The Fish

Aye, maybe. I dunno, I just don't see him as anything but taking up a space in the squad list. Pope + Karius would be fine for the majority of the season. Not sure Gillespie is good enough to be relied upon in any game of consequence.

That's fair. I just think Dubravka will still be highly regarded. Happy to be proven wrong.

No, and few outside of Motherwell and Carlisle have. Which is kind of the point. He's not good enough to be 3rd choice for a team aiming to end up top half of the Premier League, I can't believe this is even up for debate.

£25k pw for the next 3 years? Better to sell him for buttons, right?

I could see him ending up back in the Premier League at the Play Off promoted Championship side.

We got £10m for Shelvey.

Right, but bad decisions are still bad decisions. Just because they tossed a lot of money around doesn't soften the blow, does it?

It would cost about £18m to buy out his contract, so you have to assume there'll be an effort to sell him. Still think a Championship club would want him.

Hayden's on a contract until 2026, so letting him go for nothing seems unlikely.

He's not good enough, he's cheap to get rid of and he's taking up a squad space that could go to a better, younger 'keeper. Also, his contract is up in 3 months.

Short hand for "get them off our books" There'll still be suitors for a lot of those players. Dubravka - Sell Think we could definitely get somewhere between £7 and £10m Gillespie -Sell Doubt we'll get anything and his contract will be cheap to buy out. Dummett - Sell Solid Championship defender but he is 31, probably lose him for nothing. Lascelles - Sell Could definitely sell him for c£7m Lewis - Sell No idea, someone could fancy a punt, but again it might be Easier to just release him. Targett - Keep? Unless we can get the kind of money we spent on him I'd keep him. Krafth - Sell He showed some promise, but he's not good enough. c£5m? Manquillo - Sell Doubt he's got a massive wage, and it runs out in June 24. Free Transfer. ASM - Keep? If some lunatic comes in with a massive offer, Ritchie - Sell Free Transfer or retirement for the wee bampot Fraser - Sell He'll go for nothing, unless Ashworth is a sorcerer. M.Longstaff - Sell Same as Fraser. Which is a shame. Darlow - Sell (dunno if his loan deal comes with an obligation) Clark - Sell (same as above) Hayden - Sell (Ditto) Hendrick - Sell (Ditto)

The money we've saved by getting rid of Shelvey, Hayden, Darlow, Wood and likely Fraser, will more than cover the bump in his wages and leave room for more spending on better players.

I guess the problem is that they didn't marry recruitment strategy with the managerial appointments. Look at the money they've wasted on shit. Or even the money they've wasted on good players who just wren't a good idea long term. They've lurched from one playing style to another without any joined up thinking. They've as much right to be unhappy at the mismanagement of their club as the mackems under Short. No, they haven't been relegated, but they have been woefully mismanaged for ages. Only by virtue of the quality they can afford and attract have they been remotely competitive. It's not through shrewd business or good planning.

Why would I be fuming about people being performatively grumpy and intransigent on talksport? It's their job to hold shitty ill-informed opinions.

There are definitely winnable games for Leeds and they have easier home fixtures than Everton do. But Leeds really need to get it done before their last 4 games; Che - LEE LEE - Bri Wol - LEE Ars - LEE LEE - Cry LEE - LIV FUL - LEE LEE - Lei Bou - LEE MCI - LEE LEE - NEW WHU - LEE LEE - TOT

Well I've booked a table, so if it's terrible and I get the shits, I'm blaming you.

fivethirtyeight give them a 57% chance of going down Betfair has them 10/11 to go down with only Bournemouth and Southampton having shorter odds (1/4 and 1/3). Their run in is ; Not - Eve - Could go either way. Forrest are open at the back, but do create a lot of chances. Eve - BRE - If Toney is missing this should be a home win. Che - Eve - Loss Eve - TOT - Loss MNU - Eve - Loss Eve - FUL - Draw/Loss Cry - Eve - Draw Eve - NEW - Loss Lei - Eve - Draw/Loss Bri - Eve - Draw/Loss Eve - MCI - LOSS Wol - Eve - Draw/Loss Eve - Bou - Win but will it matter? 10 - 14pts max imo. Which would leave them on 31-35pts. And while 35pts has been enough to survive in 1 from the last 5 PL seasons, I don't think it will this time around. Leeds adding Gracia, West Ham and Wolves sort of finding some end of the season form, I think an Everton relegation is looming.

This has all be tremendously helpful.

Tough run of fixtures for Everton, can only really see them taking 3-5 points from the next 6 games.

I can't believe you said that!!

Pope - Keep Dubravka - Sell Karius - Keep Gillespie -Sell Trippier - Keep Dummett - Sell Botman - Keep Schar -Keep Lascelles - Sell Lewis - Sell Targett - Keep? Krafth - Sell Manquillo - Sell Ashby - Keep Burn - Keep Joelinton - Keep Gordon - Keep ASM - Keep? Ritchie - Sell Fraser - Sell Almiron - Keep M.Longstaff - Sell Willock - Keep Anderson - Keep S.Longstaff - Keep Bruno - Keep Wilson - Keep Isak - Keep Darlow - Sell (dunno if his loan deal comes with an obligation) Clark - Sell (same as above) Hayden - Sell (Ditto) Hendrick - Sell (Ditto) Kuol - Keep

I will not be silenced.

We've not really played with a central attacking midfielder and I imagine he would have been played as an 8 (or box to box (Or Mezzala if you're felling froggy)). in terms of 8s, there's a few like Milinkovic-Savic, Dani Olmo from Leipzig or bring Mikel Merino home. or CAM I like Atlanta United's Thiago Almada, or Pulisic?