Sibierski

Chances we could slip into a very timid 5-3-2 shape?

We play a high line, Haaland must be likcing his lips against the pace

Got to be brave today. We’re not going to out pass Man City in midfield, but should out run and out pace them. All about making the right pass and decisions when we get the chances.

Considering you don’t often get much change out of Walker side when it’s a foot race, I would consider a lopsided approach and have Joe / Willock back on left and the team look like this: Pope: Tino, Schar, Burn, Hall: Joe, Bruno, Tonali: Willock, Gordon, Barnes Focus the attacks all down our right with an extra midfielder in the middle where it could turn into a diamond 4-4-2, out of possession to shut space off in middle and force them to keep going wide.

Should be £150k ball park base (maybe bit lower like £120k), with incentives where if his output is on par with last season, he'd be taking home close to £200k pw across the season. That's the sort of contracts you want for hungry players. Keeps structure in place, performs, the bids of £80m+ will still come in time where you can sell for good money and not break the wage structure.

What toe is broken? Talking big toe, then yea of course he's a doubt and probably won't be back till after the October Internationals at best

Sold out Didn't rush thinking it wouldn't all go, and it has (long sleeve top).

Considering we've had a week off, Man City still look iffy at the back to start season off (and now have no Rodri), if we don't come out guns blazing with a full press, I will be more annoyed than anything else. Edit: It's fair enough if we lose it/draw it due to them having depth to throw on for final 20+, but first half really should be all us and putting them under pressure. Need a performance and energy to get fans going.

We had Kfrath and Tino. After window closed, we got 6 games out of him before he was injured. Then when he came back he cost us against Man Utd Wasn’t even hindsight for me, was a deal on table for someone who’s aging and a fee that was likely not going to be there again.

It’s newer, but within the concourses they’re so dated and crappy. Lopsided which is unique, but gives poor viewing angles and noise. It’s not in a bad position SJP at this moment, but by end of this decade it will be left behind if a new one isn’t set in motion. Elland Road will be having a major face lift by end of this decade too, and you expect Man Utd too. Aston Villa seem to be going way of Liverpool for their stadium upgrade, so can remain whilst modernising and increasing size Then it’s since the last time we’ve done anything to SJP… Arsenal, Spurs, Man City, Man Utd, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Everton, West Ham, Leeds all with major renovations / new builds.

SJP is aging fast, and licks of paint etc is just papering over the cracks. Most top sides over past 10years or so, have either massively renovated their stadium or moving into new ones. We are neither, and likely can’t be moving forward if we were to remain at SJP. A decision needs making this year, and a new stadium would be a massive signal of intent from PIF that they’re here for the long term IMO. As you would be talking around £1bn mark.

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).