have a right sided Isak in mind more than a top striker anyway.
They were happy to let Miggy go to get funds in January. Which to me shows they were happy to replace him that January or in the summer.
I imagine that’s still the plan and we’ll have to replace him. So replacing him with that right sided Isak solves the problem of lack of goals/assists from wide right and gives us that striker cover.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:41 PM
Comment #66Or find a young striker like Fulham have done in this Muniz 😮
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:41 PM
Comment #67Raj
Again, agreed.
We need a decent young striker who can improve with us and is happy to rotate.
Or, much better soltution, right sided attacker who can cover center forward when needed.
Munster Mag
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:44 PM
Comment #68Adam, you’ve convinced me, good logic there.
My caveat is his injury record this season. And the fact that Wilson and him dovetailed well together on the pitch
If we don’t get a very able striker/forward, we will be going into the season with Isak as the only main man with clear injury risk associated with that approach
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:45 PM
Comment #69Adamn_92,
Too late now but I wonder how/why that Gykores slipped through everyone’s net especially with him being a team mate of Isak.
Munster Mag
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:47 PM
Comment #70442 someone suggested. Not a prayer. We know that Eddie is a 433 man and is not flexible on that and probably prefers a big left back like Burn.
Hopefully we get Kelly, but our injury management doesn’t read well and I believe he is injury prone?
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 2:50 PM
Comment #71Munster,
If Putin presses the button or an asteroid the size of Wembley hits us or a virus 100x more deadly than the bubonic plague sweeps the globe, then we won’t really be worrying about that will we. Why you picking negatives out of everything.
Hibbit
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:01 PM
Comment #72Munster continues to sow the negative seeds while casting doubt in Eddie and his ability,
with another post aimed at undermining Eddie and the medical team,
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:07 PM
Comment #73Munster
I’m holding off on judging his injury record to critically just yet. He’s had to no doubt play some games where another weeks rest would have been more beneficial. But due to Wilson being a sick note, he’s had to play.
When we have another attacker who can rotate with him, I think he’ll be out injured a lot less.
Adamn_92
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:07 PM
Comment #74*too critically
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:07 PM
Comment #75Hibbit,
Utter disdain showed towards the bloke while pretending he backs him, exactly the same with Rafa.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:09 PM
Comment #76BTW,
Howe played a 4-4-2 at Bmouth with Wilson and King.
JohnJ
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:12 PM
Comment #77Repost missed two buses!
JohnJ
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:09 PM
Comment #6
magscar
Mar 19, 2024 at 5:31 PM
Comment #64
Loch
I drifted away 2 years ago ( nowt to say mainly) then became a widower suddenly, briefly felt energised to return a year ago but it tailed of after week or so despite a welcome from most
I was very sorry indeed to read of your loss!
I’m very grateful for all the friends and fellow NUFC followers I have on this blog, some I’ve met (approximately ten) and most I’m yet to meet. It’s good to share points of view even if we aren’t always “singing from the same hymn sheet”. I know that we wish for the same thing and that’s to see our club in a successful situation winning the EPL & Cups. I put a silly £5 on Toon to win the EPL this season but I recon the bookies will be keeping that. But I’m going to get my bet in sharp for next season – it’s only a matter of time! 🙂
snowdone
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:15 PM
Comment #78Raj, I can only think that EPL teams thought he wasn’t good enough. He goes off to Portugal and now they’re all after him! The football world moves in mysterious ways!
snowdone
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:17 PM
Comment #79By the way, Muniz was with Fulham many months before they played him. I think his first 90 min appearance was against us in the FA Cup.
JohnJ
Mar 20, 2024 at 3:31 PM
Comment #80I saw Jimmy Greaves play a few times (sometimes at SJP). He was your typical fox in the box what was at the time known as a goal poacher. I had to admit he was very good indeed!