goodymatt

Fernandes and Sulemana are the only players with any directness about their play, when they break through, nobody is there with them. Lack of belief throughout the squad, unsurprisingly at this point. We don’t have any clear attacking patterns and the man marking situation leaves the opponent space time and time again, they just need to win one duel against us and it’s open. Should be 3-0 down. Dango selfishly not squaring it to Brooks for a tap in. Only really one attack ,where they cut out the pull back, where we looked dangerous. Couple of times I thought Bree could have crossed for Onuachu, we need to just play that cross as early as possible and hope Paul can get on it. Concerned what the FT score is going to be. So depressing watching us atm.

We are going to be so overrun from minute 1 with that midfield.

No Kayi Sanda in the squad after all. Not playing Lesley for Smallbone seems crazy to me. Dibling should be starting too.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGBoJ7ruP-H/?igsh=MWtxNXQzbng3ZG11aQ== New agent? Perhaps looking to find a move to stay in the PL when we drop.

Wasn’t the fee £15m rising to £18m, doubt we are meeting the criteria for the add ons? So we would break even if we sold him for £15m, you’d think at the price Ipswich might maintain interest going into the summer, whichever league they are in. Ideally we can resolve this issue with Flynn and get him back to being the star player but as I said in my previous post, should he not want to be here when all the dust settles, I’d rather he leaves and we look to someone else that will give 100% and might even have the ability to become a PL player at a time that is useful to us. Easily the biggest disappointment of the season for me, thought he would step up no problem. Shows how big the gap is with Downes, THB and Armstrong all struggling with the step up.

This is a sorry state of affairs. Downes was our most influential player last season (80% win rate when he played, 20% when he didn’t) now doesn’t want to be here. Armstrong, our top scorer and assister (last season) has already left on loan. Shea Charles didn’t want to come back in January. Aribo reportedly will join a Turkish side in the summer. KWP won’t be renewing. Ramsdale, Dibling and Fernandes will all have top flight suitors. We are going to have to rebuild an entire team this summer it will be even more change than last time we went down. On Downes specifically, I really thought he would step up but he has really struggled under both mangers. THB has struggled too. We are just nowhere near good enough. I don’t want players here that don’t want to be here, so laters Flynn.

Welington is very good 1 v 1

Some others - Gayle, Sharp, Beckford, Pukki, Lita, Piroe has all the hallmarks.

I didn’t see Ramsdale on the training video so don’t think we will see him tomorrow. Makes sense to give him some extra time to recover, I suppose. THB injury will hopefully be ok for Bournemouth. Otherwise we should be at full strength. I think Burnley will ring the changes but maintain the hard to score against style. 1-0 Saints.

I don’t get the vibe from this interview that he expects to play for us again. He was ‘dying to join’ and spoke about his ‘time at Southampton’. Juric said he had asked to leave so I’m guessing he doesn’t expect he can break into a Juric team, this season or next. I’ll repeat, not sure this is the best decision as he is our best goal scorer at championship level, where we will soon be.

It’s encouraging to see Edwards and Charles get rave reviews at mid table championship teams. You’d hope surrounded by our better players and having a full season playing at that level (appreciate Edwards has also played there before with Peterborough), that they will be involved with us next season. Both still have potential to realise and could become PL players. I would be disappointed to sell either.

https://andywatsongbe.substack.com/p/sporting-directors-and-the-gbe-rules?utm_campaign=post&showWelcomeOnShare=true Interesting article here, which has a section on what the current rules are and also details why Spors doesn’t meet them.

Victor Udoh baby… Victor Udoh oooohhh. Shoutout to Jose Fonte, miss that guy.

Against his former club, too.

Think Spors recent experience being for 777 and not directly at a club level for the period required is the sticking point. New issue since Brexit that we are one of the first to fall foul of. Seems the workaround will be to work directly for SR and not at a specific club, we will find out mid February according to Alfie House.

I wonder if he regrets taking too long to decide on the Hull move? From the Mission to Burnley documentary he appears to be a player that isn’t happy to sit on the bench and take his cheque.

The Dwight Gayle paradox.

We will definitely need cover for Sulemana if he was to remain with us next season. Fitness issues are a huge concern. Think he wanted out if he could the last 4 windows too. Under Juric he looks like the player we hoped for.

Armstrong and BBD have left on loan and Archer wanted to. Going to be some man management required this summer, I think!

Ipswich have been interested before, he was very close to signing for them in summer 2023 following our relegation. I recall Martin saying he was one of those that he managed to convince to stay.

If Arma does fire them up, Tony Mowbray might want him. Like with Tella and Burnley I’d expect he would want to go in that unlikely scenario. I can’t look past those top 4 teams for promotion mind.

Some good counter points there. Being frozen out of the first team is probably just as likely to make him evaluate his options in the summer so perhaps this does change nothing. Sometimes though, players go on loan and just don’t want to come back and play for us. I hope we don’t have that issue with any of the potential 4 championship level starters currently out on loan, Charles and Armstrong especially.