PaddockLad 22505 Posted October 26 Share Posted October 26 People raving about squad depth in August are being shown to have been largely correct at this stage as we sit here at the start of the most intense period of the season. Without Tonali, Elanga, Barnes & Osula coming in it was looking like Fulham would've nicked another goal and won like last season.... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 43942 Posted October 26 Share Posted October 26 1 hour ago, Kid Dynamite said: That 98 year old NUFC fan doing the rounds yesterday could pass for 68. I want whatever he's having He used to be a prison officer guarding this bloke.... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohhh_yeah 3656 Posted October 26 Share Posted October 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 28557 Posted October 27 Author Share Posted October 27 22 hours ago, PaddockLad said: People raving about squad depth in August are being shown to have been largely correct at this stage as we sit here at the start of the most intense period of the season. Without Tonali, Elanga, Barnes & Osula coming in it was looking like Fulham would've nicked another goal and won like last season.... Add Hall and Tino to that where we don't have any depth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 22505 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 7 minutes ago, wykikitoon said: Add Hall and Tino to that where we don't have any depth. As football supporters we sometimes shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the very good/ stop trying to be a smart fucker pretending that a) Emil Kraft doesn't exist & b) you know how to build a squad better on the budget we have than Eddie Howe 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 28557 Posted October 27 Author Share Posted October 27 3 minutes ago, PaddockLad said: As football supporters we sometimes shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the very good/ stop trying to be a smart fucker pretending that a) Emil Kraft doesn't exist & b) you know how to build a squad better on the budget we have than Eddie Howe I was saying the other day. Why isn't Krafu used more to give Trippier a rest? We are walking a think line flogging him and Burn atm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 22505 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 17 minutes ago, wykikitoon said: I was saying the other day. Why isn't Krafu used more to give Trippier a rest? We are walking a think line flogging him and Burn atm Fairly sure he'll play v spurs, maybe at LB?.Has he filled in there before? Fab might play and give Burn a rest... bit of a re jig but spurs won't be full strength either...we need to bare in mind that we didn't have Europe at all last season so we could strong in the Carabao . Might not be the case this season... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 42155 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 (edited) It’s tough on Krafth expecting him to be able to come in for the Spurs game too (assuming he will). Due to the lack of game time he’s had. You can understand it with Hall / Livramento situation that Howe wants to play what he sees as his best defence. But you’d think it would’ve helped Krafth (and Trippier) if he’d had a few 10/15 minute cameos in the league. The defence has been excellent on the whole though and what the fuck do I know? Edited October 27 by Alex 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 12386 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 Full backs are stretched on account of injuries to Hall & Livramento - it would have been a pessimistic view to consider both would be unavailable through injury - it's down to horrendous luck rather than anything we should be digging the club out for. We've also got the constraint of the squad size to consider. That aside the defence IS working. We've conceded 8 in 9 games. Only Arsenal, Spurs, Man City & Sunderland can better that. If we were leaking goals for fun I'd understand the criticism, but we're not. It's our conversion rate at the other end of the pitch we need to be focused on. We've scored 9 - only Forest, West Ham & Wolves have scored less. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 39243 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 We're three points down on the same fixtures last season. Given that we've lost our top scorer from last year and have one of our main strikers injured along with injuries to both starting full backs I'd say we're doing okay. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holden McGroin 9909 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 Hall could potentially be back for the Bilbao game (2 more games). wissa could be back for the West Ham game. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 50751 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 Can we all take a moment to welcome our latest global fan… … @sidneydequeirozpedrosa is Rio de Janiero’s leading Fruit and Veg magnate*, and it’s a pleasure to have him, and his juicy plums on board. * yes, really 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 26363 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 On 26/10/2025 at 09:29, PaddockLad said: People raving about squad depth in August are being shown to have been largely correct was that you btw? I can’t remember Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 22505 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 11 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said: was that you btw? I can’t remember No not really, was reasonably pleased but unfortunately I think Gemmill was leading that school of thought 😒 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 63244 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 I was definitely of the view that we'd had an excellent transfer window and had managed to strengthen in all areas, possibly even up front despite losing Ratboy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 28557 Posted October 27 Author Share Posted October 27 4 hours ago, Craig said: Full backs are stretched on account of injuries to Hall & Livramento - it would have been a pessimistic view to consider both would be unavailable through injury - it's down to horrendous luck rather than anything we should be digging the club out for. We've also got the constraint of the squad size to consider. That aside the defence IS working. We've conceded 8 in 9 games. Only Arsenal, Spurs, Man City & Sunderland can better that. If we were leaking goals for fun I'd understand the criticism, but we're not. It's our conversion rate at the other end of the pitch we need to be focused on. We've scored 9 - only Forest, West Ham & Wolves have scored less. Its not criticism. Its questioning whether playing Trippier and Burn for the full 90 is the best idea at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 26363 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 3 minutes ago, wykikitoon said: Its not criticism. Its questioning whether playing Trippier and Burn for the full 90 is the best idea at the moment. problem is we have no option other then to flog 33 year old Burn and 35 year old Trippier until Tino and Hall return. Krafth is the only other option but Howe doesn’t seem to trust him anymore, so he’s a waste of a squad place now. No point retaining players who can’t give you a rotation option. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 39243 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 11 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said: Krafth is the only other option but Howe doesn’t seem to trust him anymore, so he’s a waste of a squad place now. No point retaining players who can’t give you a rotation option. Which is strange given he signed a new contract in the second half of last season. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 12386 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 23 minutes ago, wykikitoon said: Its not criticism. Its questioning whether playing Trippier and Burn for the full 90 is the best idea at the moment. I don't think we have a lot of option at the moment, and whilst we're grounding out results and keeping the goals conceded count down, it's working. Shouldn't be too long until Hall, at least, is back to add options. In 13 competitive games this season, we've conceded 11 goals - that includes games against Liverpool, Arsenal & Barcelona where 7 of those goals were leaked. Unbelievably good numbers and, whilst we're sailing close to the wind on options, we need to think positive about it being effective. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aimaad22 6003 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 Aye you can't really fault the defending, the issue has been lack of goal contributions from players other than Woltemade until recently. And the more long term issue is our inability to keep the ball especially away from home which then affects energy levels and so on. We'll be fine. Hopefully Tino, Wissa and Ramsey can stay relatively fit for the remainder of the season. We've traditionally come good post December under Howe, when energy levels for most teams drop we've managed to find a new gear from somewhere. And this time we have a better squad. Elanga finding his feet, hopefully soon, will also be a major boost. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 12386 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 How different things might have been confidence-wise for Elanga had that early chance at Villa gone in. I've no doubt he'll come good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayatollah Hermione 17238 Posted October 27 Share Posted October 27 I’d have liked to see more of Krafth to prepare him for the busy period but I think Howe values Trippier’s experience and leadership too much for that to happen IMO. Especially in tight games or games against good opposition. I do think Trippier looked pretty leggy and jaded from the start on Saturday though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 28557 Posted October 28 Author Share Posted October 28 Apparently Forest want £100m.for Anderson. That's us stepping away then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 22505 Posted October 28 Share Posted October 28 And who is he getting into the team ahead of? He's back to square one of he comes here. Nothing has changed in the position he wants to occupy ie our captain and best player by some distance + Tonali are still here. He's not better than either of them and is a completely different player to Joelinton who Howe plainly still favours. 100 mill to upgrade Willock isn't a serious proposition. Neither is 60 mill tbh 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 28557 Posted October 28 Author Share Posted October 28 9 minutes ago, PaddockLad said: And who is he getting into the team ahead of? He's back to square one of he comes here. Nothing has changed in the position he wants to occupy ie our captain and best player by some distance + Tonali are still here. He's not better than either of them and is a completely different player to Joelinton who Howe plainly still favours. 100 mill to upgrade Willock isn't a serious proposition. Neither is 60 mill tbh Agreed. He will go to city imo but even they won't spend that cash on him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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