KaKa

5 hours ago, ponsaelius said:

Said it at the time but I honestly feel we'll look back on last season (+ PSG at home as a kind of epilogue) as the apogee of this entire ownership era. Such amazing momentum and positive feeling around the club, a manager squeezing everything out of his resources, squad full of likeable hardworking players and local lads punching well above their weight. Home and away atmospheres were both consistently fun. Basically a perfect storm before everything changes forever.

 

It's already gone very sour with the raised expectations this year and changing fan dynamics. Fans actively turning on the manager who led success, the same players who punched well above their weight last year being absolutely slaughtered now. The ticketing situation has also been a clear sign of what's to come. I don't even completely disagree with a lot of what's been said, I'm liable to it myself, but it's just more than a bit sad tbh. 

 

The club is going to get there eventually and be the successful club people want it to be, but with FFP its going to be a really long slog and by the end of it things will be unrecognisable. There's going to be raised ticket prices, fundamental changes to the matchday experience, sacrificial sales of key players, years more of imperfect players in the lineup and also many more painful transitional results like today. I do think all need to take a step back at times and come to terms with this reality. I've found the entire atmosphere surrounding this season a bit miserable tbh and found myself pulling away because of it 

With the way FFP has been setup this was always going to be a project. And the owners told us this. But still a different narrative exists about so called expectations.

I think we have the ideal manager for a project too. One that will be committed to seeing it through and who works tirelessly to be the best he can, and who gets the best out of the players he has at his disposal, even those that aren't that great.

It's astonishing the reaction to the rough patch we've had this season, and I too have found it particularly terrible and disappointing.

People just can't seem to understand that this is not going to be some Man City or Chelsea like turn around due to the blocks FFP have put in place. They refuse to accept reality.

A major part of us even having done as well as we have so far was transforming the dross and under performers we had at the club. That was down to Howe.

Let's see the 'elite' manager that is going to come along and do the same with the likes of Almiron, Longstaff, Murphy, Willock, Joelinton etc, as there will be no money for a major rebuild.

I cannot wait.

6 minutes ago, Kanji said:

Fuck off. Stop calling for change any minute we do not do well always. Maybe Arsenal should have sacked Arteta for missing champions league?

Think that one went over your head pal.

5 hours ago, Yorkie said:

I still don't really see any fundamental flaws in his managerial ability that warrants him any serious flak. No compelling evidence whatsoever to suggest we haven't got one of the best managers in the league, who we'd do incredibly well to improve upon. 

 

Results have been very mixed recently but I just can't look beyond the duff hand he's had with squad availability, with all the direct and indirect impacts that's had. From the massive direct impacts of the drop-off in goalkeeper quality, to the indirect impact of confidence being lost.

 

I think it's fair to conclude that there's a method in existence which results in a better return than 19 goals conceded in seven games, but I can't believe that last season's GC column was a fluke - or even the spell in Autumn when were conceding 0.5 per game. 

Stop talking so much sense, boot licker!

7 hours ago, Menace said:

Getting tired of people calling fellow fans entitled for witnessing shite.

 

That performance was horrific. The midfield was just getting ran through and our players immediately looked lethargic from the start of the game.

 

Any criticism of Howe and it's automatically "entitled Saudi regime fans" or "Eddie deserves better" it's fucking boring man.

 

 

 

I hope they sack him tomorrow.

Let's see what genius manager will come in and have the current available players playing any better and beating everyone.

Can't wait.

20 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Why ? I wouldn’t let other fans opinions affect your enjoyment. 

He's a top man, and in my opinion a top managerial prospect. I want better for him. The delusion of the fans under this Saudi ownership is going to be toxic going forward. He deserves better.

3 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

I wish Longstaff would turn up this season because he's been an embarrassment for a while. He's older than Bruno yet he looks like he's the 17 year old kid at the minute.

Feels like we're playing with ten men with him at the minute. It's ridiculous.

3 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

I just hope that if Howe does turn it around, some of you grow a pair and admit that you may have continually overreacted during every rough patch.  
 

if he doesn’t last, he doesn’t last. But once again, he deserves a little latitude for what he has done for us up until now.

Almost at the point I actually want him to leave and predictably go on to do brilliantly elsewhere.

2 minutes ago, Rafalove said:

 

 

Except we were quite capable of holding on to the ball, before we got the injuries.

Apparently none of that ever happened. We've been getting battered every week and are set to be relegated.

2 minutes ago, UncleBingo said:

I agree with this.

 

The midfield is clearly the issue, but I genuinely don't see how he does anything with the players available atm. We literally don't have a single player who can tackle, and zero pace in there. Hopefully Willock can get up to speed and stay fit.

 

 

It's the most obvious thing in the world but apparently some people just can't see it.

It was all Burn's fault before and now he didn't play, it's because 5 at the back was the obvious solution.

3 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

Because we're trying to nurse half of our squad back to full fitness 

 

Playing with intensity (which we need to do both offensively and defensively) takes a lot of work, and is inherently risky.

 

I know it's boring, but we're going to be patchy at best until we get a robust squad back.

 

 

I really admire your tolerance and persistence. I don't think your audience is interested in dealing with the reality of our situation though, so mind you don't drive yourself crazy over the nonsense.

The away support seem really sound. Do they have their own online forum?

Oh look a midfielder with some legs did something. What a surprise.

3 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

I’d happily accept him being sacked if it meant some posters on here fucked off for good.

It's so unbearable man.

1 minute ago, KingArthur said:

Livramento has been awful to be honest. Saka is left footed, just don't let him cut in

Was inevitable after the clamour to blame Burn for everything and the suggestion Livramento would fix it all.

Botman and Schar have been horrific with their passing.

Midfield unable to protect the defence or play around the Arsenal press. Longstaff and Miley just not able to support Bruno against this level of opposition.

Shar and Botman also too careless playing the ball out from the back.

Need our more athletic midfielders back badly. 

Almiron ...

Boehly paid around £20 million to get Potter from Brighton right?

This old geezer needs to get the money out and stop all this noise.

46 minutes ago, Cheshire Mag said:

In that case Emenalo will be our next DoF/Sporting Director.

Got a role overseeing the restructuring of the entire Saudi League. Can't see it.

5 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

@KaKa here seems to suggest we could have made better decisions in certain areas in the transfer market and have a better balance in the squad. 
 

Not pointing the finger at you, but a few of us said the window left us short of quality, depth and balance. Many refuted that and were extremely happy with the window. Sounds like you’re playing both sides. 

We consistently sign players that have come in and looked very good in the team, and so as far as I'm concerned I am not unhappy about anything. There are clubs in this league spending £90 million on players that can't get on the pitch.

We could have gone about the recruitment in a slightly different way, but ultimately, that's the manager's call, and I can accept that. I think a more recruitment based DOF probably better advises and assists the manager in this regard though, and things can always be done even better.

I had no expectations of this squad being completely fixed this past summer, and ultimately the number of injuries and the nature of them would have caused us major problems regardless.

7 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

I thought you were a big fan of our summer recruitment?

Where have I said I wasn't?

Actually quite excited about this. Think we could do with someone with a bit more of a player recruitment leaning to them.

Perhaps that would have helped with some of the decision making we've seen regarding doing a better job of targeting certain areas and getting a better balanced squad.

18 minutes ago, Deuce said:

I’m mostly intrigued by his motivations for leaving. Could be as simple as he’s friends with Ratcliffe and the allure of rebuilding one of the largest clubs in world football is too good an opportunity to pass up.

I don’t imagine money is a driver, since we’re likely paying him top dollar as it is.

 

The narrative coming out of his camp seems to be that he feels he’s been misled regarding his role here and/or cut out of the inner circle. If true, I’m curious as to why that’s the case. It’s not preposterous to wonder if he has been treated unfairly by PIF.
 

Could be a combination of those things! At this point it’s pure speculation.

He's leaving because he's close with one of the key people involved in the new Man Utd group. I forget the name, but it has been reported already. Think they worked together at Brighton.

I'm excited to see who we bring in to be honest. Be interesting to go back and see who else we interviewed at the time we appointed Ashworth. Think Emenalo was one, but he's now working in Saudi.

7 minutes ago, BennyBlanco said:

For me, he’s earned a bit of leeway this year. Last year was immense but this year there’s definitely some legitimate questions about his selection policy and in game management. We don’t see the inner goings on on the training pitch but we do see what happens on a Saturday - and it’s happening time and time and time again. I love Eddie but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something of “Southgate” about him where he picks his mates and is far too slow or afraid to change things when it’s clearly not working.

 

Summer will be interesting, we obviously need a striker, a proper left back and a backup center half. If he gets them then there’s zero excuses to persevere with the same mediocre players - Burn and Almiron being chief suspects. I hope it clicks for him and he proves mine and others doubts to be false but I’m slightly worried, not gunna lie.

This is the key bit for me, and pretty much where I am at. If the recruitment doesn't prioritise these areas this summer, and we still continue to see Almiron and Burn as key first team players next season, then he is absolutely on the clock, as far as being under serious scrutiny.

For now though, not starting Almiron as much can't really be avoided, and we don't really have a natural left back alternative to Burn available, and for whatever reason he is not as keen on Tino featuring as a left back from the outset. 

Recruitment has to be spot on regarding the areas we target this summer, as the areas that need improving on are clear as day now.

14 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I don’t remember it being any different at any time of my watching football tbh.  One of my earliest memories at SJP was a bloke next to me and my dad calling for Willie McFaul’s head during a match.  You can’t sack the players, and you can’t choose the board - the manager is the sponge for venting those frustrations. 

I think it's a lot worse with social media now, and also after the Roman era at Chelsea as that was his thing, which is going to be a lot harder to get away with now as you can't just continuously throw a bunch of money at the situation at the same time with FFP.

Been watching Chelsea fans screaming about sacking Pochettino the last few weeks, having already sacked both Tuchel and Potter this season, both of whom they are still paying off, and so you know, just add Pochettino to the list.

Meanwhile they have remained largely in the same position, despite spending a billion in a year. Complete and utter chaos.

As much fun as people make of Todd Boehly, a lot of fans would run their clubs in the exact same manner. Dumb spending and rash decision making.