The Prophet

When talking about our business last summer, I find it helpful to refer to the gross spend minus any context. Recouping £130 million for one of our best players and needing to reinvest it immediately? Unimportant. Missing out on multiple first choice targets, in part due to a vacuum in executive leadership at the club? Meh. No spend in the previous three transfer windows? So what? Limited training ground time to maximise the impact of a number of the new signings? Who cares? Eddie alone was given £250 million to spend this summer and now the alloted time allowed for a transitional period has passed, he must be criticised.

Perhaps we're saving our cash for a new manager in the coming summer.

It's very nice that we all recognise that there are systemic issues with the team, particularly in attack, but we're still able to simultaneously write off individuals as though they're not affected by those issues. Ramsey, Joelinton, Tonali, Gordon, Barnes, Elanga, Murphy, Wissa and Woltemade have all had it in the neck at some point this season, with calls for all of them to be sold at one time or another. Yet none of us would dispute that the attacking unit as a whole has looked disjointed and has frustrated for spells this season.

https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4272809

There are two ways you can take this season. 1) After a difficult summer of executive absence and one of our very best striking, being sold and replaced late on, you can accept that this was always likely to be a transitional season. Eddie is still learning to embed his coaching on the hoof, leading to a new look forward line sometimes throwing in frustrating and disjointed displays. We'll vent, but ultimately accept success isn't always a linear path, so the end justify the means. 2) Get stuck into coaches, players and executives whenever a result doesn't go our way. The finger must be pointed and blame apportioned accordingly. You can call individuals worse than shit, but hide behind the veil of "I'm allowed to criticise" despite the rationality of said criticism being up for debate (if we're being kind). I'm more of a 2) man myself and I'm delighted to see others indulging.

As a grown man who is unable to watch my team lose and despite not knowing what Ross Wilson does day-to-day, he definitely should take some of the blame I'm apportioning today.

PIF investing in Roma?

Must. Not. Pass. Comment.

This is some read.

I'm all good, cheers for checking in though. Top geezer

There's only one TBG. His longevity is phenomenal.

I missed it as I left early to avoid the queues, but I'm amazed that i) he has a chant (that doesn't begin with "get out of our club...") and ii) he responded to the positivity with an above average performance. The mind boggles.

There were a couple of particularly bad performances from him v West Ham and Brentford, with no highly obvious mitigating circumstances. Plus he's best mates with the human filth, sending a come and get me plea via the socials. It's a long road back for him.

Seems he really, really enjoyed his goal...

Following a serious injury, three goals and an assist fron 482 minutes of football. Still not convinced like, fingers crossed we ship him to Turkey.

So as it stands we'd be looking at one if this lot in the play offs?

Really enjoyed tonight. Missed the first goal while I was having a chin wag at the bar. Assumed Elanga had received a reducer, but it was still nice to take the lead. Was getting a bit annoyed at the lads in front banging their hands together and raising their voices while I was trying to finish the conversation and grab a video on my phone, but it made for a good atmosphere at least. Missed the proud moment for Miley trying to beat the queue, but it was still the best of nights night, even if it papers over the cracks against poor opposition.

Agree with all of this. I love Eddie, but it's absolutely mental he'd pick such a strong side in a game that could have huge ramifications for our Champions League campaign. At the very least, we'd have all been absolutely rhapsodic to see Ramsey and Elanga from the off. He's too married to his favourites though.

You say that, but he wasn't at his very best v Wolves. You wouldn't blame him if his head has been turned.