The College Dropout

Agreed. But we are only 3 points short of 7/8. Hardly enough to sack the manager. If people work even let Howe finish a season or at least look hopeless before wanting him gone. We’ll never have any patience.

I want them to do better. The City board improved and changed over time. Im more concerned by their moves than what happens on the pitch. Stadium, sponsors l, training ground, academy, legal battles. It’s not about liking them or wanting them replaced. Same for Howe.

Tonali signing was a marquee statement. Way too much money.

Agreed but their leadership has been better than ours for the last 2 years. Most of them have built better profiled squads and the atmosphere around their clubs are better. Brighton have so many RWs that the one on loan at Leicester would probably start for us. You have a squad. Some players won’t be maximised. Slot is doing better than Klopp with the same squad. Was Klopp doing a bad job? I don’t think Howe is getting every decision right. Didn’t understand why Tonali didn’t start. I think the deficiencies in the atmosphere and the squad is highlighting his own deficiencies. Since we’ve started shipping goals we’ve not been able to stop that or when we have, not been able to score. For loads of spells I don’t think we look a well coached team. But I don’t think Howe is the biggest problem. And if he had a balanced squad - I think he would do better. Uktimateky I think he’ll carry the can eventually and pay for it with his job. Mitchell will hope that bides him some time to get a better squad together and that we can spend more.

Agreed. He’s a good player no doubt. But he was the wrong age, position, fee, wages. Even his style of play doesn’t suit the team. Our transfer approach was a bit ‘kid in a sweets shop’ getting players that were available rather than what we needed. And getting carried away and overspending. That has some successes - Isak, Hall, Tino - we only get them due to excitement and opportunity. At least their age profile and position was a priority.

Squad cost is still 7th/8th.

Should’ve done this from day one. It’s the main reason I’m ambivalent to Howe or the season at large. Finishing 7th and qualifying for the Conference League isn’t going to be the difference between. Keeping Isak and building a deeper squad that can challenge on multiple fronts. We need to challenge for CL year in year out. Europa is ok as it’s a back door into the CL if you win it and requires a strong squad. To do that we need £150m more revenue per season as a minimum. Until I see us attempting to do that somehow - the leadership is kidding themselves

Then they are dickheads. We have the 7th/8th biggest spend on squad cost and wages. That’s where we should finish.

Unless it looks like the players stop playing for him I would give him the season. Let the leadership sort themselves out. If they don’t want Howe fine.

Their leadership has been ace. Im more concerned about our leadership than Eddie Howe (who is not doing a stellar job. Don’t think he’s doing a bad job given the circumstances). Leadership has fumbled the squad and the finances. Sometimes indulging Eddie when they shouldn’t have.

Yeh the atmosphere of the club has nosedived and the squad is stale. We are a little worse off than par. Nothing crazy imo.

This season? 7th last season was about right for us.

Owners and leadership haven’t put together a squad and atmosphere that can compete above station.

Who are our competitors? We are closer to West Ham and Crystal Palace than Arsenal/Spurs.

Come on man. We are not going to get ahead with a 60-year-old Italian manager.

I’m just shocked that the first genuine bad spell people want him gone.

What did you expect from this season given the summer and the atmosphere at the club? I think the vibe from the summer has killed all momentum for the season. All started from the shitshow in June. My biggest issues are with leadership.

That was the chime from the large majority last season. And the vast majority seem to want him gone now. Must be significant overlap.

‘Best manager ever’ to wanting him sacked before Christmas. You lot are a scary bunch.

For comparisons Spurs revenue is 2.5x ours. That gives them 2.5x the amount to invest in the squad if their owners wish. Spurs choose to be profitable or close. If their position among the elite was under threat they would invest heavily. Which they’ve started to do but have kept wages relatively low for them. Tbis is for their last CL season and doesn’t include ours. But the revenue gap between the clubs is going to be massive. The gap is massive.

The teams with significantly more ability to invest in their squads than the rest of the division. It’s almost impossible to compete long-term with them.

New CL format is brutal imo. and the minimum wage gap to Arsenal who were 6th in wages is £48m. £64m to Spurs. 170m to Man U. 210m to Liverpool. 240m to Chelsea. £260m to City. the wage bill of City and Chelsea is literally more than double ours. The gap to the genuine top 6 is gigantic. All of them bar Arsenal and Spurs should be able to handle European football with ease. I think Arsenal new wages will be much higher now but you can see why tough European away games and a few injuries did them in. The combined wages of Brentford and us is less than the big 4 clubs.

Sorry the Champ will continue to select by committee this season. It’s a game bud. I will get back to being a patient manager though. I’m ok with my attack for now - just the lack of depth. Tempted to get TAA but that will take my entire budget. Only 1FT so maybe forced to roll the following week. VVD gives me a little more budget but too close in price when TAA is a far superior asset imo. But would allow me to pad the bench out a bit more. Gomez was shit and got subbed. So not confident between who starts out of him Quansah. I swear Quansah started the season ahead of Gomez and Konate??? So I think Slot rates him high.

Forest owner talking about his ambitions and PSR. Not watched yet. edit: doesnt talk much about PSR

It’s factually the 7th/8th most expensive. Everyone seems to think our transfers have been good if unbalanced. 7/8 is about right, a little lower considering a lack of transfers maybe is ok. For me anyway. Don’t know about the owners.