WilliamPS

I think the penny needs to drop with some fans that there are members of the squad who are decent on the pitch but are not sellable, whether due to contracts or injuries. Theres nobody bidding for Miggy or Wilson - the club can’t sell them. Better to keep them motivated as both can be big contributors over the next season. Wilson might appear in only 20 games and score 10 goals. They are good players, but they are not attractive prospects in the transfer market.

He’s just venting about the PSR mess, probably didn’t want to lose Anderson, annoyed other players were offered up too. There is going to be tension between the plans to be “better sellers” and the manager wanting to keep his preferred players. Unfortunately the tension will continue due to PSR, the club just need to manage it.

On the podcasters; they have to churn out a couple of hours a week, even when there’s no football to comment on, so often all these podcasts descend into playground gossip and wacky theories They aren’t going to record 30 second episodes that say “nothings happened” as for some it’s now their livelihoods. Much of the Staveley chat and now the Howe stiff is desperate filler, the truth is much more boring. Staveley left as her job was done, Howe might be approached by England but nobody knows yet.

If a RW comes in, as is the plan, then one of Murphy and Almiron has to go really as without Europe there just won’t be the game time for 3. Almiron has the value so financially that one makes sense, but if it’s gets to September and Almiron is staying then it could be Murphy instead just to trim the squad numbers

Klopp would be superb but I’d be shocked if he’d agree to it. He has the motivational skills plus a deeper tactical awareness, and an international job might suit him given he wanted a break. Could be a perfect fit Except I think he’ll only want the Germany job

RW is the one area of the pitch that is unimproved from the takeover. In terms on leap in ability it’s the biggest opportunity, they will get someone in who they think is top tier. Doesnt necessarily mean costs £50m, just means someone they think can be an elite player. Other areas are possibly about depth and succession planning (GK, RCB, CM) but RW is about immediate impact on the pitch.

I mean what the hell does tracking mean. Has he hid in the woods? These sites just pump any old shite

Tbf I think trying Foden-Bellingham-Saka was reasonable, but it was clear in the first game it wasn’t going to fly Saka didn’t have a particularly good tournament either, despite having Walker behind him and playing in his natural position, but as he’s an Arsenal player he gets an easy ride in the press.

It does make the group stage worse as there are some no hopers who don’t give competitive games (Scotland) and as the jeopardy of going out is reduced by the 3rd place slots. Means the best teams only meet in the quarters /some 2nd round games rather than in the groups

Shearer looks at Kane and sees himself circa 2001, when Shearer had had his big injuries and people started to ask questions. For shearer the manager dropped a load of pace around him, opened up space and he went back to scoring. For Kane, as others have said, this has already happened! I think a big reason Kane is getting flack instead of not going to Southgate is Kane is playing abroad so people haven’t seen him scoring week in week out. Nobody in Germany will be saying his legs have gone or he’s past it, and if he was still on MoTD every week be same here. Everyone could see the change needed for England to play Kane; genuine width and pace upfront. That means dropping either Foden or Bellingham to bring that in. If you must play Foden and Bellingham then the runs into the channels have to come from the striker and that can’t then be Kane. Management is about decisions and this is the one that was bottled. IMO Foden should have came out for Gordon and Kane remained, but other solutions are available, England didn’t pick any of them though

Shame for him, wish he’d been left at home if he wasn’t going to play. He had a tournament last summer as well and had a long season.

He was subbed after 85 mins when Bayern were winning 1-0 and trying to shut the game down. Kane has genuinely just had the best club season of his career. He was awful for England though as the manager wouldn’t choose between players and tactics.

Bit odd that a player can do so well in the CL, including good games against Real, but he’s fallen to bits 2 months later! From opta; Harry Kane has been directly involved in 11 goals in the Champions League this season (eight goals, three assists); the most ever by an English player in a single campaign in the competition. Harry Kane is the joint-top scorer across Europe's big five leagues in all competitions this season (43 - level with Kylian Mbappe), while the striker now has the most combined goals and assists of any player (54 - 43 goals and 11 assists). im not even a Kane stan but he’s clearly still a great player! The difference is Bayern put pacey players going beyond him, England don’t. Be like binning Shearer off at 30 instead of putting Bellamy next to him

Kane scored 8 goals in the CL and 36 in the league last season. For England he is misused, he’s hardly washed up

Tripps was probably as Shaw was done, so that change was required, but it could have been done at the start of ET if they got they far.

The FA is the worst organisation in the world and has bags and bags of money, so they could do anything. Their first aim will be to avoid any responsibility so my guess is they go for the obvious candidates. The money to release Howe wouldn’t bother them one bit. I doubt they’ll go for Potter as he is nether an insider nor has the profile.

I don’t think it was personal with Southgate, more that if Gordon was given 30 mins it could make calls for his inclusion to be deafening - Southgate wanted to play both Bellingham and Foden and didn’t want a LW, so avoided it. Had Grealish been in the squad with his greater PR I think Southgate’s hand would have been forced

My guess/hope is they are putting all the deals together to ensure the package for PSR, so it’s either this CB and this RF or that CB and that RF, and once all the pieces fit we see a few go through together

Kane could still be great for England with runners beyond him. He’s scored a ludicrous amount this season. Playing him up top on his own with nobody getting past him and nobody stretching the play on the flanks is not going to work though - he’s too slow for that IMO harsh to blame the player for what are tactical errors made repeatedly.

What this totally misses is that England now have elite players. Back in 2018 Southgate did well with a deeply average squad, he did a great job. But he has failed to get the best out of the talent England now have. England genuinely had a better squad than Italy in 2021 and Spain today, but in both finals Italy and Spain deserved their victories - that’s why the manager is responsible

Think of the attitude he must have though, to cash out at 30 is one thing, to cash out at like 21 is another. Does he have the hunger to win stuff and be the best player he can be?

Might end any chance of DCL moving, if Everton have done the sales they need to do

Hardly a shock that the manager and new sporting director are having a meeting. Be more of a story if the weren’t! I know the lack of transfers is frustrating but some people need to relax. We had ‘news’ of cars spotted at the training ground last week, as if everyone takes the bus unless it’s for a transfer

The club have been watertight for some time, however transfers involve a selling club, agents, the player etc, word does get around

Probably the plan from the outset. Her background is deals, the deal is done. Her role was then to cover the executive until that was all in place, and that’s complete now too, with the new DoF in and Eales settled. Mission accomplished! I say good luck to her. Doubtless she’ll be looking at her next deal somewhere else, probably not even in football.