Erikse

You said specifically if we keep the band together, and said that our squad was already so strong. But I know the summer was pretty unexpected and should change everyones expectations. Was just having a bit of fun here tbh.

Hence why I said part of it - for example some of the good players that you mentioned he took over was brought in during 21/22, so they were included in those 519m euros I talked about. I have also already accepted that Emery took over a better team, although at the time being our team had already become pretty good, thanks to Howe and the recruitment team. Probably even better than Villas team, with the likes of Isak, Trippier, Bruno and Botman now being in the mix? But also less balanced. After this it the progress has stalled a bit while Villa seem to keep progressing, despite seemingly not spending much more than us all things considered, and also selling som decent players that I think makes their net spent lower than ours. Lets see what happens when the CL games starts taking its toll on them.

You started talking about how they spent before Emery took over, so I pointed out that part of this was already included in the argument that we have spent the same in fees sine 21/22. That's all. But if we are discussing progress up until this point, it's pretty important to consider that Howe has had 1 year more than Emery.

I included 21/22, even the summer that season, in the comparison by the way. Emery took over in 22/23. In total we have spent way more under Howe than they have with Emery, but with 1 season more. If we compare the teams when Emery took over, we had Bruno, Trippier, Botman, Pope ad Isak by then. Probably spent the same from that point onwards aswell.

This argument is valid if they have spent more in pure spending, but atleast in terms of transfers fees they haven't. To my knowledge we have generated more in some other areas, but that's besides the point. I accept that their team was better to start with, but Emery has also gotten the best out of some players that were percieved to not be the best before he came in.

Admittedly I didn't remember their team being this good, so I agree that theirs were better. Should've checked that better. But Bruce was using Joelinton as a striker and Schär was the 5th choice CB behind Dummet and Clark, while we were conceding goals for fun. This gives the perception that our squad was worse than what it really was.

I agree, but if you look at the team Emery took over, he didn't have that much either. I'd say similar. Bruce was getting the worst out of these players, so you can't really judge them based on the Bruce era either.

We also had Joelinton, ASM, Longstaff, Willock, Schär, Wilson, Almiron, Murphy etc. when Howe took over. Not saying that all of these are world beaters, but it wasn't too bad. Bruce was just trash. I agree that they have a better academy, but I don't think our squad was that for off of theirs.

If you look back at the threads from the day that Man Utd took our Europe spot, most people were saying with high confidence that we will probably get top 4 with no Europe.

But is you argument that they have been able to spend more due to the reasons you mention? If we look at money spent on transfer fees since 21/22, and exclude all sales (in which they obviously have generated way more): Newcastle: 538m euros Villa: 519m euros Again, I'm excluding all the fees from sales here, this is not net spent. They've also lost better players through sales than us, which again is not part of the numbers.

It makes sense to comapre us to Villa and not clubs like Palace. You would expect us to make a lot of progress with the money that we have spent. I know the first couple of season were miracle stuff, but looking at the first and second season in isolation is not that productive for the present.

Villa was also "battling relegation" when Emery took over. We were a more attractive project for other players with the new owners. Hence why we could sign Trippier and Bruno in the first window, signings that Villa wouldn't have been able to do when they were down there. The main players for this transformation.

I think a lot of managers that you wouldn't let anywhere near our club would would be able to school people on a football forum. It's like saying that noone can argue with Mourinho coming in, because he knows more about football than all of us.

But sometimes it is. If it keep going like this we will get to find out.

This might be true. Howe has most likely done better with us than Ancelotti would, but likewise I don't think Howe would do as well with Real Madrid as what Ancelotti is doing. It demands very different way of coaching. Pep also wouldn't be great with a mediocre squad, but it takes a certain way of coaching to be successful with a top squad, as easy as it may seem. Howe has done well, noone can deny it. But the curve has certainly been going in the wrong direction ever since the "setting up Trippier in good crossing positions" plan didn't cut it anymore, and it's only getting worse performance wise. To me it seems like Howe is struggling to apadt to us not being an underdog anymore, as he has allways been coaching underdog teams.

Any chance he is a bit burnt out? When we signed him he was working really hard to get into the team. Then he played in the U21 euros last summer, and apparently trained even more to be able to fulfill the demands of our style. Then he played a very high amount of minutes for us last season, with high intensity. After that came the Euros this summer. Feels like he didn't have a proper break in ages, just a few weeks after the Euros.

Not related to the game, but Tonali has restricted his insta comment sections. Must be tired of all the Milan fans with all their overly emotional comments begging for him to come back.

Somehow they look better in the international breaks..

I'm starting to think that if Howe was managing Real Madrid, Mbappe would be starting on the bench for about 6 months.

Is there any reason for not playing our best (maybe second best) player? He was immense for Italy in the international break.. The Italy coach saw no problem in starting him, obviously. Would any top coach in Europe have him on the bench this game?

Feel like it's made for the best teams to get second chances if they slip.. Like last year Manchester United slipped, and since the sample size was low (6 games), they couldn't make up for it. Not only do you have more games to make up for surprise losses, only 1/3 actually go out out from this stage, not 1/2 like before. Besides, just looking at that table makes me dizzy..

Yeah, but on both goals we gave him more space than he has ever been given before. Got punished for the gap between midfield and defence. Most other teams know better than to give him that.

Was never himself again after that long term injury last season. Had some good games, but that was mostly just his right foot doing some magic. He has looked slower ever since that injury.

Is Minteh playing DM..? Livescore says so, but sometimes they are wrong.