TheBrownBottle

If it was, Mourinho’s name would create excitement rather than contempt when linked

It’s hardly a stretch to think that - he managed to spend £250m last summer on dross, and this is now 100% his squad, so there is evidence that perhaps he isn’t to be trusted with further funds. Your position isn’t an unreasonable one, but the lack of faith some of us have isn’t based on a lack of evidence

Fuck ‘em - DR Congo should pay his wages if that’s the argument

If it is to happen, it would be better for it to be announced before the end of the season. The man deserves a ticker tape send-off, not apathy, ennui and booing after another poor home display.

Mitchell timed it to fuck us (and Howe) over is my guess, and yes it was a complete mess. But Howe and his nephew can only work from a shortlist shorter than half a dozen? I just don’t buy that part. Howe has been fucked over by mismanagement above and lackadaisical players below - but you can’t sack the board, and you can’t sack the players.

We had the entire summer to replace Wilson, which is what Wissa was. He wasn’t being replaced by a Sesko or an Ekitike. There are no excuses for it.

Palace and Brentford had similar happen to them last summer, but I don’t see constant reference to it.

We clearly were able to spend £55m on a replacement back up striker - something which a dozen PL managers would kill to be able to do. Are we seriously thinking that there just were no options available anywhere in world football for £55m or less? That a professional football manager paid millions for his expertise just wasn’t aware of any other options at CF?

The Ferguson example isn’t a good one at all, though - it effectively is from a previous era, when Man Utd’s annual turnover was less than they pay salary for a midfielder. It isn’t ’a modern day example’ - Ferguson would’ve been sacked long before 90/91 in the modern era. Ferguson’s previous track record also dwarfed someone like Howe’s - the Scottish top flight was a much higher standard back then, winning two titles and European trophy (beating R Madrid in the final) is just light years away from Howe (not a criticism of Howe, but there seems to be a lot of assumptions that Howe is on that level. He patently isn’t). Howe’s transfers and the team’s performances - his responsibility - are liable to cost the club a lot of money (it isn’t melodramatic to say hundreds of millions). He’s had far more rope than most would have. He’s been given a shit hand by the owners, whose absenteeism has allowed this shit show to occur. But the players he signed and has failed to draft into his side remains his responsibility - they may not have been his first choices, but he signed three of the four most expensive players’ in the club’s history last summer, and this isn’t good enough.

Outplayed, outmanaged, outfought. Just desperately sad stuff, it can’t carry on. Some of those players should feel embarrassed when what now seems inevitable happens.

To play or to coach?

Completely predictable

Really well taken by the lad

Get in

He’s on like - Bournemouth player played it

Did well there, looks off though

Ho’way Bruno lad sort these out

That’s a bingo for anyone who called a double on 60

Triple sub on 60? Or double?

When I eat too much cheese before bedtime, sometimes I have nightmares that I’m Elanga playing at SJP

Good defending by Thiaw

I don’t like booing at FT either tbh - but that’s just my take on it. Always seemed like pantomime shite. Walking out straight away has the same effect

You can’t sack the players, but they’re letting the man down so badly at the moment. It’s the manager who pays the price. I hope he’s went fucking ballistic at HT.

‘Individual errors’

If Bruno is fit enough, he’s got to get him on. We’re so easy to play against, and I can’t imagine that loon allowing his teammates to drag him down to this level.