Tomo

Unfortunately I fear James' knees won't be able to cope with the wingback demands now (maybe once in a while, but not consistently) and I'm not particularly convinced Gusto can give us an attacking output that we'd need in that position (maybe as a backup). Hato would for sure be better as a LCB in a back 3, probably also a back 4 tbh (two left footers can work there if we do the back 3 in possesion thing Maresca did) so recruitment needed there for sure. Quenda could do really well there. I know there were the rumours he avoided United/Amorim because of that, but Amorim uses his wingbacks really conservatively whereas Alonso feeds them really well, Frimpong and Grimaldo were genuinely amazing under him, so that may be able to convince him.

Hard to really think about the market until I know which system Alonso wants to play. If he's sticking to a back 4 a CB is an urgent need, if he's going back 3 then wingbacks are the priority.

Maybe in hindsight it was more Pochs system causing this but I honestly thought Petrovic was really bad for us and the advanced data backed that up. I think the desperation for anyone but Sanchez caused it to go under the radar, similar to the ageing Ivanovic/Baba Rahman situation.

Problem is, he at the annoying reverse sweet spot (for want of a better word) where we need an upgrade for titles but can do a lot worse (as we've found out twice).

No chance of that happening, wages would be too much for us above all else. Furthermore I think Newcastle and he will come to one of those "one more year" agreements.

Unless you win the title you always spin it as "having others to thank" to some degree for achieving an objective. Teams in the top 4 race are always going to be inconsistent/erratic. However this logic can be spun both ways, could just as easily say if it weren't for Jorgenson moment of madness at Villa Park it wouldn't have ended up so tight.

So I'm guessing you think Eddie Howe and/or the Newcastle squad are terrible then? As they finished below us with no Europe. Either way, a squad and manager as bad as you say they are won't finish 4th, weak season or not.

In the last two players alone you've claimed most of the players we've signed are shit and now that the manager isn't PL level. So how did we finish 4th?

While I get the skepticism of Gittens I do laugh when players like Gordon and Rodgers are talked up as alternatives given the reactions if we went for them when they went to Newcastle and Villa would have been even worse (well was in the formers case).

I don't particularly agree with that. There's been quite a lot of games last/this season that looked lost causes to then be suddenly swung in our favour (Spurs away, Wolves away, West Ham home, Fulham away, Betis for example) and he's also shown in recent weeks that he's prepared to go defensive/park the bus to see a game through (Liverpool, Forest) although ofcourse that remains to be seen if that was just a temporary measure to make sure we hit our targets at crunch time.

I know his metrics were good in France but I still find it hard to believe he's done a total 180 from the disaster he was when he was here last time. But I guess his performances have warranted another shot short of the Maignan deal returning to the table (if we had a bit more experienced a defense I'd say fuck it and give Penders a go but alas).

They supposedly had a "better window than us" last summer and look how that ended!

If they get the former pair they'd be missing a trick not playing Zirkzee as the 9. I've said for a while he'd be a problem with two goalscorers beside him.

Rodrygo I'd be gutted if we don't atleast try but Williams is living off the Euros.

We went for "proven top talent" in Clearlakes first transfer window and look how that went.