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The longer the time goes on the more teams will see the patterns at play and start to formulate a plan to stifle or beat us depending on their own qualities. The low block is a nemesis of ours I think it was the Leeds game a couple of seasons ago we threw the kitchen sink at them and still couldn't win. I don't expect the team or individuals to never have an off day I expect a plan to counter act it when it happens most of the starting 11 are now Howes signings. I know Howe has been asked before about formations and he is adamant we do change our shape despite how obvious it is to us just don't see it right now. I still am hoping for us to batter someone then go on a run but the league is getting stronger and stronger you cannot simply rely on what worked for you before to continue to work still hoping for evolution rather than revolution but that will not carry on being my sentiment if we don't start playing like I know we can.

He was the main man before ashworth and after ashworth was in the garden until Mitchell came along very recently. While I don't think Howe had final say he certainly had a controlling say on the direction of the team. Alarm bells rang out to be end of last season when we it came out Howe wanted Richie and dummett kept on for another year had we made Europe. I don't think Howe should have all the answers and solutions that's unfair but the narrative from a press prospective is he is very particular on what he wants to keep and what he needsthis rigidity may well end up costing his job. The club has been carried by positivity and a togetherness now a few cracks are showing and feels like we need a refresh be that players/manager/transfer approach/style of play or all of it.

Agreed I have said before Tino isn't a younger clone of trips and for this to work we need some of that creating crossing setplay etc to come from the new right winger/right sided forward. This needs to happen sooner rather than later as think no offence to Murphy but Tinos game suffers with his decision making or reluctance to make a decision as shown at the weekend. I also think Miggy is back to miggy due to the lack of understanding Tino has with him as well. Don't blame Tino for this he is a different player and had to be patient to get game time only really having as much last season from what seems like enforced with Trips injury last year.

I guess had we been in Europe and Gordan was the type to burn out/need a rest etc then having someone like Barnes makes perfect sense for 2 top quality wing options but as we are right now it just seems another burden/headache how to keep both happy and in their preferred position and does make us lop sided in terms of wing quality.

Unless massive context like manu taking our European spot due to FA cup and injury ridden season the aim at least from the snippets the club tell you is to get Europe some form of European football year on year means top 7 finish? Outside of this for teams who rely on this income is bad enough for us it's double barrelled it gives the ambitious players another reason to stick around and drives income up through extra games and brand presitege. Failure to get into Europe would need massive mitigation right now other than our second choice striker and botman in defence this is us full strength. If we end up finishing 8th/12th I don't think the manager survives the season review.

There is a massive advantage of getting up the pitch as quickly as possible but agreed we have that with Gordan and it becomes a one trick pony thing after a while. However having a genuine option/threat/outlet both sides does mean the opposition have more than one thing to worry about.

Off topic for this chat but if we got guehi and elanga for say 70m combined in Jan is that good business? From wanting to put 65m into just guehi alone to now one window later getting buy one get one free? Obviously hyperthetical as usual here just interesting if the fee would change perception on both deals or not.

Don't worry it will be 50m on elanga 🤣

Despite his youngish age and the usual England tax without another purple patch we would be lucky to get beyond 20/25m for him.

He needs a run of games but the injury and the competition in midfield means he's going to struggle to find that without someone getting injured. He just seems a shadow of the player he was you hope it's all due to rust but it may be that he won't be the same dynamic runner he once was. If you look outside of kids being sold and longstaff it's likely him next for me to be sold in midfield but unfortunately cannot see us getting our money back.

What i meant sorry was not getting rid of Wilson and then going for Osula means we stuffed ourselves. If Wilson was peddled or made third choice and more money was spent on a player to offer real competition or something different to Isak would have been better than how it's worked out. Right now or competition/alternative is injured and old and on the decline and soon allowed to leave on a free anyway and the kid isn't trusted by Howe to be effective yet.

I hate how Wallis and gromit Craig Hopes face looks but the one thing I do agree on is go for first 11 players when you recruit so your weaker starting 11 players become your bench. I guess had we not been in a psr world that might have happened more.

Think we have now made a rod for our own backs committing to a youth prospect as third choice. In an ideal world Wilson is told he ain't the main man anymore and becomes 3rd choice and we have a quality second fiddle/ competition for starting. Now we are running with 2 strikers effectively one isn't far enough on the Howe journey to be getting meaningful minutes and our best striker is totally out if form.

I really like what i saw defensively from him saved our arse a few times what I still don't like is his threat from the air in the opposition box and that we seem to persist with him starting our attacking build up from the back. Mentioned a few times ok you want to keep Bruno up the pitch so he isn't always constantly coming for the ball but giving it to BDB who then puts his foot on it holds it holds it holds it who then gives the simple pass to hall who in turn gives it to Gordan who usually has a player in front and behind him at this point is slow and predictable. Not expecting BDB to suddenly learn how to spray a ball all over the park but playing in this way makes him more integral in how we push forward and he doesn't seem good enough for it.

Don't disagree that the winter window isn't where you want to be doing your main business and alot of clubs would want a premium for letting players go mid season however it won't be the case for all players especially those out of favour/needing a fresh start/not signing a new deal the RW is setting such a low bar right now that surely we can do better. Ideally we would find a player who can play RW and forward to mix our play up a bit. Potentially sacking a season off to take stock next summer doesn't seem an option for the trajectory the club wish to go in to keep their best players or maximise their value and attract the bigger sponsorship rates etc

Unless there is an acceptance that this working an a formation shift is needed so we go for say a number 10 it still depends on injuries and form and if Botman comes back. If it remains the same and we don't pick up any massive injuries the only question marks sales wise are on players who are coming to the end of their deal who aren't getting offered contracts. Out of all our players the only one likely to go is trips as it seems the press push the narrative he may want to leave issue is do we get a fee as a loan offer doesn't help us at all as despite his decline he offers something totally different than Tino. I cannot see us moving away from a RW and RCB we could see a player too good to turn down dealwise elsewhere but money is tight we are a schar injury away from Kraft getting regular starts and Murphy and Miggy continue to compete with who can be the most frustrating least effective crown. Maybe just maybe Mitchell is a fan of loans and we tap into that to stretch the funds to more areas. Having a goal scoring midfield player or a player that can play a number 10 (assuming Barnes and Gordan cant) would be nice to vary our play book.

Other than top targets not allowed to go in the winter window there should be no excuses. Mitchell will have been in post months and would have seen the issue first hand. There will always be opportunities to find players heading to the last 6/12/18 months of their contract. We might not raise any more through sales in the winter window but we know from the summer money is there just got to hope we can be clever with the funds we have. Issue as always with going abroad isn't that players aren't good enough it's the Eddie factor of waiting a chunk of games to introduce them which depending on how we are doing results wise may not have time for.

If we had a kid taking his place then no bother but the lack of a replacement means you go out and buy one then you do the math 3 more years of him and a chance to get a fee at some point in that period or he walks on a free and we go out and spend money. Home grown pure profit. I don't rate him or want him around the first 11 but in a psr world he cannot be allowed to go for nothing even if he isn't up to standard.

Probably going to look silly replying here as know nowt about this but surely it will depend how well the club is doing how much it's worth it's debt proposition etc to establish a rate? Or would it be fair to say it's 3% above a certain figure such as bank of England rate. Surely a title challenging side like arsenal and their loans are a better proposition in terms of a % of their value against say Everton who are still very much in the toilet finance and league wise?

No idea whats wrong but been some fairly solid guesses already also on the back of how Eddie replied to the question about contracts is the number of players still playing right now on final year of contract or final 2 years of contract also contributing to the mood in the camp?

If we don't have an option to extend by a year built in I can see him being offered an extension even if we want rid we can't surely let pure ffp home grown money walk for free.

Its hard he's a limited player and a weak link, don't think its a lack of effort or commitment its purely we have evolved as a side and his contribution stands out on the lower side. Your not going to have a team full of super stars FFP has basically killed that for us having players you can call upon to help out when we need it like him, murphy etc is great. It also isnt his fault he gets picked and I do hope no offense to him he either moves on or gets used as a squad player only.

All the years following football I didn't really get the pass back rule but after you laughing at me I googled it. Apologies I wasn't aware it was an enforceable rule. I had though he could control the pass with his foot and then pick the ball up Even more reason why its stupid to pass back to him he can't kick with any sort of accuracy.

Dunno how it can't be any slower as he still looks like he will shit himself when the ball goes back to him. Why can't he pick it up and throw it. Some of his kicks didn't even go out of play and they were back on us.

Loved forcing Harvey to do the arrow celebration so he could do it too. Not quite his brilliant self right now but can't ever say he gives up.