TRon

Thank fuck for that.

The sooner we get our heads around this the better.

That's why I think he'd be a bad fit for a team like City. But he still brings a lot to the table at our stage of development, would rather keep him if he's willing to stay. If not then we just need to get full value from the buying club.

I think he'd take a move if we got the right deal, but I don't think he'd force one like Isak did. He just doesn't seem the type.

He's got a contract for at least 3 more years.

Don't think it's as nailed on as many think. We'll only sell if we get the right price I reckon, and I'm not sure the cartel clubs will meet it.

Defintely. We've got a big enough squad now, it will be a good chance to let the squad players get some game time.

If Howe didn't want him, he wouldn't be here. The club mantra is to buy young players who are not depreciating assets. Howe has the final say on transfer targets, there is no way he would accept a player he didn't approve of. Especially in a summer there was no DOF above him and he was in charge of incomings.

The only way to gain power in the world of football is to buy the best players and win trophies. We have wealthy owners, but they are prevented from building a winning team by the cartel clubs and the rules designed to stop us spending it.

Pretty much all of them surely?

Clubs don't run like that any more. If it was up to a head coach, they would prefer experience over youth in many positions, but that leads to a devaluing squad. If you aren't one of the cartel clubs, you need a coach who can work with promising young players, and be prepared for his own best players being sold from under him. That is just how football is designed these days.

Much cooler and a smoother finish at the same time.

Honestly find it difficult to feel too excited about any rumours at this stage. Last summer's transfer window really did a number on me, but hopefully by the time June rolls around the mojo will be back. I am absolutely on board with signing talented teenagers, but I don't see Eddie throwing them into the ring in a hurry. Assuming he's still here obviously.

Tbf, I backed overpaying for Wissa because I thought it was worth it to get a ready made replacement. But if he's fit (according to Howe) we've clearly got something badly wrong in our research on his suitability for our club. Woltemade just looks a bad fit, and with Elanga, it's the club that's a bad fit IMO.

Both should take the blame. PIF and Reubens for letting it drift for so long with Eales and Mitchell when they were already clearly on their way out. The people who stepped up for signing players who were not scouted thoroughly, overpriced, or not suited to our style of play. That surprised me tbh, because Howe has always been reluctant to sign players he thinks won't fit his ethos.

Love having Adidas as our sponsor tbh. Long may it continue.

Howe is not going to be hounded out by numpties on NO. If he ever does get hounded out, it will be by fans booing turning against him at St James which is still a long way off. They might boo a bad performance, but most are still very much behind him.

I think expecting our players to perform at CL level is too much, and I also think describing them as turds is probably too harsh. We've had a hard season, but we can still finish top 6/7 which would be about right by my reckoning.

I didn't say pressing was key, that is our supposed preferred method. I never agreed with starting Woltemade in midfield either.

Disagree on that. Woltemade and Wissa have been dropped precisely because they don't press. I thought it was noticeable in our win against Chelsea we played a more patient game and I commented on it then. I have really enjoyed our high press style over the last couple of years, but I don't think it is suitable for a European campaign.

The squad does lack a bit of quality, but I think the style of play has exacerbated problems. Intensity is our identity doesn't really work over a season where you are playing two games a week. Maybe it does if you can rotate two sets of players every other game, but I don't think there is any squad that can get away with doing that. Anyway it's a moot point. We have the squad that we have. It's about finding a style that works with those players over a season.

These are the same clubs who have been trying for decades to break away and form their own super league so while it's fascinating, it's also entirely predictable. At least now the bullshit about protecting clubs from themselves isn't being peddled so shamelessly any more.

So do I. The derby match was the bottom of the barrel, the players will be itching to put that right.

Also playing a style of football which is more sustainable over a long campaign. We beefed up our squad considerably to deal with playing twice a week, but still ended up with players blowing out their arses. The PL is just too unforgiving these days to play at full intensity twice a week. At least on our budget it is.

I sometimes think that would have been a more logical career path tbh.