Not surprised. Tino possibly being back this weekend is a surprise, normally every injury is 4+ weeks later than Howe ever indicates. Weird habit.
November 21, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Not surprised. Tino possibly being back this weekend is a surprise, normally every injury is 4+ weeks later than Howe ever indicates. Weird habit.
Yeah. Imagine Chris’ piece is great. I’m just a little sceptical of the club-building stories given how little has been achieved off the field for the last 2 years.
November 19, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Yeah. Imagine Chris’ piece is great. I’m just a little sceptical of the club-building stories given how little has been achieved off the field for the last 2 years.
(Weren't we building a network in Brazil 2-3 years ago via Nickson?)
November 19, 2025 at 12:18 PM
(Weren't we building a network in Brazil 2-3 years ago via Nickson?)
Yeah. I think there will be signs of life, but it’s terrible timing to be playing them.
November 18, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Yeah. I think there will be signs of life, but it’s terrible timing to be playing them.
Yeah, I think that’s a perfectly reasonable belief! And I really hope that’s what transpires.
November 10, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Yeah, I think that’s a perfectly reasonable belief! And I really hope that’s what transpires.
Exactly! It’s an excuse for a few weeks. But there’s no excuse for it to be *no better* 10 weeks in.
November 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Exactly! It’s an excuse for a few weeks. But there’s no excuse for it to be *no better* 10 weeks in.
Completely. What concerns me is that our (increasingly poor) PL performances indicate that we've either accepted this; haven't addressed it quickly enough; or have, but haven't got anywhere near improving in trying to rectify it. Ultimately I think all of this is obvious, so why is it persisting?
November 10, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Completely. What concerns me is that our (increasingly poor) PL performances indicate that we've either accepted this; haven't addressed it quickly enough; or have, but haven't got anywhere near improving in trying to rectify it. Ultimately I think all of this is obvious, so why is it persisting?
God knows. But we've got loads of really well paid, highly-talked up people, employed to know about mentality et al and manage it. Currently they're not doing that (whatever 'that' is) very well.
November 10, 2025 at 1:32 PM
God knows. But we've got loads of really well paid, highly-talked up people, employed to know about mentality et al and manage it. Currently they're not doing that (whatever 'that' is) very well.
I don't think or expect them not to be. But I don't think that's an excuse for us being that bad though. If you give the Brentford game 'a pass', then what went on at West Ham? (If it's different issues every away game, then that's a bigger problem than there being one issue throughout all of them.)
November 10, 2025 at 1:29 PM
I don't think or expect them not to be. But I don't think that's an excuse for us being that bad though. If you give the Brentford game 'a pass', then what went on at West Ham? (If it's different issues every away game, then that's a bigger problem than there being one issue throughout all of them.)
I'd say the relatively uncontested & obvious issues are:
- Away form being starkly bad vs. home form
- Playing against low blocks
- Finding form for big games but inconsistently for others
- Incorporating NW
- Away form being starkly bad vs. home form
- Playing against low blocks
- Finding form for big games but inconsistently for others
- Incorporating NW
November 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I'd say the relatively uncontested & obvious issues are:
- Away form being starkly bad vs. home form
- Playing against low blocks
- Finding form for big games but inconsistently for others
- Incorporating NW
- Away form being starkly bad vs. home form
- Playing against low blocks
- Finding form for big games but inconsistently for others
- Incorporating NW
For sure. I think what unites all of this discourse is that some of the issues are really obvious (irrespective of whether one thinks they're an excuse, not, and/or whether they're fixable). If they're all that obvious, why are they so persistently not dealt with? Are they insurmountable? Genuine Q.
November 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM
For sure. I think what unites all of this discourse is that some of the issues are really obvious (irrespective of whether one thinks they're an excuse, not, and/or whether they're fixable). If they're all that obvious, why are they so persistently not dealt with? Are they insurmountable? Genuine Q.
Yeah, that's true.
(Side point: the polarising CL/PL form seems odd to some, but I think a lot of people are under-appreciating how strong the PL is now. I'd rather play Benfica home and away, than Brighton for example.)
(Side point: the polarising CL/PL form seems odd to some, but I think a lot of people are under-appreciating how strong the PL is now. I'd rather play Benfica home and away, than Brighton for example.)
November 10, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Yeah, that's true.
(Side point: the polarising CL/PL form seems odd to some, but I think a lot of people are under-appreciating how strong the PL is now. I'd rather play Benfica home and away, than Brighton for example.)
(Side point: the polarising CL/PL form seems odd to some, but I think a lot of people are under-appreciating how strong the PL is now. I'd rather play Benfica home and away, than Brighton for example.)
for *how* bad we've been. And if that's the reason, why have we been OK at home? The away for for me has become consistently bad enough that it is being away that is the common denominator; and therefore a mentality/psyche problem, rather than just a personnel one.
November 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
for *how* bad we've been. And if that's the reason, why have we been OK at home? The away for for me has become consistently bad enough that it is being away that is the common denominator; and therefore a mentality/psyche problem, rather than just a personnel one.
I can see that. So why have we just tried to play the same way, or at least not adapted, when losing our two full backs and a striker? Every time we lose a key player to injury should we just accept that we'll be crap until they're back? I see these issues too, I just don't think comprise excuses...
November 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
I can see that. So why have we just tried to play the same way, or at least not adapted, when losing our two full backs and a striker? Every time we lose a key player to injury should we just accept that we'll be crap until they're back? I see these issues too, I just don't think comprise excuses...
Worth also stating that I really hope I’m wrong. I’m not wringing my hands for a change of manager, far from it. I’m just alarmed at the manner of problems this season, rather than their being problems.
November 10, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Worth also stating that I really hope I’m wrong. I’m not wringing my hands for a change of manager, far from it. I’m just alarmed at the manner of problems this season, rather than their being problems.
Not necessarily. I am literally doubtful - full of doubt. It wouldn’t surprise me if we improved (for the reasons you point out), but nor would it surprise me if we didn’t.
I don’t necessarily think it will get worse - it’s more that my doubt comes from the fact we’ve been getting worse up to now.
I don’t necessarily think it will get worse - it’s more that my doubt comes from the fact we’ve been getting worse up to now.
November 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Not necessarily. I am literally doubtful - full of doubt. It wouldn’t surprise me if we improved (for the reasons you point out), but nor would it surprise me if we didn’t.
I don’t necessarily think it will get worse - it’s more that my doubt comes from the fact we’ve been getting worse up to now.
I don’t necessarily think it will get worse - it’s more that my doubt comes from the fact we’ve been getting worse up to now.
I agree. We look devoid of ideas. I appreciate the lack of training ground time, but that’s a managers job: manage with what you have, despite what you don’t have.
November 10, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I agree. We look devoid of ideas. I appreciate the lack of training ground time, but that’s a managers job: manage with what you have, despite what you don’t have.
I think both of those are *ways to attack*, but I agree that ‘playing through’ as a way to attack has been conspicuously absent. That said, we did do it very well with Bruno/Trippier/Almiron. Notable for being short-lived and isolated though!
November 10, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I think both of those are *ways to attack*, but I agree that ‘playing through’ as a way to attack has been conspicuously absent. That said, we did do it very well with Bruno/Trippier/Almiron. Notable for being short-lived and isolated though!
I agree. Every manager goes through a period of remarkably poor form (even City did, Liverpool are now). Where my head at is that just because Howe turned around previous poor runs, doesn’t mean he will again. I want him to stay, to be backed in Jan; but I’m 🧠-preparing myself for us not improving.
November 10, 2025 at 12:44 PM
I agree. Every manager goes through a period of remarkably poor form (even City did, Liverpool are now). Where my head at is that just because Howe turned around previous poor runs, doesn’t mean he will again. I want him to stay, to be backed in Jan; but I’m 🧠-preparing myself for us not improving.
Yeah, I think there are a load of issues; each of them getting more obvious and worse each PL fixture. Which is why I’m dubious about them being resolved as simply and quickly as last year’s run of poor form was.
November 10, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Yeah, I think there are a load of issues; each of them getting more obvious and worse each PL fixture. Which is why I’m dubious about them being resolved as simply and quickly as last year’s run of poor form was.
I would be more accepting if it was improving, but it’s getting worse. So if he needs time to improve it, why is it getting worse over time and not better?
(This sounds argumentative in tone - it isn’t meant to be. I’m disagreeing respectfully and open-mindedly 🤝 )
(This sounds argumentative in tone - it isn’t meant to be. I’m disagreeing respectfully and open-mindedly 🤝 )
November 10, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I would be more accepting if it was improving, but it’s getting worse. So if he needs time to improve it, why is it getting worse over time and not better?
(This sounds argumentative in tone - it isn’t meant to be. I’m disagreeing respectfully and open-mindedly 🤝 )
(This sounds argumentative in tone - it isn’t meant to be. I’m disagreeing respectfully and open-mindedly 🤝 )
I completely get that, but I disagree that it’s a reasonable excuse. Every manager has a problem to solve. Howe’s is incorporating NW during a CL season. I don’t accept that we’re powerless to improve his incorporation into the side, or that it’s an excuse for losing the last two games so badly.
November 10, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I completely get that, but I disagree that it’s a reasonable excuse. Every manager has a problem to solve. Howe’s is incorporating NW during a CL season. I don’t accept that we’re powerless to improve his incorporation into the side, or that it’s an excuse for losing the last two games so badly.
*ways - GAH. I can't let such a typo go unaddressed.
November 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
*ways - GAH. I can't let such a typo go unaddressed.