Mole

Burn over Hall is the sort of decision Pardew would make so I don't blame anyone for being upset.

Would be fine with the 433 staying in isolation if he changes things about it to better suit the players he has. It's not all about the formation specifically but the entire team just looks disjointed, maybe that's part of it but pretty sure it's possible to work a technically same formation. Whatever the issue he needs to find the solutions to it, or he'll be out of the job eventually. If not now, then some point next year because it's literally his job to figure that stuff out.

Does not compute

I have said this in other threads, but my biggest concern isn't transfers but how rigid he has been within a set structure and unwilling to deviate from this year. There were signs of this back in October/November to me and it is kept repeating itself ever since. When I started posting again last summer, all everyone kept saying is how most of the transfers were successes so now an actual team is in place to do that successfully I am genuinely not worried. But when it comes to adapting to the players he has and finding the right solutions to any problems I do have grave concerns and I feel like he hasn't given me any evidence this year to suggest why I should have confidence in him to achieve that successfully.

I mean the reports in January literally stated that if they couldn't get him in January they never would be able to, seemed like a pipe dream from the outset.

I wasn't around before but this definitely wasn't true last summer, it was obvious from the outset that they were going to go big game hunting. I also think it's obvious considering the background of Wilson that you can reliably believe this part too. Whether they will be successful in doing so is another thing, but there's real no point in hiring Wilson and the other hires they've made if you're going to continue to overspend on players.

I think the midfield has a whole hasn't worked this year, so finding a collection of players that achieve that will probably achieve a better functioning team and better results. Not even Tonali's fault, but I think a new approach is very necessary.

I don't even think it needs to be a possession heavy side, just a team that wants to play through him. That can easily be accomplished without being a team that dominates the ball. Just use him as a vocal point and allow the wingers the freedom to link up with him when it makes sense, tbh I struggle to understand why this hasn't happened. I would think the center forward would be the focal point in most teams, but he has never felt like it at any stage since he's been here. He's felt isolated, so the midfield and wingers also feel isolated so what we have is a disjointed team with no real identity on how they wish to win football matches.

Idk if it's just me but I always felt the attempt to play him in midfield was an admission that the midfield simply hasn't worked (especially without Bruno ) and trying something as it was him not working as the lone striker.

Glad you made the thread btw, for the past few days I have felt "Prior to the summer most of the signings were deemed a success, so I'm confused why everyone is so certain that it will suck again with an actual CEO and DoF in place" and most of people's responses so far seem to reflect that. I actually think this isn't a reason to move on from Howe, the real reasons to me are you either don't trust him to turn things around, believe he's not showing enough tactical flexibility and/or players are not behind him. Which are think are all valid reasons if you feel that way, but I don't feel like an inability to sign good players is really one.

To be clear, I understood you I just wanted to be a funny fuck for no reason. But yeah I understand why you did it, it was just like there was so few examples of who were successes but financially not worth it or failures who were financially worth it that ultimately it doesn't matter that much.

Genuinely feel like it was unnecessary part of the poll because like if you think they were success surely the money comes into that anyway? Just made us all feel like dumb fucks for no reason.

The reason this happens is because there is something to believe in, even if he's a long way away from it rn. No offence to most of the squad, but a lot of their ceilings are really low. Nobody wants to hear in potential and I get that but it also gets people excited, there's not a lot to be excited about outside of a few exceptions.

I have had this discussion with Ian before, he believes in the midfield options we have. I think on paper they SHOULD be good enough but the reality is they just haven't been, after a certain point you need to accept that the results are what they are and a different direction is required to improve.

You can put it another way then, team is crying out for creativity across the pitch. If Bruno doesn't do it, chances being created is a pretty rare occurrence. There's just not a lot of offensive threats for teams to worry about.

Different levels of pressure but yes I take your point.

Tbf expecting to get bummed was always very silly and I can say that because I said as much yesterday. Main reason being they are under a shit load of pressure and the way Arteta has them set up isn't exactly conducive to bumming anyone.

That might be a good reason to do it unironically Just by pass it all together.

I imagine it's because the games don't mean anything really and not playing him just hurts you in two ways. Firstly, if you do plan to sell him then it will hurt any potential price you can command and secondly if you want to rehab his status here long term it probably doesn't help that either. This may seem harsh, but I don't think Osula is either going to be the long term answer even if he manages to score a few goals. Woltemade might be, but you'll never know that if he's not playing.

Makes sense, I haven't watched it yet but that's genuinely the vibe I have gotten from these rumours tbh. Like I expect some big names to go but I also kind of think it's necessary. Up to the club to get these incomings right this time.

Rightly or wrongly I do think a big shakeup is needed, which includes the sale of players. Multiple seasons of not investing due to fear of FFP bullshit, last summer not going at all well and obviously players ageing over the period of 3-4 years.

I remember this guy from the summer and let's just say his accuracy would make a Stormtrooper blush.

Yeah like in theory you would expect the league leaders do the business comfortably. But combination of just how Arteta has them set up (I don't think they would comfortably do anyone rn ) and the extreme amount of pressure they're under I would like expect them to win but also not make it easy for themselves.

Only reason I don't think it will be a hammering is because they are simply not set up to score like that. They'll win but it will be boring and lifeless.

I imagine it's relative and means stars of this team and not stars in general.