JEToon

that Rory, the Chelsea fan, is the absolute worst kind of cunt

have you actually watched us this season, there are several examples of us changing for the better during games

I don’t see any reason why every single player we sign is going to be signed with a view to them being sold.

We aren't playing right now. I expect he will make changes yes, football is a squad game, managers rarely simply run the same 11 into the ground for 90 minutes each week.

He's not getting 30 minutes each game, his average for the season has been closer to 50 minutes a game, factoring in his return from a long time off and late start to the season and lack of a true preseason it's not a great shock his minutes are slightly down relative to others, he doesn't simply sit on the bench In a league where sides throw all subs on the park most games, yes, players will in this day and age be down from averaging 90 minutes a game, be subbed and sit on the bench to start games.

I'm not, I do get your point, he isn't our 5th choice midfielder, he plays for us quite often. I think there is an element of echo chamber when it comes to Tonali to the point some convince themselves he barely plays, but it's not been the case this season, he features quite prominently in most games

It's a bit silly to say a football players skill level doesn't matter when it so patently is of relevance. He also does feature quite heavily in most games we play, he isn't simply some bench warmer.

But the quality and use of the player is relevant and it was money we did need to spend, we had to have a form of squad to account for the volume of games we would play, the spend was fine, the ability to move players on since was a greater issue

I can't go this level of hyperbole, I know people think going incredibly over the top on their point think it adds value to their point, but it really doesn't. We had a paper thin squad with a serious lack of quality when it came to home grown English players which would have been detrimental to our squad when it came to the Champions League. We added two fullbacks who will serve us for likely the best part of 10 years, and signed a by league standards, relatively cheap proven English player who has been, and will continue to be more than serviceable as part of our squad. We signed an Italian international for a fee that most would have said was exceptional value at the time relative to what comparable players of his talent move for. We have since sold a player for a profit of about 30 million who was signed in that window. The notion those transactions are reckless is hyperbolic nonsense This notion we are going to be where we want to be by simply making bargain bin basement additions some seem to cling to as a comfort blanket that we can beat PSR, is I am afraid not reality, we have to add quality players and they will cost money We are trying to thread a very thin needle, literally as a consequence of the leagues choice to try and keep us nailed to the floor, none of this was ever going to be as simple a process as some seem to think.

It is a lot yes, but it gets referenced like it was terrible spend, and it wasn't

I would say about that though, in this day and age it is about more than a first 11, it is about a 16, and the money spent did improve that. And yes, 150 million is an eye watering volume of money to spend, but it isn't really in the context of the league we play in. We spent that 150 million and signed two players who will feature for us for likely close to 10 years, a player who has achieved in his role to strengthen our squad in Barnes, and a player sold for a healthy profit out of that 150 million, a lot of it was actually very good spend, Chelsea for context sake spent 105 million on Enzo Ferndandes A massive part in all of this that is hard to speak about is the rate we are able to improve at v the rate a lot of sides around us are. We do need to spend a lot of money on players to keep up with where the ambition is, it's just the reality of the league, as is the reality that the league doesn't want us to do that

I would argue against Everton, Brighton and even to a certain extent West Ham it did “work” the chances were there to win those games, or in the case of last night put us in a place to win it. I am not sold on the idea placing a player further up the park with next to no record of goals and assists will massively add to the number of goals we score personally. We have played games with a visibly half fit forward, a make shift forward, it isn't a great shock our goal return isn't that great

Part of the problem with missing out a big chunk of the rest of a post I suppose. We don’t play with a 10, that’s right, we have midfield runners who do a lot of unselfish work, Longstaff and Joelinton are a lot better at that and it users their strengths and Brunos to a greater extent.

Bruno should be playing where he is every day of the week for me, he is never a 10, he is however someone who is, when on form, fantastic at creating shape of a game and playing through a midfield press, he isn’t though a true creative killer and never really, genuinely been a great goal threat or offered many assists

Liverpool are likely going to run away with the league and I wouldn’t class their midfield as a massive goal threat, or expect them to become that if for instance Salah was to go off form, by the end of the season I expect the goal return of their midfield group and ours to be pretty similar We have midfielders there to control games, that part of the season has actually been “OK” in bits. The trend of the season is it is laced with the players paid the big bucks to turn key moments in our way, not doing that, our work inside the box has been terrible this season.

It probably sounds harsh but it’s the level he is at so should be judged on this as such, I think the second goal showed that he isn’t top level, he is an excellent squad player with use to come on and stretch broken games as he does that so well but there is a pass on when we were on the attack that was there all day and splits West Ham in bits and what he produced was miles off it, just booted it at West Ham and turned us over. He just lacks that real top end quality on the ball I think

This isn't all on one player, but Gordon needs a rest for this one or a kick up the arse for me, he shouldn't be starting.

I am all for smart, innovative clever scouting and excellent coaching but I think what you are asking is unrealistic in all honesty, it sounds amazing on a forum, wow what a fantastic soundbite idea, but in reality....nah I can't see that as a model at all myself A couple of smart additions of a younger profile each summer, sure, 7 squad players for 90 million, slight bit of fantasy in that to me

I would highly doubt we ever regularly shop in the 5 million pounds market personally. As someone who watches a fair bit of Scottish football, the 5 million pound market isn’t a great one, that’s not far removed from where Rangers and Celtic often shop and the notion a lot of those players are close to being what we need is absolutely removed from reality or sustainable If we don’t often add quality like Tonali and Barnes we are going to be left behind, we are looking to thread the needle and catch teams like Arsenal and Villa not regress to a become a trading club. I think the theory of what you are putting forward sounds like it is riddled with failure and poor football players personally, it the market was as easy to exploit as you are implying I would expect more clubs to do it, it's closer to an Ashley trading model

The idea he couldn’t feature for Man City when Kovacic so often does, it’s not for me, Bruno had a poor game, it happens, he is still a fantastic player who we would expect a fortune for if he was sold. I don’t have any issues with him as Captain either

That sounds great but, I’m not convinced it’s really probable 90 million over 7+ player, wages, signing on feee, agent fees by the time the cash is spread I would expect a few of them to fail rather than all be a great success We were and are a club trying to raise our ceiling not our floor, the logic of Tonali and Barnes made complete sense over a raft of squad players.

Our best chances came from crosses really. If the Tino cross is a bit flatter it’s likely something similar to the Arsenal goal again The Gordon miss comes as a result of a cross poorly dealt with We should have a penalty as a result of a cross. Not sure it proves much of anything but football hasn’t moved on from getting it in the mixer.

It’s just a complete lack of aggression at both ends come set play time when he isn’t playing, we just aren’t a physically imposing side at all without him. That’s not to say he should win a Ballon D’or but it’s such a clear miss when he’s not there

I don’t think that video shows much at all personally. Fans will leave when a teams showing no sign of scoring and 2-0 down. It happens.

I kind of get what you’re trying to say but 90 million stretching across 7+ squad signings, not so sure myself. I wouldn’t expect many of them to be at the quality we are actually needing