Sibierski

This thread going to be proper messy if we spend £250m over January / Summer 2026, and start slow again in league Be people on one side that Howe is untouchable for what he’s done, then people on other side asking after £400m+ spent in 12 months, maybe the same issues shouldn’t be arising, with no middle ground allowed.

Hall will be back available more after November break, but think people will be disappointed if they expect him to start more often then not. Considering he needs to build up match sharpness and we have games every 3-4 days, Burn will still be main LB for majority of that spell up to February. At this point I’m not even thinking about Europe next season. Let’s just get a 90 minute performance first in the league and something good going before the derby. Really am fearing we could be 10 behind going into that game, woefully off form.

What’s to say he will come good next season if he ends up being 2nd choice to Murphy this season? He needs to come good this season. He’s not in the scenario of Tino / Hall developing. He’s someone with 100+ prem games, 20+ international caps. Has to be making that position his own as likes of Thaiw / Botman / Isak etc. all did when coming in.

Think this guys confidence is all gone. Signed a man at his peak, and destroyed it after a few games by dropping him, then having Barnes ahead of him, then now last resort option. Started two games, one of them needing to play with 10 men, then 2 more starts in the following 8 in league, one being hooked at HT. If you sign someone for £55m from same league, and can’t give them like 8 starts in a row to establish consistency, then what’s the point of the expensive outlay for proven output?

It is when people are saying it’s unlike Howe and he will learn.

Gordon has shown for England when he’s got better players around him, he looks better too. There’s no getting away that a left side of Joelinton / Burn is proper smelly stuff for ball progression. Gordon today was bad, but overall if he had better around him he’d be better longer term. Also replacing Gordon won’t be a slam dunk. We just spent on average £50m for average to good prem players from domestic rivals. So selling Gordon for £75m, we’d probably end up dropping £60m on someone like Kevin Schade.

People saying today was a one off and not been that bad before under Howe, are forgetting the home game against West Ham just last season. A side that were in woeful form, manager about to get sacked, yet won easily, even more so as Howe made changes in second half that saw us lose all shape. In recent times, today is more common then not.

Nope. The fact we then played with three different players at RB during that second half says it all.

Giving our only wins are at home to sides below us, there's more chance of us not winning our next three then there is of getting just one win. Beat Spurs at home as they'll be in free fall, Burnley at Home because they're poor and below us, then back to losing after that

Which case, it makes it even more baffling how we approached the first half with the low intensity. Be better coming off the bench, where we're either in front and need ball possession, or chasing a goal and opposition pinned back.

When he came on, I knew it was done. Saw enough against Leeds to know this guy is never going to be good enough to lead the line for us. If that offer is there in Jan, we need to take it and get some other raw striker in who could have potential to grow into, as this guy isn't it. Low cost gamble which is time to say goodbye.

When the team is on it, we can carry this guy and he can do a job. When so many are off it, he's then exposed and offers nothing as the best you will get from him is a 6/10.

If it's a carbon copy, maybe we should be learning and starting better? No Europe helped us last season in the league, don't have that this time. So it's fanciful to think we'll hook things up in league and get 65 points. It's all on the cups which I don't doubt about, because he's shown on one off games, he can get things spot on.

Just thinking about that is mental, 24 games over 3 months. By this international break, we'd have only played 17 over same length and some people are saying we are looking tired

Transition I agree. Squad better I agree (on paper). But when you are still playing the same 3 CMs with the same issues, then it's not a transition so far, and is the squad better when said 3 is still playing? Could have Longstaff still instead of Ramsey and nothing would be different. In the short term, this is painful stuff and we really need loads of players (especially the new guys) to step up when the proper run starts after International Break. Potentially could have 24 games between November 22nd and February 14th before the players finally get a full weeks rest

He was poor, but at least he has an output so far for being poor. Love the guy, but shows the issues we have when he's our best winger even when his himself not been close to his levels of last season.

What are our turnovers won % like compared to rest of league based on that pressing statistic? Also the defensive one is hard to take, when it feels like we've been solid defensively (playing 3 at the back at times) which has come at massive sacrifice to our attack. I'll happily take that defensive one with a pinch of salt.

Mentioned it earlier in thread about what we do when Wissa is back, and that will be a massive decision for Howe. Don't think you can sign a £65m and £55m strikers and have one on bench at all times. They have to play together more often then not, with Osula the back up option. In which case, we really should start moving towards a 4-4-1-1 sooner rather than later. This 4-3-3 with Wolte is not helping us nor him in short term, despite his goals being good for us. Tino, Thaiw Botman, Hall: Gordon, Tonali, Bruno G, Elanga: Wolte: Wissa That's probably what should be best XI when all available. With what's available currently, probably should be: Trippier, Thaiw, Botman, Burn: Gordon, Tonali, Bruno G, Murphy: Wolte: Elanga Get Elanga centrally so there's pace and movement around Wolte and us playing attacking moves with Wolte in those positions ready for Wissa. Does feel Ramsey is a bit of a spare part, unless he rotates with Wolte in that role.

Not having a left footer feels is killing us from one side when Hall is out, as there's no inswing option. Instead it's a floated outswinger which all you can do is loop a header back towards goal. Probably another reason why signing a FOURTH right footed in Elanga doesn't help us for something different.

Does feel he's got his eye on World Cup, and the way to secure a place in that is UCL performances / stats. Like if his league stats remained the same and he didn't contribute in Europe, he wouldn't be making squad. Tuchel there for midweek European games, those performances resonate more than whatever he does at West Ham away.

Thing is, last season we did trigger press, with turnovers inside our half the main strength. This season, we don't seem to do that and instead choose to sit off and just outright counter, or get ball and slow build up as opposition sit off. Something been off and it does feel the tactical approach is lost so far

If we beat Fulham in League Cup, we will be playing every 3-4 days after this international break all way up to Spurs away on 11th Feb. So I can see Burn playing loads at LB in truth up to then.

Liverpool was a unique game giving the context, but let’s be real, Arsenal fucking destroyed us. Just because it was a late winner, doesn’t take away from the fact we were outplayed for 95% of it.

Bad on so many levels. Didn’t want to take on AWB, didn’t even want to track him. The penalty chance came from him just not bothering to track Bowen inside too. He should be dropped for Wednesday. Don’t care if he’s scored in every UCL game, that was a performance that needs consequences.

I do wonder if the players have switched off a bit to Howe and pressing. If you take the full backs with CM / Attack, it’s a collective that have heard the same message for 3 full seasons. Only so much same players will keep responding to same message. Why the change up is needed more often so players don’t feel their position is safe. Gordon played like someone who knew he’d be starting midweek regardless, which just shouldn’t happen.