Displayname Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 On 25/02/2026 at 10:27, The Prophet said: NO: We need more technically gifted players who are comfortable on the ball and add a bit of creativity. Also NO: I don't see where this technically gifted player, who is comfortable on the ball and adds a bit of creativity fits. If he can work on his defensive abilities and work rate he can be a great option especially against teams that park the bus, albeit a pretty expensive one. Him, Bruno and Tonali as a midfield trio with Bruno and Tonali having a more defensive role and Woltemade having more of a free role sounds juicy on paper, hopefully Eddie can make it work. Don't think he will ever fit as a striker for us considering his lack of pace. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagPar Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 5 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said: It’s all relative, though - Osula cost a fraction of Woltemade’s fee, and if he’d turned out to be good it would’ve been a cheap gamble that paid off. You cant blame Wolf for his price. We'd just sold the rat so any player we bought had the 'Isak tax' added on to their actual price. Wissa also cost about a third more than his actual worth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackyboy Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 I don't think that Wolt is physically strong enough for the PL. He also lacks pace. Maybe a full preseason will help Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 11 minutes ago, MagPar said: You cant blame Wolf for his price. We'd just sold the rat so any player we bought had the 'Isak tax' added on to their actual price. Wissa also cost about a third more than his actual worth. Yes; that’s 100% on the club and the owners in particular - he should’ve been sold much, much sooner; as soon as they knew. But we are where we are - and neither Wissa nor Woltemade look like they’re worth two-thirds of what we paid, allowing for the ‘Isak tax’ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEntertainer Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said: Yes; that’s 100% on the club and the owners in particular - he should’ve been sold much, much sooner; as soon as they knew. But we are where we are - and neither Wissa nor Woltemade look like they’re worth two-thirds of what we paid, allowing for the ‘Isak tax’ I think Nick's worth £46M that's actually not a huge fee in modern football, I think the problem is we actually paid £69M for him and he's definitely not looked worth that. Wissa on the other hand definitely doesn't look worth £37M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEntertainer Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 In fact if we sold Woltemade in the Summer which has been bandied about (I don't think we should), I think around £45-50M is exactly what we'd get for him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 There is no way we should be looking to sell Big Nick this summer, there is every chance both he and Eddie come back next season far more prepared. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEntertainer Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Just now, Dr.Spaceman said: There is no way we should be looking to sell Big Nick this summer, there is every chance both he and Eddie come back next season far more prepared. Yeah 100% agree, I think his value is probably at a significant low currently as he's had a so/so season, but he still looks to have a load of upside, I'm very confident it will work out for him. Was just a thought exercise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 6 minutes ago, TheEntertainer said: In fact if we sold Woltemade in the Summer which has been bandied about (I don't think we should), I think around £45-50M is exactly what we'd get for him. £55m is break-even Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEntertainer Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said: £55m is break-even Yeah I don't think we'd get that unless someone really wanted him and we dug our heals in, Bayern stopped their bidding at £52.5M and then said we were mental to pay what we did and I don't think his value has gone up this season. I think we'd be mad to try and sell him this summer as we'd lose money and I think there's something there. Maybe I'm wrong and Bayern still want him enough to pay the £55M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 3 minutes ago, TheEntertainer said: Yeah I don't think we'd get that unless someone really wanted him and we dug our heals in, Bayern stopped their bidding at £52.5M and then said we were mental to pay what we did and I don't think his value has gone up this season. I think we'd be mad to try and sell him this summer as we'd lose money and I think there's something there. Maybe I'm wrong and Bayern still want him enough to pay the £55M. I’d like to see him start performing and scoring - no issue with him staying, no issue with him being sold. I think we’ll buy at least one new centre forward this summer either way - post-Brentford it feels like Howe has given up on whatever was being tried and reverted back to what his team does best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holloway Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 8 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said: Bobby Robson ‘built a team around’ an ageing Shearer - he added pace in the form of Bellamy and Robert along with Dyer who was already there. KK did the same with Cole, who effectively was fed as part of a front five. ’Building a team around’ a forward is hardly a fan-led idea. Howe did that with Isak - we played to his strengths, which is all it really means. The team isn’t set up to play to Woltemade’s strengths - which is what opens up the question about whether we ‘build a team around him’ i.e. sell the players we have and replace them with players better suited to provide him with the best support and adapt our style of play, or we sell him and replace him with a player who better fits how we play at present. This seems quite a rigid approach, I wonder what Eddie would make of it. If we were to keep Nick, which style of play would we have to adapt,which players would need to be moved on and which type of player would we need to bring in to get the best out of him. And,got any names ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 1 hour ago, Holloway said: This seems quite a rigid approach, I wonder what Eddie would make of it. If we were to keep Nick, which style of play would we have to adapt,which players would need to be moved on and which type of player would we need to bring in to get the best out of him. And,got any names ? Howe’s moved Woltemade back because he couldn’t get it to work, to the point that he was potentially putting his job at risk. My view - and it’s only my uneducated opinion - is that we’d need to play narrower and closer to Woltemade, who I think would play much better with two inside forwards next to him rather than wingers. I think you’d also want at least one of your midfielders making surging runs. This would give him outlets to use his technical ability to create chances for them, and would also give him more time to lose his marker and get some shots off. Completely my view, like I say. But I don’t think Woltemade will do much with balls whipped in from out wide, and you can’t teach instincts. Howe will know better that’ll of us, of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holloway Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 1 hour ago, TheBrownBottle said: Howe’s moved Woltemade back because he couldn’t get it to work, to the point that he was potentially putting his job at risk. My view - and it’s only my uneducated opinion - is that we’d need to play narrower and closer to Woltemade, who I think would play much better with two inside forwards next to him rather than wingers. I think you’d also want at least one of your midfielders making surging runs. This would give him outlets to use his technical ability to create chances for them, and would also give him more time to lose his marker and get some shots off. Completely my view, like I say. But I don’t think Woltemade will do much with balls whipped in from out wide, and you can’t teach instincts. Howe will know better that’ll of us, of course. Iirc correctly Eddie has stated that he saw Nick as a withdrawn striker from the off, he was played up top because we had nobody else available. I get your inside forward angle but Barnes is suited to that more than a touchline hugger. On the right Elanga could easily play narrower, Murphy less so. My point being that there is no overhaul to accommodate Nick needed, just tweaks. I'll be gutted if we panic and move him on, next season will be the time to judge imo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 5 hours ago, jackyboy said: I don't think that Wolt is physically strong enough for the PL. He also lacks pace. Maybe a full preseason will help Unless an unhealthy dose of steroids is going to be part of his preseason I don't think it will help in those shortcomings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Magpie Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 14 minutes ago, TRon said: Unless an unhealthy dose of steroids is going to be part of his preseason I don't think it will help in those shortcomings. You can't teach speed but he has the frame to add some muscle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Interesting comments in Howe's presser today. Hope asked him what the long term plan was with him from a position point of view, but Howe stressed in the first instance that he needs to adapt to the league first and foremost. Think he probably sees him as a versatile attacking player going forward. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1tche Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Are people completely ignore Nick's own comments about Havertz? That's the type of player he is, a very good attacking player that can play in a few different positions effectively, depending on the style of play. He'll be class here, just give him the time Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEFAFWISP Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Well he's gone full donkey today so far... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nufc123 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 weak performance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doops Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 The tallest invisible man in the world Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Really hoping Bayern still fancy stumping up good money for him in the summer, just can't see it ever working here for him, we signed him because he was willing to come here and he had a reputation, without any due diligence about what sort of player he was and how we would set up with him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 I have real concerns about whether he is a fit for both ourselves and the league, but I think shifting him without giving him a full preseason with us would be silly. I would absolutely give him another season before looking to offload. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smal Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 painful watch that, confidence is through the floor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holloway Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 looks like he's poncing about in his flares at times Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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