HaydnNUFC

That's not Goodenough.

Carlos, Tah and Militao are all on that list and I'd take each one of them over the pile of shit we currently have.

Likewise. I'll be far more confident with signings, but probably a CM and Carlos ahead of Zapata, as good a coup Zapata would be. They can't defend set plays and still have a lot of injuries in the squad. We can score for sure, it's just literally whether we score more than them. As it stands right now we won't, but a few signings and just go gung ho for me.

The Ekitike story has gone quiet? Shame as I'd have liked a younger, pacier striker coming in. Still be happy with Zapata though if it were to be legit.

He's part of the best defence in La Liga; 13 goals conceded in 20 games for a Sevilla side in 2nd. Huge boost if we bring him in.

Bloody hell, forgot how long it took for Keegan to get rid of the Allardyce stink.

Surely it would be common sense though, in the 86th minute in a crucial game, to do that though? If it is instruction then Howe needs new players ASAP. As good a coach as he is, you can't coach the likes of 28 year old Lascelles to not retreat 5-10 yards after he's been doing so since promotion in 2017. Or the others in the side that have been doing that since then. Get rid of the likes and maybe we'll see some positive results.

The game management from Dubravka is also pathetic btw. He quickly rolls the ball put after collecting it when he should've dove on top of it, waste time and let everyone get back in shape. Atrocious stuff.

Howe. Wouldn't walk into a room with my ex tbh.

It's similar with Brighton. We were promoted with them in 2017, only Solly March and Lewis Dunk still regularly feature for Brighton who were part of their promotion side. Villa were promoted 2 years after us. Ashley's legacy. Howe is not the problem, but to me that tells me he needs some fucking help in the window. Get spending.

Need signings.

Bloody hell.

I agree with the being at the point of bringing in any cunt tbf. Bringing Benitez in in any capacity undermines Howe, as the moment bad results occur as they are at the moment the speculation will be 'will Benitez succeed Howe, ready made replacement to come in already there' that wouldn't be there with any other CEO or director. The owners just need to spend.

He said that he doesn't blame Benitez for that nor should. It was 10 games fwiw. But he also did struggle at times in his two years in the PL with largely the same squad of players. 4 wins in 24 in 2017-18, no wins in the first 10 losing all home games in that 10 in 2018-19. Its the same squad who are older and have regressed, plus we have 2 weeks of the transfer window left. I did fear that this would happen as @reefatoon said back in early December. Benitez' shadow is so big over this fanbase that it adds pressure onto a manager who didn't even succeed him and is trying to rectify 2 and a half years of a complete lack of effort and nous in coaching a PL football team. Should Howe be doing better? In terms of results, probably yeah. But if you take a step back look at the games in isolation you can take positives. Aside from these last 2 games. These last 2 after the great performance v Man Utd following a decent break should give the owners the onus to splash and get the players we desperately need, rather than getting rid of a manager who has only had 10 games in charge.

That something needs to be recognising the shortcomings in the squad and rectifying them by paying for the top targets. Not hanging onto the romanticisation of a manager who was last here 2 and a half years ago and has failed in both his jobs since in that time.

I think he epitomises the squad. Grafts hard, but no real quality or difference making in him.

Against Burnley he brought on Fernandez and went to a back 3 to tighten up and we did look more solid and saw the game out. If we were intending to sit back then I don't know why he didn't do the same, move Dummett to a CB in a 3 and bring Lewis on to play LWB. First time I've had questions of Howe was yesterday and I hope he can provide the answers and still believe he can but needs help in the transfer market. This squad is finished.

Agreed tbh. He's had Liverpool, Arsenal and Leicester away plus Man City and Man Utd at home and I doubt he'd have planned for Clark's red card or Darlow costing us 2 goals v Brentford. He has however not had the impact we all desired but he has come into an absolute shitshow of a squad. Said it before but what's worried me is these last 2 games. We've had a break since playing Man Utd off the park and have looked clueless in two halves of football against a League 1 side and garbage Watford who had lost their last 7 in a row. The club needs to just splash for our targets and get them in ASAP as we're just tossing games off given our options.

The only gripes I've had thus far with the owners have been not binning Bruce immediately, the length of the manager search and the Emery debacle. Call it bedwetting if you want but this window is starting to worry me tbh, 2 signings half way through when it was clear we needed at least 3 or 4 asap is poor imo. Especially as we knew how important getting players in early was. If either a CB or midfielder aren't signed before Saturday it's more than likely another game tossed off. And likely we'll be back to a sizable number of points adrift given Watford's next 2 fixtures.

Hate the term "plan(ning) for the Championship". Huge football pet hate.

If Wood plays against Leeds I'd start Willock ahead of Longstaff in a more advanced midfield role, assuming we sign no one. Think he'll have someone to play off and make runs beyond in Wood. And although Willock has been garbage this season, Longstaff's presence on the pitch is an insult the the eyes.

You could, but given how large Benitez' shadow looms especially on here he would increase the pressure more than any 'DoF'.

Really don't think that'd work. Undermines Howe and Benitez is never a director.

^ Still the case for me now. If we don't make 3 or more top signings for the positions we need the pressure will increase. Pay the money and get it done.