The College Dropout

This won't be resolved for months imo. This thread is going to be boring. What page does Ashworth actually start working for Man U? Page 220 for me. Need Ineos guy to keep talking otherwise it will get quiet in here.

Alonso is building a resume as proven as can be expected from a manager on the up. Unproven but connected to the club is Ole, Shearer, Woodgate etc. Xabi Alonso's trajectory is Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern. Even if he wasn't connected to all 3 clubs, based on his resume and playing career - he would be in the running. I wouldn't consider it a stroke of genius - he's the obvious candidate. Also think DeZerbi's doing a better job than perhaps he's being given credit for. Sold 2 of his best players, same position in the league, still in Europe.

No other club has this setup. These expectations are unrealistic unless you think we should sell Isak. We need to sign someone that can play with Isak on the right and perhaps fill-in for him when injured (although I think Wilson and Gordon is fine back-up personally). Solanke isn't that player. Mbeumo is more of that profile. But if Isak was injured I would start Barnes - Gordon - Mbeumo for balance.

West Ham are top 20 by revenue. And above us (until perhaps recently). European football, good gates numbers, good gate prices, PL money etc.

West Ham is in the upgraded model of boat that Palace are. Barely competent owners rising with the PL tides. They had no idea what to do in the summer but managed to land good players. They only got Moyes because they had no idea who to hire.

I don't know man. Maybe i'm insane. To me £50m on a backup striker is crazy. This type of player will still cost £20-£40m like. It's down to the quality of player, their personality and a bit of luck.

Definitely at the expense of Barnes. RW was a more pressing position. Palmer is also more versatile positionally and can play uptop as a false 9 and as a 10. Barnes is a LW only. Left - Gordon, Joelinton, Willock Right - Palmer, Almiron, Murphy Upfront - Isak, Wilson, Gordon & Palmer With everyone fit our best team either has Barnes on the bench or Gordon out of position to accommodate him. Signing a RW would have given the squad more balance. This is not hindsight. This was the prevailing thought at the time for many. Apart from those who don't know ball and over-rated Almiron. If Barnes doesn't get the injury, Gordon doesn't have the same output on the RW or one of them sits on the bench. It's weird squad building.

They won the European trophy they were favourites for. They have far more resources than the teams they were competing against. West Ham are like the 20th richest club in the world and comfortably in the top 8 or 9 in England. They are doing well... but not that well when you look at everything.

Ok i'll say it. Cole Palmer and Mo Kudus were available in the summer for £40m odd. If we wanted them we had a good chance of landing them. I'd like us to try and find the next Pedro Neto or Raphinha or Kudus or Palmer. Under-the-radar type signings. The Pedro Neto one to Wolves kind of smells fishy when you look at it now though but whatever.

It’s dour football and they were awful in the league last season.

Don't make me say their names again lad...

I think so - but he was only 21. Odegaard left Madrid at 22 under similar circumstances. Again, another massive wonderkid. The heights he has hit are not surprising and perhaps a little beneath the expectations he had as a youth maybe?? Still time. The Rooney's and Mbappe's and co. hide that it takes many top players until 23 or 24 to really kick-on. Same thing might be happening with that Kubo lad. He's kicked on at 23/24ish and fulfilling that potential. All that coming off the bench and loan shit doesn't work for every player. Fulham youth like Carvalho & Sessegnon have fallen foul of that. Better off staying at Fulham or going to a midtable club. That big jump often doesn't come off.

Both players very highly regarded as youth players and expensive - wonderkids. Solanke was signed a couple years too early at the time. Ake in particular was a coup for Bournemouth at the time. Solanke was dominant for England at youth level - was highly regarded at Chelsea and Liverpool hence the big fee.

Absolute non-starter.

I agree fully. Liverpool in their prime did play with a natural 10 in Firmino as a false 9. And then they put in more technical/progressive passing midfielders in Thiago and now MacAllister. We are missing that type of guile and finesse. We are definitely one player short there. Our style is a big reason why we can be hit on the break. It requires a lot of numbers going forward (over loads). City on the other hand start with at least 2 playmakers. Sometimes 3 or 4 (Grealish, KDB, Foden, Bilva) and still press.

The striker in Eddie's system doesn't do any creating tbf. The stats and expected stats are historically poor for both our strikers. For a team of few creators, we do create and score a lot of goals.

There's lots of ingredients involved in getting young players and turning them into superstar first-teamers. Chelsea and City have magnificent academies and mostly sell their top talents. Real have the cream of the crop and still sell most of their prospects by 24. Fantastic revenue engines for all the clubs. But clubs like ourselves are better positioned to develop young talents as we will play them

I agree. But i'm learning that Howe likes what he likes. I want that type of player but I don't expect it. We were linked with a lad from Frosinone - reminded me of Almiron but with ability which would be excellent.

Mbappe leaving is for the best for PSG. If they just focussed on getting the best young French players that are hungry. They will be great. The superstar thing is to their detriment. Honestly, leave the superstars and big names alone largely. That's for Real Madrid, it somehow works for them. It doesn't work for PSG.

They had a policy of renewing vastly inflated contracts to avoid players leaving for free. I think that is what happened with Martial.

Not enough detail. Was Isak in full training or just a part? Still think there's no chance we sign Solanke. We need a RW & a LB that Howe will actually play.

There are 6 of them with similar resources and stature in Europe. They've been a shambles for a decade and still have excellent prospects coming through or signing them at a young age. Their biggest issue in that age bracket is domestic. Chelsea and City pick them up from even younger and London is a youth football super city which favours the local clubs.

I don't worry for Howe from the likes of Tuchel. We would still follow the Brentford, Brighton, Liverpool, RB, Leverkusen, Dortmund type model of buying young players with potential (Gordon, Livra)) and under-the-radar players (Pope). That's the overall profile. The specifics (technical vs physical for example) might change aye but not the wider profile. Howe fits the general profile while a "super club manager" like Tuchel hasn't had that type of role for some time and would probably want closer to the finished article. We'll be looking for the next Alonso, DeZerbi etc. types. Young with something to prove.

What's the etc.? There are few clubs with a big a pull as Man Utd at any recruitment level. They pay tremendously well too - probably more than Arsenal and Liverpool which will have a big influence.

Not true.