STM

Might have to have a look on YT. Would certainly like to see him get a pre season in... and some training time under Howe.

Isak, Tonali, Botman, Bruno, Pope? I'm not being pedantic but aren't you just using the tired "every player has their price", mantra? Which of course is true. Someone sticks 150m on Isak, he's gone. Also hasn't our FFP threshold changed this summer, haven't we regained our wriggle room for spending on the 3 year basis (I'm not an expert at FFP )? My point on Longstaff was that far too many unlikely things would have to happen for him to leave. Longstaff would have to want to leave. We'd have to receive a bid of probably 25m+ to consider (not my valuation but I suspect Howe wouldn't let him go for less) Howe would have to be on board from a principle point of view, I.e letting a local player leave

Really interesting point of view because I'm the opposite. I've been convinced that he will never play a meaningful game for the club (he might get some pre season outings). Also, I feel the Dutch league is a terrible gauge for a players ability. In order for him to be a success in the PL, he'd have to be amazing in the Dutch league. That said, I've not kept up to date on his performances and potential can play a big part (look at Kanes loan moves). If he stays with us, he will be a 3rd choice RW at best. He'd be much better suited to another loan move IMO. I'd love to see him get a PL loan move or even an good Championship loan (Burnley next year). That would be a better gauge for where he's at. Again, I might be wrong and I hope he's class.

Said this yesterday. Longstaff won't be going anywhere and I'm not overly bothered. We can and have won plenty of games with Longstaff in midfield and when he's at his best he's a really good PL player but also we all know that there are limitations that should find him down the pecking order. IMO theres a reason Burn, Longstaff, Murphy will be around for quite a while (to varying degrees), they are players who love the club and keep something of an identity in the dressing room. Anderson is a puzzler to me. I don't know if Howe sees him in a similar vein or whether he'd be tempted to cash in. Part of that is because I'm unsure of Andersons long term potential myself. Wilson, Miggy, Targett, Lascelles, will all be seen as expendable for the right price.

There has to be a young goalkeeper with real potential knocking around Europe. Won't even cost alot either, if we do the job right. If we get into Europa/conference we can offer them plenty of games. Dubravka burned his bridges with his Man Utd stuff, IMO. Time to move on.

I actually agree. However, I'd like the option of a traditional number 6. Even if its for specific games or moments. How that would work in terms of ins and outs, I'm not sure. I suspect Howe might be grooming Miley for that eventual role but that's just a guess.

I don't think Gillespie will, he's like the nuclear button option for GK. I suspect Dummett might just hang around the U-Bend depending on numbers. Dubravka will be 100% gone IMO. The defenders don't trust him and he's making noises. Miggy and Wilson I reckon will go. Lascelles 50/50. That's how I see it anyway.

I can't stress this enough.... because it seems some are hopeful of it happening.... we won't be selling Longstaff under virtually any scenario. If you believe that Longstaff will be sold, you possibly haven't been paying attention to what Howe is trying to do. He's part of the furniture man. ? In all seriousness, I'm fine with Longstaff staying, provided we have (at least) 3 players ahead of him the pecking order.

The more advanced role might help him mind.

Was just about to say this. We might get Willock back for Blackburn too and we won't beat Arsenal with Bruno anyway.

Bruno is a much better technical player than what Speed was.... but is that what football is all about now? There's more to the game than that. I do think Bruno is the better player but let's put a bit of respect to Speeds name. This current NUFC side would benefit from having him in our midfield. We certainly wouldn't be so soft and open. Speed was also excellent technically, used to take the odd free kick and penalty (scored one against Newcastle for Everton) but he was much more than that. He was an absolute leader in the middle and about one of best players you could have in your dressing room. Remember when he came back for Shearers testimonial, a Bolton player at the time, was like 34 but still better than any of our CMs at the time. A real class act. Fondly, fondly remembered.

Toney is in the final year of his contract and Brentford have basically admitted they are selling him. He won't be coming here though. Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal 100%.

Both Schar and Botman had a go at Dubravka for not coming out of his goal... spotted on the match cam.

30/40m for Big Joe? I don't care if he's in the last year of his contract...that would be a crime. I'd genuinely rather keep him for a year than see us let him go THAT cheap.

Momentum is the thing.Villa are sliding. Man Utd are climbing and we are one more win from possibly finding similar momentum. However, as much as its nice to look at the possibilities.... we really just have to do our own job. I'm convinced Villa won't finish top 4 now. Which further solidifies what a superb job we did last year.

Villa look more open than us here.

All I'm saying is that I leave terms like "failings" for Tory governments, not for 9/10 managers who've brought us more success than anyone in 20 years. But you do you.

Good post. If next season (we have half the injuries) and we are playing similar, then absolutely it's a different discussion. I just can't see it though. I think we'd have to really cock up our transfer window in the summer.

I agree, with the slight caveat that we need at least one of our main strikers to have a good fitness record. Therefore, Wilson out and someone in. We should also be looking for wingers of such a standard that could at least fill in up front, like Gordon.

You see even this is OTT. His "failings" man. I don't know if I'm reading it wrong or it's just me but "failings" is just a word I wouldn't use. If I talked about Peps "failings" I'd rightly get laughed at but I could easily point to more than one moment where his decisions cost his side a trophy. On the Saudi point. In a scenario where they sacked Howe, THEY would be wrong, not Howe. Then we could talk about their "failings".

And just to add to the above... I was absolutely foaming about the Luton display last week, so much so that I couldn't even watch the highlights back. Sometimes you (me) just need to take a step back and see where we are and how far we've come. The idea of us playing in the Europa conference with an even better (injury free) squad next year, sounds a hell of a lot of fun IMO. Let that be our target.

For example... Would you theoretically want Mikel Arteta here (I know it wouldn't happen)? Go and have a look at his first couple of seasons at Arsenal? They were so inconsistent (Arteta out anyone?), now he's got them comfortably in the top 4 and (kind of) in the titles races. Again, not convinced at all about Arteta as a manager. He's good sure, is he better than Howe? Put it this way, I think Howe would have done better than Arteta at Arsenal (on that budget) and Arteta certainly couldn't have done what Howe has done here. He's also an absolute weapon.... I don't want to go back to disliking my managers. I don't want an argument about Arteta as a manager, he's done a good job for Arsenal and won the FA Cup, this is more an overriding point about being carefully about what kind of person and problems could be around the corner. Howes an absolute top bloke, a phenomenal coach and we've had a testing year, which alot of people predicted.

This is my big gripe. I've said I don't agree with Howe on Burn. It's a fair cop. Howes got/getting this one wrong. But the "well we don't know how the Saudis will react to us not being in the top 4", crap which does my head in. You can practically see the fingers being crossed that the Saudis might do something ridiculous like sack Howe and hire Mourinho. The idea of Howe not being here terrifies me. There's only a handful of managers in world football who I think are significant upgrades on Howe and those are in the Ancelotti, Pep, Klopp bracket. Fuck me, I'm convinced we have a better manager than the current Bayern Munich manager. We should tread very carefully.

Estupinian is a player who i could see us interested in. It's shame that the selling club is Brighton.

Ultimately, we will have to be super flexible in terms of outgoings. For players who haven't contributed or are now starting to cause a problem through fitness, we need to listen to any offer. The knock on effect means that we will also have to replace them, where possible. Targett is a player who will have suitors and is a player we probably have to sell. He's had two years of not playing for us. Hall, remains a mystery what's going on but again, he can't sit on the bench another year. So either we take what we can get for him... or find a suitable loan. He might have a break out summer and put himself into Eddie's plans, but he won't start. Burn, well I think we are all agreed. He can't be first choice next year. Then there's Tino. If we make any form of Europe, he will get 25+ games in either full back position, so game time isn't a worry. If we get an injury to Trippier, we need Tino... therefore a problem has returned at left back again. A Trippier injury could see: Tino Schar Botman Burn Back very quickly. I've tried my best to put the case forward for a quality left back. It's over to the jury....