Fantail Breeze

This makes me excited.

The lack of links to CMs is really concerning me.

I’m at the stage where anyone new can only be a benefit to us. He also has a fancy forrin name and I like to stick to stereotype.

Mad how the game where we’ve had the most of the ball we got stuffed 4-0.

Leicester, Aston Villa, & Everton are their other games in hand. Leicester are still in Europa Conference League & FA Cup. Everton are still in the FA Cup. Will be difficult to get them rearranged- particularly the Leicester game. They’ll also now face much stronger teams in those three as Leicester will have their players back, Everton will improve after Rafa and Villa have strengthened.

Would be preferable. I also think this backlog of games could end up fucking them over.

He was only one post away from ‘your da sells avon’.

That goal against Ipswich in the Championship where they didn’t even touch the ball from kick off

Heart says we’ve got every chance. Head says we’ll go 1-0 up and either draw 1-1 or lose 2-1.

I don’t get why people insist in football you are either one or another with opinions. You either want ASM carried around SJP on a throne or ostracised to the U23s. You either thought the takeover definitely would happen, or it never will in a million years. You either support Howe or want him sacked after 10 games. There is the ability to sort of be in the middle. ASM is our most creative player and the only one at times who looks like making something happen. But he also has a number of significant flaws that are often to the detriment to the team. He’ll either win us the game or contribute so poorly that he’s a big part of the reason why we don’t win. I think he’s brilliant but I’m also incredibly annoyed watching him run down dead ends or lose the ball on the halfway line, ignoring a team mate in space, leading to an opposition chance. For every moment of magic, there is also a moment where he prevents us from getting a chance or concedes possession to the opposition. That can be very dangerous for a team fighting relegation. Personally I think he needs to be managed better and our team set up in a way that will benefit him rather than hinder him and us as a collective.

I think, based on absolutely nothing, names like Wood and Tarkowski are Howe picks and that worries me about how PFM he possibly is. Edwards was right about Wood and the other names he was putting out were people like Solanke, who I think Howe would be interested in. Said it earlier, if we’re not willing to break budgets to pay for someone like Botman, I don’t see how Tarkowski would ever be possible as Burnley are not going to be a willing seller.

Would be a disaster to go down to 10, but assuming it’s a straight red it’d be great to get him out of the team for 3 games.

I think there is a reason why top clubs haven’t bought Tarkowski, despite being linked away every summer. No idea why we think this would even come off. If Burnley are pissed off about Wood, they’re not going to sell Tarkowski to us unless we make an obscene offer. Unless there is a release clause, of course.

He was doubled up and almost getting in the way of Fraser and Trippier during the first half when he randomly came over to the right for 5-10 minutes. As I said, shortly before he came off he was also upfront with Wood on the left for 5 minutes or so. He was then also playing through the middle at various points with Joelinton on the left. And of course, as you say, spent a lot of time playing on the left. Made very little sense at all like.

A draw would be ideal. Beyond that either result would be a bit crap. Burnley winning slightly less crap than Watford but mindful of the fact Burnley would have 2 more games in hand.

We’ve scored 8 goals and conceded 20 in his games so far, achieving 6 points. We continue to leak goals towards the end of games and drop points from winning positions. Our attacking play has no cohesion and I don’t understand what we’re doing at times. ASM had about five different positions on Saturday, at one point he was upfront and Wood was on the wing. Our players look like they’ve never played together before, which makes me think they’re struggling with the instructions. Although I thought I saw some positive signs with Trippier and Fraser linking up at the weekend. Other than Joelinton I can’t name a single player who has improved under Howe. There are clear issues with the fitness of the squad which will take a while to improve. But I’m not seeing this improvement that other people are. I hope it’s a case that Howe’s methods will take a while to land, like Rafa’s. In addition to improvements to fitness and new players coming in, we will hopefully see a stronger end to the season.

Possibly Erikksen.

Can only find that Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester and us have shown an interest in him - so assuming it’ll be one of those four.

Alex Bruce: “People are abusing my dad on Twitter and that’s so wrong” Also Alex Bruce: ”the man is nothing but a poisonous rat”

The match fixing in these matches is beyond ridiculous Every game I’ve watched there is something clearly dodgy happening in it.

Joined an hour ago and has only bothered to post about Rafa, weird.

Can you show me one thing he’s got right (that wasn’t already reported elsewhere)?

Everton fans in complete meltdown mode about Martinez Whilst I was scrolling through their forum, chuckling to myself while I eat honey roasted peanuts, I found this: "Martinez doesn't really do that. It's rare for us to work on set-pieces. You're given your roles, you're supposed to understand them and if you don't, find out, think for yourself. That was a big changeover for us." "We questioned why we weren't working on set-pieces and Graeme Jones, the assistant manager, said: "How many do you have to defend in a game? Three? So why would we spend two hours standing around to defend three set-pieces when we could work on moving the ball" Apparently a quote from a player during his first reign at Everton. Fucking worrying quote from Jones that like

Extremely disappointed to log on here for the first time today to find no new threads on the back of an obscure rumour.

I’m hoping Rafa’s shadow will at least kick Howe up the arse and force him to improve. Wouldn’t be adverse to Rafa offering advice/a consultancy role with the consortium - not sure he’d want that though. In an ideal world Howe would sit down with him and share thoughts and ideas about the squad, which would improve Howe’s management of the team and ostracise Shelvey. But I think that’s more of a wet dream than reality.