The College Dropout

City paid £100m for Grealish, £53m for Nunes, £77m for Gvardiol. We should get £100m. From a footballing perspective, i'd like to see him at City. Just to see how he plays under Pep.

He'll play a lot. They've not effectively replaced Gundogan. Rodri has played next to Stones and Kovavic in recent weeks. He's better than them both.

I mean.. you're saying "of course" now. But for months many have been using that exact line.

And also.. kind of expected. This one might actually be "bad luck". It seems like there was some underlying issue that wasn't shown on scans for months.

Good interview by Longstaff.

………

No but level of influence matters. If 2023 Klopp wanted a player and the current DOF or whoever filled in for Edwards (Klopp's mate apparently) preferred another player. They would go with Klopp's player.

Maybe not black and white but most top clubs operate similar to that. It was Edwards that wanted Salah and Klopp preferred a German lad Brandt maybe. Klopp did eventually agree but Salah wasn’t his preference or choice. In recent seasons Klopp has had a stronger role in player transfers. Spurs, Chelsea (Roman era), Real Madrid, Brighton, Brentford - the managers don’t have huge influence in who is signed for the first team. I remember Brentford got rid of a manager because he didn’t want to buy-in to the data led approach. I think Howe needs influence. Otherwise you get players signed and not used. But the level of influence needs to be managed.

Has he not just signed an extension?

Thanks for sharing. If it’s the same knee though l…

It seems different doctors said different things. They went with rest to see what it was like. He started playing again and seemed ok.

Yes. Elite foootball is about performance not about health. When both don’t work out the coach shoulders some responsibility. Wilson said he rushed back from injury too early this season too.

I would. He’s played most of his career at LB/LWB for a reason.

What has happened then? In your view of what you know what you’ve heard and what you can piece together?

Most people were done with him by Arsenal 7-3 and that was Dec 2012. 4 months into the season. And yes I’m talking about on here.

It’s the same injury. Poorly treated and misdiagnosed. Twice. Many on here suspected something wasn’t right with him and the knee.

Ridiculous.

We had just finished 5th tbf. He was initially disliked. Did ok. Did well. But as soon as he did poorly - the forum turned. A lot of it was down to him being unpopular in the first place. And a misdirected view that we should've been a top 7 team based on the squad filled with Anita, Gouffran, Jonas, Taylor's etc. It was 100% better than the squad Pardew left. The squad Pardew left was Riviere and co. was it not? Ashley did that thing where he brings in a new stooge and invests in a good few players in his first summer. Between Pardew leaving and Steve Mc joining we didn't lose any "purples" and signed some talented players that went on to have decent careers. Motivating players is a managers' job and I don't think they were disinterested. Just had a crap manager. Sissoko got lots of stick but to me he always seemed to try his best. He just wasn't a creative or clinical player. That Spurs doc showed he was a good professional. I might have my years mixed up. But is Jan 2013 not 4 months into his first genuinely bad spell at the club? I remember a strong narrative that the season we finished 5th - we were lucky and the players carried Pardew. Not everyone of course but it was there. We didn't like Pardew. As soon as he stunk people wanted him out. That's not unfair to say. It's human nature.

Rafa essentially called the club and offered his services. Maybe not so directly but it was that. No spark from Charnley or Ashley. And they soon held him in the same contempt as they held Hughton and anyone else with ambition and self-respect. I mean.... did Rafa essentially call Staveley or did I make that up?

Aye same criticism i've heard about Bruce. Avoids those conversations.

Totally disagree with this assessment. Pardew was deeply unpopular from day one because he got the job through being pals with a Ashley peon and he was willing to be a Ashley mouthpiece. He also took over a well-liked manager who didn't deserve the sack and someone who wasn't an Ashley stooge. So what you get is an under-appreciation of his positive spells hence "arguably punched above our weight" to finish 5th. And over-emphasis on the terrible spells. People used to act like Vurnon Anita was being treated harshly when reality was - he was shit. We signed a lot of foreign players not suited to the league or not very good like Davide Santon and thought we should challenge for Europe. The squad that McClaren relegated was the strongest squad we had for some time. Shelvey, Ayoze, Cisse, Mitrovic, Townsend, Sissoko, Gini etc. 18 months prior Pardew had the same squad minus Shelvey, Mitro, Townsend and Gini and left us midtable. McClaren was a bad manager. Ultimately it was all Fat Mike's fault. He never wanted European football unless it was CL. We didn't know his full MO at the time so many felt Pardew was holding the club back. But Pardew was doing what he was meant to do for his bosses. Finish 13th every season. Edit: Massive crime by Bruce & Rafa to not play a 4-3-3 with Sissoko - Shelvey - Gini.

Things were much worse here in Bobby last 6-8 months. He had few supporters on here. 95% of the forum are in support of Howe.

Don't think Pardew managed Schar. I've heard players talk about Bruce - mixed reviews but mostly positive. Nearly every player I've heard speak about Pardew (mostly Palace players) speaks highly of him. Both of them seem to lean on being personable and Pardew remaining personable even if the player is not in his plans. Conversely - most ex-players (mostly the scouse lot) don't speak that highly of Rafa and again - I think that's because he's not personable. So might not be worth very much at all.

You do know HBA played under Bruce right? Man management seemed to be one thing Pardew was decent at and is probably one of the main reasons he had a decent career.

There's a lack of quality in the team though. 7th and getting to the latter stages of the Europa would be a good campaign. In terms of results - Potter had a genuinely impressive 4 months last season. Otherwise he had Brighton roughly where they should be. Midtable. I thin we need a win if we are going to go on a strong run.