Tiresias

I think it reflects football fans being a bit more nerdy now and valuing technical midfielders more than flair attackers thanks to so much of the coverage being on 'genius tactical managers' and tactics so of course the players everyone loves moves towards players like Rhodri and Modric. I do think the trend definitely means there are a lot less high quality flair attackers as managers care less about them now. Ancelotti may the last great coach who sees it his job to make all his star players happy and fit them on the pitch somehow. Young player coming through who can listen to complicated tactical instructions and keep up technically with the other players is going to get into the first team quicker than someone who does nothing half the match but occaisionally scores a worldie. It's also just an award, like all others, always going to be more people unhappy than happy with it. Real Madrid's reaction has been spectacularly petty

I'd still far prefer him to stay there are benefits too patience and we know he can set us up well but so disappointing we haven't bounced back following last season. Whoever is too blame the shit transfer window fucked this season. That stupid Australia tour may have fucked conditioning up a bit too. The players seem half as interested. You have got to change things continuously to keep teams fresh and i am not sure howe understands that...

Completely. I get why howe was annoyed at that comment but staverley and howe did very well for first few windows but it was clearly mad work load and it diminished a bit and ashworth wasn't able to get howe to step back enough. Can't afford another window like summer. Even with psr plenty of clubs have spent less money than we bid for guehi on bunch of players. It's absolutely hamstrung us. I'm not saying howes to blame really think was collective fuck up but could cost howe his job if we don't improve.

Harsh to say downfall he can be stubborn but equally he may just be rubbish.

Should have scored there

The wayward passing is the most infuriating

Sigh

I imagine we haven't pushed boundaries on things because the loopholes will shortly get closed and more punative rules may be brought in. I imagine, frustrating as it is, they aren't actually in a huge rush for immediate 'success' and preferred to get the revenue up, get the training facilities up, improve the team bit by bit and if it takes a long time fine. Chasing winning the league immediately would be fun but I think the 4th season was further ahead of schedule than some think. I imagine gordon, isak or bruno will be sold in the summer to fund 2 or 3 more players in. It will hurt but that will have to be how we do it for a while.

That's terrible

I would agree he impressed but also clearly bit too soon really. However since he's put himself in first team I hope he does get minutes as if he doesnt really should be on loan

He shouldn't be a starter by any means not saying that but he could be handy squad member and could start for a midtable team fine imo

It's really worth remembering that night when people are really (and not unjustly) critical of Longstaff in particular. I am frustrated at him giving the ball away cheaply way too much but people seem to think that's his level, it's not, he's not consistent enough tbh to play at the real top level but he can be better than he has been and deserves better than being totally binned off which some have suggested...

Unbelievable night. Probably showing my nufc chip on my shoulder but i was just thinking all the praise (not unjustly) Villa just got for beating Bayern Munich i don't remember much similar, just seemed to be treated as a freak result or typical psg. To bad it was the high mark of the season, but people shouldnt forget we should have beaten them in Paris too were it not for one of the most outrageous referee decisions you'll ever see, and then we would have got out of the group of death. Only reason I'm not more bitter on that is considering us last season no chance we would have got any further anyway.

De Ligt isnt rubbish, when a bunch of good players go to a club and suddenly 'become' rubbish I feel something else is going on really. I really can't get a handle on ETH. Like Froggy is right they have won stuff (with fair amount of luck but what cup win doesn't involve that) under him so isn't devoid of any credit, and yet every season they go through this looking like crap period. If they stick with him I imagine they will improve just enough to make it look like he's making progress and yet not enough to actually make any progress. I would say looking at them now there's no way in hell they'll even compete for the top 4 and yet somehow annoyingly they could slime their way up there. If he gets sacked and they go for Southgate, will be funny.

Has there been any discussion on this imminent ruling on the Liassa Diarra case regarding transfers? If they rule that he was unfairly restricted from moving his trade could mean that players will find it substantially easier to break their contracts. It will likely mean an independent body being set up to detirmine value of contracts that clubs will have to compensate when purchasing players but would essentially end the ability of clubs to keep hold of players 'against their will', if a player wants to break a contract they can and the buying club just has to accept whatever compensation is agreed by the body. This will be catastrophic for smaller clubs dependent on player sales as the compensation will almost certainly be significantly lower. It will be simply illegal to stop say man city coming in for Bruno mid contract. As such player contracts will be worth a lot less. It will presumably mean cost of players will be substantially less but it will be impossible to prevent man city (and maybe us once ffp is all evened out) from just assembling who we like based on players. I would anticipate wages spiking as a means of pricing out clubs coming in for players. A total clusterfuck in otherwords. Interesting if any other takes on it to be honest, i think it will likely be slightly less dramatic than that but looks a possibility.