Mole

You know why, because it's a negative link. (Or at least perceived to be) The source doesn't matter if it approves the confirmation bias.

Technically yes, but those tools aren't really impacting the game in the way we need them to. Also as dogshit as the forwards mostly have been, I would argue they aren't being put into the position to succeed which poses it's own issues. But yes I could see a scenario where those midfielders could be used in an effective manner, but that's part of adapting and finding solutions to the problems you have. The team in general has felt broken for most of the year and the midfield not offering the solution to any of those issues is a large part of it because it would make things easier for the attackers and defenders to do their jobs. I am definitely not ruling out the manager finding the answer to these problems, it's just he hasn't this year and it's a big part in why the season has gone like it has. Seems harsh, but it's his job to figure this stuff out and hopefully the summer will allow him to, whether that's new signings or figuring something out tactically.

The midfield has been an even bigger issue than the attack for me so I don't know if I agree if the right forwards were signed that it would be drastically better. This season has been one that had signs of what was to come back in October and there was never any signs of improvement. Idk I feel like not getting the right forwards really undersells the issues and is somewhat delusional. I know it worked before but this year they failed to protect the back 4, establish any level of pressure and create chances, if you don't adapt and improve you go backwards as this season as proved. I am not worried about signings, across his entire tenure there have been successes more than failures or there wouldn't have been CL football this year to begin with but I am concerned about the ability to adapt when something isn't working. I do think he deserves a chance to put it right though and we'll see how the summer goes but I just really think getting Etitike instead of Woltemade for example really undersells what the week to week issues have been.

Mane and Salah are worlds apart from our lot, if you want to use Klopp as a blueprint your wingers have to genuinely be matchwinners. No one Howe has to call on can be considered anywhere close to that. There a lot of problems with the current team but if the wingers were genuine, top quality it would hide a lot of problems.

And he would have if he wanted to, those are not the same things at all. It changed because Isak wanted to leave.

Yeah like I expect a couple of big sales from the names mentioned on here repeatedly and the main way I see the list mentioned here departing is if the money we use from said sales to get a player that impacts their position. For example, if Gordon is sold and a part of it is used to get a RW we like I could see Elanga going if the offer is right. Mainly because I am pretty sure we won't see a repeat of sell Isak and spend it all on two strikers again, but there's a lot of moving parts for all of this to actually happen.

I think this largely depends on who we get in tbh, but I agree that most of those players probably aren't being sold unless a new signing completely negates the need for them and a good enough offer comes in. But yeah it's probably important to remember it's just one season as much as it sucks, football is littered with examples of guys were utter dogshit one year and looked awesome the next.

Yep, I get these guys are hard to get but it's absolutely a problem. It would make everyone's lives so much easier if they had a couple more who could do it.

Yeah I was thinking it meant a communication fallout regarding management.

Tbf to Bruno on this, he's one of the few who can actually threaten the opposition and force them to make positional mistakes so I'm not surprised he makes mistakes sometimes as he's the one making the plays. The rest are either very tidy without being much of a threat or other flaws offensively, basically a lot of our midfield options while being fine individual players don't actually impact the game offensively to concern the opposition.

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.