TheBrownBottle

I wouldn’t have included BDB tbh. The fact that Almiron isn’t good enough but almost certainly could’ve been shipped out after his purple patch in 22/23 is actually damning of Howe’s management rather than mitigating. He’s been well supported from the club management and the support so far.

It’s like being angry at being in a traffic jam and thinking you’re not part of the problem. Tonali was part of the problem.

You’ve been watching different games from me - he really hasn’t this season. Our midfield was flim-flam with him in it. And again, Longstaff isn’t the highest of bars. You don’t spend £60m on a midfielder who at best so far may have looked a bit better than Longstaff (again, debatable).

Howe was in control of transfers until the professional gardener came in. I still find it incredible that we didn’t try and cash in on the likes of Almiron last summer rather than remaining loyal to limited players.

Needs to actually look better than Longstaff when he gets game time. It’s not exactly the highest of bars.

I’d kill to know if Howe really wanted the lad in the first place. The only time he’s looked at the level was playing deeper - which is where we have Bruno. Still scratching my head re this signing, not even allowing for his ‘indiscretions’.

We did sign players in the summer. And Howe has had six windows to ship players out - and has clung onto them. You can’t always buy if you don’t sell. He’s spent a hell of a lot of money. Good transfer dealings aren’t just about who you sign, but who you sell - and when. Howe deserves this season, but I wouldn’t be handing him more signings without improvement tbh. If we don’t qualify for Europe he’s gone I’d think. edit: this is harsh on Howe I admit, but in an era where ‘nothing clubs’ have trophy-winning managers, we don’t have one. Which does create an issue re how much time you give without the trophy-laden track record to cling onto.

Second half we had a forward line which cost over £140m being ‘fed’ by a midfield which cost about the same. Money has been spent - a lot of it.

I thought we played reasonably well first half. Second half is as bad as I’ve seen under Howe. He’s deserved credit for recent results but he’ll deserve criticism coming his way for this - I still don’t know what the fuck we’ve been trying to do this half. Subs, formations, position switches - it’s been amateur stuff. We look especially shite when trying to break teams down - zero ideas.

The olés …

Bruno off. Forgot he was on.

No shots on target second half apparently. Grim.

It would be numberwang if you did

Pelanty surely?

Fucking ho’way lads plenty of time left

4-4-2 now …

Are we now playing 4-2-3-1?

Christ haha that was an Andy Cole header by Isak

Still plenty of time to go. We aren’t improving as the game wears on, though.

Sounds like half our team tbh

The goal came down our left

I’m not even angry about it tbh - just think he’s an utterly mediocre player at this level. I know he was free, but I hope we aren’t paying him crazy wages.

Neither goal was Longstaff’s fault. The second wasn’t even on the same side of the pitch.

Schar’s header. Kelly compounded it by moving towards the RCB for reasons that only he will know. Kelly may have the worst positional sense I’ve seen in an NUFC CB for some time.

Kelly tucking in too much, midfield in no man’s land