I retain total faith in Eddie Howe, despite our damaging slump over the past month. However, backing from fans will only do so much to ease our struggles.
Since last night’s 4-2 defeat at Anfield, it’s been highlighted that our owners remain fully behind Howe – as they should be – but it’s surely time for them to back him in the transfer market, with our injury-hit squad looking down, depleted and in dire need of a New Year boost.
The past few games have highlighted what we’re missing:
- An athletic defensive midfielder able to cover ground at pace and protect our back four.
- A right-winger able to compete with an out of sorts Miguel Almiron or versatile forward
- A centre-back who can add pace and presence to our defence
There’s an argument to be made for another goalkeeper, as we’ve not looked the same since Nick Pope’s injury, and our options up top are running thin, with Callum Wilson suffering yet another injury to rule him out of the Tyne and Wear derby.
FFP may not allow us to sign all of the above this month, with some outlets claiming that loans are likely unless we bring some of our summer budget forward. However, at least two of these problem positions must be addressed this month if we’re to save our season.
Yes, Willock, Anderson and Barnes may return in the coming month and would hand Howe a huge boost, but that doesn’t bring pace to our defence or add a destructive CDM able to protect a back four that looks there for the taking. Liverpool could’ve scored seven or eight last night and Nottingham Forest cut through us like a knife through butter, bypassing our midfield too easily and bursting past our back line with ease.
As for the right wing, it always baffled me that we didn’t address this position over the summer. FFP is undoubtedly an issue, but I was shocked to see another left-winger sign in Barnes when the other flank was in real need of a refresh. For what it’s worth, Barnes is a proven Premier League player and I back him to come good when fit, it just seemed an odd call when Gordon has looked at his best in the very position he plays, all while our right side is lacking with Miggy and Murphy (currently injured) are our only options in a Champions League season where another top-four finish was surely the aim.
I suspect big-money moves for a pacey centre-back and top right winger may wait until the summer, where more money will be available and our top targets more attainable, but a holding midfielder and versatile forward able to freshen up our fatigued attack feel absolutely essential this month.
Miley and Longstaff are not good enough Miley will one day become great but not right now.
he some time looks completely lost Longstaff always look lost, hence why Forest and Luton were able just to run through us. no one to block the pass press they looked lost.
if we don’t have Bruno it would be much worse.
Brian Marashi(Quote)
We need a left back. Big Dan is Eddies new Steve Cook, too slow and cumbersome and a lability against the speed merchants of the Premier League. Like Chris Wood, he’s been brought in to do a job but has now been found wanting. Give him a job on the coaching staff by all means but keep him away from the left back spot.
Ian Cocksack(Quote)
Longstaff and Almiron certainly aren’t good enough.
Wilson has lost the important yard of pace and his fitness record is not good enough and
Trippier is on his last legs as a right back lacks the pace necessary to defend, age catches up with the best and at their peak they were both very good.
I agree that we need a Tiote type defensive midfielder and a left back.
Tonali doesn’t strike me as being the defensive midfielder we are after but could replace Bruno or Joelinton if we had to sell one of them due to FFP.
Can’t wait for Willock to return as I think we have missed him more than anyone realises.
Joseph(Quote)
We’ve not had a quick cb for a long time. Several good options for that in topsoba, diomande, tah & Todibo, all big physical players who are quick that should be getting looked at. Bruno isn’t a #6, he’s better going forward. Kalvin Phillips isn’t a destroyer, but he’s reads the game well, breaks the play up and good on the ball, also his natural play is to sit that little deeper. Rw is a huge issue, almiron is a poor player, and only hit a purple patch last season, which he will never hit again, plenty of good options to go for, question is, do we aim for a left footer to cut inside like Barnes/Gordon on the lw, or go for right footer and allow for a free role like maddison played for Leicester last season, just filling the position, but just roaming around finding pockets of space to cause confusion in the opposition defence, Raphinha, kubo, olise or viktor tsygankov good options for a left footer. Ferran torres, dani olmo, emile smith-Rowe or Pedro Gonçalves for the free roled rw playmaker or nico williams as a more out and out winger. We also need a proper lb, burn is being found out, he’s too slow, out of position to much and just looking clumsy. But I think that will be a difficult position to fill, as there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of great lb’s out there atm, obvious one’s that are in the more proven category would be the likes of theo hernandez, david raum, federico dimarco or a more unproven like Juan miranda, fabiano parisi, miguel gutierrez, quilindschy hartman or josh doig. Obviously the listed players are all my personal options. But most are players that will improve us, and take us the next step. Also think we should be filling out the u23 with really promising players to help us when we get injuries again, but the current crop aren’t near the level of ability or potential.
Rob(Quote)