Interesting listening to Howe's latest comments. He has prepped the squad for some serious turnover of players. I was expecting us to just go 4 or 5 first XI players, but the way he's talking, there is a hint of a lot more in my opinion. To be fair to Howe, there is a lot of room for us to improve. From goalkeeper all the way through to the front men and the back up, we are quite far from where we'd hope to be. Defensively Trippier is right up there with the very best right backs. Bruno is up there with very best central midfielders. Goalkeeper, centre backs, left back, holding midfield, attacking midfield, wide forwards, central striker are all areas we could do a lot better. However there is plenty in the squad who can remain part of the squad.
Not really. DCL has played 160 games and scored 40. Don’t care about his trajectory. That’s not good enough. Wood was always average but has an overall 1 in 3 record which is good. DCL, like Rashford, values his outside of football activities more than his football activities and will not progress.
Huge ****ing question marks over Man U though, after this clusterfuck of a season i think everyone will be in 2 minds over them. Man U without Ferguson and Arsenal without Wenger just ain't the forces they once were and will never be back to that any time soon. The transformation at us is definitely attractive as we're on the up whereas Man U have been on a downer for years and no one knows what will hapoen with them. Not saying we'll sign Nunez, and its very wishful thinking, but Man U hardly have him in the bang either.
I always rated Howe. His work at Bournemouth was phenomenal, and he clearly had the potential to push on from there. Looking at the situation now, it seems remarkable that no one snapped him up before us.
Ekiteke seems to be a cert and I hope there's another, but I just don't think nufc are in a position to sign the likes of Nunez... He's hot property
Look at Man City after the money had come in, the first season after they had got taken over, they finished 10th and had Mark Hughes as a manager, hardly a situation you'd think would attract the stars. We'll finish in position around about that this season. HOWEVER after that 10th finish and with Hughes as manager, that summer they signed Tevez, Barry, Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Sylvinho and Vierra.... which completely transformed a mid table team. Once again im not saying we'll def sign Nunez, but there will definitely be signings beyond anything we've previously experienced.
Yeah they signed alot better plsyers like Barry, but aguerro didn't come for a while. Nunez if you gave the choice between Newcastle and Manchester United he'd choose Man United.
Aguero was 2 years later, but the signings the next summer were mental - Yaya Toure, Dzeko, David Silva, Kolarov etc. Skybet has Man U favourite to sign Nunez, we are still in there though. Tbh id have thought he had much better options than Man U.
Indeed don't get me wrong im Secretly hoping for Nunez, but I think this being the clubs 1st proper window FFP and just where the club is means it'll be a few years before they get a striker that's that in demand
I just don't see the pull with Man U tbh, the club is a right mess, players are a disjointed bunch of wasters with awful attitudes, and no manager, desoite their reputation, seems able to sort them out. The only reason to go seems based on their history of success, and thats quickly becoming a thing of the past. Whilst we aint City and Liverpool, we're a club definitely on the up, while Man U just keep becoming more and more of a shambles.
Having witnessed Everton escape free and Chelsea blatantly escaping free (They need £28m a month off Roman ffs!!!!!!!!) this will be our take on ffp
I think the best we can hope for is clearing out the deadwood, adding DEPTH of a similar quality to what we have plus a marquee signing or two this summer if we are looking to push up and compete in a cup. BUT then you look at the squad and think 2/3 years ahead and: Keeper - Dubravka is the only GK up to standard currently and 33 already. Need a backup/competitive keeper to come in this year RB Trippier and 32 at the start of next season. Manquillo and Krafth will do as back ups for the next season in the cups but long term need to be looking already. CB... you could make an argument that we need 4 replacement but if Schar, Burn are the bench mark at present we need at least 2 this year. Fede looks to be going anyway, Clark has to go, Lascelles as 4th choice as a worse case scenario. LB Targett would be a good squad option but again past that we don't have depht but wil lbe interesting to see what Howe does with Lewis next year and if he can play a part. CM Willock, Bruno and Joelinton could be here in 5 years and offer something but at least 2/3 more needed and at least one this summer and I'd be wanting a really good DM. Wingers - ASM is a luxury player and what we need in a few years time, past that Miggy, Fraser, Murphy would be replaced and again atleast one more replacement needed this year CF - Wilson as a back up/3rd choice in a year or two. Good enough for next season but to aim for 7th/8th and a cup run you'd need a better option on the bench/for cups/to compete. So in 2-3 years I think we have 5 players who currently could be of use to us at present and one of them is on loan so that's 20 players needed (4/5 per window). Means this summer will be huge in terms of who comes in and what quality we get which will show where the ambitions lie.
