Newcastle's players are drinking in Last Chance Saloon - starting with Crystal Palace game
Eddie Howe leads Newcastle's final training session at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku on the eve of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off first leg against Qarabag
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It might be a tad late to suggest that Newcastle United are about to pop into the Last Chance Saloon for a refresher before a final glorious shoot at the heavens.
They probably blew that big time when getting humiliatingly dumped out of the Champions League with a seven-goal thrashing and then proceeding to badly lose a derby match against Sunderland for the second time. No big baubles now.
However Crystal Palace does represent an opportunity to record their first double over this particular opposition for more than 10 years dating back to the 2013-14 season. Failure to do that would see doom follow gloom.
United have a good chance, on paper at least if not on grass. Palace aren't too clever in front of their own. They have a better away record having won just three of their 15 Premier League games at Selhurst Park, drawing seven and losing the other five.
Their total of 14 goals at home is the second fewest in the PL, one more than Nottingham Forest.
If one of the excuses regularly put forward for an under achieving season is that United have been tired with a relentless programme on four fronts and a small squad then they ought to be refreshed. Excuse gone. Those without national service have had three week's rest, the others who represented their countries more than a full week leading up to Palace who played Fiorentina in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final on Thursday night.
Eddie Howe is looking for a lift so who will he trust to provide it? Team selection will be interesting and perhaps helped by the return of those leaving the treatment room.
There are plenty decisions to be made. Bring Bruno straight back? Introduce Fabian Schar and perhaps Lewis Miley into the squad via the subs' bench? Tino Livramento rather than the departing Kieran Trippier? Ditch the midfield experiment with Nick Woltemade and shove him back up front? Anthony Gordon, centre-forward or left wing? Who at outside-right?
United's boss loves the competitiveness of one of his favourites, Joelinton, who because of that very trait goes into this game on the warning of nine Premier League bookings - if he makes it 10 against Palace he'll land a two game ban but if he escapes then the threat will be lifted. His Brazilian mate Bruno, who can be equally volatile, went through 12 games without a yellow card in the league a couple of years back to avoid a ban so surely Big Joe can manage just one more.
One thing is indisputable: players owe Howe, owe the fans, and owe themselves. Some more than others.
What we have here is the beginning of a seven-match run-in to the season and an even bigger summer of activity.
As far as transfers are concerned literally nothing is off the table. A liberal sprinkling of top end players are available if someone puts big bucks down - Tonali, Gordon, Livramento the favourites. Heaven forbid we get tested on Hall or Bruno. Meanwhile Willock and Osula could be sold if there is a taker and Trippier and Krafth are on their way with free transfers in their pocket.
Coming in? A right-back for certain with Tripps, Krafth and probably Tino out the revolving door, a keeper and maybe two as Ramsdale and Vlachodimos disappear, a midfielder with Tonali heading for the hills, and a centre-forward because we haven't got one despite £124m being spent on trying to fill the Isak hole a year ago. Anyone want Wissa?
I mean Eddie Howe used to hate a turnover of his tried and trusted - remember the reluctance to let the likes of Wilson, Almiron, Lascelles and Ritchie go - but now things have come to a head and a take-your-pick sale is listed in the brochure. Some playing on Sunday at 2pm will be starting their lengthy goodbye. All of it is acceptable only if the right players come in.
Finally as Newcastle attempt to recruit and beef up all their academy sides may I pay tribute to Graeme Coulson's Under 15s who have just won not one but two prestigious tournaments.
First of all they triumphed in the Premier League International Tournament and followed up that success by claiming the Orange Veins Cup in Rotterdam over the Easter weekend. They did it in some style winning a penalty shoot out against the mighty Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
I knew Graeme, still only 36, when he was a young 'un and his dad Mike was with me on Gateshead's board. Coulson joined United in August 2022 from Blyth Spartans having previously been Consett's assistant manager when they reached the FA Vase final of 2020.