KaKa

6 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

Did we? 
 

The idea of an ‘FFP budget’ has never made any sense and it still doesn’t.
 

And it’s a failure because our midfield is worse than it was 2 windows ago despite us obviously trying to strengthen it. I’m not sure how we can glam it up tbh? Our quest to improve our midfield has demonstrably failed 

 

 

You've decided their FFP claims don't make sense and so you'll always be frustrated. You'll have to take that up with the club!

Well if the manager himself is set on the players he wans to bring in and is unwilling to shift on that matter. then again, you can take that up with him. He's arguably been the best manager in the league this year though, so good luck with that. Maybe, just maybe he's got a plan in place to make it all work until the summer.

5 minutes ago, Smal said:

Don’t you think it’s a bit daft and poor planning to go into half a season with 4 midfielders to fill 3 slots?

 

It’s fine to be happy with how the club have progressed but be able to point out mistakes when they happen.

No I don't, because I doubt it was done flippantly. I'm pretty certain they weighed up all of their options before making that decision.

I'm also pretty certain, Howe will play more two man midfield setups to mitigate this, Pairing Isak with Wilson at times, as well as playing Gordon off the striker at times too.

2 hours ago, Hanshithispantz said:

I mean it’s not guarantee but getting another midfielder massively increases our odds like. We’re basically hoping Isak/Bruno stay fit and Howe continues to turn water into wine.

 

It’s been two windows now though and all we’ve done to our midfield is sell Shelvey for a ‘nominal fee’.

 

It’s a pretty clear failure on our part imo.

It's a failure if you've completely ignored what they've stated all along about this being a gradual build, with a strict plan in place.

Many of you convinced yourselves it was a ruse to keep transfer fees down, and now are getting worked up about it, well that's on you.

3 hours ago, Hanshithispantz said:

 

We’ve underplayed our card in multiple windows now like. We’re well ahead of schedule because tactically Howe has squeezed what he can from a limited squad but it’s hardly embarrassing to point out that we should have stronger options in midfield especially.

 

Hopefully by the summer our scouting system is in a far better place to identify targets, because everyone we’re going for at the minute seems to still be Howe/Nickson.

You're changing the narrative though.

I was responding to people that have been stating matter of factly that getting in a midfielder would have guaranteed top 4, which is nonsense.

Besides it has been stated enough times by the lot in charge that they are not going to sign players they haven't collected a lot of information on and that they really like, whether we like it or not. The midfield options they prefer were not available in January and so be it.

A big part of them doing so well is that they are working with players they know well and have full confidence in, and so it's really difficult to knock their approach. But here we are anyway, with people being impatient and not paying any mind or attention to what they have been saying.

Just now, Rich said:

 

We'd abandoned it midway through the second half. Joelinton moved to the right with Longstaff back in the middle.

Yeah, seemed to move things about further when the subs started being made. Going into the next two games, I just hope we do something a bit different to start.

Not sure the balance of the team worked well with how we started today. Really need to figure out how to setup with both ASM and Willock in the team, as I didn't like the look of it today.

Almost think we'd have been better off having Willock play off Wilson and then having Joe and Longstaff as a two behind him.

For what it's worth if we actually start that game with Joelinton deepest and Willock and Longstaff further forward, I don't think they ever really come into it with that brief spell that led to their goal.

Hope for the next couple of games we continue with that setup, until Bruno is back.

7 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Too early to tell if we're running out of steam. We had a spell like this at the start of the season where we didn't win in six and folk were moaning about the lack of attacking reinforcements in the summer.

It's the same thing every time man

8 minutes ago, Smal said:

Miggy is the main one who is a tough watch at the moment imo. Needs a goal.

He'll suffer the most with Bruno out.

He's a pass and move player and he and Bruno always work that one two a number of times during games to get him in good positions.

He was missing that badly today. Not many of our other players operate with that same sort of thinking. Trippier links up well with him at times too, but thought Trippier's passing was not great today.

Just now, 54 said:

Frustrating and annoying game of football. We looked leggy, and it looked like some of the players where still on the come down from Tuesday, but that said we probably created the better chances. I swear one of these days we're going to batter someone, as we're creating chances, and getting into the right areas, we're just not putting them away, i'm be much more concerned if it was the other way round.

 

Rice was outstanding today by the way, he would be perfect in our team. 

 

Our record since the World Cup in all competitions is:

 

Played 10

Won 5

Drew 4

Lost 1

Scored 11

Conceded 3

 

These few draws are frustrating, but not been horrendous, and its worth remembering we're still in an amazing position, we're in a cup final and 4th in the league.

Rice was brilliant. Gets so much stick on here, but he's a really good DM and distributes the ball around very efficiently.

Be interesting to see where he ends up. Think because of the level of interest, I think his price will be way too high, but I agree he'd fit in brilliantly.

19 minutes ago, NUFCDoog said:

Shite this like, not strengthening in January is going to cost us top 4, we're only missing Bruno and look fucking hopeless, never looked like scoring since they equalised.

 

We're massively overacheiving in the position we're in and nights like tonight highlight that, we can't cope against teams that set up to nullify us because we're not good enough yet, 4 draws from the last 5 and the one we didn't draw we should've lost.

 

I know this will seem negative, and we're obviously having a great season, but there's a long long way to go before we can class ourselves as a top team, it's so frustrating. I appreciate we're ahead of where we thought we wouod be, but why the fuck did we not strengthen properly in January, we could've basically assured top 4, instead we'll miss out and it'll be a shit end to the season

 

We never had top 4 guaranteed and there is no move that assures anything. Some of you lot just love to frustrate yourselves.

The same bunch that have got us here well ahead of schedule did not feel confident in any of the options in midfield available during the window, to bring in to help the team, but still the experts on here seem to know better and have something to whinge about again.

It's mostly the same bunch that where whinging and bitching about how awful a player Gordon is, and flooding his thread with post after post stating that as fact. And after merely a 15 mins cameo they are slithering around and saying something completely different now.

Some of you really need to get a grip. It's embarrassing.

2 minutes ago, worthy said:

pissed away 2 points.

Another point on the board in a game we could have thrown away.

All you have to do is look at other results today to know that there are no easy games in this league.

Maybe try Bayern or PSG for your win every game fix. 

Just now, TheHoob said:

Gordon looking really bright. 

Yeah, been very impressive, because you can see he has great awareness of what's around him and plays with his head up.

There were people on here that were saying with confidence that all he did was run fast and didn't have anything else to his game, and kept going on about it. 

In merely a 10 mins cameo, you can already see that is bollocks. Makes you really wonder why they go on and on like that? So incredibly irritating.

1 minute ago, Donut said:

Much better since Gordon came on.

The kid looks electric. Plays at a really high tempo and has quickened us up a lot, which we needed.

ASM and Willock tend to be much slower in making their decisions when they have the ball.

1 minute ago, Aiston said:

Paqueta was very good.

Looked like the player we missed out on.

Think he's very frail and has really not done much worth shouting about. His goal was hardly anything special either.

Yeah, this Anthony Gordon definitely isn't good enough ...

Willock needs to come off man. Put Anderson on.

7 minutes ago, worthy said:

Not allowed to be negative by the SEWPA mega fans, like. Watch out.

It's the brain dead logic and thinking behind the doomsday negativity that is really sickening.

2 minutes ago, Smal said:

Not signing a midfielder is going to cost us top 4, like

As if there was ever any guaranteeing top 4 with a midfielder coming in man 

Not to mention the team have done exceptionally well in overachieving to even be in contention, and now you are ready to use it as a stick to beat them with if it isn't achieved.

Absolutely pathetic.

Think Willock might have to come off man. Been poor.

Joelinton and Willock on yellows.

One misstep and we are really in trouble in midfield.

4 minutes ago, Kanji said:

Look far better when Joelinton got moved into the 6.

Yeah, and it will show more in the second half. 

Longstaff can now push forward and be a goal threat, picking up from where he left off mid week.

The legend of Joelinton will again continue to grow as he excels in yet another role.

Willock's use of the ball has been so poor.

2 minutes ago, worthy said:

Absolute cultist you are. Its very sloppy and people will of course be angered, its west ham, they are shite. this should be easy take.

1 minute ago, KaKa said:

Howe has dropped Joelinton into the defensive midfield role to offer better protection.

Willock to LCM and Longstaff to RCM.

Howe has dropped Joelinton into the defensive midfield role to offer better protection.