TRon

We don't actually know that though. Could be Fernandez himself has been crying off for a lot of games. It's all speculation at this point one way or the other.

This. He's playing the right way, just look at all the successful teams these days. But short term he should be prepared to do whatever it takes to keep us up, even if that means parking the bus in the odd game.

He should have shown more flexibility IMO, and yes results do matter, but long term I think he would be more of an answer than someone like Rafa or Mourinho. Tbh, I'm getting fed up with this harking back to Rafa, he's shown nothing since he left here, he flopped in China, now he's made an even bigger mess at Everton. I really don't want to rag on the bloke, but it's disrespectful to Howe to be talking about him after 11 games.

I still think he'll turn it around fwiw. He deserves the chance to show what he can do with players he brings in to play his own way.

Agree. I like him immensely, but you have to make the best of what you've got. I know this squad has serious failings, but I think shoe-horning players into his preferred formations rather than picking one that suits the players he's got has backfired. Let's see what he can do when he brings in players to do his own style, he's still got 18 games left. It's stay up or bust basically.

It's clear he wants to go to a London club, West Ham or A.N.Other, but seems like he'd be happy enough to come here until the summer when he could move wherever he likes. Once here, I think he'd put in 100% for sure, never seen him as the lazy type, just not quite been good enough to challenge Chelsea, City or Liverpool class strikers. Yes we are getting our eyes pulled out, but he probably would be the type of player who would make a difference. Who gives a shit if he won't be here after the summer? If we stay up we'd probably be looking to buy better anyway.

Still don't understand the Tarkowski link, he doesn't look particularly quick, and he's no spring chicken, so not sure he's going to provide much different to what we've already got. Agree, he might be a bit better, but enough to make a difference? can't see it. We'll just end up with another depreciating asset we've taken from Burnley for big money.

I'm getting the feeling we might end up going with secondary targets, seems like we are being asked for king's ransoms for our primary ones, with relegation clauses or ridiculous loan fees for the likes of Lingard. I'm ok with that tbh, I think we need players who are in 100% come what may.

Not really bothered about a permanent deal tbh, only need him for this season.

Yeah, nothing to offer other than boatloads of cash. Can see why they wouldn't be interested at all.

Which is why you would have thought we were favourites for a loan, who else would want to pay a stupidly high loan fee?

As long as it's to us.

I doubt it tbh.

No one else will do that deal, it's like Freddie blowing everyone else out of the water when we signed Owen. They will all be waiting for the contract to run down in 6 months then picking him up for free.

The whole way they've handled it has been weird, they don't want to sell, but they put out conditions and a price which they would sell at - including buying a replacement for a player they aren't selling. Carlos himself has put in a transfer request, and there's clearly negotiations still going on. I think thats's just how they do things over there, probably a part of hardball negotiation tactics.

No one else would, that's why it makes absolute sense to go for it.

Not sure he was an improvement mind, but yeah that was terrible mis-management.

Really? I think it makes us favourites to sign him tbh. It doesn't sound like a Spurs deal at all at that price and with him almost 29. If he was going to stay they'd just tell us to do one and stop negotiations dead.

No one else can do the deal we can with Lingard, the clubs that can probably would look for a higher calibre of player anyway. It all depends if he really wants to come.

And here we go.... Can't take anything for granted obviously, but there's clearly a lot of horse trading going on here behind the scenes.

But how do you know we won't get the players? It seems like we are still in discussions with Sevilla over Carlos behind the scenes. They could have just told us to fuck off and don't come back, instead they are saying "this is how much we want, otherwise no sale". I'd agree though, there comes a point where we have to either cough up or move on. They will need time to get a replacement in as well so the longer we leave it, less chance of it happening.

In any case, Dubravka is good enough for this season as far as I'm concerned. Honestly GK is the last position I'm worried about right now. Even Darlow as a no 2 I can live with for now presuming he's fit.

I'm still not believing there's another PL club taking us on for Carlos's signature tbh. Short term they might win a small battle, but they would have to know we'd be looking to get even at some point in the future. And by even, I mean shafting them good and proper in future transfer auctions.

Yeah, I don't want to go down like, at any cost. I expect us to throw everything at the window over the next week up until deadline day to make sure we don't. It might feel like we are dragging our heels, but I still think we'll push the deals through if push comes to shove.