Decision Time Racing Up

It seems like only a few weeks ago that we endured the Isak saga, rejection after rejection from our summer transfer targets, and the last minute signings of Woltemade, Wissa and Ramsey.

And yet, after just 11 more games and three months the season comes to end.

Three months that will define the season

Unless we have a dramatically successful run to the end of the season - winning the FA Cup or somehow achieving Champions League qualification - this season will fall short of the hopes and expectations that Eddie Howe and Toon fans had last August.

Talking of miracles; Toon fans would be walking on water if we pulled off the biggest upset since Leicester won the Premier League by winning the Champions League.

We can dream, but in reality our best chance of silverware this season is the FA Cup.

In the league we currently sit slap bang in mid table with 10 teams above us and 9 below - 9pts off an automatic CL spot and 9pts above a relegation place.

No one expects us to be involved in a relegation battle - but few realistically expect us to get close to that coveted 4th position.

That just about sums up where this season has taken us so far.

Take out the run to the Carabou Cup semi final and results in the CL, and our PL form has been way off, not just in points on the board but also in performances.

With 27 games played we have already lost 11 games, just one short of the 12 we lost last season. With 11 games still to go, last seasons defeat total is likely to be exceeded.

Add in the fact that we currently sit on a GD of -1 and the unescapable truth is that our pre-season quest to break into the top four has been emphatically crushed.

CEO David Hopkinson's statement that the aim is to win the Premier League by 2030 is in danger of becoming the click bait that failed to hook a single fish.

So, where do we go from here?

Who stays and who goes?

This squad isn't good enough to seriously challenge for a top four spot. IMO .

The top four - Arsenal, City, Liverpool and Chelsea - will no doubt strengthen their squads even further in the summer and hoover up the best talent available.

City have already started that by signing Guehi and Semenyo in January.

By comparison, we are left with the hope that last summer's signings - bar Thiaw - either come good between now and the end of this season or come on in leaps and bound next season.

I wouldn't bet my usual fiver on it.

Plus, failure to qualify for the CL may give the likes of Tonali, Gordon, Tino and even Bruno a reason to consider a move to one of those top four clubs where the titles and trophy fruits hang a lot lower.

And, don't rule out offers coming in for Lewis Hall and Malik Thiaw.

I am absolutely certain that offers for more than one of our top players will arrive, and decisions need to be made now on how to handle those situations.

A repeat of the circus that surrounded Liverpool's pursuit of Isak cannot be repeated.

We also have ageing players in Trippier, Schar, Krafth and to a lesser degree Pope and Murphy who have their best days behind them. More decisions to be made.

And - the toughest decisions of all to make - does Eddie keep faith that Woltemade, Wissa and Elanga will come good?

Get that wrong, and we have absolutely no chance of top 4 next season if those three repeat their form of this season.

Woltemade has done OK with 10 goals in his first season but Eddie playing him in midfield tells me everything. Eddie has his doubts.

Summer planning needs to start now

I have expressed this opinion before, and I'll say it again...

Decisions and plans need to be made now.

Failing to plan, is planning to fail and that is one of the major reasons why last summer's transfer window failed in it's objectives.

We failed to anticipate Isak's determination to leave, failed to realise that our top targets would prefer the glamour of the established elite, and failed to identify overseas players who could have been signed for a lower fee and wages than the players we bought.

PSR will again affect our transfer plans but, if giving us more room to manoeuvre means selling one of more of our top players then so be it.

There are gems waiting to be uncovered. Bruno, Botman, Isak, Tino, Hall prove that.

Tripps and Burn are other examples. £28M for two players who have had a massive impact on our rise from the ashes of Ashley. Tip to Eddie; don't ignore older players.

In three months time this season will be history.

We need to start planning for next season's history now.

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