Shadow Puppets

Eh? So if we end the window with: Elanga Ramsdale Thiaw Ramsey Isak staying That's a 1/10? Fuck me.

Samu is nowhere near the level of Isak when we bought him, to be fair.

We've attempted to sign Delap, Ekitike, Pedro, Sesko, Wissa and Strand Larsen (I still think one of those last two will happen). The first 4 we were blown out of the water by "bigger" clubs, and most likely significant differences in wages offered. The Isak situation has essentially paralysed us since mid July, because every single team we approach now knows a) we are desperate, and b) we will likely have money to spend... so every team (as is there right) is asking for crazy fees and/or need their own replacements. It's frustrating, absolutely, but I struggle to see the "inexcusable" nature of it.

I don't find this "very bad", no. I'm still confident we sign at least one player, and if we don't we will reintegrate Isak and be slightly light in the forward position until January. I don't see a world where we sign no one and Isak leaves. It's frustrating that we can't seem to get a striker deal done, of course it is, but there are clear and obvious reasons for that (a lot of which can be laid at the feet of a certain Swedish striker) before anyone else in my opinion.

Last summer was "horrendous" largely down to PSR. This summer has been relatively good... just the striker issue to sort, and there's still time. Stop being dramatic.

Just to point out... Ornstein tweeted almost exactly the same thing yesterday and said almost exactly the same thing on the Sky Sports podcast yesterday... and in his words on that podcast "it depends on which side you're listening to".

I don't think Ramos or Watkins are realistic (and in Ramos' case, I don't rate him at all). I still think we'll continue down the Wissa and Strand Larsen route to be honest.

Shame if true. Really hoped he would be the one we got.

He wasn’t.

I’m not sure if this is just a hope or an expectation on our part, but I have been told this morning that today’s the day for this one 🤷‍♂️

Edward’s and the Geordie Journos all reported he got fined after the Villa game. Not sure about since.

I disagree, but let's see.

There isn't a "Wilson" replacement in my opinion. We are going to try to buy two good strikers who give us different things. Neither will be Isak quality, but both together will offer more to the squad than we've had.

Because it was agreed at last year's prices. Like it or not, we aren't getting any proven PL strikers for less than £50m+ in this summers market.

If this happens for £60m, I personally would be really happy with it. I really think he's got all the attributes to score a tonne of goals in an Eddie Howe team. Even just from his brief cameo last night, you could see a player who put himself about, was always trying to be sniffing out chances in the box, and who could finish well in different ways. I think people are drastically underestimating him / not really taking into account how fucked the market prices are. £50m-£60m is absolutely the kind of a ballpark a player like him is going for currently.

I thought he was dogshit these days?

I was in multiple places in hospitality over the course of the night, and know enough people now in and around the place who would know (and would say) if he was there. His box was empty, certainly no sign on Level 5 or 6, so unless he happened to be smuggled into a Leazes end box, I call bullshit.

Yet we’d still arguably come out of the other end stronger for it, IMO.

I’m reading between the lines. We wouldn’t be bidding in the £50-£55m range if we didn’t think a deal was feasible.

Watching him tonight by the way, he’s EXACTLY the kind of player we need. Just searching for half chances in the penalty area… he would have bagged a couple last night had we had him.

In today’s market, a player who has proven himself to score goals in a poor PL team (especially the variety of his goals) is a going to be minimum £50m (especially in the 22-26 age bracket). I’m not surprised they want £60m for him, and I’d personally be pretty happy if we got him for that. He’s the one that excites me the most of the strikers we’ve been linked with recently.

A few tidbits from conversations I had last night that might be of interest. - yesterday’s meeting between Isak and Reuben / PIF is apparently the third face-to-face one since this all kicked off in July. At each one, the possibility of a new contract with a release clause has been discussed and each time it’s been knocked back. - the player’s, regardless of towing the party line in public, absolutely want him gone. “Disgusted with him” was a recurring theme. They want him gone asap. - Strand Larsen and Wissa… the aim is to get both apparently. Not one or the other. Let’s see 🤷‍♂️ - The general feeling was it’s completely untenable to keep Isak… Eddie is not the kind of manager who wants that disruption and those continuous questions and the feeling was Eddie absolutely wants him gone too, but he’s being diplomatic in his answers.

The Wilson replacement has quite clearly been affected by the Isak situation. Every man and his dog know well potentially have a lot of money to spend so are asking ridiculous fees.

Tonne of Liverpool fans in the Barracks last night, which is technically allowed I believe, but it’s stupid as fuck to sell them to away fans for matches like that.

It takes two to tango, right?