Where do we go from here...

[AV82EC]

This is one of those moments for owners and their Chief Exec and DoF where they have to take a step back and say for the money spent is it good enough. Forget all the detail of each individual match as a body of work is the last 12 months taking us in the right direction. I think the jury’s out but the trend of results and performances isn’t looking good and if it doesn’t turn in the next few weeks, he’ll be gone. As others have said I’m very nervous about Purslow having a huge say in his replacement should that come to pass going on previous comments.

[OzVilla]

I find the idea that the owners aren't serious or "haven't really spent" absolutely bewildering.

Wasn’t Lerner serious and throwing around cash at one point.

[cdbearsfan]

We play our best system which is 433, with 3 midfielders with legs. That means no 10, but duel 8s giving Dougie the chance to screen from higher up and it means you have to kill your darlings. It's Ings or Watkins through the middle, not both.

For me, I think our beat team is probably;

Martinez

Targett
Mings
Konsa
Cash

McGinn
Dougie
Sanson

Bailey
Ings
Buendia

How about we play that against West Ham and see how we fare.

Would agree except I would leave Cash at right back and Targett at left back instead of swapping them round. Also, Ramsey deserves his place in the team. He has, arguably, been our best player this season and scored a great goal against the Arse.

[tony scott]

The Wolves result I believe was pivotal, in the way we are perceived by the other premiership teams they will all constantly press and Harry us now. We can outplay them but I now think we have a confidence issue, and it’s down the manager to turn it around.  I just don’t think he can.

[Clampy]

I find the idea that the owners aren't serious or "haven't really spent" absolutely bewildering.

It's not just bewildering, it's absolute nonsense.

[ozzjim]

I find the idea that the owners aren't serious or "haven't really spent" absolutely bewildering.

It's not just bewildering, it's absolute nonsense.

Nonsense that they haven't so far. But not nonsense that they may not moving forward. No one knows that, their intentions on promotion before Newcastle were bought by a country etc was clearly stated, but losing Joe, having a net spend of plus £10m when there were still gaps in the squad, no real sit and game changing signing to lift the profile suggests they may have taken the foot off the gas a little and are taking stock. For me it feels at the moment a bit Lerner like. Not to the same extent, but something doesn't feel right about it at the moment.

[Clampy]

We don't really know who else they tried to bring in other than ESR and Ward-Prowse. To suggest that they have taken their foot off the gas just because we didn't spend more than we got for Joe is unfair. If any pair deserve the benefit of the doubt, it's the two owners.

[ozzjim]

I agree completely re benefit of the doubt, it doesn't stop questions being asked though. I accept we went for Smith Rowe but signed Bailey instead when we couldn't get him, but with Ward Prowse it was obvious that he was the managers number 1 target and they didn't authorise the get him at all costs style that you have seen from Chelsea and Man City and no doubt will soon from Newcastle. That could be seen as not being all in on Smith and holding back to see how this season goes, which if I were them I would have been doing considering his record without Joe, or it could be seen as not being as all in as they were previously. Time will tell. It must be pretty gutting to them to have their best player, a fan of the club, still jot buy in to the long term after all they have done.

[Drummond]

Well we are either 6 points from the bottom 3 or 6 points from the top 4, so it depends how you hold your glass

Mid table. We just need to improve our form because we played an abysmal 60 minutes (15 v Wolves into the first half v arsenal) but were OK either side.

It's a results game though and he needs to get some points and quickly I think.

I still think he's a good manager, but there's a nagging doubt creeping in.

[Clampy]

Joe wanted Champions League football though and he seemingly couldn't wait, however much he claimed to be one of us but that's for another thread.

My point is we really don't know who else they tried to get. They may have been working on a defensive midfielder and for whatever reason, it didn't happen so maybe then they looked at what they had and decided it would be enough until January. That may be all it is. That to me sounds pretty plausible after all they have spent since they've been here.

[Beard82]

We don't really know who else they tried to bring in other than ESR and Ward-Prowse. To suggest that they have taken their foot off the gas just because we didn't spend more than we got for Joe is unfair. If any pair deserve the benefit of the doubt, it's the two owners.

I found these strange as from an outside perspective the bids for ESR and JWP were insultingly low. Which made no sense to me when we paid good money for emi at that point

[Clampy]

We don't really know who else they tried to bring in other than ESR and Ward-Prowse. To suggest that they have taken their foot off the gas just because we didn't spend more than we got for Joe is unfair. If any pair deserve the benefit of the doubt, it's the two owners.

I found these strange as from an outside perspective the boss for ESR and JWP were insultingly low. Which made no sense to me when we paid good money for emi at that point

I stand correct on this but wasn't ESR in the last year of his contract?

[Beard82]

We don't really know who else they tried to bring in other than ESR and Ward-Prowse. To suggest that they have taken their foot off the gas just because we didn't spend more than we got for Joe is unfair. If any pair deserve the benefit of the doubt, it's the two owners.

I found these strange as from an outside perspective the boss for ESR and JWP were insultingly low. Which made no sense to me when we paid good money for emi at that point

I stand correct on this but wasn't ESR in the last year of his contract?

Yes that was true - but it still didnt feel enough to worry Arse.  I can only think that they were hoping he would come out and force the move but that was never going to happen IMO

[algy]

Think we've been unlucky with injuries so far this season, and to some extent that's forced our hand in to playing 3-5-2. Quite happy at this point to give him the benefit of the doubt at the moment, but that goes when Bailey is up to playing 70mins+.

For Dean Smith - I'm still in the 'Smith in' camp. He's a nice bloke, a Villa supporter, and he's met or exceeded his targets every season.

However, I can't see him surviving another extended bad run. NSWE must at least have a goal of regular European football, and have said as much. I don't see how that's compatible with a season of treading water in mid table, even before the Newcastle takeover.

I know and completely buy in to the idea that we should be developing players and flogging therm on at a huge profit, and to be fair to Dean there's very few players who've not increased in value under his watch, but I think the time will very quickly approach that we need to be in at least the Europa League to attract the level of promising youngster needed to compete at the top.

[ChicagoLion]

I don’t see how the injuries forces 3 5 2 , the defence was not the problem so why change something that isn’t bust?
There are multiple options the manager could have used based on the resources he has had that does not require playing most of the team out of position and shoehorning 2 up top and Tuanzabe into the system.
Then when it isn’t working do it again.