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Appreciate its not my place to reply but think this year will show a big chunk coming in but if 3 year cycles PSR continues then the amortisation costs of the two strikers need to be paid for the other accounting years via income or sales. Isaks fee essentially did pay for the two players almost outright but the club can look to "spin it out" into more spending if the income/revenues continue to go up too.

I don't agree with the sentiment you need prem proven simply that the fee is as high because they are an established prem player. Knowing the league and taking from a team within it is bound to be more money than a "punt" on a player who doesn't have that.

Was it not 69 and 55 for them both respectively? Minus sell on fee % to rats old club its all of it "gone," isn't it?

Hes a weird player these days his set pieces can be poor but was he the one that crossed the ball tonali nearly lobbed the keeper? He used to be great at header duels for a smaller player now not so much. Hes great at receiving the ball and controlling it but recall yesterday around 13mins he passed the ball directly to the forest player for no reason. Maybe its just because the high standard/level I have of him as a player or age catching up. He will no doubt love getting the game time again but just hope we arent putting too much on him.

Think we agree hes lacked impact in goals and assists but not all through all his fault. Howe has said we as a team need to play to his strengths and also allow the coaches to work their magic. Price tag though carries its own expectation unfortunately hopefully he can eventually live up to it.

Deal wrapped up to go to Como for 22m (i think) wouldn't have helped? On early showing the "over payment" seems worth it. Making the funds stretch is what annoys me more with the Wissa deal over this one.

Alex Murphy but clearly not ready or fancied?

I guess even at the fee with the prem proven tax added in you ask could 52/55m be used to get a better level of player? Hes only 23 Hes got ok output He hits Howes requirement of qualities in a player He "should" improve He can cover more than 1 position should it be needed (swapped sides with gordon a few times and floated out to the other wing). I want him to do better and would have preferred a quicker hit the ground running/impact than what I am seeing but early days and more time/patience needed. In Howe we trust I guess for the fee we paid we need it to work really as no one would bail us out at that sort of outlay.

As we were loaning someone effectively on their last year of their deal I doubt we inserted a recall clause. Buying in jan someone is more likely if hall continues to struggle or burn gets a knock/issues.

I think speed merchant and Howe's desire to get us up the pitch quickly is a good thing not a bad thing, obviously we want and we need more. The fact Elanga came with such a large price tag adds to the expectation to hit the ground running and be impactful. He needs to do more and we need to get the best out of his current skill set even yesterday Trips kicking it up the pitch for him to chase but not getting the weight of the pass right adds to the look its not quite clicking. The complete change to the forward line (striker I mean) and injuries has certainly been mitigating factors to some extent he isn't the only fresh face we have added in and the team by Eddie's own admission aren't getting the training sessions in as the games come thick and fast. I don't want to already rule him out but admit its been a slower start than I wanted from him he wasnt my first choice to drop big money on but clearly someone Howe wants to work with and with age on his side he should get better.

Haha typing when I am meant to be working not even going to correct it 😅 Looks lush (sorry any vegetarians)

I cant remember the game but think its the first time bruno called him willichino he juggled the ball within his feet and nutmegged someone while being pinned in by 3 players. The hot steak goal scoring he did in his initial loan again points to the ability being there. The application, mindset, time and circumstances has made him a shadow of his former self. As I have said I see no value in giving him a new deal to see if he can be the player of 3 years ago.

Its definitely high up on the list you would imagine anyway come the summer BDB has 1 year left, Trips is likely away? Does kraft get another year or away? We also let Targett go without replacement. Likely to need one for each side older rotation option or young up and coming who doesn't have to start every game? Guess it will depend what the philosophy of any new sporting director is on playing squad age etc

Fresh start may be what the player needs too. I hope unless fullbacks or another area of the pitch becomes more urgent we recruit in Jan even if he cant be peddled in the January window as like I say he doesn't currently deserve a new contract offer unless we trigger a year to keep his value up for the summer. If he carries on this way all season with 12 months left its longstaff fee we are talking about at that point.

Playing 115mins or so may have helped him not look as bad this season but is a story in of itself. I have been a harsh critic of willock hes not physical enough to do the defensive stuff and doesn't score. Last season he enjoyed running the ball out of play alot or getting over injuries was my hazy memory of last season. He seems a confidence player who needs a consistent run of games but isn't going to displace the current 3 starters. Hes clearly now bottom of the pecking order unless there is a injury issue thats not getting spoke about hes not even been used as a rotation option. Massively hampered through injury and quality of what's in front of him which isn't his fault at all. 27 next summer with 12 months on his deal at that point I already know my vote before seeing the season out is to sell and not extend. Fresh start for the player and allows us to recruit for what we need in that area which for me is box to box midfielder or a goal scoring midfielder.

If nothing else performances like tonight will help his value you hope he realises his potential here but if not the "dream" of at least getting our money back seems more than possible and 25/30m far less eye brow rausing. After last seasons none event in terms of minutes the time spent by the player and coaches within that time you can clearly see improvement. I think osula last season goes for goal and runs into traffic rather than assisting Barnes.

Hes going to be good but at times hes not burning people for pace or hes lacking the control to keep the ball in. Maybe I am being harsh there he can certainly cross a ball and hugs the line more than Gordon or Barnes does. Hopefully its just a mixture of the side still being in transition and him needing more time to settle in.

So selfless and just such mad skills,sometimes its not working as its almost like his team mates are setting themselves up to defend when he invariably loses the ball but well he doesn't.

If people dont think confidence players isn't a thing you just need to see that performance from Gordon there. Didn't all come off and didn't like him as much in the middle in that second half. However once that first pen went in it was like he shifted a massive weight off his shoulders. Some lovely close control stuff big Nicks skills infectious hopefully.

So trips and Hall with no rotation options going forward without a formation change? Targett going was the right decision but is it alex Murphy or burn on the left to cover hall and kraft for trips? So gutted for the team losing 3 already this early in the season and for Tino been one of our better performers. Fingers crossed its not too serious as Jan window still a while away.

Aint watched him and dont want to defend him hope he goes back to the form of his days elsewhere and is a flop but wonder if right now this early into the season if these sorts of performances are more rust etc like its the 3rd game of preseason. Hope its more they dont setup to play to his strengths which highlight his weaknesses which let's be fair although he was world class for us he wasn't the total package and had flaws. Even if he did fail they would get bailed out like with Darwin.

I dont think either of you need my help debating but I think you both could be right? Just looking at the prem only https://www.espn.co.uk/football/team/stats/_/id/361/league/ENG.1/season/2024 in 23/24 season we scored 85 goals spread over 20 different goal scorers the rat getting 21 of them in 24/25 that dropped to 68 goals spread over 11 goal scorers the rate getting 23 of them missing loads of context like an ineffective wilson last year and taking out the chance creation/assist data as I am stuck at work and dont have time to deep dive. I think we were setup to get the rat on the ball and scoring goals he was very good at it we press to get up the pitch to give him maximum chance to do what he did best. We are now going to have to evolve we have big Nick which on current showing isnt yet as prolific but drops deep and likes to bring others into the game/goal scoring opportunities. Some may say a team player and selfless?. I think we will and probably need a see a greater spread of goals among the team I hope this will come naturally as the team doesnt just aim to give it to the no.14 ASAP. Evolution/different approach rather than criticism?

Like with any player your only as good as your last good performance the metrics that matter for a supposed England international winger is goals and assists 2 years ago he was up there with 20 goal contributions it tailed off last year and he's been on an unfortunate run of 1 goal, 0 assists and 2 red cards in the last chunk of fixtures (cant remember over what period I read it over the last 14 or 20 fixtures?). I want him to do well we need him and he brings alot more to the side than just goals and assists which is why I put him above Barnes (assume most do) however if we arent going to have an out and out prolific striker (wissa even if he becomes prolific is missing a big chunk of this season through circumstance) so unlike in other seasons the goals didnt matter they now really do. In an ideal world he puts in 10/12 goals a season as a minimum likewise the other wing to share the load. Its so early in the season so things may change but right now I wouldn't be betting on a high goal return from him this year. Hope I eat humble pie (calorie free please) and he proves me wrong. Remembering he got his bumper deal last year and reportedly one of the top earners he's not a bairn anymore we should be putting expectations on him and he seems the type of want to have high standards for himself anyway.

He's our captain and clearly loves and wants to play. Tonali needed the rest and that left kids or willock as the only fit rotation option. Based on willock this season I am glad Bruno played.

Due to wissa injury then lack of training in general and any training at all with us then afcon we probably have still another 10/12+ more games with wissa out of the equation need Gordon/elanga/big Nick to start to gel as a unit may not have been the ideal plan but its the one we need to try and make work.