Shadow Puppets

1) I disagree. If our big players stay fit, this squad is more than capable of challenging for European places. Why wouldn’t they be? We finished 7th last year, a few wins away from 4th, after spending most of the season with 10+ first teamers on the treatment table. Gordon, Isak, Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton, Trippier, Livramento, Schar, Pope, Botman (when he returns), Wilson (if he can play 15+ games), Barnes… we have a really talented bunch of lads. 2) I don’t think it’s so “batshit insane” to think that EH know very specifically the kind of player they want, that would improve the team, be a “good egg”, be available for the right deal, AND actually want to join. But hey, each to their own opinions.

I can only speak to the players I have contact with, and I’ll ask them on Sunday, but they’re a pretty level headed bunch and very committed to doing their best for NUFC. They’re not going to be pissed off and start half-arsing it if that’s what you mean? I mean, the reality we find ourselves in is that we will almost certainly lose one of our big players next summer anyway. If we don’t qualify for Europe that is more likely, sure, but if we are serious about having to play within these PSR boundaries, selling high value assets is a big part of it anyway. I fully expect all the players to be fully invested in pushing this team as far as it can go this season. Beyond that, who knows? 🤷‍♂️

I never said he was pushing to leave either… but he’s actively been telling members of our squad that he wanted to join and that he expected to join. That’s different to “pushing to leave”.

From a keeping your squad together perspective, 8.5/10 From a recruitment perspective, 3/10. From a “let’s find the wildest opinions in the NUFC fan base” perspective, 10/10.

😁 Well, yeah, as of a few days ago he was. I’ll find out more on Sunday when I see people, but I’m assuming the injury to Palace’s other defender was ultimately the downfall 🤷‍♂️

Exactly.

Watch Howe’s press conference. He explains it all pretty clearly. 1) There WAS money to spend. 2) They identified “4 or 5 players” per position to attempt to sign that fit into our criteria (EH listed the criteria as very specific… the right position, the right profile / attributes / attitude, and crucially the right deal for the good of the club). 3) They couldn’t get the deals done. 4) They decided against signing players that didn’t line up with their criteria of what we need. 5) EH reiterated multiple times that working relationships are GOOD. 6) EH repeatedly said that all people were in agreement on what needed to be done and how it should be done. 7) EH repeatedly said that with PSR constraints every signing has to be perfect for the club, meet all the criteria, be the right deal etc, so unfortunately in this case they chose to do nothing rather than spend on players that they didn’t feel would improve the squad or fit the profile they want for this club. Maybe I’m just a “glass-half-full” kind of guy, but all of that seems pretty reasonable. Frustrating, yes, but completely understandable. I really really think people need to take a step back, look at where we are, how far we’ve come in 2.5 years, and question whether needlessly creating drama out of this is really the most useful thing to do. Our fanbase has a habit of imploding when things aren’t going exactly to plan, which is then reflected in the stadium and then ultimately on the pitch. We’ve had a great 2.5 years. We’ve hit a road bump. Don’t make it worse than it is by overreacting, because a negative atmosphere is far more likely to contribute to a bad season than a couple of players we didn’t sign.

Oh I will. Still absolutely love this team / manager. It’s frustrating, but we’ll be fine. We have a lot of talent in there.

Cool story bro.

Yes, sorry, I thought that was obvious.

We’re not looking for squad players… we’ve been searching exclusively for 1-2 first team ready starters.

It’s pretty common place for loans to include a loan fee these days. Mind you, you are also speaking to someone who doesn’t really rate Chalobah and don’t really see him as much of an upgrade on anyone we have in that position.

Maybe, but would it have been worth spending (what I assume is) a chunky loan fee for a player who wouldn’t start for us when everyone’s fit come November? When Krath will only be starting at CB for one more game all being well.

🤷‍♂️ He seemed pretty honest to me. He said he wouldn’t argue with people if they thought we were weaker now, but that he backs himself to train the team to make them better.

Seriously man, just watch the press conference. That is not a man who’s about to walk. He’s very very pragmatic, repeats multiple times that the working relationships are good, and that everyone has been working to do what is right within the constraints we have. But he repeats that once we reach the 4th or 5th player on our list for each position, we have to make a decision on whether we just wait until the next window. People seem desperate to create drama where there is very little. It’s been a poor window, partly because of PSR, partly because of decisions we have made due to the PSR constraints. It doesn’t really have to be any more dramatic than that. Disappointing, but we move on.

And essentially trying to start the narrative that there is a problem between Howe and Mitchell, yes.

That he quite clearly rubbished everything that Hope was trying to claim. Hope is a known bullshit / clickbait / agenda driving tosspot, the worst of the worst.

Did you watch Howe’s press conference?

Howe himself rubbished what Hope was trying to claim in his presser.

I said the expectation at our end, and the expectation of the player, was that he would join imminently. I shared what I was told by one of our current players + an agent I have got to know. I mean, as of last Thursday, Guehi himself was under the impression that he’d be travelling for a medical last week (at least that’s what he told my contact).

If you haven’t watched it, I’d urge you to. It’s a fucking brilliant press conference under the circumstances.

No. AG is absolutely fine.

Well, to you it’s hearsay, sure… but there’s zero reason for me to believe it’s not true, especially considering their previous.

Have you seen the state of Twitter this morning? “Heads need to roll”… sounds like the start of a pathetic revolt to me. Criticism is fine and as things stand, warranted, but the messages to Eales and Rueben… it’s pathetic.

Agreed, if it repeatedly happens, sure. But one bad summer shouldn’t spark a revolt in the fan base. It’s just fucking childish.