Polarboy

Well they came to an accommodation over the piracy thing, with Saudi paying them a billion iirc in compensation. So I'd say it's not beyond the realms of possibility that relations have thawed enough for them to do business in other areas.

Yeah I imagine most of our business will be loans with options to buy given the position we find ourselves in. So perhaps he'd be willing if it was a loan. Having said that a player needs decent character to come into what could be a tough situation. Can you imagine if he came in and he was relegated with us for a second time. It really doesn't bear thinking about. Our business will of course depend largely on how well we do in the league between now and the window. Of course it seems unlikely that we won't at least be close to the bottom three given the mountain that Bruce, Ashley, and the players have left us to climb.

I see Wijnaldum is being linked with us again on the back of him apparently being unsettled at PSG through lack of game time. It could just be people adding two and two and getting five given he's benched, we have a lot of money, and he used to play for us. If there is anything to it he's exactly the type of versatile high quality, box to box midfielder that we're crying out for. Personally I couldn't care less that he jumped ship from us, because could you blame any player with ambition and talent for leaving us when Ashley was in charge. The only thing I can see scuppering it is that Wini's ego might come into play. You can't take much more of a backward step than leaving PSG to go back to your old club who are in a relegation fight. The promise of better times would take some faith on his part, but even then he's 31, so he doesn't really have time to be dreaming of what we may become down the line.

I saw an article titled "Should Callum Wilson be Dropped for the Arsenal Game". Obviously my first thought was what the fuck is this nonsense, but apparently Wilson is on four yellows and would miss the Norwich game should he pick up another against Arsenal. It's definitely something to worry about and weigh up at the very least, when obviously we're much more likely to pick up a result against Norwich than we are Arsenal.

There still seems to be an obvious issue with his composure in front of goal. The amount of times he falls on his arse when he's under pressure in one on one's, or more or less one on one's, points to things other than a lack of balance. I'm not sure if you can coach that out of someone, or if a few goals will build his confidence sufficiently. The goals that he has scored have generally been in a busy box without too much time to think, as opposed to the aforementioned type of scenarios.

With regards to relegation it's much worse in my eyes than a jolly in the championship for a year. You have to cut your cloth accordingly in the C, and that means buying players who want to play at that level. It would put back our squad build by quite a lot. Suddenly we'd be very happy to hold onto players like Clark, Lascelles, and the rest of our Championship level defence.

😄 Nah, I wear boxers mate, don't know about you 😉

Strong whiff of pissy nickers about 😷

Get Dubravka and Fraser into the team and we might actually do something. Fraser didn't put a foot wrong in his albeit short introduction, he looked well up for it, and even helped prevent a likely goal to add to his assist. If we can get Fraser back to his best form at Bournemouth he'll be a big asset. Big Joe is the physical embodiment of schizophrenia. More often than not he turns into an 80 year old granny when he gets into the opposition box. But aye, surely the added assuredness of Dubravka in nets will help us out at least somewhat. As bad as some of our defenders our, it can't help their nerves and subsequent performances, when they're likely thinking in the back of their minds that Darlow could drop a bollock at any time. Of course Norwich and Watford has left a really shitty taste in the mouth. Not that a draw was really acceptable today regardless of other results.

Before Howe came in we were shite at the back and shite going forward, so one out of two isn't bad 😉👍 In all seriousness though we can't expect the world after just two weeks training and the imposition of him having to isolate. And I have to say Big Joe not looking so useless. Of course it still seems like it's fifty, fifty as to whether he'll fall on his arse, or pull off a Cruyff turn and go on a mazy run every time he gets the ball.

I take back everything I said about there being bigger liabilities than Darlow in the team 😑

Follow the light.

It was only Dubravka's first full game when he played for his national side last week, so not that surprising. I can think of one or two others who on recent form are much bigger weak links, but lets hope the emotion of the day, and the training they've got in the last two weeks, will paper over any inadequacies Darlow or anyone else has in the short term.

BBC reckon we'll be playing 3,4,3 to match up to Brentford, but then again I'm not sure how the BBC come by formation info before a match, especially when it's the first match of a new manager.

Hope is saying he might make the Arsenal game yet depending on if/when symptoms started, and when/if he tests negative before then.

Or get his twin Neddy Howe to stand in for him.

Fuck sake. We just have to hope we do the same as West Ham did when Moyes was isolating and go on a winning run. I swear it's going to end up that the Saudi Prince is actually skint. One step forward and 50 steps back with this club.

In fairness the last time Shelvey looked decent for any extended period of time was during the era of Laudrup and then Monk at Swansea, who both really just kept, or tried to keep, what Rogers had created in terms of a football philosophy i.e. progressive football with pressing and a high line. I'm getting dangerously close to backing Clarko up, so I'll stop there and say that the baldy cunt will likely let Howe down 😉

For definite it's a much better state of affairs when a manager is talking up his players and the team. You just have to hope that they aren't delusional when it comes to said players actual worth to the club in the medium to long term.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12472328/howe-ive-been-impressed-with-the-squad-so-far

If he can If he can get both consistently contributing something worthwhile to the team, then he's a fucking genius. Only time will tell, but if Howe can coach King into a player, then perhaps all is not lost with Voldermort and Big Useless Joe.

I see Howe has praised Shelvey as a great technician, and said he's been great in training in the lead up to Brentford. Voldermort must literally suck off the entire team in training every week. I suppose if I was to be charitable Howe is perhaps just trying to gee up a limited, albeit in some respects talented, player until he can replace him. It's not as if we have a plethora of choices when it comes to someone who can actually pass a ball forward, which of course is crucial to any manager who actually wants to play front foot football.

At least one journalist, iirc, has said Edwards is not coming to us, and that would make sense given PIF want a director now, and not at the end of the season. I'd be more than happy with Emenalo. He was after all the first person to take Salah to England, and also had a hand in signing De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku etc.

Ruben was for Lampard wasn't he? Iirc they're mates.

Didn't know Eddie Izzard was a Villa supporter. He must have been in proper lad mode in this photo, as nary a bit of lippy is in sight.