"from a sound defensive platform".
I can hear the H
(o)ughton kittens being sacrificed from that statement already (sorry Robbie)
As for BK coming in, a change of philosophy perhaps is needed upstairs. On the whole recruitment over numerous seasons now, has not been up to standard, which lays as Webber's door. He got lucky with some signings Pukki/Krul/Buendia, but dreadful with others Gibson/Tzolis/Rashica/Marshall/Giannoulis/McCallum/Husband/Franke (tended to be the more expensive signings). and I disagree with some of the hits/misses that the Athletic has given.
The problem (in my eyes), stems from the fact we've never replaced Tettey, and relied on stop-gaps (Skipp) and low quality alternatives (Normann/Amadoudo/Tryball/McLean/Sorenson), none of whom have (or had) so far shone in that role. Nobody gets stuck-in, roughs up the opponent, takes a yellow.
We've got a pair of aging CBs which is no problem, if they stay back, but seem to have been given a roaming role and go forward at will, a simple ball over the top and we're in trouble. Other than Hanley no-one commands the backline.
The situation upfront is diabolical, for all his lovers, Hernandez just doesn't produce remotely near enough, people used to moan about Redmond, but at least he managed goals and put crosses into the box, rather than behind the goal or into the first defender. Whoever decided to give Idah a 5 year contract needs their head examining, was blatantly obvious (at least) last season he wasn't up to standard, yet here we are. Hwang was a last minute panic buy (perhaps they thought we were getting Hwang Hee-chan instead



)
As for the new guys, could someone explain what Batth, Fassnacht, Sainz or Forshaw need to do to start?
What will cost Wagner his job is the same substitutions, at the same time in the match and sticking to the same failing formation