500bhp

The thing that pissed me off most at the mackems game was the lack of fight in our players. The mentality of them. They had six booked for fouls and general shithousing, we had only Joelinton and that was for dissent towards the ref. The result didn't bother me as much. I've seen us lose to them home and away on numerous occasions, but we had no fight and desire that day. Like the players didn't give a shit and had stopped believing in the manager and his methods and coaching team. That's the worry for me, maybe this journey has fizzled out and we need a full reset. We'll have a much better idea at 4pm today! Hopefully we smash them and get into Europe and go again fully refocused next season with Howe.

Agreed. I think he's done brilliant. If Howe leaves next month I'd be straight in for him. Also their recruitment of young players is excellent with many coming from the Championship; Seymenyo, Brooks, Scott, etc.

If they play like this with the energy and pressing next weekend we'll be fucked! Arsenal have no threat from open play.

They'll win on Sunday. mackems on the beach, season over after playing their two cup finals.

See if they fancy him and Wolt for £150m. Let's get the summer rebuild underway.

It happened in a couple of games at the start of the season. Can't remember which but I only attend home games. One was Liverpool, I'm sure. Each time he was upfield and we lost possession and he was chasing back towards our box like running in treacle. Everyone around me commented that he can't play that far forward these days. Maybe it wasnt picked up on TV. Still love the guy but I don't want to see him hung out to dry next season if he's asked to go man to man in the centre circle on a deep lying forward. Like Burn seems to do with Palmer against Chelsea and ends up chasing shadows and falling on his arse.

Probably our best value signing with Rob Lee. But I wouldn't renew his contract. He's looked so slow and sluggish this season, constantly being beaten for pace and easily turned. No surprise he lost his place to Thiaw and didn't regain it. A true club legend who will never be forgotten, but we need to thank him for what he's done and let him leave now on a high. Not used for one more season when he gets ripped apart and occasionally embarrassed by pacy tricky forwards. Let's keep the last memories positive.

I remember when he got injured I clapped for ages when he was taken off the pitch as I thought then it was maybe his last game for us. Hope its not the case.

Because the agent is paid by and follows the orders of the client, Tonali in this case. No communication from the agent will be made without the agreement of the client/player. Its the oldest trick in the book when a player wants away but doesn't want to alienate the fans. Let the agent play the bad cop. I'm just amazed Tino's agent has been so quiet. Maybe he's already had the OK to leave this summer.

Look, we aren't going to agree on this. You want a back line of Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall next season. I want young hungry players with pace whose career is ahead of them and can be improved with coaching from Howe, or his replacement if he goes. I'd keep either Burn or Schar. We have different views on the way forward, its a forum. That's what its all about. I have Chelsea but they are World Club champions which earned them £100m last summer and they will be in Europe next season, maybe CL. Plus, they have fucking brilliant accountants 😀

For every Welbeck there's a Wissa or Wilson. I think he is the exception. In my view we need a full reset this summer and to shift loads of players. I'm OK with losing likes of Murphy, Pope, Trippier, Burn/Schar, Willock, Osula, even Joelinton if Tonali stays. Tino as he he wants away it seems. But others may be happy to keep 80%-90% of the squad. I'm not, I'm still pissed off from Sunday and from losing 4 of last 5 home games. And dropping 22 points from winning positions. This team peaked on that amazing day on 16th March 2025 and we need to clear the decks for the next reincarnation of the team.

Most of us criticise Howe for being too loyal to players and the club not being good sellers. Then once someone correctly says cash in on Murphy this season, the forum has dozens of posts why we should keep him. I love Murphy but if anyone offers £15m I'd snap their hand off. Maybe even £10m-£12m.

It worked for mackems and Forest. Although I appreciate that was all about staying up, not challenging for Europe and trophies.

Yeah, remember when we signed Tiote and we were all saying, stupid signing we dont need a DM. Then I went to Everton and saw him and Ben Arfa make their debuts and both were excellent, especially Tiote.

Put on the TV and just flicked onto SSN for less than 60 seconds(!!!) and they tell me Arsenal want Gordon and Tonali and Man Utd are after Hall. Unbelievable shit stirring. Glad we've got the WC to fill in some of this empty news space.

It might have been John Gibson on the latest Chronicle podcast. He was making that exact point on Bielsa and how all his teams are fucked after two years, then he gets sacked or leaves.

Brilliant post with many excellent points.

I'll remember him as somebody who had a great desire to tie his laces at the corner flag at Wembley 😁

Keegan took a team from 23rd in the second division to finish second in the top division in 4 years or so. True, he didn't win a trophy but finishing 2nd in PL is on par with winning the LC in my view. I say that as someone who was virtually in tears at Wembley when we lifted that trophy. If only the bottom had dropped out of the market for players in late 20s. I heard that some PL team signed a 29 year old striker for £55m last summer.....

I'm going in the other direction, I'm now 70/30 to get rid. Wouldn't surprise me if he resigns end of May. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but the article today in the i, can't see him liking those conditions and that may force him to leave. He'll not want to lose that level of control but he has to accept that the DOF is his immediate boss and will set the clubs on field strategy, including around player trading and recruitment. My biggest criticism of Howe, and this is being exposed nearly every game especially on Sunday, is his inability to make in game tweaks and changes. We often take the lead, but the opposition know that we'll play at least 80 minutes with 433 and a massive gap between defence and midfield. All they need to do is sit in and not be two goals begin by 60 minutes and they'll get a draw or win. Must have happened 10-15 times this season, what's the definition of insanity again! The mackems tweaked their midfield after 30 mins or so and helped them win the game. In his own words we dont need a Plan B. Its just do Plan A better. We must be the easiest team in the PL to set up against. One of KKs biggest assets was how ruthless he was at selling players. Cole when top scorer, Kelly was top scorer and scored a hat trick then was sold before playing another game, even Quinn when he was scoring. Howe needs to forced to move on the deadwood as a full rebuild is needed. History suggests he'll not be receptive to this. Off the top of my head we need to shift. Pope, and dont sign Ramsdale. Tripper. Burn or Schar, can't keep both. Tino, wants the move so let him go. Willock. Tonali, seems to want away so take the cash. Joelinton, last chance of a big fee. Murphy, see above. Barnes, see above. But keep him if Gordon pushes to leave. Woltemade, unless we replace Howe with a manager who has a clue how to use him. Fuck knows what we need to do with Elanga and Wissa. I'm relying on Wilaon to do some magic and for Howe to be told to go along with it. I'm being a real harsh bastard here, but something has to give. The players are no longer responding to Howe and his team. He's not lost the dressing room or any bullshit like that but he seems unable to motivate them for so many games, and he's pretty much acknowledged this himself. Which is why I think he may resign. Five years is a long time to be at one club without changing your coaching team or reinventing your style of play. Its all gone stale, something has to give and change.

I'd give him a new deal as long as we sell Burn. We can't keep both. He's a good back up to Thiaw and we need better cover for Botman. Burn is under contract and an England International. Surely some newly promoted club will give us £8m.

Yeah, I was as pissed off as anyone on Sunday and didn't boo or applaud. I just left at FT in silence swearing away in my head at the bullshit I'd just witnessed. The silence treatment.

No but we have loads of players going to the WC and you can bet none want to be injured in the last 7 games. So I dont expect the likes of Tonali, Tino, etc to be busting a gut and maybe even Gordon, Bruno, Wolt, etc. If we still had a chance of CL qualification then possibly they'd be all in on pushing in the last 7, but not now I suspect.

Don't understand why he gets so much grief on here. He's playing out of position due to our piss poor summer transfer window and has scored 17(?) goals this season. He's one of those players where people will only appreciate his value to us once he's gone. Same with Barnes.

Yes and its been this way all season with nothing happening to change it, or it seems that way anyway. Just listened to the TF podcast (I know, I know!) and they mentioned some stats which if true are frightening. 46 goals conceded since the start of the year, 1 clean sheet in 17, 1 clean sheet all season when Burn has played. I've not checked these for accuracy mind.