So we are in nearly full agreement LB, CM and a winger - with you there I'd rather a CB, you a CF, but agreed on 4 first teamers needed! Also agreed on the second CM if Anderson isn't in the plans going forwards - probably needed long term but I'd rather spend big on one CM to release Bruno for me and use Anderson as 6th choice next season. I do think that Wilson is replaced as second choice striker this summer or next but as second choice he'll do a job for now. Ashby is young but has played a few Europa and Conference games for WH over the last few years but maybe keep on of Krath/Manquillo as back up and look for a top end first team replacement whose 26-28 for Trippier next summer while developing Ashby.
Don’t we need 4 self produced home grown players for European squad? I think Anderson will still count as an under 21 so Sean Longstaff is our only one.
Supposedly quoted from Dan Ashworth: Dan Ashworth has spoken of how it will likely take two more summer windows before the squad has the required depth for the rigours of a full season: "Teams can only defy their pedigree for so long; eventually, deeper squads, with greater experience, will assume their natural positions, while others will regress towards their mean. Across a 38-game Premier League season, it is extremely difficult for the pretenders to outlast the established elite.”
It makes sense to me. After all Rome wasn’t built in a day….well, actually it might have been but it would only be a little Rome not a big Rome…. Anyway, this summer aiming for 3 to 4 top players. Then next summer, same again and by then the team would be red hot and we would have quality off the bench. Winter windows you usually can’t get the right quality or, if you do, it would be just one or two players at best.
Indeed. It just shows that we've been overperforming and so appear to be ahead of schedule, but it's not easy to maintain. The big clubs have been spending huge money for years while we were being stripped to the bone.
Time for a quick reminder for some perspective. Exactly 2 years ago we drew 0-0 with West Brom. Now, just take a look at the line up... Now, look at our current team 2 years on from that image. Then, think how different it might look again in another 2 years on from now...
Saw someone post something similar but from last time we were in Europe. We had Bigirama and Anita as our centre midfielders
I remember all the hype about Bigi being the next best player since... well, whenever we'd last had a really good player. Decent lad, but like so many (before and since) he never really lived up to the hype.
That was before though.... if rafa had stayed and kept them up people would've said he was a genius .
And if Rafa had only been given the money Bruce was given to spend on players what a difference that would have made.
If howe wasn't given 100 million last Xmas would newcastle have stayed up ? He's had 250m now and an ambitious ownership.... looks like might finish top 8 Bruce kept that crap side including hendrix hayden and lascelles up 2 seasons finished 13th and 12th . that's a decent return regardless of what followed. Rafa ? Like Bruce did a decent job for a couple if years but he jumped ship when the going was going to get tough.
