He served a purpose. A short term purpose but still very important. At the time it was a reasonable gamble. It worked (we were not relegated) and it didn't (he can't score in a brothel) .
Without going over old ground, he was dreadful at Burnley and they were already bottom three when we signed him. If he’d stayed it would have made no difference at all. He certainly wasn’t the reason we finished strongly with his two goal and zero assists. Bruno was.
We couldn't have played with nobody up front... He did a job. He made space for others, created a bit of room for ASM at times... made it stick and brought the midfield into attacking positions... whatever we all think of him, it worked as we stayed up. Nobody can argue with any certainty that we would have got he results we did without him. All that said, he's ****e, and we do need to move him on (which might be hard on £100k). Otherwise - we appear to be getting a little wound up in here! Would love to have a few more in, but I'm sure that EH knows what's needed for the squad, I'm sure he's not ****ting himself over the ambition of the club, etc, etc, etc... It'll all come right. Just have a little patience. If we go to the Forest game as we are (which I don't think we will) then I'm sure we'll still do them. We're better, not worse than the end of last season, and we've time to add quality.
I think it’s linked to commercial deals I honestly do. The PL have to vet all our deals apparently. The cash injections can be done but without the increased T/O it messes our FFP up. I hear what your saying on Wood mind. But he was a 10 goal + a season striker but playing in a totally different style. Which I think Howe knew. But it was means must. Now we have to move on.
It was £45m for Jesus… Thing is for you guys it’s not just finding players with value. But it’s finding players that won’t just come for a pay day, but a lot of top players want to be playing CL football. It might take you a season or two more finishing too half and showing progress before players take the leap onto the Newcastle project. atm, your a team that we’re fighting relegation then finished mid table. Players probably worries that if it takes you another 3/4 seasons to challenge for europe they may have missed out in the prime of their careers
Bruno and Botman have gone all in early. I keep saying his name, but Jonathan David at £35m or Isak at £45m and you have players young enough to buy in who know if we don't get anywhere quickly they can move before their prime. Bruno, Botman will have thought the same. We need two or three more at the same level, starting with a new No 9, then a CDM, then a RW. As has been said, I don't think Howe's blind to it. I just think there's a 50% tax on strikers vs any other position in the team and I suspect we're trying to get that position sorted before contemplating any other use of funds. I can only assume Sociedad want a stupid amount for Isak and perhaps the same can be said for David, Osimhen, etc. Plus the better ones are already in the CL - maybe that's a bigger issue, even though Napoli/Lille aren't on the same commercial level, the CL lure is more than I thought. Which, in a way, is what you want in a player!
I'm not asking for CL quality players though. But we have signed the likes of Bruno, Trippier, quality players who are arguably at least top 6 quality. The likes of Paqueta have shown interest. I'm just concerned we seem to be able to sign in every other position than ST position. Even if we had to pay more than a player is worth, that is better than just not buying anyone, as it will be more costly if we don't sign anyone at all. We have signed quality players, we have insane funding, and can easily offer competitive wages. Even if we only sign someone of Wilson quality, that's all I'm asking for.
It’s funny. We have not even done this once yet and we are tarnished with a brush the dirty six created. How ironic. It’s teams in the dirty six that have created this issue in the first place.
Your saying Chelsea are clean. Man Utd have been destroyed by their owners I give you that. ESL anyone?????
Talk about shifting the goal Posts. You said all the big 6 are sponsored by their owners and your being tarred by the brush that the other 6 started. That has nothing to do with ESL?
And besides. All our deals are now being vetted. The deals may involve PIF commercial partners but they will all be bona fide. The big six made it absolutely clear they didn’t want another team in their elite group. So they asked the PL behind closed doors to do this. They are just protecting their own arses I get that. For the record I had a lot of respect for how Liverpool where doing things until they went behind everyone’s backs and created the ESL. Appreciate it’s not the fans fault but don’t pretend for one second that Liverpool owners are clean.
See my next post. You guys wanted it all and wanted the little clubs to stay commercially as far away as possible. Your clubs wanted the money and effectively made steps to ensure no one could join the club. So forgive me if I have no interest in your own pat on the back antics about commercial income and it’s legitimacy!
