Pablo

Genuinely, I’m staggered by some takes I’ve read in recent weeks but more so in the last day. I’ll be honest, I’m fed up of this season and of Eddie’s continuing plan A. It’s a total disaster and we have taken a big step backwards in footballing terms. But, I’m not really surprised about what’s happening on the pitch. I remember commenting last season that we were a mid table team with an elite striker. There has been little between us and the Brightons and Bournmouths of the league for 2 seasons now, and this season it’s levelled out a bit. We have a small underperformance this year, compared to the heights of the past few seasons overperformance. Our squad is stale, and a number of our players seem to have downed tools. I think the Isak sale and the way we couldn’t attract our top targets last season has resulted in the players realising we aren’t a Chelsea or Man City project. I strongly suspect a number of players have had their heads turned and are looking for an escape route in the summer. Looking at the recent performances of a couple of our star players, Gordon and Tino in particular aren’t at the races, making mistakes not putting in 100%. An eye on the World Cup and a summer move. With their levels dropping it affects other players. I wouldn’t be surprised if the dressing room is somewhat split. We might say players don’t care, but they do. It’s their life, reputation, finances and career. FFP, SCR whatever you want to call it has done its job. We haven’t had a normal or decent transfer window since Dan Ashworth left. That’s damning on everyone at the club. From Junior Scout to owner. We need 2 players in every transfer window to keep it fresh and provide growth. The past summer business was an unmitigated disaster, and it’s tough to come back from it, but we can. Ramsey will come good, Elanga has a chance still. I’m worried about the striker situation though and that’s going to need a bit of luck. I was worried with every signing we made, as I have wanted more technical players through the team, but we have what we have. the squad building has been horrible, we basically need a new 11 as we need to cover every position as players who should have been traded 2 or 3 years ago remain on our books with little value. The director of football position has caused this, and I admit Eddie is probably somewhat at fault. We needed to trade Joelinton 2 or 3 summers ago, same with Joe Willock, Emile Kraft and others. This summer is an opportunity to have a lot of turnover and get some money for players who don’t have a long term future at the club. But this means we face at least one if not 2 more seasons of transition. The bed setters and the social media darlings need to accept we may stand still before we move forwards again. it’s going to hurt, but Sunderland are likely going to finish above us this season. It’s a blip, form is temporary but class is permanent. Personally I don’t care, I look at the bigger picture and where we are still heading, albeit much more slowly than I hoped. Spurs getting relegated could be massive for us, as having 5 teams above us in the pecking order rather than 6 is a massive boost. The Chelsea situation is dire and they can be reigned in with good club management. The commercial income situation continues to improve. for me it’s of paramount importance that we remain a stable club. Swapping managers may provide short term impetus, but long term it’s unlikely we can attract a better manager than Eddie. The clubs stated goal is now for 2030 so I’m willing to give it a bit longer, get behind them all, and I am confident that we will continue a slow but steady trajectory upwards. I’m not a happy clapper, never have been, but unless we can attract Pep or Emery in the summer I’m not prepared to give up what we’ve got. Eddie is a club legend and deserves my support for the 26/27 season.

One thing I would really like is access to a database of players contract lengths and salaries. There is so much misinformation in the media. For the foreseeable future it’s going to be tough to get established players on good contracts, and I’d rather focus my wish list on players we can afford within our wage structure. I also think we need to pay our squad players a little less to give more wriggle room for key player salaries.

Agree entirely, Rico Lewis just seems to be one of those cartel players who comes in does a job and appears better than he is cos of the quality around him. Gets instant media attention and national team recognition then moves to a mid table team and struggles.

Oh, yes I am totally thinking of Nico O’Reilly… haha. So everything I said is true and Nico O Reilly would be the one I want

Sorry but what exactly is wrong with Rico Lewis. He has always looked a cracking player the times I have watched him. He’s big and strong and physically excellent, coming through at Man City he has technical ability and covers pretty much every position on the pitch. He’s young and I think he has enough ability to perform in either a physical or technical team. He would be one of the first players I would target as I think his profile is tailor made for us.

Agree he is awesome, he’s a dirty sod though. Plays on the edge and seems to get away with it. Many will disagree but Reece James would be close to the best player in the league if it wasn’t for injuries.

Also thought he had a good performance yesterday, lads growing into his role here, long may it continue.

I know teams don’t chop and change goalkeepers, but there’s a genuine reason to do this based on our opposition. Some games favour a ball player and others favour an out right old school goalkeeper. Whatever happens we need a modern goalkeeper with outrageous ball playing goin forwards, to compete at the very top. They’re close to unicorns, so I wish the scouting team luck.

The lads clearly a talent. If we’d bought him from Brazil as an unknown quantity the speculation about his ceiling would be outrageous. It’s made me angry some of the rubbish I’ve read about Lewis over the past 18 months, I’m pleased he’s getting some support for a change.

Slap a bit of war paint on him, he’ll be fit for a king.

I don’t quite know how it’s happened, but genuinely, he’s probably the best English centre back in the Premier League during 2025. The only thing which goes against his is a journeyman career and age. If the form holds up, he’s a shoo in for the World Cup.

I just hope this doesn’t turn out like the Jon Dahl Tomasson situation, and he is a resounding success. Feels like 1997 all over again, as his best position may be 10 rather than 9. I like the look of big Nick, he was one of the players I’ve wanted all summer. Let’s treat him with love and respect if it takes a while to hit the highs we hope for. Another 9 is critical, and not overpaying is almost as critical.

Maybe we should be doing that with Hojland, I’d take him as the Wilson replacement for the right, cheap, price.

Perhaps my wording isn’t fully explaining my meaning, but I meant precisely what you have said. By sacrificed I meant effectively dismissed, what he was doing just didn’t work and caused tension and divide. In peace.

Mitchell is the sacrifice, it was clear he messed up and was given his cards early. Don’t buy he resigned for no reason.

Of course it’s Ornsteins fault, like Romano he is on the payroll of agents and clubs. They have paid him for spositive spin and tweets. Ornatein could have had more integrity and said no to the back handlers 👀

Absolutely no problem if it’s a loan with an option. Let our coaches work with him and have a look over 12 months, as part of succession planning for Pope. We would be buying the dip, and there may be good upside. Fully expect at least one gk to be moved on if this progresses. 100% sensible business considering where we are.

Ticket price increases are quite inevitable as far as I am concerned, every year. PSR removes any ability for the owners to fund the business and be competitive so every aspirational club in the land will have to charge more to the match going fan. Even ManChester reds fans are feeling the pinch, with the negative impacts on oap and disabled fans well publicised last year. Season tickets and match by match fans will be fleeced from this point on. Don’t worry though, it’s in the best interests of 6 cartel clubs as the current financing of football ensures they reign supreme.

I’m not saying I think this will happen, but I can see a world where we are asked if we are still interested in a few weeks, a la Isak, unless Frankfurt actually want to keep him. The bin dippers like him but don’t really want him or they’d have wrapped it up this week, for all their money they are charlatans and bs merchants. The club played a blinder walking away and not getting dragged into a saga.

The beautiful game would be much more beautiful without those parasites. I’m all for it.

Always better when it’s not done via the media. Our hit rate will improve when our interest isn’t leaked.

I agree. I am convinced our coaching would have made him world class and a star for Brazil. Anything less over the next 4 years and I think he has thrown his talent in the toilet, for a few quid more and a pad in the big city.

All they need to do now is buy Eddie Howe, cos the mercenaries they hire as first team coach aren’t fit to lace his boots. Sadly, we seem a long way from being able to overtake a club with even less history than us. Hope Man City tear PSR a new one. A level playing field is all I ask for.

If everyone stopped wetting the bed about business, maybe we could do it all behind closed doors, not require 24/7 updates from journalists and then have pleasant surprises when signings are made. This is all getting undressed in fenwicks window and it’s so annoying. I hope our real targets are completely unknown. Love a surprise signing out of the blue. The club are doing their best, every single one of them. We have a great club and we should be proud as punch and stop all this criticism.

Brighton will eventually come down in price on this one, it’s just a case of whether someone else jumps in ahead of us if we delay. If we want to wrap it up early we have to pay a bit more. I can see pros and cons to pushing ahead quickly to guarantee the transfer and also to waiting a bit more at the risk of losing him. Personally, I’d wait, get him at the price we want to pay, and if a Chelsea come in, so be it. Was genuinely excited at this link 3 years ago, and remain excited now. Remember that dark day in Jan 22 when he equalised in the last minute.