Holmesy

You don’t have to bring them in in order though. We’re probably negotiating for other players as well. Just because we get in a creative player doesn’t mean we’re not going to bring in CMs, fullbacks and a striker. In fact you could argue it makes more sense to sign someone like Coutinho first as a signal of intent. Players like him will attract other players

What kind of player do you need for a relegation battle? I’d say an immensely talented creative goalscoring midfielder with PL experience isn’t a bad place to start. Howe (if it is Howe) is not going to park the bus. He’s going to try and play technical attacking football, which means we need technical attacking footballers.

Yeah, we are strapped for cash to be fair. It’ll likely be one or the other.

If someone had told me 4 weeks ago that we’d be shot of Ashley, we’d be absolutely minted and have Eddie Howe as our manager I’d have been over the fucking moon! Thats what I’ll base my reaction to Howe joining us on, if he does.

It’s another sensible move as well - minimise financial risk in the short term while making significant improvements to the playing squad. If they’re not players for the long term, we’re not too fussed about recouping transfer fees. Hopefully it’ll also piss off the PL clubs hoping to shaft us on transfer fees in the process.

I think the Martinez talk is just because of the Jones link. It’s typical lazy journalism. If they’re being advised to look at the likes of Conte, Ten Hag, Emery, Rafa etc. Martinez doesn’t fit into that category. He’s probably category B or even C

Tactically it was one of the most inept performances I’ve ever seen and bearing in mind the managers we’ve had over the past 14 years in particular, that’s quite the accolade.

Again, it wasn’t the result that’s concerning - it was as expected. It was the performance! The team selection didn’t help but the lack of movement, motivation, energy, fitness etc. suggest there’s a lot of work to do to turn this around. Fundamental stuff seems to have been coached out of these players.

I didn’t see the game live but I’ve watched the highlights and it looks every bit as bad as it sounds. However, the omission of Almiron and then playing ASM centrally means there’s never an out-ball and that can make your midfielders look a lot shitter than they are. Chelsea press aggressively so you’ve got a couple of seconds max to make a decision and pick a pass, but with no options around you, you’re fucked! It’s years of bad coaching and poor motivation and it makes us so easy to play against. I actually have some sympathy for Longstaff. He’s not good enough but he’s being made to look worse than he is in this team right now.

Even a back 5 with Manquillo, Schar, Fernandez, Dummett, Lewis would be better. I advocated playing Ritchie and Murphy as wing backs last season because it gave us more goal threat, and it worked. But it only worked because we had those 3 playing CB. Now we’ve got Clark and Krafth in there we’re fucked regardless of who else plays

Is Dummett fit now? For all his limitations, we are significantly more solid with Dummett in the back line.

The defeat is entirely predictable and no surprise. The nature of the defeat was absolutely pathetic and inexcusable. There was nothing ‘game management’ about it. It’s was cowardice and terrible management full stop. He might not be a manager but at least have a fucking go!

You’re absolutely right, leaving your best players on the bench is often the winning formula. Football management 101. If it was about throwing your best players on to try and win the game in the last 20 minutes, Wilson and ASM wouldn’t have started the game

We were always going to park the bus against Chelsea and it’s the right tactic given where we are, but leaving Almiron on the bench means we have limited pace on the counter. That means we’re parking the bus with no desire to win the game, which Rafa wouldn’t do

I don’t know what he’s seeing that we’re not because team is absolutely mingin’ Fraser rewarded for one of the worst performances I’ve seen in an NUFC shirt, with another start?! Class!

If it’s Martinez I’ll get behind him. He’s 100 times the manager Bruce is. Given some of the names mentioned, it would be underwhelming but look where we are in the league and look at our squad! Maybe the top guys don’t want to come just yet. Personally, I think it’s likely just people lumping on Martinez because Jones has said he’s staying regardless and they’re putting 2+2 together.

Arsenal: Martinelli Aston Villa: Mcginn Brentford: Norgaard Brighton: Lamptey Burnley: Tarkowski Chelsea: Barkley Crystal Palace: Milivoyevic Everton: Holgate Leeds: Raphinha Leicester: Justin Liverpool: The Ox Man City: Ake Man United: Van Der Beek Norwich: Cantwell Southampton: Ward-Prowse Tottenham: Winks Watford: Sarr West Ham: Fredericks Wolves: Neves

Conor Coady would walk into our back line and be comfortably the best CB we have. He’s also take the captain’s armband off Lascelles and actually lead our back line.

Best game in an NUFC shirt to-date. It’s not a high bar but credit where it’s due

I know we’ve got all the money in the world but they’re still business people. We’ve just had to fork out £8m to get rid of Steve Fucking Bruce FFS! Chucking another £10m to buy the next manager out of his contract doesn’t make business sense if there are decent free options out there, which there seems to be plenty of.

Absolutely mingin’ team! Wtf is that?!

Really looking forward to seeing which of our players are genuinely shit and which were just Bruced. Rafa got a tune out of plenty of players we’d written off

Players like ASM just want a manager to say ‘go out and play. Play where you want and how you want’ and that’s exactly what he would’ve got with Bruce. No shackles at all! Mainly because Bruce is too simple tactically to do/say anything else.

Try and see it from the point of view of a prospective manager, not a fan with personal gripes. Almiron - pace and skill Lascelles - proven PL CB and leader Both are easily good enough for a mid-table PL side.

Pretty sure Dec was choking back tears at one point as well. Beautiful to see. Shame Bruce had to ruin it. ?