Ronaldo

What’s the aim then, if we’re not capable of challenging for top 4 despite the investment?

We finished 4th last season. We’ve spent £130m to build on that. Is anyone remotely confident we are capable of finishing top 4 again? Genuine question.

This isn’t *that* much of an exaggeration, mind. Mike Ashley isn’t in charge any more.

9 out of 10? We’ve spent £70m on reserve full backs and Almiron / Joelinton are still starting every game.

True, unfortunately. Second best in everything.

Midfield repeatedly looking at each other with outstretched arms. They don’t have a clue what they’re supposed to be doing.

100%. So predictable and utterly reliant on mistakes from the opposition.

This really is pretty abject.

Utterly embarrassing goal to concede.

When he didn’t play?

He’s a backup player at best and we all knew that before today’s game. Only bizarre thing is that he still has the armband over players who actually contribute.

Great player. Just what we needed.

Southgate’s such a gimp, like.

I mean, there’s probably a lot more to discuss / dissect with losing to 10 men when 1-0 up than beating Villa 5-1 at home, dude.

We played against 10 men for a full half of football and conceded two while scoring none. That can only be the result of a monumental failure to set up the team properly. He fucked up, very badly, for the first time during his period here. We’re still behind him and we move on.

It’s a fair point, mind. Bringing Nunez and Jota on ffs; imagine having that as an option. Unbelievable. On the other hand, it was very clear we needed an accomplished wide attacker and / or creative midfielder and a starting LB in the summer and we haven’t landed those improvements. It’s difficult to know who to blame for that but it’s a question that needs to be asked when all the teams around us, including Villa, have identified where they needed to improve and been successful.

We had zero control of that game second half. Again, too much two and three touch football which Liverpool pressed very well. We are crying out for someone like Maddison that immediately gets us on the front foot.

We needed a RW as a huge priority, we all know that. Time will tell how that pans out but if Barnes isn’t starting regularly for us something has gone dreadfully wrong somewhere, especially given the fact we sold ASM to finance the deal.

Thing is, Gordon’s in his early 20s and is already looking like a very, very good player. With Almiron we know he’s not the type of player to take us to the next level and is pushing 30.

I wasn’t on the forum then. That’s how I missed it, but I’d say calling for Rafa’s head back then constituted something more ridiculous. Rafa saved the club.

No one is saying Howe should be sacked, are they? Massive difference between that and rightly criticising his fuck up today and overall paint by numbers approach to substitutions.

Madness.

Everyone on here loves Eddie, that’s a given. But today really needs to be a catalyst for being ruthless and admitting that front 3 doesn’t work, namely because Almirón despite his efforts isn’t good enough for the level we need to maintain and the midfield is simply too flat. Maddison was the player we desperately needed and whatever reason we didn’t prioritise him.

Check my posts after Villa. But that genuinely was the worst second half performance I’ve seen from us in a long time and there’s no excuse for it given the position we were in.

Not allowed to be negative on here, dude.