AyeDubbleYoo

I mean, we’re hoping we won’t need excuses like

Said it on every page, this squad/club with an unknown manager is much more worrying than Howe with another summer to improve things.

Yeah of course, we look fragile at times but I wouldn’t say it’s an attitude problem or lack of team spirit. Or even lack of belief in the manager. It’s more the result of a grind of a season, the amount of points we’ve let slip affecting confidence and in some cases lack of technical ability.

I wouldn’t expect any kind of bounce. Seems to me the players are really behind Howe.

I don't get how they're dead rubbers, we still have loads of points to play for and aren't that far off Europe. This attitude is baffling.

Man Utd beat us to 2 or 3 signings without CL football. Obviously they can't sign everyone like, they're not Chelsea.

I really rate Delap but it'll be a real shame if we don't give Woltemade a chance.

I'm not sure you can be lucky to finish in the CL like. I thought the table didn't lie and all that?

We signed Botman to replace Burn, he got injuries. We signed Tonali straight away and booted Longstaff. We signed Tino to replace Trippier, he has been class but injured. We signed Elanga to replace Murphy, he's been shite. I don't buy this loyalty argument at all, there's just only so many players you can replace at one time.

Only true if you believe Howe isn't capable of anything better than what we've seen this season.

I was so close to giving you a like there. Went downhill in the second half (insert joke here).

Won't we have the players leaving with option 2 as well?

I wouldn't put the chances of that as very high.

Don't think anybody thinks it's OK.

Most people but only one or two of our best players at most. Probably one if I'm being honest, and not Tonali. Ideally no good players should be allowed out because we need to add so much quality already.

Me too. Actually feels like a weird privilege to be in a situation where I care who the manager is. For so long it was more about whether the football club should exist or not. I'm happy with the manager we have as long as we have improved the back office setup and we can deliver him some smarter players this summer. I still think we were quite unlucky with some 'safe' signings that have turned out to be shite though.

I feel the same, I hardly think about Sunderland. I know in my head that it’s meant to be our biggest game but I don’t really care that much. Certainly not enough for it to influence my choice of manager.

Hmm, maybe but I’m sure managers have these periods and then don’t get sacked.

But do you not think it was reasonable to expect those two to contribute a lot more than they have done? Both were competitive PL players.

The main reason I wanted to win was to avoid this reaction TBH. The derby doesn’t mean much more to me than a normal game so it’s never likely to impact my thinking that much, despite being poor.

The manager should only be a part of the transfer picture anyway, if it’s functioning properly.

I’d be extremely worried if he went like. An unknown manager with our players is much more worrying than Eddie with another summer to strengthen.

This is obviously true to some extent but a tricky argument to hang your hat on given how different this thread would be if we’d won.

This is not a thing man, you’re being silly.

No club can sanction the level of turnover that we’d see if every good players is allowed out.