Thumbheed

If Howe's plan is to only play with 1 striker then we surely need more goals from midfield? That doesn't look like it'll happen with this set of players.

One plus point of today is if any of the players were unsettled by any potential wage disparities they can suck it up because they've just emphatically proved why they need all the help they can get.

I dont understand why he played Joelinton in the role he played today. He's literally been our very best player in the deeper position. If it's not broke dont fix it.

What about the previous 20 games? Or the previous 2 years? If I'm assessing an offer from this club I'm asking myself one thing; 'based on everything I've seen does this club stand a good chance of avoiding relegation?' Having watched us lose to a L1 side where our defence wasn't really the issue, I'd have a serious and legitimate doubts of that being the case. I'd have second thoughts, when the alternative is just wait a few months where another big club will 100% go for me.

Why? If you're a defender, are you looking at that performance and thinking 'yeh I could have been the difference maker there'?

Don't think there's an issue with how Eddie is training and managing the team tbh but as I've said before, if he doesn't recognise the strengths of his attacking players sooner rather than later he's gonna bomb. Even trying to play Joelinton further up the pitch was the wrong decision, and yet inspite of watching him absolutely excel in a deeper position he still managed to end up upfront. That's inexcusable imo.

Maybe Howe is seeing some nice possession based stuff being played out on the training ground which is informing his decision to play it in matches, but it's been clear for a while now that we do not have the players to be playing this type of football. He needs to realise this right now or at least recruit accordingly. We have the players to counter, so counter.

I'd be thinking twice about signing for us after that.

Aimless popossession because none of our players are willing or able to break through the lines with their runs. Sick of seeing them all hang back waiting for a pass into their feet.

This is actually fucking embarrassing

Yup, some decent possession but without a focal point we look a bit short of ideas with that final pass

Struggling without a striker making the right runs

I actually think there's a really good chance of getting him based on the fact we're turning heads and causing a bit of a stir. Would actually love him here tbh, we need more player who know how to keep hold of possession and take pressure away from our defence.

Crazy judging a player on the season he had with us (where he actually did well all things considered) and not the subsequent 5 years he had with the PL and European champions.

Reckon we should merge this rumour thread with ours.

ASM could do with doing that as well tbf.

This thread is a perfect representation of institutionalisation. For nerds.

Always rated Emerson whenever I've seen him play. Should just bid for him.

Yeh exactly. Obviosuly hope it's the former but when you factor in the 2 tier wages we'll inevitably have in the dressing room, you do wonder what the chances are for players to carry on the fight.

"For clarity"

Someone's had a word in his ear and told him to reel it in. Not that I want to put a downer on things but I do worry if this kind of activity unsettles our players, something like this surely will?

Boring isn't it? Just staying in reading transfer rumours with ya life.

Based purely on my extensive 8 minutes of YouTube scouting I'd love him here.

Aye thoughts so, you can taste the bitterness from his tweets.

Aye thats definitely us. This guy was anti takeover IIRC.