SafewayFox

I’m sick to my back teeth of Ruud and that honking front 3. Breaking all the wrong records and keeping it the same is beyond madness.

Why call out other LCFC fans as morons? Also, that’s a flawed argument about Ayew and his defensive prowess. I can count on one hand how many defensive individual contributions that Ayew has made all season for us, he’s hardly tracking back relentlessly like Abdul last season. Arsenal were bang average at best and whilst Mavs didn’t pull up trees when he came on….I know if I was playing at FB that I’d rather play against Ayew than Mavs (I’m not even a Mavs fan).

If he starts Ayew, Reid and Vardy up top again tonight, I’m firmly in the Ruud out (not worth it now but after our relegation is confirmed). Surely a half decent manager can see that front three does NOT work.

Those clubs that you mentioned didn’t have a ridiculous wage bill though. Even after our recent relegation, there is no chance we have the 19th biggest wage bill as our league position suggests. We’re comfortable still paying way over average PL salary on wages. We’ll have to claw that loss of TV money back some way.

When you see the squad laid out like that, we definitely need a good window. That’s a very, very average spine of a squad. I don’t want to be overly negative but wingers like Reid, Ayew wouldn’t cause trouble even in a lower league, if you can’t run….what’s the point. I could see JJ being given an extension on his hefty wedge too based on recent dealings by the cub 😢

We will lose that PL TV money so will have to cash in on anyone half decent, for a fee worth less than their worth. So keeping Mads and Bilal is a mere pipe dream sadly.

I was tricked into thinking RVN is an upgrade in every way over Cooper. When the stark reality is that they both were awful appointments. If Top keeps him on when the inevitable happens (relegation) then I think I’m done with this circus of ownership and my already dwindled interest will be almost non existent. I never thought that I’d feel that way but football in general really winds me up recently.

Spot on. I know the few Cooper fans on here suggest he wasn’t involved in signing off on Ayew and Reid but what other PL club signs two wingers both past their prime? Our squad has been poorly balanced for years though and that’s on the DoF as the one constant.

I couldn’t think of anything worse. Enzo’s appointment highlighted that you need a refresh after a relegation.

I’ve been so vocal about Reid and Ayew’s signings that I’m sick of my own voice BUT signing wingers aged 30+ for their experience is madness. Imagine having worst wide options than last season? Akgun would have been an upgrade on both.

Totally agree, just listened to the Arsenal preview on WYS, not a criticism but was it intentional not to speak to them?

I think that I explained what he’s doing wrong. How can any professional manager have watched the Everton amateurish defending both live and then as part of any debrief with his coaching and playing squad and genuinely believe that a planned substitution that will see the same shape/players (minus Okoli in for Jannik) and not come to the conclusion that he has to try something different? Our defending for the four Everton goals is criminal and that deserves calling out IMO.

I agree that the parody of a football club that we’ve become isn’t at his door. HOWEVER, I disagree with stating it’s hard to judge him atm, I want to like him as he at least wants to create higher standards. Yet his complete ignorance to playing a midfield two of Winks and Soumare who offer zero protection to a leaky defence, makes me liking him a tough feat. Look at how he made a like for like change against United the other night as an example, Wilf rightfully couldn’t play a full 90 minutes so then either play 3 in the middle (sacrifice Ayew who was also blowing) or go 3 at the back, anything to address our glaring issues. Not doing that is borderline neglect, watch back the Everton embarrassment, Jannik and Faes were hideous but Soumare and Winks were as bad if not worse.

It’s a horrible thing to say out loud as he’s clearly our GOAT but you’re probably right. My only worry is that Top will be all chummy with the Coady’s of the worlds too! Top’s a poster child of the nepo baby examples you see all over social media.

I’ve said it countless times…..we have one of the most unprofessional (We miss you Enzo) and unlikeable group of players that I can ever remember. I’ve got to the point that I couldn’t care who our manager is, as this set of players appear to pick and choose when they make much of an effort on the pitch. Ruud though needs to not be another manager that came in saying all the right things, I strongly remember him saying he’s not set on playing a certain way yet has done exactly that or can see us rolling the dice one more time with 6/7 games to if still only a few points adrift.

As a few have said, top post 🙌🏻 I haven’t been on here for a few days as finding my interest of all things LCFC at an all time low but this post reminded me of WHY I’m so disillusioned with our club.

The signing of Ayew symbolises us as a club. We had a mid table wage bill even after our relegation and needed to address bringing this down. Yet, what do we do? Over pay for “PL experience”. As others have stated the board or whoever signs off on the above are ultimately the bigger problem.

Didn’t we sign Hernandez on a Bosman and actually make a small profit? Something we’re heinous at typically.

Totally agree. I do think Ruud has been underwhelming at best though. He hasn’t sorted out our defensive issues, he makes some very odd decisions for both how we set up and in game tactics. I just want to see the back of everyone currently connected to the club if being honest, I know that’s not realistic but sums up how I feel about us.

I agree and disagree with everything that you’ve put mate. My only argument for starting Patson is how much he does actually make the pitch so much bigger by being able to run in behind. Vardy is the GOAT but he is actually making us easier to play against in 2025, the guy can’t run.

Great shout. With that sentiment though, our recruitment should be studied and critiqued to the ninth degree, say someone is foolish to take one, is there a club out there who would clog up their squad with all three?

I don’t think I ever want to see Ayew start a game of football for us again. Unless there is a plan that he is a planned substitution at the hour mark (not sure I’d be happy even then) but the guy can’t run, he walks more than he runs and offers neither a defensive structure or an outlet going forward. Hated it when we signed him, hate seeing him play for us.

That’s what has wound me up about Stephy, last season he was mardy and his attitude wound me up, yet I thought he actually put in the yards and worked hard defensively.

Spot on. When we get relegated, I’d actually be buzzing if the new boss whilst wanting to play a brand of football was more obsessed with having the fittest squad, (Klopp lite) so to speak with players who could run and press collectively. Our lack of professionalism with accepting players who don’t seem to be able to or want to run for 90 minutes, makes me dislike this bunch of players so much.

Wilf is so important to any (very small) chance that we have of staying up and Cooper/Rudkin in the Summer not doing their research that he often misses 2/3 months a season with a knock and no quality ball winning DM to replace him for the inevitable winds me up as much as Ruud. But on topic of Ruud, if you’re making a planned change to bring Wilf off (it makes sense as fresh from injury and was blowing in the first half) why would you opt for a central 2 of Winks and Soumare when have zero evidence that pairing works is criminal to me. What do they do with the analysis after a game? Imagine watching how hideous our defending was last time out against Everton and thinking bringing in Okoli would completely change it, baffling!