Tiresias

What a shock, the anything goes ownership model of the premier league can lead to disaster. Of course this could be us in the future. Money has corrupted football so badly. To compete to win leagues or champions league you need ludicrous money and it is eating itself. I would happily trade being the richest club int eh world for all clubs being sensibly run self sustaining businesses with meaningful levels of fan ownership and any club could win a league by doing well and no club is existentially threatened because of geopolitics.

He is having a bad year but he has scored over 11 goals previous 3 years largely playing as a winger. and was a teenager for 2 of those years. He is 3 years younger than Ollie Watkins who gets a lot of praise and scores more. He is low on confidence right now, he has not scored that much but also hasnt had the minutes and been in a poor team geared towards Ronaldo. I would have him in a heartbeat, Howe could get him singing and the attack could be built around him. Ludicrous to call him 'finished' or anything.

Lampard will no doubt keep laying into the players after this. Worst thing in relegation scrap tbh. Will come off as aloof and uninterested to the players and needs to be able to help them actually learn how to defend. Rafa short circuited at everton, no idea why he couldnt get them to defend at all. Does sniff of toxic dressing room so Lampard not really wrong to lay into them so often kinda but still cant see it helping

Well yes classic championship standard

At a two now, starting to build a gap to the bottom 5, think Everton will get out of that they have games in hand but the other 4 are the real ones in trouble and we'd have to have a proper slump in form to be dragged back in Can't believe I'm saying that considering how pessimistic I was. I will say I argued we'd need to have an amazing run of form to get the points on the board, and we have.

Seems a fairly standard journeyman winger, fast for championship but not enough end product for premier league

Very good opportunity to switch squad around with Chelsea at weekend after and starting to look safe. I never have a fucking clue how good Southampton are when we play them. They are a batshit team who can look great on MotD and win some big games then lose ridiculously. You either get a wet blanket of a side or a really solid organised unit.

Has to be said there are problems with southgate, but it is also a very good evidence of just clear headed thinking on what the team should be, developing a good ethos and team spirit and not letting noise keep swapping round the team or keep trying new formations/new players demanded by media get in teh way of the focus. His in game management is still a bit dubious but I am guilty of being furious at Sterling being kept on despite slump in club form and then he goes on to be one of the best performers.

I mean imagine being Eddie Howe, a few months ago he was out of work and not necessarily fancied to get a job soon. Now he is setting up transfer targets and plans without money being a worry. Jesus christ must feel the luckiest man on the planet.

He's not going anywhere lol 1. He has the complete backing of the richest owners in world football who explicitly want to back him to build a title winning side in the long term 2. He's had a good few months. There is still the possibility it all goes to to shit and we go down.

I mean i do get that there is more to it than sportwashing etc, but the idea that owning NUFC will lead to progressive values in Saudi Arabia feels a bit far fetched to me.

They also did say that their role was temporary and would leave I am sure at some point. I imagine they want to stick around long enough to win something or until it gets tiresome and it is running itself mainly.

Basically this. Fans dont get to choose owners, unfortunately though. I am similar, it is a moral compromise, the sort almost everyone makes often when engaging the world day to day like buying things not knowing where bought. I think it is important to be reminded and to some extent remind others that Saudi Arabia are awful for a lot of reasons to counter any sport washing.

Had he declared he is going to do it his way yet or is he like us going to wait at least a season has passed to start doing it his way like he did with us?

He will start either Southampton or Chelsea I expect as Southampton is thursday night so short turn around before chelsea on sunday. Good chance to rotate. Possibly against chelsea when it is a bit of a free hit?

It totally is a failure but it shouldnt be forgotten that the team was built on a mid championship budget. He overachieved last season this is reversion to where he ought to be. He totally should have spent money to bolster the squad and his tactics are mad and lacking in pragmatism. I just think it's sad when we can't celebrate someone who is totally bonkers with some great ideas but yes very flawed. There's so much money at stake in premier league everything is meant to be super slick and free of eccentricity. Forgive me for enjoying him, and he is a legend because he has had a huge impact on football. We are living with the dominant ideas in football very much influenced by him. There is a reason he has not won anything himself though which feels plain to see now. He has earned respect though.

In fairness i agree that feels ambitious but they should aim ambitious to attract players but it will take time.

His comments on match of the day on what has changed under eddie howe is the most damning thing on bruce of all. "absolutely everything" has changed hahahaha

Honestly think it's more plausible to lobby for fans to be given genuine power over clubs if only to prevent them being exploited for profit and run into the ground like so many have. We are not realistically going to be able to force owners to give up stakes to fan groups as ideal as that would be but could be rules about fan representatives being on boards and fans holding a veto over certain things could be possible. NUFC will not be owned by fans or by benevolent local businessmen for a long time. PIF will want to sell on one day, maybe then but jesus football clubs cost so much. It's ludicrous. It is totally wrong.

I agree not great except on the deep rafa shape. I dont agree he has been a diabolical captain. He clearly cares. One thing is I don't think we've ever lacked spirit, almost to an actual fault. Lot of players would have just given up with Bruce's crap but basically ritchie and lascelles etc put shifts in and did it themselves. They are limited players but they didnt shirk off which is why we're not in championship now

Definitely a confidence player. Either that or only scores in first half of the year or something. Happy to see him getting back to his best

Fuck singling any one out they are working great as a team. Been a while, none of this reliant on bit of magic, none of this confusion as to what players are doing. Players can come in and go and we function. They all seem to be pulling together. It's why i dont like some slagging off Lascelles, he has had really bad time under Bruce but coached by Rafa he was a fine defender. Bruce couldnt coach a dog how to bark. I guess Lascelles may be shipped off this summer but I do think he deserves respect and is clearly super important in dressing room

I remember loving Rafa for how much he improved players. Howe is doing the same, it absolutely boils my piss how little effort bruce put into his fucking job he was handsomely paid to do.

Also if Burnley stay up they owe us big time lol. Weghorst looks great, tho an anti vaxer so fuck them