Abacus

But, I'm going to have to exclude a few players from this. If we just go straight up hits to misses, and can leave people out that are neither one nor the other that's a simpler task. I could argue about Wood all day, for instance.

You need to calculate the money percentage of the successful signings compared to overall spend. @Heron there's a great idea for a thread here, but it's a bit too complex. And then Fak turned up with his "English humour".

It's interesting that when Howe came in, we were playing shapeless, formless football. We absolutely needed someone like him with a clear vision on the pitch, the determination and self belief in it himself, and to then bring the players along with him for what is now referred to as Plan A. Being able to do that not only saved our skins by keeping it clear and simple, but brought us some incredible successes over the following seasons. I don't buy that it's a completely rigid system either, as tweaks have been made when necessary. Whether it is still working now either through other teams working us out, the volume of games when in Europe, not having the right personnel to execute it or any combination of those is a matter of debate. You could argue that if it is indeed teams working us out, then Howe's great strength and his commitment to that system starts to look like his weakness at the same time. So I get that and why some people sit where they do. If we do lose Howe in the summer, and I personally hope not, I don't think we should stick with a version of plan A with someone else in charge since I'm not sure there's anyone else better at it. So, for me, it would need a real shift in proposed playing style to make that call on whether someone different is worth a go. Others may think differently or indeed would welcome such a change for exactly the same reasons. But whatever it ends up being, that decision needs to be early either by Howe himself or the club, so that if there is to be a change we can identify the right type of players for whatever any new playing style is. But whichever way you go, we'd definitely need a few lock-pickers against low blocks.

Well this thread has certainly raised a much needed chuckle

Yesterday I mainly wanted to see an improvement and a bit of fight. I think we got that - it's a disappointing defeat but on another day we come away with a draw, and largely down to our finishing. I want to see more time with Wolt up front, probably in combination with Wissa or Osula. That said, Osula had been on a bit of a scoring run, so it would maybe have been harsh to drop him - and he did nearly race through early on. So, in isolation this game doesn't much affect my view of Howe, except that it looks like the players are still playing for him. As usual it's been the clinical finishing that has let us down.

I just enjoyed a funny night of football. So, Spurs or West Ham, it looks like.

When we got relegated at Villa with a team that on paper shouldn't go down, you were still hoping for a moment of magic from somewhere. It was a desperate feeling. In retrospect it was a good relegation because all the players that didn't put a shift in went, but that's unusual. This has a similar feeling with Spurs where you wonder where the characters are to get you out of it.

Hope so, given the amount of corners we're likely to face. Fingers crossed a spell on the sidelines was what he needed. Yes, if he concedes a hatful that's his confidence gone. But regardless I still think he'd be the better choice for this game.

Was he the same guy who went and stood outside a door somewhere, they didn't answer and so he went away?

Good news about that H&M sports socks 5 pack tucked within all that.

I really want to see Wolt and Osula in combination for a bit. Osula has the pace and pressing aggression Wolt doesn't, likewise Wolt has the quick thinking and backheels to create a pass that could set him on his way. I'm quite impressed with him and would be a bit disappointed if we gave up on him this summer.

I'd been clinging on to the hope he might still have some impact next season. Maybe even still have a couple of seasons in him as a half decent rotation option. I have no idea how reliable that report is, but if it's anywhere close to true, then that's terrible. I'd really like to know what's gone on behind the scenes since he joined. Considering reports that we may need to sell to buy anyway, that sort of loss and also getting nothing back on the pitch would make this doubly bad. On a positive note, errr... Oh yes, I know, the forum is back up.

I can't speak for Stifler and he's already responded, but clearly no for me. If Bournemouth get there then they have earned it. Thing is, I wasn't sure which way I wanted that Leeds result to go tonight at the start. The only reason I picked that game to watch was I figured the Man City Burnley game would be a dead rubber, and it seems that Burnley put on a decent show so fair play to them. I was happy for Bournemouth to be above Chelsea, but equally wanted more pressure on the teams below Leeds, who also deserve to be where they are. A draw did both. Looks like a shootout between Spurs and West Ham at the bottom now to me. Also, dead chuffed for Longstaff as I don't think anyone would wish him bad luck.

Get in Longstaaaaaff!

Longstaff brought on presumably to help shore things up for Leeds at 1-1. Immediately almost went 3-1 down (not his fault). Come on Sean blast one in.

Booom, Leeds equalise, a football match broke out

What a miss by Okafor Edit to say looks like the game suddenly came to life

Bournemouth 1 up, decent goal and they probably deserved it

Darlow with a decent save for Leeds, still 0-0 in a low quality game. Nearly half time, on the upside

I've been watching it, and nowt is indeed happening

On the transfer thing, this summer was a bit of a mess. You can blame who you like for that, up to you, and it's had several knock ons. But what got us there was multiple windows before that where we couldn't spend, with the squad aging all that time and being unable to afford to refresh the team properly. What got us THERE was "overspending" to the point that we needed a fire sale, having overperformed to the unbelievable point of being in the CL, with a few astute signings. But what got us to the point of that "overspending" in the first place was over a decade of not enough investment in the team to leave us with the most threadbare squads I can remember, and actually needing some players to avoid what had seemed like certain relegation under Bruce. That's right, I'm still blaming Ashley half a decade on. As for Howe, I do think we need to see a strong reaction in these last few games. Not talking about winning every game, but signs that the team haven't checked out. Without that, I think there's a strong chance he decides to walk himself in any case.

Rosenior chucking his players under the bus. Lack of professionalism from the players etc.

Mitoma is so good, Brighton still all over these.

It's a mystery how Brighton aren't 2-0 up, Chelsea looking all over the place

If he wants to go, let him go. After that proposed Liverpool transfer, I think it was admitted that his head had been turned and his form dropped off hugely at the same time. With the right fee, given the rumours he's open to the move, then it's probably "so long" from me. We'd miss him and I do rate him, but at the same time I find his inconsistency a bit tiring. You could say that about a lot of the squad at the moment though, so it's hard to know if it's a general team malfunction rather than down to individuals. Of course it would be better to keep him if he's still interested and committed but that's the bit I don't know enough to comment about. Reading back, I've ultimately just said a whole load of nothing there, but it's the taking part that counts.