Nick Woltemade

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

1 minute ago, KaKa said:

Started turning on this guy already too. My God.

 

The team is playing absolutely disgusting football. Can't keep possession and can't get it to the three forward players in decent positions. It's all a complete waste of time at the minute.

 

Funny to see all the forward players getting shit on here constantly while the midfield continues to fail to function competently.

 

Not only were they terrible at having any sort of control of the game, or getting the ball to the forwards, they also let Xhaka have the freedom of the pitch for Sunderland.

 

Tonali especially has been completely ineffective when we have the ball. No idea what he's supposed to be doing.

Very fair

We are honking 

[TheBrownBottle]

2 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Started turning on this guy already too. My God.

 

The team is playing absolutely disgusting football. Can't keep possession and can't get it to the three forward players in decent positions. It's all a complete waste of time at the minute.

 

Funny to see all the forward players getting shit on here constantly while the midfield continues to fail to function competently.

 

Not only were they terrible at having any sort of control of the game, or getting the ball to the forwards, they also let Xhaka have the freedom of the pitch for Sunderland.

 

Tonali especially has been completely ineffective when we have the ball. No idea what he's supposed to be doing.

Tonali has been shite for some time.  I’m sure he performs better in people’s heads than he does on the pitch.  The midfield is a massive problem

[madras]

3 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Started turning on this guy already too. My God.

 

The team is playing absolutely disgusting football. Can't keep possession and can't get it to the three forward players in decent positions. It's all a complete waste of time at the minute.

 

Funny to see all the forward players getting shit on here constantly while the midfield continues to fail to function competently.

 

Not only were they terrible at having any sort of control of the game, or getting the ball to the forwards, they also let Xhaka have the freedom of the pitch for Sunderland.

 

Tonali especially has been completely ineffective when we have the ball. No idea what he's supposed to be doing.

They did get the ball to the forwards. Both wide forwards constatlybran the ball out and the central one can't hold up play (I think he'll be great in a 2)

[KaKa]

1 minute ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Tonali has been shite for some time.  I’m sure he performs better in people’s heads than he does on the pitch.  The midfield is a massive problem

 

Honestly, the midfield is far worse than a massive problem at the minute. It is completely non existent.

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, KaKa said:

 

Honestly, the midfield is far worse than a massive problem at the minute. It is completely non existent.

We can’t string a couple of passes together, we’re easy to play through, and we create very little.  I keep reading that Howe needs time on the training pitch between games, but I don’t understand how international midfielders can’t pass a fucking football more than five yards without losing it. 

[Shearergol]

2 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Honestly, the midfield is far worse than a massive problem at the minute. It is completely non existent.

One of them is consistently our most important player. The other two, whichever combination they are, have struggled for weeks.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by Shearergol

[KaKa]

1 minute ago, madras said:

They did get the ball to the forwards. Both wide forwards constatlybran the ball out and the central one can't hold up play (I think he'll be great in a 2)

 

Giving the ball to the wingers constantly, deep in your own half and not moving to receive it back and combine with them to get up the pitch is no use whatsoever.

 

It's not FIFA, they can't just run up the pitch past everyone by holding down the run button.

[et tu brute]

Just now, KaKa said:

 

Honestly, the midfield is far worse than a massive problem at the minute. It is completely non existent.

We have needed a playmaker and someone who can control play for three years now and we're still waiting. Should be the key target signing this January, it won't be though

[Mikky]

Just now, et tu brute said:

We have needed a playmaker and someone who can control play for three years now and we're still waiting. Should be the key target signing this January, it won't be though

We had the chance to address this in that summer but we bought the wrong players in Ramsey and Elanga (and Wissa)

[et tu brute]

Just now, Mikky said:

We had the chance to address this in that summer but we bought the wrong players in Ramsey and Elanga (and Wissa)

Totally agree

[Shearergol]

1 minute ago, Mikky said:

We had the chance to address this in that summer but we bought the wrong players in Ramsey and Elanga (and Wissa)

How was Wissa the wrong signing? Which striker should we have signed?

[KaKa]

2 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

One of them is consistently our most important player. The other two, whichever combination they are, have struggled for weeks.

 

 

 

 

Bruno is the only one that is constantly moving and looking to get on the ball to make things happen. He needs to be back in the middle and central to everything now, even if it means the team is more vulnerable defensively.

[Mikky]

Just now, Shearergol said:

How was Wissa the wrong signing? Which striker should we have signed?

55m for a striker who was turning 29 in September?

[Shearergol]

Just now, KaKa said:

 

Bruno is the only one that is constantly moving and looking to get on the ball to make things happen. He needs to be back in the middle and central to everything now, even if it means the team is more vulnerable defensively.

I agree with this. 

[Yorkie]

1 minute ago, Mikky said:

55m for a striker who was turning 29 in September?

 

Why does it matter how old he is if he's the right striker? 

[Shearergol]

1 minute ago, Mikky said:

55m for a striker who was turning 29 in September?

£5m for Haaland should have been the deal.

 

answer the question 

[El Prontonise]

Not having that you can't criticise him.

 

You can immediately tell he comes from a league with zero physicality, he's absolutely weak as piss 75% of the time in challenges.  

[madras]

14 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Giving the ball to the wingers constantly, deep in your own half and not moving to receive it back and combine with them to get up the pitch is no use whatsoever.

 

It's not FIFA, they can't just run up the pitch past everyone by holding down the run button.

They got the ball quite often in their half but very wide against a low block or justvran outside and took the ball out or lost it. They can move inside, remember the Trippier/Longstaff/Miggy rotation, nothing like that now, stand wide and wait for it.

[KaKa]

9 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

We have needed a playmaker and someone who can control play for three years now and we're still waiting. Should be the key target signing this January, it won't be though

 

The team is so overly reliant on the wingers and full backs combining to get us up the pitch from deep. It's absolutely ridiculous.

 

The wingers already have to track back a bunch defensively, and then are expected to dribble past everyone up the pitch too.

 

While the midfielders struggle to get on the ball and contribute much in build up. It is absolutely maddening.

 

I don't remember a single thing the midfield did in the whole first half. It was Gordon/Hall, Elanga/Tino trying to combine down each side to get up the pitch constantly, while the midfield was just jogging about I guess.

 

It was only when Bruno was moved centrally and started dropping to get the ball off the centre backs that it started looking like something that resembled football at least.

 

The whole thing is a mess and it is terrible to watch.

[Gottlob]

I think the midfield is a major problem but for me it's about shape and coaching as much as the personnel. We've managed to get great numbers out of some not-so-great wide players by pressing effectively and being quick on the transition. The midfield's job and I presume the idea behind the flat three has been to aid in that press and set the forwards away without spending too much time on the ball. Now the situation up front is different and it requires something different of everyone. 

 

One of the basic fixes in my opinion would be to install a proper holding player at the base of the midfield. It would give a bit of shape to our buildup and make us less easy to play through/leave less holes in the centre of the pitch.

[Minhosa]

Clearly demonstrated his technical ability since his arrival but he needs to find a nasty streak and bulk up if he’s going to succeed in the PL long term. 
 

Soft as fuck and too slow to play as a lone 9 imho. Cannot press effectively.

 

Hes done well, really well, at times but he’s a sticky plaster for me. A temporary fix. This shit isn’t working more often than not. 
 

Change the system to suit him because what we’re asking him to do is simply not sustainable. 
 

He looked completely lost and overwhelmed today. Like we sent a kid to do a man’s job. 

[huss9]

3 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

Clearly demonstrated his technical ability since his arrival but he needs to find a nasty streak and bulk up if he’s going to succeed in the PL long term. 
 

Soft as fuck and too slow to play as a lone 9 imho. Cannot press effectively.

 

Hes done well, really well, at times but he’s a sticky plaster for me. A temporary fix. This shit isn’t working more often than not. 
 

Change the system to suit him because what we’re asking him to do is simply not sustainable. 
 

He looked completely lost and overwhelmed today. Like we sent a kid to do a man’s job. 

he looked terrified from the off.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I just don't think we're pressing as a team, it's not him not being able to do it. He very recently won a pen by pressing the keeper, for example. 

[Minhosa]

1 minute ago, huss9 said:

he looked terrified from the off.

Yep. Shat himself entering the stadium and remained soiled all fucking day. Soft as fuck I’m afraid. 
 

Too many weak characters and he’s one of them. 

[Minhosa]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I just don't think we're pressing as a team, it's not him not being able to do it. He very recently won a pen by pressing the keeper, for example. 

That was a GK error. He cannot press. He’s as slow as fuck. Haven’t you realised how much more time opposition centre halves have on the ball this season?