Sibierski

Nah, they need another 6 months of getting use to Howe tactics, because they’re so complicated to understand and execute.

And Wissa is 30 in a few months

Not even resting, it’s just having a squad and quality supposedly not dropping. Alarming thing for Ramsey, he doesn’t seem to start unless Joelinton is injured. All 4 of his starts in the league have been when Joelinton is either injured / on bench after injury. We all know why that is, Joelinton is needed to exert our physical style of play. Which contributes to the failed notion it’s a transitional season because the default setting is there. Joe now broken again, Ramsey will get games then we will go straight back to Joe when his fit because he’s still needed for the main plan.

Just can’t see how we don’t create some massive chances with Elanga on break. We’ll probably have two clear chances and we have to score both and be solid defensively to win. It’s doable.

Pope: Miley, Thaiw, Botman, Burn, Hall: Bruno G, Tonali: Gordon, Wolte, Elanga That’s my prediction.

Creature comfort. Few wins and he’ll stick with the side. It’s a bit of a red flag that he doesn’t know the answers still, because it’s a case of ‘we won, played reasonable, so I must keep it the same’. Like if we go 3 at the back against PSG and look ok, we’ll 100% keep it for Liverpool.

The thing with Ramsey, is he going to be the guy that closes on the gap to the sides above us? No. That’s what makes it a poor signing. Will be a useful squad player, but £40m for that is just out right terrible use of funds. Wasn’t even like midfield was an urgent position, could’ve signed some raw player for half that at most and be no worse off. Like what are we going to replace Willock with? £40m on Sandra Berge?

Ah so Roma spend money on Malen, Villa sign Tammy, and Besiktas can pay Roma. All rather convenient. Villa must be tied up in all kinds of shit that dictates what they can and can’t do. Bloody Emery needs to fuck off so they can crumble quick.

Everyone at that club have thrown in the towel since December. Proper weird situation.

Had we not crumbled and panic signed Wissa, Mateta would be attainable for £40m. Probably one of the examples driving us not doing business this window.

Away games completely different landscape this time. Last time it was: Forest, Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Palace, Burnley, Man Utd, Brentford. Can probably guess which 3 we lost. Home games slightly more challenging too. Final 8 we can go on a run, especially as we could be out of Europe by then, but it’s the next 7 that’s the issue. Goes from one extreme to the next, so just got to try and cling on some how over these next 7, regardless how messy the performances look. 10 points would be bare minimum to give us a shot.

I remember the Minteh links coming out in 2024 and people were not having it. Not sure what that would’ve had on Anderson staying. Could it have been then looking to move on Wilson for a fee that summer on back of his stock being in the last sellable window?

I do fear we end up making Ramsdale a permanent deal £20m, because of ‘no-one available and Pope will be off in 2027 anyway’.

Yep. We went into the season knowing Burn would be back up LB, or Trippier needed for many games at RB if Tino fills in at LB. So with Burn back, that’s it sorted. Then we can repeat same conversations we had a couple of months ago when Hall picks up an injury and Burn is giving short straw of playing LB again.

Feels a bit off if we’re just waiting for a striker to make 6 yard box runs. Like, are we forgetting all the issues with breaking down sides that we still had with Isak? Can’t keep relying on crosses out wide being the winning formula when teams have more and more data on how to nullify it.

Man City away last season, games have largely been close or it’s drifted and been like 3-0 as we chased at end. This run coming up, you do fear one (or more) isn’t far away from being proper grim. Mostly because of how unimaginative we look with the ball and confidence on a knife’s edge. Can see us going 3 at the back for many of these upcoming games, which I don’t think is the right approach and will be a bit alarming.

Agree with general consensus about Conference League, but considering we possibly have one trophy in like 50 years come end of the season, we can’t turn down trophy opportunities. Plus if narrative is still ‘Eddie needs to learn 2 games a week’, then being in a lesser European competition will help surely. Can’t not be it, then qualify for Europa/UCL and repeat the same dance.

Unless we change our style, I think Wolte will be off in summer to Bayern. It’s not against him, just all the players we have it doesn’t suit him. We have no midfielders or wider players that can play central pockets.

One comfort in that, all the sides we are challenging for to get to 7th, we play at home. But it's the inconsistency this season that ruins the confidence

2 goal involvements in 1606 Prem minutes between Ramsey, Elanga & Wissa is not ideal in the slightest after 23 games. Thaiw a bigger goal threat.

Bit of a false position to assume you sign someone from a side that plays a different way and expect same output. Like Liverpool expecting Isak to score 20+ when we all said he would need someone like Murphy to supply him to get that.

Don't think he changes much if he was starting anyway, because Miley was playing good passes and Tonali would've still been off it.

Win all 7 at home now it's 54 points, then we have to go 3/2/3 in our remaining away games to get to 65 which will be needed for top 6 IMO. Win 6 out of 7 at home and go 2/2/4 away and it's 59 points. Probably more realistic and what can still get us Europe in 7th like we've seen in seasons gone by. Reasonable chance we get 1 point at best in next 4 away, which means winning 2 and drawing 1 away to Palace, Forest & Fulham.

I wouldn’t blame him if after a while he’s already bored of the lack of technical ability in this squad. No-one within 20 yards of him, crosses 24/7, balls more often down his throat rather than into his feet. We can ask him to run harder to chase down CBs, but that’s not his game. When we don’t progress the ball effectively through the middle and play between the lines, that’s a large part of getting his quality involved gone.

Fernandes involved in everything. Would love a midfielder like him, such a superstar