HaydnNUFC

Please, no.

Granted. Agree. £40m isn't relatively cheap imo, especially when margins for us are so fine given how poor we've been at selling thus far. And £40m on an alleged squad player that played in a position that we already had players who could either play there or do a decent job there, whereas the opposite flank has been neglected for 7 and a half years (at the time of signing, 6) isn't also an intelligent use of £40m either imo. Whether Barnes is happy to be squad player at 26 is another thing. Barnes isn't a bad player by any stretch but the money spent on him could've been far better utilised, especially when now looking at his game time and number of starts when he's been available 18 months on. And looking at the RW. Who the manager has so far not been able to get him into his team. £55m on a player that sits on the bench or is regularly substituted nigh on every week isn't 'exceptional value'. True. They look reckless at present given the frantic summer attempting to meet PSR which meant we had to sell two players that the club didn't want to. We do. Especially ones that can get into and improve the starting 11 in necessary positions. Yep and we haven't been managing it very well.

Do you think the money we spent then had zero impact on PSR that we whinge about all the time? Do you think the two players whom cost the most money yet the manager does not regularly pick to be in his starting XI 18 months on have been good buys? Do you think those signings have improved the team from 2022-23?

Arguably the summer window before that has played a bigger role given we brought in close to £150m worth of talent which didn't particularly improve the starting XI from 2022-23 and at present only 1 of those players (Hall) is consistently starting and playing well. Howe would've had a huge say in that window. This territory has been gone over before, mind. But its incredibly valid imo.

54 hijacks them these days. Blame him. Although the videos for this game will be exactly the same as last season's, such is the shitness of this fixture.

0-1. New stadium 73'.

Neither tbph. Tuchel would've been ideal had he not taken the Ingerlund job, if we're speaking hypothetically making a change this second. Managers such as Conceicao and Terzic I don't know too much about. Are they elite? I'm not sure. Would Allegri come here and manage outside of Italy for the first time? Is he elite still? I doubt the club would even go for him. If the club went for Potter we may as well just stick with Howe. I'm struggling for names outside of them. Bearing in mind I am just thinking of those out of work atm.

You'd probably be looking at foreign managers that are out of work. Potter would be a sideways step at best. If and when we replace Howe it has to be an upgrade/elite but I couldn't give you any names that are that without a load of research into it.

I'm out with 4 Leicester fans in town after that as well. If that result transpires I'll be off the Redheugh at about 5:17pm.

I imagine our STH average age is in the 50s with no sign of that changing due to no more being issued. Younger lads either can't get in, are priced out or due to the way tickets are sold can't sit together so don't bother. Take your pick.

Howe and the coaching staff after studying it.

I'm not going after Barnes the player, but the £40m outlay on him when we constantly whinge about PSR, whilst the RW remains the shambles it was when Ashley was owner. Regardless of that, his contributions seem to only come from the bench, the manager picked Murphy ahead of him regualrly in the run in last season and still doesn't consistently start him. £40m's worth? I'm not sure. The other two didn't start regular matches until March 2024 after being signed in August 2023. But they have improved. And yep. He appeared to be the marquee signing and the manager has thus far failed to integrate him into the team. With the money spent, and when we constantly claim to be PSR victims, it's shite.

Don't know if Howe doesn't know how to either get him into his team/system or he just doesn't fit. Hence his limited starts, game time and erratic performances. Even before his ban. Circa £55m on him, also £40m on Barnes. The summer 2023 window looks worse by the team sheet.

Reminiscent of the Ashley days in the last 10. Early leavers, half empty ground, half arsed singing in the freezing cold and losing to an average-decent team after a tragic second half. How I've missed it. (I haven't)

Don't rate him. He's a free transfer from Bournemouth at the end of the day.

Carbon copy of Brighton second half where the subs make us even worse.

Absolutely clueless second half performance from all involved.

Finish graft in town at 4 today. Keemon

Whole match is in the OP.

Was Manolas. Roma came back from a 4-1 deficit to go through. Only to get twatted at Anfield in the semi final.

Wait until after the first game after an international break, against Chelsea, to sack him?

Lord Varys ringing the changes.

The carthorse has been canny.

Once in the 1-1 draw in February 2023. Ball bounced in the 6 yard box to him from a corner.

Liverpool's 4 after tomorrow will determine whether they walk it or not imo. In all competitions really, they've: Real Madrid (H), Man City (H), Newcastle (A), Everton (A). If they come through the PL games with 7 points or more it's theirs. But they can just as easily drop points in all 3 regardless of Man City's showing today.