Keegans Export

I have limited sympathy for Everton really. The PL brought in the rule about punishment/deductions being decided within the following accounting period this season, which is why Everton may get hit with deductions this season for the previous accounting period (along with Forest) and the one before that (the -6pts that has been confirmed). However, if the rule had been in place last season, they would have been deducted 6pts in 22/23 and been relegated. You could argue that if the double points deduction sees them relegated this season then it's the same result just a season late.

The 10 points was at least partly based on the amount they were over the limit though wasn't it? So if we went £500m over we'd get a much larger (initial) punishment than 10pts, even if it was then reduced on appeal.

Surely there's a chance we end the season without knowing who is going to be relegated? They haven't confirmed any punishments for Everton (2nd) & Forest yet and they'd both have the right to appeal - the season will be over in less than three months!

So they gave them back four points on the basis that Everton's calculations were just a mistake, rather than intentionally inaccurate and that they didn't consider relevant precedents when handing out the punishment? Doesn't bode well for their second charge imo. It seems that the findings of FFP breaches weren't wrong, just that the punishment was too severe.

Hang on, they're actually called Hashtag United? I thought it was a forum in-joke that went over my head

Liverpool win means an extra European place to play for, right?

Thought the same watching on YouTube. Kelly & McQuade too.

Nope!

"Hounding a manager out" Honestly this place cracks me up. I'm not sure how there apparently isn't a difference between "Our form has been disappointing" and "Howe must be sacked" My point about relegation form was more to prove the "five games unbeaten" shtick pointless. It's easy to manipulate stats to prove/disprove whatever you like. My position is this - Howe has earned the right to have another transfer window to shape the squad. Next season, with 3 or 4 additions, Tonali returning and either no European football or one of the second-tier competitions, I expect he'll have us in and around the top 6. I also think a run of games including Luton (H & A), Forest (H & A) and Bournemouth (H) probably should have produced more than five points.

Before yesterday we had two league wins in eight games and taken just eight points in total. Borderline relegation numbers. Stats are fun. Surely nobody can look at a run of results that includes a loss at Luton, losing at home to Forest and picking up two points from home games against Bournemouth and Luton and think "Yep, we're turning a corner now"?

If we end the season behind Wolves and West Ham that'd be a bit of a disappointment. I think I'm more concerned that despite now not having European or League Cup fixtures to contend with and players gradually returning from injury our form has shown no signs of improvement. As I said earlier we have a friendly run of fixtures coming up so there's still time to change the narrative.

Where do you think we should be then, with injuries etc factored in? What wouldn't qualify as over/under performance? Not looking for an argument, just interested.

Yeah sorry about that

Right, I misunderstood. The post suggested that our squad minus Pope, Joe and Wilson is nowhere near top-10. Well I say "suggested", that's literally what it said but yeah, I agree with the updated version above.

You think a squad with Trippier, Botman, Bruno, Isak, Gordon isn't anywhere near top-10? Looking at the table that would put us somewhere in the Palace/Bournemouth area? Or lower?

He's still making a shit point though. First of all "in 2024" - well its only February and the last two results in 2023 were defeats to Forest and Luton. We've also drawn with both Bournemouth and Luton at home. We're clearly in shit form. That isn't the same as "Sack Eddie" or "Richest club in tha' World". The fact that the poor form has continued despite players gradually returning from injury and the fixtures list easing is a concern. We've got a favourable run of fixtures coming up so there is plenty of time to change the narrative.

The cheap season tickets ahead of the Derby were always going to skew it. There'll have been plenty sign up to get their ticket for the Cup game then rarely (if ever) turn up again all season.

We've shown with our transfer dealings that we aren't looking 6-12 months ahead, we're looking at building a squad almost from scratch. Howe wants two XIs that are largely interchangeable - Gordon/Barnes as LW options is clearly part of that plan and yes, our quality on the RW is lacking with Almiron/Murphy but I think it comes down to the fact that Barnes was available at a price we were comfortable with and our RW targets weren't. We spent £40m+ on Livramento knowing that he's mostly going to be sat behind Tripper, but a deal was there and we presumably think he could be "the guy" in a year or twos time.

Looks like her team play the level below NUFC were last season, seems like a strange link.

Like @Pandamninator says, Ashworth isn't (and presumably wasn't hired as) a sort of super-scout to sit directly above Nickson, so I wouldn't look at people like Campos and Giles as replacements based on their success in identifying and a acquiring playing talent.

I wonder how much involvement he's had in signing the various U18s we've picked up in the past year or so, obviously he's been heavily involved in the England set-up in the past. Could just as easily be someone else's influence of course.

If we're going like-for-like there's every chance we won't go for the transfer/first team focussed DOF. By all accounts Ashworth wasn't really directly involved in scouting or identifying players, he was more of an administrator organising all aspects of the football side of things.

It would still affect FFP because what goes on the books isn't the transfer fee, its the reduction in the value of the player over the course of his contract (up to 5 years). So you can buy a £40m player on a four year contract however you like - cash, installments, getting a loan from HSBC - he's still going to cost you £10m per year (plus wages obviously)

Presumably compensation and gardening leave terms would be in his contract? I'm not sure how these things work Anyway, onwards and upwards. It won't be the last time a key player or member of backroom staff moves on. They pinched one of Man City's top guys so clearly they're still a draw. Most important thing is getting the very best available replacement in.

Basically, he might want to leave. He might not. We want him to commit and he hasn't so far. Non-story as it stands.