The College Dropout

This goes back to PIF - what are we doing here? If we aren’t going to bend PSR rules. We need to be a club that develops and sells players. So by nature you sign players that need development over more established players with lower ceilings. If that’s the case you go Wenger era Arsenal or modern day Brighton or even Palace. You sign a kid to start or immediate backup. Manager knows that’s the game. Owners now you might have a season where too many players aren’t ready and you fall down the table a bit. We don’t seem to be pursuing that. We seem to be demanding results now. And signing players with a good amount of experience (while still being youngish) to play big roles this season. Which is why I’m concerned about Miley. Unless Howe’s perception has changed. Miley is only going to get serious minutes in an injury crisis.

Tino, Osula and Anderson. Anderson was unlucky with injuries. He was set to get good minutes in the CL season as Joe’s understudy. Tino was stellar yet initially underutilised in the CL season. Hall was underutilised in the CL season. I love Howe. But those decisions cost us points with how bad Burn and Trippier were for a long time.

There’s not a clear pathway. As of May 2025 Howe would rather play 5 at the back or Joe Willock than play Lewis Miley. Ramsey is now in the mix.

Aye I’m talking about youth players. I would even include Tino and Hall here along with Anderson, Miley and Osula. Howe is reluctant to play them. It took an injury crisis for Hall to get a run of games that earned him Howe‘s trust. even the older players he’s developed - it’s been out of necessity. He’s not had any other viable options. With youth players there is usually a more senior player in position that Howe trusts. My point is Howe is not going to give Miley minutes so that he develops. Other clubs and managers do that. Howe doesn’t have that mandate.

Honestly I thought so and didn’t want to say

Completely disagree. I am talking about players that can take significant minutes from Tonali and Bruno. The way McGinn, Kamara, Onana, Tielemans share minutes. To compete on multiple fronts we can’t have Bruno and Tonali averaging 85 minutes across 7 CL and PL games a month. They will burn out. It needs to be much closer to 60. It’s not Howe’s priority to develop players. You can see that in our transfer approach. You can see that from his team selections. Trust is the right word - that’s how Eddie picks his team. He didn’t trust Miley or Willock at the end of last season and would change formation to avoid playing them. Trippier and Barnes are trusted. Doesn’t take much for either to start or be brought off the bench. Miley is closer to the Osula, only brings him on if the game is won, lost or entirely desperate. If Mikey has gained a new level of trust from Howe great.

I mean… kids aren’t trusted. Howe might suddenly give him a ton of minutes. There’s just no evidence of that. To win a starting berth our lads need to prove themselves for some time.

Why is Leoni such an exciting signing? I’ve never even see him play tall, 18 year old Italian wonderkid has me sold.

Most of Ramseys game is coming off the left hand side like a Willock or Joelinton.

Similar to the Anderson sale. Except Anderson is a great profile for us. But he was never going to get enough minutes.

Miley can play CM or RCM from memory. He’s just not trusted.

This signing suggests Willockinho is finished here. Aye we still don’t have a genuine understudy or competition for either Tonali or Bruno

Thats why they are selling now - much better fee. It’s a good move for all parties. He doesn’t fit Emerys systems. He’s never played well for a prolonged time under Emery.

This is likely more a contractual thing (I’m sure they have PSR pressures too). If they are in PSR trouble, they can sell him next year before the June deadline. I guess what I’m saying is no club has to sell in August for PSR reasons only.

Under Howe he can become a fine defender. He's got all the tools.

It's that he had a big injury and hasn't been impressive since and he picked up an injury or two last season

You saw Villa last season and it was Jacob Ramsey that stood out ?

That would’ve been instead of Tonali. As someone to take some minutes off him sure.

Aye good point

The injuries are a big deal like. It’s been years since Ramsey was that player that looked on the verge of being in The England squad. Said before Ramseys ceiling is higher imo. But you kind of know what you would get from a Gallagher and that’s someone close ish to ability to Joelinton. Ramsey could go either way.

He is a better version of Willock with the same massive issue. Fitness. Which is pretty hard to ignore.

Aye. Exactly here. I wonder how much more gets you Gallagher. my unerring loyalty is to King Eddie but man, I’m not sure about this one. It’s the injury record. And we know Eddie likes to flog his boys.

Was he being offered the megabucks? I don't think our lot are getting big Saudi bags.

This is one we should have palmer off to Saudi. Break even PSR and a great deal in Saudi for him and his family.

Look at his highlights, a lot of them are from years ago