KingArthur

I am not so sure about it. We will be challenging for places 4-6 for sure, but again, there are 6 teams that have hugely more money to spend and have already bigger and better squads. One CL season does not mean we are there every year, people have to be realistic with their expectations. Villa will come down next season etc.

We will not make Champions league anyway I would guess Burn takes Dummett's place as a last chance sub, Dummett and Lascelles are off.

For some weird reason a lot of top footballers have been to Lapland this Christmas /new year. Van Dijk, Mbappe and now Trippier

Mudryk cm? what

We do not need CL football rightaway. We can get sponsor and commercial income by just working like any other football team, not like it was under Ashley. I will guess we will spend near 100 million next summer, less if we use part of it in this January

Everyone wants us to sign DM, and me too, but I think Howe will not see it like that sadly. Bruno will be the deepest of the midfield and centrally all the time, and dont think he has the legs to play no8 in this Howe’s system. I would play him as a left sided 8, with Longstaff or Miley now at right. DM has to be very good passer, and that would help change Burn to more attacking left back.

Dont understand what is the check? Not even yellow.

Agree. Even Tonali is more of a Howe-player than what we perhaps need. Of course first thing to do is to get everyone fit, but Bruno-Miley-Longstaff is so slow trio there that they can't all go charging to opposition box ffs.

We desperately need to sort out the midfield issue. Can't have 3 box-to-box midfielders, and then when you lose the ball leave 50 metres of space to run. It is the most basic thing to do. And we need more combinations and ideas for breaking the opposition down. When Almiron is taken off, our right hand side combinations die. Left side is about Gordon 1v1, but we need a left back to attack that space too when goes inside.

Our midfield and defence is horrible slow like. Botman-Burn is like a target for opposition. Miley and Longstaff nowhere to be seen. Way to easy to hit us on the counter.

It was 3v6 counter. How on earth is that a chance

I think our aim this season was around top 6-7. We are still in that fight, and hopefully will be a bit stronger after January

Bad games against Luton, Everton and Bournemouth, but trashed Arsenal, ManU and Chelsea at home, and should have won Liverpool. Our away form is horrible this year. I think our defence will start to keep clean sheets now that Botman is back. But we need bodies back to midfield and upfront also.

The problem is that our high intensity play means we lose the ball often, we create a lot of chaos but games like these would require patience and keeping the possession. Our midfield has only Bruno and perhaps Miley suited to that. Almiron loses the ball waaaay too often. Burn boots it long when under pressure etc.

Almiron and Longstaff have been horrible

He has been ran past constantly…

Liverpool also out of it.

We need a player who can receive the ball in tight spaces between the lines and play throughballs. We have runners and players who love to press, but not enough technical ability between the lines.

Problem is that when we don't create enough, then a player who is mostly a poacher does not offer much. If he doesn't link up play, hold the ball up or create something out of thin air, the poacher is standing between 2 CBs offering very little. With Haaland-level I mean that he is a player who does not touch the ball very often or participate in the build up, but it does not matter because he scores so much. We don't have that luxury because we don't create chances like Man City. And like I said, I like Wilson and he always works his socks off, and is an intelligent player like we saw against Chelsea with the goal. Just that he is a player we have to upgrade soon, and of course his fitness and age are also a factor.

Yea, I am not arguing this with great purpose. And agree with 90s football. But I still think striker should offer more than what Wilson does. At least when he is not Haaland -level goalscorer. But interesting to see this January anyway, with Europe I would have been certain that we make 2-3 deals, now not so much.

Cole 415 games 187 goals in EPL goal in every 2.2 Wilson 213 games 86 goals goal in every 2.4 And yes, Cole played in a lot better team. Although I cannot remember did he take penalties? Back to topic however, I think we need versatile forward. Ekitike might have been that type of player. Don't think we are after him anymore

You might, but Andy Cole is one the best finishers in EPL history. Wilson is not. I like Callum, but we really need help in forward department.

Yes, few weeks ago Isak used to drop deep to receive from defence and then played to Gordon or Miggy /other runners. It seemed to work fine.

I said I might not agree with the decision, but I understand Howe's thinking. Hall has not exactly been great when he has played, except at OT.

I don't care were he has played for at Chelsea. Howe said that he is a left back and seems like he will not be trusted to play anywhere else at the moment in Howe's system. He started in midfield against ManU but switched to LB rightaway and did well. Matt Ritchie is an experienced player, so when defending a cup quarterfinal lead I understand the reason to bring him on. I don't say I agree with it.