Sibierski

Feels such a shitty waste of a slot having Chelsea in conference league. We would’ve absolutely loved it, they will just win it and shrug their shoulders.

I feel Lampard is better with younger players, which was shown at Derby and first Chelsea stint. Which means he has a ceiling, and/or it needs to be a specific club that has an ethos focussed on youth. Not sure what Coventry have in that department, but feel he’ll do a reasonable job there.

They’re rating him against Allison though, and he’s clearly not that level. For the price point Kelleher will be sold at, he’s very good for a long term goalkeeper. Trafford / Ramsdale figures and I’d have neither close to Kelleher.

No more good than coaches before and after him at PSV. Wasn’t like the season was a stand out metric rise. Looking at all the managers that have come from Eredvise to England in recent seasons, way it’s going, Slot may be the only good one De Boer / Cocu / Ten Haag all had major limitations and failings despite winning titles.

Hard to gauge the latter part till 18 months down the line. Like they signed Chiesa, sold youth players, leaving stars till 7 months left on deals. Clicking on the pitch this season which helps keep eyes away from potential issues off it.

People still turning noise up at Kelleher as our next GK signing?

Camavinga is such a boss. Wins the tackles and got the technical ability to play, with strong physical output.

4-3-3 is fine, it’s just the positions with and without the ball that’s the issue, I.e. flat midfield without the ball, big gaps when building out from Bruno. In possession Tino Schar Burn Tonali Hall Barnes Bruno Joelinton Gordon Isak Out of possession (with narrow midfield) Tino Schar Burn Hall Barnes Bruno Tonali Joelinton Gordon Isak Get the opposition forced to move it out to their full backs and have to make progressive gains through them. When it goes to wingers, Joelinton can move out wider to support Hall, everyone shuffles over and Gordon covers right flank for any switches as that would be weaker side. Vice versa, you back Joelinton / Tonali to have physical power to make up ground and be disciplined more than other side. Gordon / Isak central can block off any deep CMs and have support on counter as a pair. In possession, all about getting Bruno closer to the opposition box and having more players around it. Barnes / Gordon to rotate at times in attacking build ups, Hall to still be the progressor of ball from deep but Tonali there for physical cover instead of Bruno. We have the personnel to change our patterns of play. RW the issue for me, as everyone there is a runner, so don’t have the finesse / composure you ideally want on the ball.

Isak you just don’t try and replace like for like. He’s a silky tall man, just a rawness of player with top end ability you don’t see often. Better off taking a different direction with the striker, then subsequent build up around them if the worse was to happy and he goes. Like Delap at £40m would be the striker for me. Different style, more physical, so can look to get a wide man that thrives more off that type of striker. Hopefully not needed though, and Isak here till end of decade.

Wasn’t Kelly a Howe signing and Osula a Tindall recommended signing?

Usually not confident playing Palace away. They seem like a side that enjoys running with the ball, and our midfield set up kryptonite is having people run at them, as it’s so easy to break the lines and get at our defence. All that said, we don’t finish top 7 last two seasons by not facing set backs and bouncing back as a team. So I’m expecting a response, even if it’s a gritty win (2-1). Don’t win / another poor tactical performance, I will start to get more worried, as the two wins would then be more a fluky upturn, then it looking like a sign of improvements.

Everyone will lose the ball in opposition half, more so Bruno who will take more risks. Ball still needs to travel down the other end, with often multiple obstacles to stop a clear shot on goal to happen.

I’d like to see him giving a run as the central CM, with Bruno +1 either side. He’s got the physical stats to cover the ground, technical ability to keep it simple and well, and importantly, gets Bruno closer to making the difference in final third.

Like we need to replace several players this summer, need a refresh, that’s not going to be addressed by a Guehi who can raise the bar, as it then means needing to keep around declining players or run a very small squad because Trippier / Lascelles / Wilson / Almiron shouldn’t be here start of next season, and then Murphy / Targett you don’t anymore, and potentially need to move on one of the CMs to refresh it there. Got to operate in the lower youth market to balance all that out instead of one major signing.

That’s where you expect the scouting team to earn their money and stripes, with more Minteh picked up rather others. Like Kuol are the proper cheap ones <£1m. The other ranges talked about here, are upwards your Rowe who moved this summer and in between. Huge market there which you pin on your coaching setup to make the most out of on the training ground.

Problem with Trippier, he’s legs are so done. If he was having to deal with Summerville one on one a lot like Tino was, he’d have been carded early on and then stood off him, allowing him to easily get to the byline. Can’t remember many moments in that game Tino allowed his winger to get a cross in easily.

Few would fail, but that’s the risk you take with £5m low buys, as it’s small costs where you likely get some fee back. Mixed in with some 15m buys etc. Don’t doubt we need to raise ceiling, but if money is restricted and giving impact of Barnes / Tonali, and our pursuit of Guehi, then going other way is a valid route. Hall cost a lot, but he didn’t raise ceiling to start off with, but now has smashed it. Think we will go this route anyway, as we can’t drop £60m+ on a player anymore till revenues increase, or it’s restricting us moving forward.

Think unless Howe / Tonali click and we stumble into something 2nd half of season, there’s a very valid argument that Tonali will be actively moved on in summer. Still producing for Italy, so quality level is there to entice clubs, and it can be blamed on previous regime if we sell for say £35m/£40m and got to take the loss. It’s better to do that now, then double down, have same issues next season and lose someone we do rate again.

Like if we are to dare talk about a future manager, that will be the main argument for upstairs. A guy that works well with seasoned pros, or a coach that will improve players. Depending on what the vision of the club is in next 1-3 years, will determine that. If the latter, there’s a valid argument that Howe is still the main guy because of how likes of Hall etc have improved, and he needs backing with more of them in future seasons because there’s only so much and such a short window, you can improve likes of Longstaff / Almiron etc to get the desired results.

That’s where you back your coach to get them to be better. If you can’t make a £55m international CM work/improve, then the argument to go elsewhere for priorities is more valid. If they got the skill set, they will improve, it’s just you got to accept there will be some bad games as part of the learning curve.

This is key bit which will be part of the discussions upstairs behind closed doors, a manager that has £90m in two players on bench, who are not consistently involved or maximised ability. Pin it on previous regime and WTF were they doing bringing in these players, or pin it against Howe for reason to not bring in more costly one off signings. As that £90m could stretch across 7+ squad signings, all of youthful age that can progress/resale, and the needle wouldn’t have moved too far one way or the other. I.e still no Europe, still mid table this season. I don’t know what the answer is, but Howe needs to get something going style wise that holds consistency within games. If the rest of game went like first half you hold your hands up and say not our day and blame individuals. Can’t be doing stuff like that 2nd half though, just didn’t have any need to do it. He’s a smart bloke so hopefully he learns, but he’s also surrounding himself with too many yes men it looks like. Because Tindall should not be on set pieces, and you’d like to think Bunce/Mitchell at least know they need to tell Howe we’re bringing in a set piece guy and will do that.

We have one who can do that for us, Bruno. Just then need to sign a more rounded defensive CM who can provide balance alongside a Tonali / Joelinton.

Looking back on the corner and I really don’t know what he’s doing. His movement just doesn’t track the ball, goes backwards when ball is an outswinger, then instead of trying to then put Soucek off when he will at that stage he’s lost the flight of the ball and fucked up, just stays rooted and watches it all. Proper amateur stuff. Can be mitigated with he’s a back up, but that’s still crap, if you can’t rely upon your back ups. Going to be jokes next season when Hall gets an injury, and Kelly is so crap, Burn is picked over him at LB

Howe needs to have some balls and make some changes after that awful 2nd half and get a response from the whole squad at the weekend. Needs to turn a pathetic display into something the players and him can show everyone is not their norm. Big calls made, Gordon dropped. Probably say one of midfield 3 dropped too, with Tonali in as the central guy. I’d have Bruno / Joelinton either side of him personally. Defence has to stay the same as limited options there. Don’t bounce back with a win this weekend, it will start to feel it’s all on the cups for Howe to remain here next season.

Not even 18 months, and he’s comfortably already 3rd choice LB and 5th choice CB. Woeful signing, and will be a big weight for seasons to come. We’d be better off getting £5m+ for him, and subsidising his wages with that to balance a minimum net 0 return.