Captaincy dilemma for Rafa?

As well as re-shaping his squad this summer, Rafa also has a decision to make on the game time of Jamaal Lascelles next season. He has showed good leadership qualities and some promise but with Lejeune on board and the good form of Ciaran Clark, his place could well be in jeopardy next year.

As a young player this would not be a problem if it wasn’t for the captaincy, which certainly complicates things. Providing he does not remain first choice, what routes could Rafa take next year?

Appoint a new captain?

Rafa’s pragmatic skills would be tested if he went down this route. He would have to pass the role to someone else, whilst keeping Lascelles motivated and made to feel like an important part of his plans still. Matt Ritchie would appear the strong candidate of the current playing squad to take the role; a just reward for his excellent attitude and work rate.

Depending on our transfer activity, Rafa may even appoint a new signing as captain if they come in with the right experience and pedigree. Someone like Pepe Reina would fit this profile. Either way, if Rafa does pass the role on, it is important to keep Lascelles involved in some capacity, maybe as vice-captain. His good character and having squad depth at centre half are both things we have lacked over the years.

A 3-5-2 formation?

A more unlikely and left of field option would be that Rafa may utilise this new formation next season, meaning slots for Clark, Lejeune and Lascelles. While improbable, as it was rarely used last year, it would mean the issue of having a captain who doesn’t play would not there.

The system would suit the blistering pace of Yedlin but you feel it would enforce further the need to purchase a more attacking left back than Paul Dummett. Other teams like Spurs and even Arsenal towards the end of the season, found success with this formation. Systems tend to come in cycles and popularity, it may just be that Newcastle explore this formation at some stage next year.

Retain as ‘Club captain’?

Another option is to keep Lascelles as captain, even if he is not first choice. This is something more common on the continent, with player effectively being a club captain. This would involve still being the face of the squad to the press and a leader off the pitch, with a more regular first team player wearing the armband when Lascelles doesn’t play.

The captaincy will certainly be in Rafa’s thoughts. As with a lot of things at the moment, you feel our player recruitment will determine the outcome of this one. Lascelles did a great job leading our title win last year, especially off the pitch, and whatever happens has come a long way since joining NUFC.

About Simon Riddlesden

Lifelong Newcastle United fan and East Stand season ticket holder. Observations from a supporter who has followed NUFC during Champions League participation and through relegation, taking me from Milan to Scunthorpe.

117 thoughts on “Captaincy dilemma for Rafa?

  1. For a site that can churn out at least 6 articles yesterday & another 5 today, you wouldn’t think it would be that hard to remember to add a link to the previous articles

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  2. IMO loyalty means a lot and I would stick with Lascelles personally.

    He did a decent enough job last season & lead by example – playing a lot of the season with an injury.

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  3. Far too early to even think about that. Assuming we’ll be signing some decent players. Looks like Reina won’t be one of them.

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  4. The Captain should play most of the games and I am not sure Lascelles will. If he doesn’t, you end up with an excessively paid and glorified cheerleader, a Rooney if you will.

    I know I will be ridiculed but I would give it to Dummett. I think he does a really good job as a defender and Rafa is not going to play the high press so Paul does not need to be all out attack. I really think this lad gets too much flak. He never puts in less than a good shift and often shuts down the other teams star player, their right sided winger. Plus, a lot of people say Dummett’s best position is centre back so he could certainly play in a back 3 even if we buy a wing-back.

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  5. I think it was partly Lascelles’ influence that spurred the side on to that unbeaten run in our relegation year

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  6. shamrock:
    I think it was partly Lascelles’ influence that spurred the side on to that unbeaten run in our relegation year

    He has a mistake in him though Sham. A bit like the other one we got from Forest, Darlow.

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  7. You know who Lascelles reminds me of? Bramble. A really good player on his day but a mistake waiting to happen.

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  8. I think it hasn’t to be Lascelles. He did a good job last year and he is young so does have a mistake in him but I Alison think he has a lot of potential. He has most attributes.

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  9. Eric – Bramble was like that when he was 23 and when he was 30. He didn’t learn and didn’t improve. Let’s hope Lascelles does improve working under Rafa.

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  10. Stuart79:
    Eric – Bramble was like that when he was 23 and when he was 30. He didn’t learn and didn’t improve. Let’s hope Lascelles does improve working under Rafa.

    Agree, mate. I really do want to give him the benefit of the doubt. That autocorrect changed “also” to “Alison” 🙂

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  11. Random ramblings…
    I think we should play the game and offer Rivière around for £20 million… ? Hell we got £30m for Sissoko…

    ***, I miss footy on a weekend! ???

    I think if we had a pound for every player we were linked with we would have enough money to buy Tom Cairney….

    And finally.. I’m coming come Newcastle, home Newcastle, home tomorrow for my summer hols… 3 weeks back in the Toon… ??

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  12. DT: I was back a couple of years ago and did a “tour of the North”:

    Seahouses, Bamburgh, Holy Island, Rothbury, Dunstanborough, York, Whitby, Keswick, Ilkley Moor, Leeds, Malham, and so much more. Sunday dinner in a Pub in the borders…

    So nice to see the places that I grew up seeing.

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  13. Dubai Toon:
    Random ramblings…
    I think we should play the game and offer Rivière around for £20 million… Hell we got £30m for Sissoko…

    ***, I miss footy on a weekend!

    I think if we had a pound for every player we were linked with we would have enough money to buy Tom Cairney….

    And finally.. I’m coming come Newcastle, home Newcastle, home tomorrow for my summer hols… 3 weeks back in the Toon…

    You will enjoy mate,could you not have made it after season kicked off?. So you could maybe se a game or two

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  14. Dubai Toon:
    Random ramblings…
    I think we should play the game and offer Rivière around for £20 million… Hell we got £30m for Sissoko…

    ***, I miss footy on a weekend!

    I think if we had a pound for every player we were linked with we would have enough money to buy Tom Cairney….

    And finally.. I’m coming come Newcastle, home Newcastle, home tomorrow for my summer hols… 3 weeks back in the Toon…

    Enjoy.

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  15. Dubai Toon:
    Random ramblings…
    I think we should play the game and offer Rivière around for £20 million… Hell we got £30m for Sissoko…

    ***, I miss footy on a weekend!

    I think if we had a pound for every player we were linked with we would have enough money to buy Tom Cairney….

    And finally.. I’m coming come Newcastle, home Newcastle, home tomorrow for my summer hols… 3 weeks back in the Toon…

    DT – good to get you back mate, even if it is just for a few weeks. You’ll be coming back for a break from the sun I take it ?.

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  16. See the suggestions are that Kieron Gibbs & Karl Jenkinson have been left behind to sort their toon move out ? hope so.
    Lucas Perez also left behind – I wouldn’t mind him either personally.

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  17. Sharpy17: DT – good to get you back mate, even if it is just for a few weeks.You’ll be coming back for a break from the sun I take it .

    Thanks mate, it was 53 deg C last Saturday so yes partly that. Also to catch up with family. Will probably come back at Christmas too to catch a few matches.

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  18. Icedog: You will enjoy mate,could you not have made it after season kicked off?. So you could maybe se a game or two

    I’ll be back at Christmas too Ice… get some games then… I usually try to get to few home games over winter.

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  19. Eric Sykes:
    DT: I was back a couple of years ago and did a “tour of the North”:

    Seahouses, Bamburgh, Holy Island, Rothbury, Dunstanborough, York, Whitby, Keswick, Ilkley Moor, Leeds, Malham, and so much more. Sunday dinner in a Pub in the borders…

    So nice to see the places that I grew up seeing.

    Cheers Eric, yes I’ll be getting around a bit, I’m a keen photographer too so will be getting out and about with the camera.

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  20. DT. I would die in that heat, that’s nuts man, how do folk cope?
    if it goes above 30 here I seriously wilt.

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  21. Kimtoon:
    DT. I would die in that heat, that’s nuts man, how do folk cope?
    if it goes above 30 here I seriously wilt.

    That’s maybe once every couple of years then lol,if we are lucky,pup had 40c for about a week or so,says he finding it tough to handle going shopping ect

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  22. Icedog: That’s maybe once every couple of years then lol,if we are lucky,pup had 40c for about a week or so,says he finding it tough to handle going shopping ect

    Ice – I’m off to Malta next month mate

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  23. Stuart: who the hell is Jack Cork? I only know who Tammy Abraham is because of Kimtoon and then because we were linked to him. Never saw the 20 million pound Nathan Ake play. And since we only got like 5 live NUFC Championship games I have never seen the 25 million quid rated Cairney play.

    Monopoly money.

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  24. I googled Jack Cork and he is a Swansea City 28 year old journeyman who they have just replaced with a player from Las Palmas. With this new maths we should be able to get 10 million for Jack Colback.

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  25. every last penny isnt going to get us much.

    I expect an unheard of winger & fullback for 6 mil max, a loan striker & maybe a new keeper.

    we may even retain some of the ones we’re after letting go. Didn’t Goofy have until last week to decide whether he wants to stay??

    If ashley spends more, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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  26. £10m for Cork just shows how stupid crazy this market has got.

    But looking at the players sold so far (other than the multi million ones obviously) the only 2 I would have liked is Will Hughes – who’s £4.5m fee looks a steal now, and Jay Rodriguez – who I know isn’t everyone cup of tea.

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  27. Well, there is no way we should let Darlow go for £5m looking at the fees being paid .

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  28. Sharpy17:
    £10m for Cork just shows how stupid crazy this market has got.

    But looking at the players sold so far (other than the multi million ones obviously) the only 2 I would have liked is Will Hughes – who’s £4.5m fee looks a steal now, and Jay Rodriguez – who I know isn’t everyone cup of tea.

    Agree mate, this situation will ruin a lot of clubs before long.

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  29. Kimtoon: Agree mate, this situation will ruin a lot of clubs before long.

    Sharpy: given what else is going on Jay Rodriquez is looking cheap now.

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  30. I reckon we should be able to get at least 65 million for Jack Colback now. He was in an England squad once, even though he didn’t play. I am using this new maths where Colback with one England squad appearance equals 3 Scotland Caps minus 10 million because he actually didn’t make the matchday squad. So Cairney with one Scotland cap x 3 (25million x 3 = 75 million), minus 10 million because Colback didn’t actually play or dress = 65 million.

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  31. So, with the time machine I just invented and without the dodgy knees, that would make Alan Shearer worth… infinity.

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  32. Leicester paid 28 million pounds for Islam Slimani last year. So, as Jack Colback’s new self appointed Agent I am raising his transfer fee to 95 million, split evenly between us per the Pogba/Mino Riola agreement on how transfer deals are done now.

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  33. Leicester also matched our transfer record last year. They paid what we paid for a then good Michael Owen by stumping up 17m for Ahmed Musa (who’s he?).

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  34. In a world of champagne we are going round asking for the dregs from the pints of lager…

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  35. Luke Edwards‏Verified account
    @LukeEdwardsTele

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    Is Benitez annoyed? Yes. Is he on brink of quitting? No. There’s frustration at lack of transfers but that’s it. Relax

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  36. 101 Great Goals‏
    @101greatgoals

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    Tammy Abraham has just bought his parents brand new cars

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  37. Kimtoon:
    Luke Edwards‏Verified account
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    Is Benitez annoyed? Yes. Is he on brink of quitting? No. There’s frustration at lack of transfers but that’s it. Relax

    If Jack Cork, who I had never heard of, cost 10 mil then it is really difficult to put a price on anybody.

    What the hell do you do now? Bid what they ask?

    The buyout clause in Spain and Portugal used to be an amount that would be so ridiculous that it would scare teams off. Now it is a starting point.

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  38. Kimtoon:
    DT. I would die in that heat, that’s nuts man, how do folk cope?
    if it goes above 30 here I seriously wilt.

    We average over 45 C every summer Kim and even in the winter it only gets down to about 20-25… we have air conditioned everything… don’t spend much time outside in that heat.. ?

    Just arrived back at me Mam’s place in Rowlands Gill near the Toon… 14 degrees… ?

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  39. My worry isn’t Rafa resigning – it’s the fact that the club seem to be reverting to type. Rafa resigning would just be a consequence of that. The underlining issue would still remain.

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  40. Dubai Toon: We average over 45 C every summer Kim and even in the winter it only gets down to about 20-25… we have air conditioned everything… don’t spend much time outside in that heat..

    Just arrived back at me Mam’s place in Rowlands Gill near the Toon… 14 degrees…

    My girlfriend always wonders why I can be outside in the winter with only a jumper. I tell her “I am from Newcastle, man” coats were for puffs where I come from. The North sea was 10 degrees at the height of summer.

    When it gets nutcase Chicago cold, like 30 below, I do wear gloves.

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  41. And… Shearer wore short sleeves when it was 40 below at SJP. A real man, unlike yer Romelu Lokakus, whatever that might be. Some sort of fancy French table lamp I think?

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  42. Staurt79 the club take to long trying to activate transfer clauses for a player that might actually be worth 3x more in years to come. We haggle and lose out and some other team does well because of it.

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  43. Dubai Toon: We average over 45 C every summer Kim and even in the winter it only gets down to about 20-25… we have air conditioned everything… don’t spend much time outside in that heat..

    Just arrived back at me Mam’s place in Rowlands Gill near the Toon… 14 degrees…

    Nice little village the Gill mate, spent a lot of my childhood in that park. I grew up in Winlaton. We visit Gibside with the boy & hound a lot now too. Lovely place, especially now the red kites are back ?

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  44. Luke Edwards‏Verified account @LukeEdwardsTele · 1h1 hour ago

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    Replying to @LukeEdwardsTele

    They need to clear the air, agree how much money is available and get on with spending it. The whole saga is ridiculous and damaging

    16 replies . 11 retweets 37 likes

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    Luke Edwards‏Verified account @LukeEdwardsTele · 1h1 hour ago

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    Replying to @LukeEdwardsTele

    #nufc will be a bitter and divided club again and the owner will be hated. Why would anyone sane want to do that to the club and himself?

    23 replies . 11 retweets 31 likes

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    Luke Edwards‏Verified account @LukeEdwardsTele · 1h1 hour ago

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    Replying to @LukeEdwardsTele

    But surely Ashley can’t screw this up. If Rafa goes because he feels promises broken anger and protests toward owner will return

    9 replies . 8 retweets 17 likes

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    Luke Edwards‏Verified account @LukeEdwardsTele · 1h1 hour ago

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    Replying to @LukeEdwardsTele

    He’s frustrated and annoyed because doesn’t think enough is being done to get players he wants. In turn club think prices are extortionate

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  45. Icedog:
    SHARPY!where in Malta are you going mate??

    Icedog:
    SHARPY!where in Malta are you going mate??

    Icedog:
    SHARPY!where in Malta are you going mate??

    Icedog:
    SHARPY!where in Malta are you going mate??

    Ice – a hotel called db Seabanks in Mellieha Bay mate

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  46. Kimtoon: He may not even make the talk in

    Kim – if he stops off in The Strawberry on his way, he defo won’t make it ??

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  47. SHARPY good pick mate,you will need to be near the sea in Aug it’s the hottest month,your talking 40s,it’s a bit quiet up there like but if you go into town make it in the evening shops are open quite late anyway and it’s cooler if you go by bus keep your ticket it lasts all day lol,if you want to here where to go/do just ask mate,is it your first visit ??

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  48. Icedog:
    SHARPY good pick mate,you will need to be near the sea in Aug it’s the hottest month,your talking 40s,it’s a bit quiet up there like but if you go into town make it in the evening shops are open quite late anyway and it’s cooler if you go by bus keep your ticket it lasts all day lol,if you want to herewhere to go/do just ask mate,is it your first visit ??

    Yeah mate, we were looking at Jersey again and our lass somehow found 11 nights in Malta at the same price as 7 in Jersey. I love visiting new places so jumped at it … then, after it was booked we realised just how hot it gets ?.
    The good news is that the hotel has loads of indoor stuff to do for the boy too – if it gets unbearable.

    Nowt much planned mate other than a trip to Gozo, so I’d be grateful for any hidden gems you or pup know of that will hold the interest of an 8yr old lad ?.

    I’m really looking forward to it to be honest mate. We went to Mexico in April for the first time as well, but you kinda know what your getting there. I have no clue what to expect with Malta.

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  49. Sharpy17:
    http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/893560110?-11058:809:0

    This should be an interesting evening.Just trying to remember how many other managers did a talk in before jumping ship?!.

    DT – if you’re still about mate, could be a night on the toon for ya

    Aye, I’m still here, sound canny but I think it will be hard to get tickets, I’m not a member of season ticket holder.

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  50. Sharpy17: Yeah mate, we were looking at Jersey again and our lass somehow found 11 nights in Malta at the same price as 7 in Jersey.I love visiting new places so jumped at it … then, after it was booked we realised just how hot it gets .
    The good news is that the hotel has loads of indoor stuff to do for the boy too – if it gets unbearable.

    Nowt much planned mate other than a trip to Gozo, so I’d be grateful for any hidden gems you or pup know of that will hold the interest of an 8yr old lad .

    I’m really looking forward to it to be honest mate.We went to Mexico in April for the first time as well, but you kinda know what your getting there.I have no clue what to expect with Malta.

    Your dead safe with grub,they like the English,one of the last places that do now lol,kids might like Poppye village take his trunks they have a pool too,don’t miss the blue grotto the one in Malta not Gozo,but don’t book them by tours go yourself by bus it’s loads cheaper you can come and go when you want boy will enjoy his arm will go blue when you stick it the water in the caves,change your money in Malta in town you get better rate there,by the way watch your boy at the beach there it has a very very strong under current keep in shallow water with him,if your not getting picked up book taxi inside airport you pay there not in cab

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  51. Sharpy17: Nice little village the Gill mate, spent a lot of my childhood in that park.I grew up in Winlaton.We visit Gibside with the boy & hound a lot now too.Lovely place, especially now the red kites are back

    Aye it’s nice round here mate. A lot better than in Gateshead where I had my house before.

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  52. Kimtoon:
    DT. 14 degrees eh, bet that came as a shock like

    Actually, it’s not too bad with the sun out. I still have Newcastle blood… 10 degrees is t-shirt weather. Lol

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  53. Icedog: Your dead safe with grub,they like the English,one of the last places that do now lol,kids might like Poppye village take his trunks they have a pool too,don’t miss the blue grotto the one in Malta not Gozo,but don’t book them by tours go yourself by bus it’s loadscheaper you can come and go when you want boy will enjoy his arm will go blue when you stick it the water in the caves,change your money in Malta in town you get better rate there,by the way watch your boy at the beach there it has a very very strong under current keep in shallow water with him,if your not getting picked up book taxi inside airport you pay there not in cab

    Ice – thanks for that mate. I heard about the Popeye village, and whilst I remember the film being horrible, I was/am a huge fan of Robin Williams so may well visit. Thanks for the heads up about the currents as well. We love being in the sea & snorkelling so that’s a big thing to know.
    Aye I’ve got the hotel on trip advisor & drink look bang on. The boy isn’t a fussy eater, quite the opposite (that’s not saying he’s fat, not at all, don’t know where he puts it to be honest), so he’ll be loving the scran ?

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  54. kimtoon:
    Don’t look like a new arrival before the Friday match does it

    Kim – to be honest I’m really starting to wonder if THEY even know who their targets are?!.

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