Mole

The new ones in charge weren't in place last summer, we'll see what they do but they haven't really had time to show whether they're good or bad yet. All we have is just words to the press, which is meaningless in both directions.

I do think there's a possibility a change in approach and how the midfield is set up could fix the openness of the midfield. But I wouldn't rule out looking elsewhere either, either way I think sticking with it as is is probably not a good idea. Either something changes from within or they look outside to change it. The balance of the midfield (which has affected how we both attack and defend this year) has been completely off.

With how open the midfield has been this year I disagree. On paper you shouldn't need to no, but there's been gaping holes to exploit right through the middle and it's part of the reason the defenders have been more exposed. If anything I'd argue, for a team in 12th place that nothing should be off the table.

Hell not just that but just if your interested in tech at all. They've completely fucked over the average person with their desire to push AI, making buying new PCs just a non starter for most people.

I will say one thing, the fact most of the links seem to be younger players is probably a good sign. Wages won't be as high and less likely to be blown away by Cartel. Of course they are just links, but like trying to shop in the same market as them was probably never going to end well.

I'm very confident stuff will get done, whether it's good stuff is a different situation entirely.

I know what the CEO said, but genuinely I doubt that's the entire crux of whether the future is in doubt. He's probably just saying that as lip service, if the future is in doubt then I assume because they are not happy with the results overall ( which I think is fair) but I also think the context of how we arrived to this point is important too and why he should get until at least Christmas IMO. If the results are not forthcoming then maybe it's a discussion that can be had.

That shitshow of a summer was likely going to end with this direction, I do feel Howe deserves at the very least until Christmas (after a summer of hopefully not having to do what he had to last summer) but usually when a manager has too much on his plate it doesn't end very well. I have been critical of how we've played this season, we've felt very structureless at times and most weeks you seem the same mistakes with no real sign of improvement or consistency. But despite that I do want the man to be given a chance to see how next year goes while hopefully having a decent window where he can focus on the pitch entirely.

Considering the background of Ross Wilson I'm pretty sure we're going to. Granted I didn't expect the first one to be a 16 year old kid but I think more South American signings is probably a safe bet.

He is, the reaction to him would have been very different 3-4 months ago. People just have tremendously short memories, the team have performed badly overall for the most part so it's not surprising individual performances have degraded.

People criticise the Woltemade in midfield choice but the results have been strictly good in the games they have chosen to use it. I know he hasn't put any individual outstanding performances but who cares? It quite obviously has been effective in getting the team to function better and the attack is way less isolated than it has been most of the season. Except for maybe City but they kick our ass everytime regardless.

I find it rather humorous that despite all the success they have had that they still feel that way. Clubs like Sunderland I kinda get why they would, because well they have pretty much nothing. But I would think when your club achieves enough at the highest level you'd stop giving a fuck.

I haven't watched him much at all, but from what I have read others speak about Bastoni for 50m euros surely all of Europe are going to be all over that?

I think targeting young DMs makes sense, even if Tonali isn't sold it feels like it's been a problem area for pretty much the entire season. The middle of the pitch has been far too open on far too many occasions.

The worst part about this is it's literally just a marketing slogan for an old Pro Evo I remember Konami using that exact term for one of the games to explain how each team would feel different in their style like real life. The fact he thinks he's come up with some sort of enlightened term to describe this means he's so ridiculous far up his own arse I'm surprised if he can actually see anything anymore.

Only 6 off 5th! It's genuinely quite amazing how despite many dogshit results the possibility of finishing in European spots just refuses to die.

Outside of Osula instead of Gordon I feel like it's as good as it can get from what's available and Gordon is going to need to be rotated at some point. Willock definitely deserves it from his performances and I'm very non-plussed on the whole Burn or Botman scenario. Either is good.

In theory the options are good, but it hasn't born out in reality. I think holding onto players who have the team in the bottom half of the table is asking to stay there. There's too many players who haven't performed and if you want to be in genuine contention for top 4 next season you have to be more ruthless than that. Hell I would argue nobody has been "excellent" this year.

I think the 4231 is part of why the performances have improved though. The team is just closer to Woltemade in general and it's giving more space to Gordon as well and there seems to be greater degree of freedom. Like it could still be that, Ramsey or Joelinton on the wing wouldn't massively shock me tbh.

Seems expensive for a single ticket, but fair enough.

Focus on the team performances and not so much him as an individual. The team has performed way better since the change and changing it because he isn't having outstanding individual performances doesn't make sense to me. His own performances will come, but changing it back is asking for the same rubbish performances we saw for months. Before the change I had practically given up because I saw the same issues every week, since the change there's been signs of week to week improvement. Don't mess with that because you're worried it might mess with him long term.

I think the only real justification is if you're worried about getting picked apart in midfield. But I think if that was the worry, then Joelinton would be playing.

If he doesn't get his hair exactly like Phoenix for this game I'm going to be disappointed now.

Aye, it says a lot more about the midfield options and their performances than it does Woltemade himself that such a decision was made.

Based on Woltemade's reaction to the goal during celebrations afterwards, I think it's fair to say he wanted it and was a bit disappointed not to get the opportunity ( I think most strikers would be tbh) But he doesn't strike me as the type of person to let that linger for too long. I suspect this whole thing has become bigger than it actually is in reality and suspect the team as a whole will have moved on.