Sibierski

If say we have £150m to spend this summer, would an extra £50m made any difference to our approaches to transfers so far? Keep hearing about the limited funds and competing with clubs with hands behind our back, but that feels an easy cop out for routinely missing when it comes to deals. Guehi didn’t get done last summer, neither did Trafford. Only one that’s been successful is Elanga, and that’s after a move late last summer, and likely a year putting in ground work to eventually get there this summer thanks to no other clubs being involved.

LC brace my highlight. Was the first time I fully felt we were moving places.

It’s not moves not working. It’s players we have clearly identified as long term targets, then not paying the price and missing out. There is a clear reluctance to pay the money early on and it’s opening doors. Doesn’t feel like that was the case when signing Barnes, Gordon, Isak, Tonali etc. of years gone.

The deals from previous times, we moved quick. Seemingly by the time it was leaked, the deal was agreed with club and formalities were next. Since last summer and still today, we are the polar opposite. Leaks after opening bid, and it then follows a long drawn out process where other clubs are alerted and make their moves. Like I don’t believe we missed out on Pedro directly to Chelsea, missed out because we took too long. Similar may have happened with Elanga if another club was keen on him.

Only Anderson. Minteh never played for us and was a very big profit for so. It’s like if we sold Cordero next summer for £35m, are people going to cry about that for ages?

He’s not even with Burnley squad at the moment. So if it’s not done this weekend, we’re not signing him. Another season of potentially needing to have Dubs play games.

It’s like the club is paralysed by fear of getting close to PSR again. Like if Trafford is de facto number one guy who club see as the future 1 for next 7+ years, pay the money early on. Haggling over £5m+ just means you potentially lose a top target, and it doesn’t help anyone.

Any chance we cancel the deal in fear we can’t sign anyone this window?

We’re half way through window and we’ve still not sorted out CEO which we knew was needed since last year, or a DoF which we’ve known for a while too. Imagine if Howe left, we’d be waiting till Feb to appoint a manager, with Graeme Jones interim till then.

Christ, if we miss out on Trafford after chasing 12 months then serious shit needs answering. There’s “We’re just missing out to the top clubs” and there’s “We’re missing out because we are dallying too long”.

Scenes when he moves for £30m and we're actually just a pawn for PIF to get good players to join us, reputation built to world class, then sold to their Saudi clubs for minimal money

Think it's more how we are in shape our of possession. Often at times last season we went into a defensive shape of 4-4-2. Generate turnover of the ball in that shape, it's better for us to captalise when it's another natural attacker (and finisher) through the middle alongside Isak, instead of Gordon. Gordon get's that edge back which he seemed to lose towards end of last season (either through fatigue or a bit of a dip in attitude) he can do the role of Joelinton on LM covering for Hall. Getting that turnover and breaking with two strikers, then Gordon/Elanga in support on wings will be terrorising for opposition defences. Especially when so many teams in current game can't seem to cope with runners, which we'd have plenty of Edit: Requires the CBs to be back to front footed aggressive style of 22-23, which we did start to see more of last season.

Assume you mean Trafford? But Man City will be signing Costa from Porto if Ederson goes.

They're going to have some pretty moments, but by large they're going to get tossed around physically. Don't think their fans realise how physical the Premier League is these days.

Thought it doesn't matter if they're u21 and national HG? So effectively we can only name 21 senior players and Osula/Hall are youth categorised, with Miley (can register him but doesn't change needle) and one space empty seeing we don't have 4 club HG. Then we've got more than 4 national HG anyway for the total 8 that's required. Unless that's wrong, we are going to have to shift plenty out.

Sweet, straight swap with Dubs then in squad.

What are people thinking the squad will look like / should look like come end of the season? I've got it as the below: GK - Pope, New GK, Vlac, Ruddy DF - Tino, Trips, Krafth, Lascelles, New CB, Schar, Botman, Burn, Hall MF - Joelinton, Bruno G, Tonali, Miley, WIllock, AT - Murphy, Elanga, Osula, New ST, Isak, Gordon, Barnes Out: Targett & Dubs 25 man squad - Osula, Hall, Miley and Ruddy not registered for UCL (first three don't need to be). FM type stuff, you get rid of Willock, Krafth and Lascelles, bring in the CM and younger defenders. But can't see us rocking the boat or doing that much business. Instead Krafth / Lascelles are for the changing room mostly in their final years with Trips, and we go big on the focus for young defence next summer as the main back 5 by seasons end you'd hope is settled with New GK/Tino/New CB/Botman or Burn/Hall. If we are sticking with the ST signing, I can't see a CM coming in (because they would need to be a £30m+ player) unless Willock has a buyer. Also for domestic, Harrison/White would be the emergency 6th CM which you don't expect to see hardly play any serious minutes. Also Targett probably most realistic of the defenders to be able to move on and for little impact, where Tino can cover Hall (with Trips / Krafth / Murphy as RB cover), or you go Trips / Burn at LB. Not ideal, but it's net par than playing Targett there IMO.

We get this summer right, by end of next summer our squad can arguably be fully settled with quality and potential, and it’s then about moving on the odd player when in position of strength and signing 1/2 to keep elevating that base level.

He’s very average though. If we can churn out a final season of Trippier where he’s only playing when Tino requires resting / final minutes in games that are wrapped up, I’d rather we got a LB that’s more aligned to being a natural LB then signing KWP. Ideally Tino / Hall have injury free seasons and we can just about churn a season out of Targett / Trips as emergency cover and sign the fresh full backs next summer.

I’m happy to give Mitchell benefit of doubt about Isak contract. Guy had 4 years left at that point, we just had a previous summer where PSR fucked us and we wanted to spend big on Guehi. No guarantee of how season would go, so a big new contract whilst making a big signing could end up needing to sell this summer if things didn’t go well. Probably saw the Joelinton situation and felt its best to wait a season, like 3 years left on a deal is still long. And if anything, it’s helped Isak hand to get an even better deal then if he signed one 12 months ago.

Same. Like if they genuinely think Isak is a possibility, why sign a big money striker this summer? Better off holding out till next summer, where even if Isak is a non-starter there’s other options potentially available. Not like clubs are queuing up to sign Etitike for his release clause and he’s a must buy or regret forever transfer.

Mentally refreshed after a detox yesterday to go balls deep in a new “Newcastle have made an opening bid” tweet.

Had we got Trafford start of window I believe he would’ve started first game. Same if the CB is someone who’s established like Guehi. Howe knows how important it is to get fresh faces in side so opposition can’t just last seasons scout reports etc.

We’re stronger than it started, with plenty of time to go. GK / CB are ones ideally would like in next week because they’re the ones I want starting first game and there on, but outside that, plenty of time to add to squad depth which the extra signings would be.

And that’s what upstairs for us is probably thinking. Likely giggling at the all the nonsense after one half hearted approach start of the week.