The slim possibility that Hendrick may go on loan to anyone makes this window a 10.
I actually think we need a CDM, someone who can genuinely break up play. Rodri best possible example. All the best teams have them. So, realistically, to compete we're still at least 4 short - LB (Hall may work), CDM, RW and RCB.
Then factor in the subs of the calibre of Murphy, Longstaff, Lascelles, Dubravka, etc.
Looooooooooooooooong way to go.
I actually think we need a CDM, someone who can genuinely break up play. Rodri best possible example. All the best teams have them. So, realistically, to compete we're still at least 4 short - LB (Hall may work), CDM, RW and RCB.
Then factor in the subs of the calibre of Murphy, Longstaff, Lascelles, Dubravka, etc.
Looooooooooooooooong way to go.
Indeed there is a long way to go.
It's a 5+ year project remember.
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Solid 8
we’ve improved in many areas which as a squad you need to do.
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You improve a squad by upgrading your first XI. The youth policy should have been held back for the future, we needed two or three Tonali players.
Plus we overspent in areas we had players in. We’ve got four right backs and four left backs. Smacks of naivety and Howe thinking the players he has are much better than they are.

Apply for the job then mate when the pitchfork carriers get their way![]()
To be fair, this seems to be kinda common knowledge and it's why the recruitment was so strange. But, as I said, this blip was inevitable. We over-achieved last season (massively) but what's clear is qualifying for the CL doesn't mean you can instantly get revenue, nor use it for FFP reasons - I have no doubt whatsoever Eales, Al-Rummayan, Staveley know everything there is to know on the matter, nor do I doubt that the PL are deliberately trying ot squash us.
It's just really disappointing, but for everything a reason. Is Howe good enough to manage us out of this? Maybe. He did last season, but didn't at Bournemouth. Will the team improve? Definitely, with the return of Willock, introduction of Hall and a better system/identity. It's going to be interesting - but that doesn't mean it's not, at times, going to be desperately frustrating.
The sad thing is that of Newcastle don't beat Bournemouth he'll be one of the favourites to get sacked.
That's just the way it is, but he should get thrle full season he's earned that and a new manager can't turn Burn , longstaff and targett into genuinely top 4 quality players.
But what we don't know is how complicit he is in the transfer window shambles, right? Has he been briefed and said he's happy with Burn, Schar, Miggy, etc.? Was his priority list the same as ours? I find it really difficult to believe he's gone to the board/Ashworth and said "please get me a left back and a right winger", then they've gone "here you go - Livramento, Hall and Barnes". Is he blind to it - he has history of blind faith in certain players when at Bournemouth.
As I've said before, we're going to go through cycles just like City did. Under Hughes they spent big and were disappointing. Hughes went, Pellegrini came in, they build. He went, Mancini came in to work with a solid foundation of Aguero, Dzeko, Kompany, etc. and the rest is history.
This Summer we were linked with Szoboszlai, Diaby and Maddison. All three have been significantly better than those we decided to buy.
Think it all started when Ritchie signed an extension!But what we don't know is how complicit he is in the transfer window shambles, right? Has he been briefed and said he's happy with Burn, Schar, Miggy, etc.? Was his priority list the same as ours? I find it really difficult to believe he's gone to the board/Ashworth and said "please get me a left back and a right winger", then they've gone "here you go - Livramento, Hall and Barnes". Is he blind to it - he has history of blind faith in certain players when at Bournemouth.
As I've said before, we're going to go through cycles just like City did. Under Hughes they spent big and were disappointing. Hughes went, Pellegrini came in, they build. He went, Mancini came in to work with a solid foundation of Aguero, Dzeko, Kompany, etc. and the rest is history.
This Summer we were linked with Szoboszlai, Diaby and Maddison. All three have been significantly better than those we decided to buy.
Screenshotted.I'd get rid of Howe end of the season regardless of how well we do unless it's top 6... like you say they will need a manager that attracts better players at some point and who isn't afraid to bring them in and manage them.

Screenshotted.![]()
Screenshot this .. howe won't the manager that wins a cup here.
completely agree.