TRon

It's hard for me to comment really because I wasn't able to watch the Brighton game, was only able to keep up with it via checking the score every so often, but we supposedly missed chance after chance, then they scored. Once that happened I sort of knew we weren't going to win. The West Ham game, again couldn't watch the first half due to other commitments, but we were 1-0 down when I tuned in second half. Never felt like we were going to get a win, and we conceded again. To me they looked pretty much in control and we were just throwing stuff at them in desperation. For all the loads of chances we supposedly had, their keeper barely had to make a save. There's days when you don't score and every team has them. But combined with giving away soft goals most games this season, it doesn't inspire confidence.

Tbf describing him as a shite signing isn't quite the same as saying he's a shite player. He's clearly a quality footballer, the question mark is whether he fits into firstly, a Howe line up, and secondly, the Premier League in general. I think he can definitely look good in the PL, but not sure whether he fits into Eddie's preferred formation. Even Eddie himself doesn't seem sure how to use him.

I don't think the problem is the finishing, yes we've missed a few recently but Isak is a very good finisher for the most part. I think we are struggling to create clear chances because the supply's not great from out wide. The left wingers are good at cutting in, but when that's blocked their delivery from wide is patchy. There is no right wing. There's no one other than Isak arriving in the box so the defenders all mark him.

Even that puts too much onus on a full back for attacking options down the right. Then when Tripps gets caught up the pitch he gets slaughtered for goals conceded on his side. Also think we need more goals from the midfield. Longstaff chipped in with a few but it's not consistent, and Bruno is playing as a 6 so not going to get in those positions as much.

There's some teams who seem to recognise our flaws and set up from the off to neutralise our threat...which isn't that much considering it's mostly down the left side and finding Isak. Stop Gordon/Barnes from cutting in, mark Isak out of the game and that's the defensive side wrapped up. Then if you get the ball you know there will be big gaps you can exploit on the counter.

Just fucking mental.

I think we put too much faith in scoring goals by pushing aggressively. It looks great, but our goal scoring record this season doesn't suggest it's particularly effective. You can blame shit finishing, but after enough games, you just wonder if there is actually finishing ability in enough players to warrant such optimism.

Ultimately this is what staff at the club responsible for squad building will be held accountable for though, whether that's Staveley, Howe or Mitchell.

I'd be surprised if it's settled even then tbh. They can just keep rewriting the rules and kick off a new case which will take 2 years. Worth every £multi-million of the cartel cashpot.

Glad he's got a job, he seems like a decent sort. Don't think a former Man U legend is necessarily the right fit for a low profile PL club though.

They only sold for absolutely crazy money mind. I think we'll sell as well if we receive those sort of offers, just not convinced we will. Teams are being a lot more cagey throwing money around now. Other than Chelsea.

It is harsh to judge on last season like, despite all the issues with injuries and gaping holes in the squad, we were a whisker from qualifying for Europe. Obviously it was a disappointment following the success of the season before, but kind of predictable. But I do agree we aren't playing anywhere near as good football as we were a couple of years ago which is odd considering the money we've spent. I think Howe will be judged on this season, and we need Europe. Still well within our grasp, but he needs to get the shape of the team sorted. It's not working for too many games this season.

Tbf it could also stand for Financial Foul Play which would still work.

We should give Barnes a start, he should be champing at the bit to get his turn. Then it's up to him to take it this time, I don't think he's impressed when he's been given one previously. Gordon will be better for a rest and the realisation that his place isn't guaranteed. It depends on performance week in week out.

I would imagine they've replaced Olise with someone along the same type, i.e., fast and powerful. Hopefully a shit finisher. Not great Eze will be back, he'll probably have a field day. We really should be winning this though.

Yes it can be done...but you can't hang your hat on it. The only advantage you can have over any other clubs in that regard is hiring the best people to recruit young talent. I suppose we could pay more for a DOF than Spurs, Chelsea or Villa would. But realistically they will all want to follow the same model so I guess it comes down to who is the most attractive. We couldn't hold Man U off when it came to keeping Ashworth. Was that just a one off because of previous relations, or do the established super clubs already have a built in advantage?

That's more long term, I was thinking immediate future, i.e., this season and next.

Finishing 5th would be overachieving if we look at it soberly. I think it's been mentioned a few times that our wage bill and team value is probably closer to around 7th which would have us (maybe) just missing out on Europe like last time round.

Agree. I haven't seen Palace since they sold Elise, but they seem the type of team that always has the sort of pacy runners that love the gaps we leave between the defence and midfield. Hopefully their latest versions will be the type to miss every chance that comes their way and we can take ours this time.

The cartel clubs will all be doing exactly the same thing but with a bigger treasury to hire the best in all fields. Realistically we would be around 6th/7th in the resources department when it comes to reaching our potential and ambition?

Problem is, the game is stacked against us. The only way to keep genuine world class players is to become a world class team. We are prevented from doing this by rules specifically designed to stop us building one. The only way to get on the ladder is....to sell our world class players.

Looking at the team yesterday and the subs, I was thinking to myself, that is one hell of a strong bench. Not many teams could boast Tonali, Barnes, Wilson and Almiron on theirs, that's for sure. You could write it off as a bad day, but we've had far too many already this season. There's still time to turn it around with everyone beating everyone, but we can't afford to be losing to too many shit teams second half of the season. The teams that qualify for Europe will be the ones who can figure out a consistent and effective style of play.

This is the conumdrum though. If we aren't a high scoring side, then the logical thing would be to make sure we don't concede goals easily. But the high press all action style we play is geared towards scoring goals not preventing them.

Seems the obvious choice since he did really well there in the cup win over Chelsea.

Longstaff has all the running and tackling skills required for a DM, but none of the skill. He wouldn't be able to resist the press effectively, he'd lose the ball, and he'd not be able to orchestrate from the back either. Ditto Joelinton more or less.