The College Dropout

Is he even going to get a game there?

Top scorer in all comps from open play?

I think a large part of Howe ball is psychological because it’s not the most technical or tactical gameplan. Most elite football is largely psychological anyway. Our defending isn’t as regimented aa a Rafa side. It relies on a certain something.

I do think he was exhausted. He’s not the quickest when fresh either. He got done but it wasn’t for a lack of effort or decision making it wasn’t in the legs. It doesn’t happen often.

I wanted an evolution this season but from the transfers you could tell that was unlikely. im Howe in but I don’t expect him to change much. From the little thing he says like when he said he wasn’t a fan of possession for possessions sake. Sometimes you need to kill a game on the ball without scoring. It’s a big reason we’ve racked up massive wins because we always play direct football to score goals. Or it’s defending DEFENDING

The stick and pray we don’t concede style of defending a lead hasn’t worked all season. Players have lost belief in it and we don’t have the players for it anymore. That won’t change though. He’s always done this.

Don’t tho no either should’ve been playing at that point. Tired and injured.

Shouldn’t be doing that job going forward. He should have less say than he ever did imo.

It’s like when clubs let Conte sign half a dozen 30 year old fullbacks and central midfielders.

That’s the fault of absent owners. Howe is a football manager who has managed in like 4 divisions in the football pyramid. He’ll want control. There should be a structure where he can’t dictate transfers and the fees. No competent club signs Wissa and Elanga for £110m. The structures shouldn’t allow for it. A DOF and CEO and transfer committee should overrule that. But in a vacuum of leadership at the club - manager and his nephew can sideline someone as talented as Nickson. I blame the ppl responsible for the vacuum rather than the manager and nephew (more so anyway).

Aye. Thats why I don’t blame them too much. They shouldn’t have been in that position. It was a shitshow from minute 1.

ffs

I agree except I don't think Hall would be #1 choice for most managers. Burn was already a weak(ish) link at LB. But I do agree Ashworth had enough about him to get it across all parties enough. Fully agree that Amanda-era we get Guehi done. Although I think we look for the next batch of players rather than going back to JP, Ekitike etc. Eddie had massive issues with Mitchell and manageable issues with Ashworth by the reports. His preferences will likely differ from what most DOF's would choose in a team with our profile. I use the Joelinton example a lot too - a lot of DOF's would peddle Joelinton in 2024.

I think tension is good btw. Apparently Howe had tension with Ashworth. We’ve seen the profile of player Howe wants. A top DOF will pushback a lot.

They aren’t scouts but they are more then deal men. The role might be wider but they ultimately responsible for transfers, sales and renewals/free agency. A big part of their job is defining player profiles and signing them - and this is in large part how they are judged. For example it’s widely reported Berta made the decision to sign Gyokerrs over Sesko for Arsenal while Arteta preferred Sesko. I maintain that Eddie Howe wouldn’t spend £30m on a 19yo left back as a first choice. But under Ashworth we consistently went after high ceiling low experience youngsters and players elite clubs weren’t sold on. So I think it’s a lot more than just signing the players the scouts highly recommend. And I will say Eddie isn’t the easiest to work with. He likes a specific profile which is often expensive and not so easy to sell-on. Howe will always have tension with a good DOF imo.

We've been poor sellers. And we've been going bigger on fees and a little lower on wages. Net spend isn't a great metric

I know Rangers fans were glad to see him go. Apparently signed a lot of flops. Signed the core of the Forest side. Anderson probably the most valuable. Murillo and Milenkovic are up there. Not sure who else in high regard. It’s not Ivan Campos

Ah you got me

I don't think Gordon is impossible to replace. He's good but not that good. But I don't think it will be easy. And i've no evidence that our transfer comittee can find rough diamonds or good bargains yet

My point is Wilson doesn't have a significant track record of signing players that need development but have high ceilings (higher than Gordon) - the approach you said was probable. He's not an Ivan Campos - he's not even a Dan Ashworth. He may be better than both for us... but there's not the evidence that he will - yet.

Caicedo? Cucurella? Isak? Gordon? "We probably sign..." but Wilson is an unknown quantity and you can't name players of that standard he's signed. We've got no idea if we will sign a higher ceiling player. There's no consistent track record of that at the club is my point.

Haven't signed a player in this image since 2023. How many players better than Gordon has Wilson signed?

Don't get the Gordon hate or the keenness to see him leave. He's not a world beater but he's the best we have pretty much.

Why is net spend more important than overall squad cost and wages? Como have double the net spend of the second highest in Serie A but they're 6th. Is that a major underachievement? No their total squad cost and wages will be closer to 6th.

If you stay up and keep De Zerbi you should get a European spot.