The College Dropout

This is true. I do know that keeping on knackered players has led to last-minute capitulations, a tired and injured squad that loses many more subsequent games though. So perhaps we should try and avoid that situation??

I don't think this is true and this is from a major Almiron critic. These are all unconfirmed assumptions. There's nowt to suggest Howe really fancies Hall. There could be a number of reasons why Hall isn't fancied - we can't draw any conclusions. I've seen enough of Howe to know he likes what he likes and he'll ride it until the wheels fall off and not a moments before. If Isak can barely move and there's nobody he fancies at all on the bench, Isak stays. That energy/running about? Keep it.

The outcome doesn't matter too much. Klopp used youngsters not proven in a cup final. Howe is hesitant to bring on more proven youngsters (Livra & Hall) in games of less importance. There's a difference in attitudes there. Klopp prioritised energy over experience and ability. That's now Howe's style.

Saw some of the Real vs Sevilla game. Real are king shithouses but Ramos was the best to ever do it. He was bang at it - trying his best to referee the game for the ref. It almost worked. That's one thing we are better with when Jamaal is around. Physically dominant. Always in the ear of the ref. But manages to seem reasonable enough.

Shithousing is a mindset and we've lost it. IMO are identity should be along with lines of intensity (as it is), but real physical dominance. We run harder than other teams, we are aggressive, we are nasty, niggly. We've lost that almost entirely with Joelinton out. We need to get that attitude back. Saying that - it's hard to have that attitude when you can't compete physically. Our best games have had that attitude and that's because we've competed and won physically. On the weekend, Arsenal looked too quick, too strong for us all over the pitch. You can't shithouse if you can't compete. Same happens to Atleti when they are just off it.

Kroos, Alaba, Davies... Madrid keep taking Bayern talent for free.

It's also hard to tell because of the lack of quality in the squad and youths. I think Anderson was only kept around last season because we didn't have any CM cover. He didn't get enough minutes for his development IMO and would've had even less minutes had Shelvey been fit. It will be interesting to see what we do with him, Miley and Feyenoord lad next season - assuming we fill out the squad. Which I'm not hopeful for.

I don't think PSG was negative. There were just no changes when we needed changes. The game wasn't too dissimilar to the Liverpool away game. Except Liverpool scored more goals. We look like a team trying to defend - that doesn't know how to defend. Not the actual defenders - they did a decent job in both games but the entire defensive setup out of possession. What's become obvious is that we can't play our game without the Joe's at all. Tonali was meant to help with that and we know how that went.

Most starts due to injuries. Most sub appearances with less than 20 minutes to go (non-verified).

True. But there's a long way to go. I think the narrative on FFP is only beginning to shift slightly because it's impacting Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea to a lesser extent. If Man U were run like Liverpool - the public discourse would be one-sided. I also think Villa & Newcastle and offers suffer because we don't have public mouthpieces. Gary Neville and to a lesser extent Jamie Carragher shape a lot of the footballing discourse in this country. Alan Shearer has the platform but doesn't have the nous or communication skills to have a detailed view on the topic and problems and to shape them as an issue of the game at large. I listen to Shearer's pod with Lineker - it's good fun but Shearer doesn't come across as well-versed in this realm at all. I would like to hear Shay talk more at length about FFP. I like Purslow coming out. We need mouthpieces. I'm a Madrid fan. I like how Perez throws his weight and influence around. I don't agree with a lot of his points but I like how he's pursuing them. His efforts have made the CL take steps towards his own ideals as it is. We want to be nice guys. Everybody hates us. We need to fight fire with fire until our opposition is willing to play fair(er).

We've seen Howe reluctant to use Livra & Hall who have better reputations than those Liverpool lads. Livra actually proven at this level. Again, bad faith argument.

Not at all. Which is why I think the best thing to do is to legally challenge the whole thing and try and change public perception. "The right way" will never be implemented as-is. But for now, we can stop them from holding us and the likes back in the courts. Once that happens, what will be in their favour is something closer to "the right way". ATM we have rules that make clubs financial competitive advantage near unassailable. That has to be removed first and should be our primary goal. Once that is removed we need rules to encourage continuous competition. Problem is nobody cares. We've had 2 PL winners in 6 years with 1 club winning 5. Nobody in power cares. It's all about cartels around Europe.

It's a bad-faith argument that's best to ignore. There have been several games Isak is barely moving for 30 minutes. Literally anyone that can run would've done a better job. I get the argument that he's left on incase he comes up with a bit of magic. But after the 3rd time he's offered nowt in those circumstances you would hope lessons have been learned. And I do think perhaps lessons are being learned. Howe is taking Isak off earlier when he tires for example.

I don't think we were unlucky against Dortmund at all. Well beaten in both games. Truthfully, I don't think we played well in the CL on the balance of play. Obviously game state changes how the games pan out. No issue with the Dortmund or PSG H performances. We tried to play our game and we came up short on quality and high on naivety. I'm not mad though - we were the weakest team on paper in that group and we deservedly finished last based on performance. But out on that pitch we were cheated.

Second half Milan it was backs-to-the-wall stuff. Along with an exhausted Isak playing way too long. That's been a theme this season in several games. IMO we were lucky to get that point. We've kept performing like that (and worse) and have reaped our deserved lack of points. As you say, injuries and fatigue have also played a factor but as Big Jow points out - it was happening before both of those really hit. Overall I agree with most of your points.

He's going to be huge this season. If he can stay fit and perform well - it will change the trajectory of our season.

Net spend also favours mega clubs. Our net spend over the last 2.5 years is among the highest in Europe (top 3 perhaps). You can't close the gap on elite clubs by having the same amount of losses as them. I'm not as pessimistic as some regarding our potential if the rules remain. My issue is the rules keep getting tighter and we don't exploit loopholes. We need to push back on the whole thing as a result. We need to change the public narrative to allow ambitious owners to invest. Someone proposed that teams that finish highest should have tighter controls than teams that finish lower in the league to increase competition. I think that approach is great + tougher safe guards to ensure owners can handle any losses clubs make and if they can't - prevent them from spending.

Aye - TAA & Salah recently got reinjured soon after returns from injury. No point going back and forth with Hans. I've had the same discussions with him at the time. I agree with what you're saying. We've had several games (or at least halves) that mirror the Arsenal game. It's just that at Arsenal we conceded early and lost confidence/composure. The Milan game you're referring too.. maybe the first half was better. But the second half it was wave and wave of Milan pressure. PSG away second half... waves of opposition pressure, Chelsea in the league cup waves of opposition pressure... Wolves away until Neto got injured second half - waves of opposition pressure. Howe doesn't do anything about it unless the opposition score. Especially earlier in the season we tried a more controlled press that simply doesn't work. I agree with your assessment of Howe's approach to away games / player fitness in the main.

I agree with a lot of what you've said but I disagree with this part. Again with the Klopp comparison - I think he's more feast or famine type of manager. Even at Bournemouth - he wasn't involved in any serious relegation scrap before relegation - they had 1 bad year and got relegated. Before that, they never finished closer than 5 points to 18th and that was in their 1st season and they ended the season in horrible form (1 point in the last 5 games) so they were likely on the beach mentally. So I have this theory that with Howe - it either works well then suddenly crashes if it doesn't work well. These are his points from Bournemouth in the PL: 42, 46, 49, 34 It worked really well - better actually - then the arse completely fell out. I think injuries were a big problem that season too. So I think he can implement a way he wants his teams to play. And it generally works brilliantly. But when it doesn't work and he can't play that way efficiently - he doesn't have any other answers. He's having that season now. If we strengthen in the summer and avoid major injuries next year either, without Europe or a lower intensity Euro comp - I'm confident we'll fight for the CL again. It might be required from a FFP perspective. But I don't think the squad needs tearing up and rebuilding like many do. But I think Howe needs to change his approach to rotation and injury recovery if he's to be our manager in the CL year in year out.

They don't look as good as before though. I wouldn't call them solid. Their Xga is a long way short of Arsenal and City. But they have the best GK in the league which narrows the gap (and an excellent understudy).

Agree. I also think that shouldn’t be a race where only the crazy rich owners or clubs can compete. But that horse has long bolted.

No. That's my point. "There’s no will for that at the elite level though. "

Agreed. I think once you get to the top you should have financial limitations to ensure competition is alive. There’s no will for that at the elite level though.

We also need to stop wealthy owners turning leagues into a monopoly. We should also break up current monopolies. FFP only benefits the established monopoly. We need to actively try and turn public opinion against FFP.

Chelsea missed a shit ton today. We should've punished them when they keep missing against us. It was PSG levels of bad in front of goal. Actually worse. PSG kept creating.