The College Dropout

They've still spent money. I just think they've spent it poorly.

Well it's not. A couple of injuries and suspensions and those lads are starting or getting serious minutes. I think our squad is still 1 or 2 short. Needed another central player in midfield imo. Also needed to get Miley out on loan for his own good.

But how are they paying for it? They've not lost any starters and have filled out their squad. The squad is good enough to compete for Europa and in the league - whether Emery can get it together is another story. We ended last season being reliant on the extra CL place. We had 1 RW in the squad, only 3 fit CBs for the entire season more or less which we knew from the start. No Europe, extra CL place, magical management from Howe and a top 5 striker in the world is how we ended up in the CL and winning the Cup. I give credit to Amanda, Howe and co. for focussing on having a top level starting core and getting it at a premium price. We wouldn't have achieved what we did with European football though. We've since abandoned that approach somewhat. We have a better squad now but with more middling talents. We have become more Villa like in terms of having a decent squad but not an amazing first XI.

Lewis Miley and Osula wouldn't get a kick for them.

You judge a strategy by how good the strategy is - the execution didn't land by a whisker but that's evidence that the strategy was viable. I don't agree with some of thier moves. But they haven't sold a starter since Douglas Luiz (who they replaced). I still think their squad is stronger than ours. I just don't rate the Sancho signing financially or on the pitch. Villa gave Emery a CL level squad and he didn't deliver. Our whole project is being held together by Eddie Howe. If Nick W doesn't become a serious player, I think even our first team isn't as good as theirs. Isak was the difference between the starting teams imo.

I'l be so real, I don't know what those numbers mean. I do know the Isak fee covers the costs of Wissa & Woltemode for about 3 seasons and not much else. If that means we can sign 2 more players of that cost going forward with the Isak money - great. No use now, the squad is better but still fairly light and we are heading into a tough 3 month period. I don't know how accurate anyone can predict the upcoming season and future seasons. The difference in revenue due to PL and CL performance year on year is gigantic. Like 30m+ variance this year and £80m+ the following years. More when you consider co-efficient could change.

They were a Emi Martinez sending off away from back to back CL qualification. Their biggest mistake last season was not going for it in the summer, they left themselves too much work to do in the second half of the season.

Yeh it's barmy to me. I've liked how aggressive Volla have been with PSR but that's stupid. That's Isak level wages.

The fact his own contract situation is in the wind is another factor

Thing with Botman, you would only want to give him 1 extra year. With the injuries you would be uncomfortable giving him a fresh 4 years. 3 is fine.

While this is all true - part of being a professional is respecting your current team and fans.

Aye im fairly cold to this stuff. It is just job for these boys. While I don’t personally care about it. I don’t like what it represents, the messaging. It’s disrespectful to the fans and perhaps his own team mates and manager too. Stay fit, sign a new deal nobody will care.

It’s not the same though. Nobody cares if he loves Isak and he went to his house to pop champagne for the move. It’s the public congratulations that is weird. It’s a public declaration that he stands with Isak when he knows the fans do not. And some of his team mates too.

I don’t really care but it’s not a smart move. I doubt many others will publicly do something like this because they know how it will look to the fans. We know they are best mates. I don’t expect Botman to be one that rejected Isak like some others in the squad may have. But if Botman cares about his rep among the fans he shouldn’t have done that. I rarely put my feelings into players. But even I’m side eyeing Botman for that. Lads only got 2 years on his contract himself.

If it was such a major injection for PSR we would have done more business in the final day. Squad is still a CM and a LB light.

Rashford is genuinely a top talent though. Over 150 career goals. Multiple seasons scoring 10+ goals in the PL. Rashford has been awful at times but he’s proven himself. That game against PSG he was brilliant last season. People need to put some respect on his name and his career. Jadon Sancho is an inferior talent and has never done anything in the PL consistently. I wouldn’t believe any club in Europe would pay him£200k per week outside of Juve or someone.

80% of Sancho’s wage is the opposite of PSR desperation. I genuinely can’t believe they would pay Sancho £200k odd per week. That’s what £10m? Plus a loan fee. I mean.. I actually don’t believe it. Romano must be chatting shit.

Sancho deal is crazy. I can’t believe it.

He had about £30m left of his amortisation. So if we clear £100m then it’s £70m net. Woltemade and Wissa will cost about £35m per year. So Isak covers them for 2 seasons. I thought it would be more like 3 seasons. It’s not the PSR silver bullet people think it is. And few of our bigger signings will be unless we get a premium. Thats because a majority of our big transfers were bought at a premium in the first place. And then we replace them with premium signings. Our entire transfer approach isn’t going to be overly fruitful long term from a PSR perspective. It does need to change.

5/10. Howe can make it an 8/10 though. He’s that good.

Massive shame for the lad.

I said this last season and people laughed. Maybe 2 purples and some solid signings away from being one of the best squads in the world.

Woltemade has played a lot at AM/10 so yeh.

Is that true about the agent? yeh he cost them the spot.

We were a shit show tbh