Dr Jinx

Richarlison looked a real prospect about 2 years ago, not so good this season but the whole team stank in fairness. He needs that diving removed from his game, it’s awful. But wouldn’t be displeased if he signed (based on nothing), needs to find his mojo again, can’t think of any better club for a player to come and enjoy their football than us right now.

No way that was his call, I’d say whatever respect Ralf had when he got the job sort of ebbed away and even from his side, he knows now the club is absolutely toxic so it was probably an easy conversation to have for both parties. Ten Haag will have to find out the hard way.

Man Utd have essentially pivoted each time they’ve changed manager. Different playing style, ethos etc. They haven’t a clue who they even are at this stage. They need someone like Ashworth even more than we do. He agrees with the owners on the playing style and objectives, and then no matter who is managing the first team, they have to buy into that whole system in place so that there’s continuity. Ten Haag is obviously a good manager but he’s now coming in with another ethos, another way to play and he has nobody at board level or in between to back him up when/if things don’t go well. Mark my words, it’s going to be a disaster and will set his career back in a big way.

We’ve bid £50 million for Paqueta. They’ll probably reject but accept with a few add-ons maybe. Didn't think he’d be one of the first.

Yeah the issue is that once Dubravka gets in the side, there’s literally nobody challenging him for the spot, Darlow just accepts his fate. I see Eddie Howe saying to Henderson, show me why you should be no.1 and let them compete

I’m not sure, I think the biggest earner was Shelvey before.. around 80k, still an obscene amount but the other lads are likely on far less, that’s well within the majority of even upper Championship level teams, never mind PL. A lot of them can find parity in terms of wages while dropping to a more suitable level for their ability.

I wonder if the hold up is anything to do with the timing of Ashworth coming in, EH might have told him yes I’d live you here but we have a committee now and everyone has to give their input etc.

Did fuck all yesterday. Despite having an outstanding season, Liverpool overall just seem a bit jaded on all fronts. They don’t have the resources to take on City at a squad level and it showed at end of season, they were spent despite still being an excellent side. Real didn’t have to be anything special to beat them, just calmer and more efficient. Some of these need to leave, as much for the club as for themselves. The current “top coaches” have yet to really show they can maintain success long term. I keep thinking of how bloody good Ferguson was at freshening things up, despite the almost ultra consistent line-ups over his time there.

I’d like this player but this talk is clearly coming from his agent. I’m 100% confident in the clubs plan, if we don’t move for him it’ll be for right reason, they’ve been spot on about everything else so far. You can criticise the Wood signing but he was brought in to bring the team higher up the pitch more so than score goals, objective achieved. There’s a reason for everything when it comes to our manager.

He got a big pay rise the season before the club was sold, before that he was on pittance for what the average PL salary for that position would have been.

So what’s the story with Bissouma then? Seems like the ideal defensive midfielder, is he a wrong un though? What’s the chances his legal issues will actually go to court?

Not sure about that, if Botman came in I could see us being competent enough to play 3 at the back with advanced wing backs. Botman in the middle and Burn out left which is probably his best position. If we knew this move was probable it could also explain why the manager would favour Lodi over Targett.

Yes please! Easily the most attractive striker option in Europe along with Vlahovic, cut from the same cloth. Would be along the lines of signing Shearer in terms of buying a ready made talent.

There certainly can’t be many who match vision with passing ability as well as that plus a real eye for goal, but that’s just part of his ability to strike a ball as well as he does.

I’d say he’s had a certain informal level of input, even if it’s a case of someone at the club asking advice on certain scenarios but overall his job will be building the infrastructure to drive the club on going forward.. a 3-5 year project. A new state of the art training facility that encompasses the academy and building a whole network to source and monitor talent coming into the club. While the club will spend money on established players, their plan is to have a self sustaining system of excellence that fuels the first team year after year. Something I think is far more exciting as a supporter than trying to attract mercenaries on dumb wages.

Villa are taking a big gamble, if they get top 4 it will pay off but that’s a massive stretch. Coutinho went missing for large spells last season, you could hardly say it was a success.. and Kamara, there has to be a reason none of the big clubs were in for him. In fact, any of these names which we’d expect to be in for, Bissouma for example.. if we’re not, I’d imagine it’s because Dan Ashworth advised us not to, which would tell it’s own story.

Darwin Nunez is the only one I really care about, no idea if we’re even in for him but we should be all over it.

For timing that would make sense. He’s here to do all the heavy lifting for Howe so all the transfer activity could pick up pace as soon as he’s at his desk.

He looks like he’s getting back to the player he was under Rafa, the manager will get more from him next season hopefully so a good move for both club and player.

Wanker! What a master stroke this man was by Ashley, bringing in someone so detestable, that all the bullshit and deception he caused over 13 years was deflected on to this other professional parasite. My level of hatred for Bruce is way more than Mike Ashley, doesn’t make much sense when you compare the two of them and what they’ve done to the club but I’ll stand by it.

He’s not the answer down the left, maybe Lodi is to fill that spot and not Targett’s. Its arguable that ASM has created more down the right anyway. We shouldn’t be hasty to get rid of anyone, he’s clearly popular in the side.. I think a pre season of Trippier heckling him might set him straight a bit.

I’m just imagining the scouting report coming back on him with Bruce just in the door.. “eh Steve, we can sign this lad who’s got bags of talent and will bail the team out on his own in some games.. but the thing is, he’s basically uncoachable..” Steve Bruce “has no interest in being coached and I’ve no interest in coaching him.. he’s perfect!”

Could visibly see Wilson getting frustrated with him several times yesterday, especially that pass inside which should have had him in on goal. We know he has his limits, he’s been here a while now but I think he’s one of the few players that hasn’t really improved at all under Howe. His pace was exactly what we needed when Rafa signed him but again this one screamed more of a speculative Mike Ashley punt than one from Rafa’s little black book. If he’d been allowed, he’d have signed similar for a fraction of the fee.

Bookies for next season. Almost like they are expecting us to be in the mix. Manchester City 4/7 Liverpool 2/1 Chelsea 18/1 Manchester Utd 22/1 Tottenham 28/1 Arsenal 40/1 Newcastle 50/1 Leicester 100/1 West Ham 100/1 Aston Villa 250/1 Brighton 250/1 Everton 250/1 Wolves 250/1 Crystal Palace 500/1 Southampton 500/1 Brentford 750/1 Leeds 750/1 Fulham 1000/1 Bournemouth 1500/1

Son comes across as such a lovely lad. I wish for him to not be at Spurs