Optimistic Nut

Lincoln City rocking up there for a league game would be exquisite.

I doubt Howe went into last summer wanting Woltemade as his main striker. Do you? I think we wanted Wissa from day one as our Wilson replacement which at the time was fair enough. Woltemade definitely screamed desperation. I think he also clearly wanted Trafford this season. If we have Trafford and one of Ekitike/Pedro or one or two others we chased, we're up with Villa, Man Utd, Liverpool & Chelsea this season.

If we recruit well then I don't think there's anything to worry about us not being in the chase by October. If we recruit badly, that's not on Howe. Give him a goalkeeper and a striker even with the other weaknesses and we'll be golden. I think even this season just those two positions would have been worth 12-15 points.

That's why I've written off this season. I think top 10 at best now. I do think we can sneak through one of the rounds in the FA Cup or Champions League though. Next season he needs to hit the ground running. If we're not competing for top 4 by October he'll be gone.

I still want him to stay and think he can turn it around next season, but fully accept it if the owners go in another direction now.

Think next season, core of first XI from current squad. GK Livramento Hall Thiaw Botman LCM Tonali Bruno RW Gordon CF Squad players to keep. Pope (as a clear number 2) One of Burn or Schar (not both, we need a younger CB in the group closer to Botman & Thiaw's age) One of Elanga or Murphy Ramsey Miley Joelinton Barnes Wissa (ideally sold if we can get a chunk of our money back, but get feeling we'll sell Woltemade and he'll stick around). So first choice GK, CM, RW & CF needed. Depth needed at full-back & centre-back & up front. I reckon one or two of Tino, Tonali & Gordon will go, so replacements closer to their quality than what we bought last summer will be critical..

That requires criticism of the likes of Pope & Burn which is sacrilege. Woltemade is a far easier target.

Betis has two SOT tonight and scored two goals.

Motherwell have played themselves into top two contention as well. 7 wins and 2 draws in last 9.

Butland deserved better there. Cracking for Hearts, though.

I don't think we look particularly tired. Just players who have been great for us declining rapidly now and new signings not hitting the ground running other than probably Thiaw.

Thought he was absolutely brilliant today. Was almost Bruno second half of 23/4 season-like.

Same with Murphy, Willock, not popular but Burn is showing signs too.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14WTnubvouM/ Feels like Leicester 10 years ago up there. Brilliant this.

It is, at the minute and has been most of the season. There's no redeeming qualities that should be keeping the shirt at the moment.

Weird.

Burn. Yikes.

Remember us laughing off the Celtic one in pre-season which was possibly the worst of the lot.

His reaction time to react to the rebound was scarily slow.

So many points plus 2 additional CL games.

There is no benefit to him over Ramsdale. They make the same fuck ups this season but at least one can pass a ball. This is Darlow/Elliot levels of shiteness these days.

Would love Forest to beat them in the Semis. Wouldn't fancy Villa the way they're playing.

I think they'd go FA Cup/Carabao Cup pricing in the Europa Conference. Europa probably somewhere in the middle.

Aye this is where I am like. We're not qualifying for the CL, we might get a minor European spot without him but it's not the be all, end all if we don't. He's not had a proper break probably since the 22/23 pre-season so if can recharge the batteries while he's injured, it might help us next season.

I think he's managed minutes pretty well tbh, just players lacking ability/form. We've played 27 league games for instance but only Tonali, Thiaw & Bruno of the outfield players have started 20+ of them. Tonali & Thiaw with the most on 23. We've played 10 Champions League games, no-one has started more than 8. I think given some of the injuries we've had he's done as well as can be expected in terms of managing the squad minutes.