ponsaelius

That's a bit annoying. Definitely think like Lascelles he is fine for another year - but the one after is possibly a bit much. This would prevent a natural departure point of his contract ending and require us to try and shift a 31 year old next year.

It's clearly a balancing act. You want to improve and there's a lot to be said symbolically for cutting away a lot from the previous regime. But you also want to keep the team spirit and also retain the continuity of people who have been at the club longer and arguably know it better than the management. That explains giving somebody like Dummett a contract. This is particularly true when you're aiming for a certain quality of player which limits the # of players you can bring in during a window. And are also finding it difficult to move players out of the club. I think we're doing OK so far - but are possibly not quite being ruthless enough. For example if Ritchie gets any minutes at all this season in the league then something has gone very wrong.

It is. It's a pisstake post.

Are you telling me that is not Colback?

I don’t think either Longstaff brother has suffered as a result of being thrown in to play PL games. If anything they thrived. It was what followed in terms of coaching and progression that has saw them stagnate.

There’s a genuine argument as to what Bruno’s best position is - particularly in the PL. Without an upgrade of quality in midfield I think he will continue to play higher up because he has quality going forward and we lack that creativity player. That means Shelvey will, unfortunately, likely continue to be first choice in the deeper role. Whether we we signed a holding midfielder or a progressive attacking midfielder either would effectively replace Shelvey in the team - or at the least and push down the pecking order to start matches.

Without new signings Shelvey will absolutely continue to play games deep with Bruno further forward. Why would you think he wouldn’t? At the moment Shelvey is probably still in our strongest XI - unless Willock/Longstaff/Anderson can push him out.

But that’s not how we’ve played. Shelvey has played deep and Bruno has played as one of the more advanced two. That is likely to continue to be the case a lot of the time next season without further signings. A progressive midfield signing of higher quality would replace Shelvey and Bruno could drop back.

It’s almost like rather than a completely rigid and binary game football is actually a sport where players can play multiple positions and teams can play various slightly different tactical systems to accommodate said players.

At the moment Shelvey starts deep with Bruno further forward because we don’t have depth of quality in midfield. If you signed Paqueta, or any other more progressive midfielder, it allows Bruno to play deeper and therefore would move Shelvey out of the team. Therefore he would be replacing Shelvey. I'm amazed this needs explaining or is at all a confusing concept.

Thing is our wingers are crap and we're probably a midfielder short overall in terms of the squad. He can play all of those positions - which makes me think as it stands he won't be going anywhere.

He has noticeably good on-pitch awareness when receiving the ball. Not the type of thing we ever seem to get from our academy players. He also looks physically strong. I'd be pretty surprised if he doesn't hang around first half of the season to be honest.

Anderson is a baller mind. So glad the club isn't a basketcase anymore so he might actually make it.

Not sure tbh. He's just as bad.

Front 3 is brutal mind.

It's very obvious at the moment with these line ups that we have decent depth in the squad except in those forward areas.

As we have found this summer it is extremely easy to find and sign talented wide players. Therefore I see no issue with selling one of our best and indeed only attacking players of quality.

The fact we can't decide between which is more important probably suggests we need both.

Yeah that was the one scenario where I could see Fernandez staying. As I think we'll be after a new right sided centre back next summer regardless. It's why Fede has been on the tour rather than left behind. However I'm not sure there's been any interest in Lascelles.

Selling a 33 year old 5th choice CB would be a massive mistake?

I think people are wrongly thinking he's dim when actually to me he just comes across quite sheltered. I know loads of people like him who barely know the world beyond their own postcode. It's hardly a crime - and honestly the enthusiasm with which he's engaging with this endeavour is actually endearing.

I think it’s clear we will improve all positions when good value appears. We did need a new keeper imo - whether this year or next. Pope for 10 million is a great value signing.

I mean I think it was always likely that Wilson would be first choice centre forward - hence why we've been linked to young strikers and those that can also play wide. It definitely doesn't mean we won't sign another forward.

Like a new signing.

I like my job a lot and generally I am very positive about my employer - but I'd say it is very unhealthy both personally and societally to not talk socially about what is bad about it too. Regardless - he says absolutely nothing wrong in that video.