STM

Genuinely pleased we've taken this decision. Would rather have 100% Willock next season.

I disagree or at least partially. We won't get much money for Wilson but i could see us getting 10/12m which is very little for a buying club but actually quite significant for us. As I've said before, when fit, Wilson guarantees goals and while his fitness is an issue, it's absolutely a gamble worth taking especially if you are a club battling survival. A striker who gets double figures, even with injuries, can keep you in the league. A club like Fulham or West Ham, would be a good fit but I wouldn't be surprised to see him at Leicester or somewhere. That's before the Saudi clubs take an interest.

Joao Pedro would have been a perfect understudy for Isak.

I hope you aren't our next director of football. I've seen nothing from our club that suggests we take "punts" or do anything other than invest in quality young players.

Keep Wilson, sign an absolute baller of a RW, that frees up Gordon to play CF if we need him.

CB. We score goals under Howe. We have 2 CBs out with an ACL and Schar is no spring chicken. Schar + New CB then New CB + Botman for the future.

Alot of this window is going to come down to circumstance, again. For example, is someone like Eze being courted by big clubs? If the likes of City and Liverpool aren't interested, it opens the door for someone like us or Spurs (I only say this because we aren't in a position to compete wage wise). So we may have a list of half a dozen players of this calibre, Eze, MGW, Onana etc. What will happen is, we will see where the bigger sharks are moving and absolutely avoid getting involved. We won't bother getting into a war with Chelsea, who will just offer double what we do, for example. We move onto other targets. It's a little different in the foreign market because we can be the big sharks, look at how we beat Milan to Botman or even how we stole their future star. Its going to be really interesting. What I will say is that every window we surpass my expectation by signing at least one superstar... Bruno, Botman, Isak, Tonali.... and I've got an erection thinking of where we go next.

Anyone else really enjoying their footy at the moment and more over really enjoying Newcastle. It's dawned on me that this is as bad as its going to get under Howe. We've had the worst cup draws and the worst injury crisis I've ever seen and as far as I can tell we are going to be playing European football at a canter. In the summer, the squad will improve, maybe just a little, maybe alot but we will get another couple of quality players in, Tonali back and all things being equal, a much more favourable schedule and treatment table. I'd be flabbergasted if next year we don't get top 6. There's also the added bonus that Liverpool will be in transition (Klopp, Salah and VVD perhaps leaving), Man United will either still have egg head or they too will be in transition, Spurs will have the demands of 2 games a week (and we saw how shite they can be), as will Villa. Next year is all set up to be a cracking year and I for one can't wait for it.

Merson saying that if Villa had won more games they'd be higher in the league. Really Paul, please do explain?

This is basically my stance. At least City fans were downtrodden before their success. Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool are soooo much more insufferable.

I think this is unfair on Arteta. He's done a very creditable job getting arsenal from a rabble of mercenaries to within a whisker of the title. However, he's a cunt, so fuck him.

Arsenal were one striker away from winning the league this year. Watkins, Toney, whoever and the title was their's IMO. Next year they might have that striker but they will absolutely have new problems.

Villa are very hard to not like under Emery. Absolutely done Arteta here. Turned Watkins into a beast. Hats off. Hope they make CL, they are twice the side Spurs are. Also @brummiehave a drink on me pal. You've earned it.

Villa seriously impressive.

I still feel like Emile Smith Rowe, despite being another right footed left winger, would be right up Eddie's Street.