Sibierski

Rodri out for the season. Really wouldn’t be surprised if Man City come in with a £100m bid in January for him now.

Fancy ourselves to score a couple, but are we defensively strong enough to hold out Man City? Not on current form. Probably go 2-1 Man City, good battle first 60, before Man City take sting out the game, riding a few nervy moments. Pope: Trippier, Schar, Burn, Tino: Tonali, Bruno, Joelinton: Barnes, Isak, Murphy Gordon dropped, with Tino at LB, seeing the coming inside will happen often and it's onto stronger side.

Think where we are at the moment, I agree. Being in and around battle for top 6 is our level. Like last season, where it's Europe vast majority of time, just we were unfortunate to not end in it after you lot won FA Cup. Until more resources come into the playing squad, both club cant expect top 4, nor the fans. But you do expect building blocks in the squad where you can see with one or two new signings it'll move club forward, which this season isn't looking like the case. Like we could have signed Guehi and Olise, and the same issues in our play would be there IMO. That's what will cost Howe as season goes on if that still looks the same. End of 22/23 season, you could see our team and what needed improving to take it to next level. Now, I couldn't say what type of player we would need as we've lost our way a bit.

This is partly why I want Howe to succeed, don't be stubborn, evolve and be here for many more years. Because as soon as he goes, we'll be into chopping and changing manager mode. Where yeah, it may see the club move forward, eventually win something, but if it's through a guy that's been there 12 months and gone 6 later, what connection is there? Just feels better when it's with someone you've gone through the journey with and eventually got there. Like I can't even imagine what the Atalanta fans felt with winning Europa under Gasperini. Like 7+ years of him? Continuous journey, no trophies, but then they finally got one and fans will remember that for their life. Chelsea won Europa with Rafa, and despise him. Just don't want that feeling here.

What Traore offers, is not much different to what Murphy would offer us. Direct running, average end products, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Good work rate. Infuriating player. Some top games across the season, mixed in with largely average stuff that hinders things. The 4-2-3-1 is something we can do, and have the 3 be different at times. Pope: Tino, Schar, Kelly, Hall: Bruno, Tonali: Barnes, Gordon, Murphy: Isak An example of one set up, where in possession it could look more like. Tino - Schar - Kelly Tonali - Hall Bruno Murphy - Barnes Isak - Gordon Far greater pace in defence, Schar the ball outlet. Hall coming inside to offer possession retention, and Bruno then able to be further forward to take ball in spaces in opposition half rather than ours. With width still there and Isak with Gordon up with him, and either dropping to link and other running beyond. We have the squad to mix it up different to that, just get away from 4-3-3 flat shape stuff please Howe.

Team Howe for me. Said it other month, not convinced by Mitchell and reputation is too hyped for my liking. People will point mostly to his spell with Poch, which is 7-10 years ago that run. Howe does need to show some evolution to his management, and I don’t know if it’s a case of him being loyal to players or club shit at selling. Giving the debacle of the window in the end, wonder if club do regret not giving Hickson the role, and riding it out 12 months to then get number one target Freedman.

There’s little point talking about Howe going at this stage, and nor should there be. But if he doesn’t start addressing the issues we’ve been seeing since start of last season, and doesn’t evolve, people can’t be surprised if come new year there’s stronger chatter about him being replaced. As the focus will be, for the next stage of club progression, is he the guy when he’s not shown a change himself? I hope he does evolve, because I want him to succeed long term here. But he’s not helping himself with the persistence of this type of 4-3-3.

We’ve seemingly got a few players now who are top class, but in the system of 4-3-3 where it’s almost everyone is equal, it limits certain players and actually makes the system poorer. Giving the games we’ve had, the lack of chances we’ve created for Isak is so poor.

People been talking about Howes job for a while. Something clearly off, nothing improving in performances, same issues. We all want him to come out of this patch stronger, but the signs are not there presently. Playing a big side like Man City at home next in league may be what we need.

Who would be a Mitchell manager choice? Like Tuchel would be name linked were Howe to ever leave this season, but Tuchel regularly falls out at clubs because he wants power.

No problem being slow as a 6, you just need your defence to have recovery pace and your team showing passing options. Rodri and Busquets are slow, yet the greatest CDMs in recent years and helped by being in systems that cover their weaknesses and maximises their strengths. We are not doing that with Bruno, and expect him to be just like Longstaff and co.

I used to think Bournemouth under Howe were great with the ball for the level of players they had, yet we seem distinctly average at best with far better players. Think the coaching set up needs some fresh voices and skill around Howe. We just shouldn’t be this shit with the ball.

Captain or not, we just need to play him in a proper position and not this bit of everything CM role we want all our CMs to be. Either have him as the CDM, taking ball of CBs and recycling play. Play him alongside a CDM, where he’s the progrsssive ball carrier between the CDM and attackers, or play him ahead of CDM where he’s mostly in and around opposition box and not needed to make recovery runs (which he doesn’t have the pace for). He’s got to take responsibility, but he’s not helped (like many others) with how we set up.

Last of the easy games. Now onto the hard run where there’s every chance come November we’re bottom half and asking serious questions. Feels like this season is a write off already with little transfers made, and rest of deadwood hopefully gone next summer before we spend (after cashing in likely one top player too).

Hooked at HT. Lumbered with him till end of this decade on £150k pw. The Howe legacy that will be on par with Issac Hayden

A week spent on the training ground as well for this. Remember last season people saying after our injury spell and no Europe, we would pick up as we’d have more time to train. If anything, we’ve actually got worse as a side over time the more we’ve trained It’s so baffling and alarming. Just no where near same levels or general play as this time last season.

He’s being stubborn and it’s going to cost him. Something clearly broken on training ground too, as we are so poor with the ball, and players look switched off more than they’ve ever been. We’ll be stuck in a hard place, as even if club were inclined to wanting rid, whilst England job is available, they won’t make such a move as the chance of some compensation could be there (or even a mutual £0 agreement).

Just don’t know why Howe is so fucking allergic to playing an actual CDM, or 4-2-3-1. Just so fucking something different with the fucking midfield. It’s what’s going to cost him and it’s so frustrating as we can all see it, but he’s in that stubborn manager principle zone.

Creating fuck all. Can’t defend, can’t control the ball, can’t create.

The approach of having all three CMs do bit of everything was great for 22-23, but it’s been clear over last season and this season, teams figured that out and we need to have some more structure in there with an actual CDM.

When the same issues are there each week, and it’s after manager has changed personal, it’s always a sign something is gone. Either players have switched off, or Howe is out of ideas. I think it’s bit of both. Team not been refreshed, and last season showed the 22-23 approach isn’t sustainable.

Honestly, what the fuck are we doing in training? Love Howe, but it’s clear each game something is broken.

Our defence going to get abused for pace all game.

And we’re behind again away from home. I’ll come back at 4:45 for the meltdown.

I just don’t want us to do the same failures, having no-one in front of the defence and ESR just has all the time in the world.