KaKa

Hope you do the same too. Please put me on ignore as well, thanks.

There's really no point saying anything further. It's just one excuse after another coming back. The people running the club will know for certain what has been going on behind closed doors, and so we'll all just wait and see what happens.

Yeah, sure. Okay.

I don't think these are valid reasons at all. Howe seems very rigid and particular over who is signed, and maintains there are only a few players that will improve us. This is slowing our progress. We have also spent more than we should have previously on individual players, given our financial situation. These are the reasons our recruitment has not been up to scratch. If you go back and read up on when we signed the likes of Botman and Bruno, you will see that Steve Nickson had followed both for a while and was quite involved in those decisions. For whatever reason as time has gone on and Howe has settled in further, we are not leaning on Nickson's knowledge of targets outside of the Premier League anymore.

We have a scouting department for a reason, might as well get rid of them if we're only going to go for guaranteed players, whoever those are. Why the assumption that we will be 'ultimately clunking loads on players who potentially do not make the desired effect'? So that's the only other outcome? Funny how other clubs manage to get players in from elsewhere for better value, that perform well for them, but it's apparently too hard for us. Excuses, excuses, excuses ...

This recruitment let him down thing is unbelievable really. Even though he keeps telling us there's only a few that can improve us, while we fail to address issues in the squad over multiple windows now. But I've even seen today that apparently he's just saying there's only a few that can improve us to make the players we have feel good. So many excuses.

Arsenal are going to lose this game.

Can't blame him. Doesn't want to have anything to do with whoever is messing things up down that right wing.

Sat at home right now. If we make a change he's my choice. https://breakingthelines.com/tactical-analysis/analysing-sergio-conceicaos-porto/

He's been dealing with injuries and so his form has been inconsistent and he's had some awful moments, as he hasn't been sharp. The real story is not having any reliable and trusted alternative so he isn't thrown back in straight away to play full matches. Going into the season thinking we could rely on Callum Wilson again was a joke that gets less and less funny with each game.

Had to bump this and give this man his credit today. Thought he was really good both defensively and going forward. Have never really trusted him defensively against wingers like Madueke and was eager to see how he'd get on today. Though he handled it really well. Very very encouraging.

We actually played alright in the end and could have easily drawn this and with a bit more luck even maybe cheekily got three points. I watch games like this and all I can think of is how much better we'd be with just anything half decent going down our right side to give us more of a balanced threat, so we can ask more questions of teams. Too bad. We just haven't been good enough with our recruitment.

Ref hates Nkunku

Cannot believe Isak was messing around doing step overs in that situation. That was so unacceptable man.

I really really lke Joelinton on the left wing, especially combining with Willock on that side. All our best players and combinations all skew to the left side. Such a shame we can't get anything working down the right.

Think Hall has been exceptional. Was worried about how he'd deal with Madueke, but was pretty solid.

Barnes had to play Joelinton in there. Terrible.

Schar maybe close him down?

Phew ...

Get in there!

I'm shocked that against teams with a dangerous number 10 like Palmer, we don't consider having Tonali sit deep instead. Far more mobile and adept to dealing with that defensively. Oh well.

It's that man Jackson again. Mugging everyone off.

We also met the release clause for Olise, which is why we were allowed to speak to him. Smokescreen and refusal to spend money is yet another excuse.

Jackson terrorising us. Midfield gaping as no one is sitting in there. Doesn't bode well at all.

Too many excuses I'm afraid. So it's easy to improve on those two but we have refused to do so? Why? If we're finding it so hard to find good players at £40 million then our scouting isn't good enough. We were in the Champions League last year and could have easily competed for both Kudus and Palmer for that price and were never even in the picture.