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New Arsenal manager Unai Emery has inherited a squad of attacking quality but one that also has a soft centre and an inability to win often enough away from home in the Premier League.

The Gunners’ timidity has become arguably the most frustrating aspect of a team that has become unable to fight for the title in the way the fans crave and one of the former PSG boss’ most urgent priorities is sorting out their leaky defence.

Being tighter at the back is a must for Arsenal if they are to break back into the top four and get the fans back on side after seasons of mutiny under Arsene Wenger, but how does Emery go about it?

We’ve taken a closer look at some of the potential methods; from the transfer market to the training pitch through on-field and off-field strategies before asking you to choose the one that holds the ultimate key…

Solution 1 – Upgrade on Petr Cech

It looked as if Wenger had finally snared an elite goalkeeper who could radiate confidence throughout his team when he signed Cech from Chelsea but it is clear to see that his best days are behind him now.

That nervousness can permeate through a team and when the defence is already leaky and resilience is at a premium, that is a real problem. As experienced as Cech is, it could well be time for Emery to look at getting a younger, commanding alternative this summer.

Liverpool are another example of how a dodgy goalkeeper can bring nervousness to a defence while David de Gea’s consistent excellence is the main factor behind Manchester United’s strong defensive record.

An elite goalkeeper can make all the difference.

Solution 2 – Switch to 4-2-3-1 and properly protect the defence

Just like having a top goalkeeper, offering proper protection to a back four can bring about a marked improvement in defensive performance.

Emery’s preferred setup is 4-2-3-1 and while Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny are not the most gifted players in the Arsenal squad, fielding both of them as a defensive screen would help make the side more secure.

That would provide quite the platform for the Gunners’ attacking players, who do not always contribute the most defensively to go forward.

A new holding midfielder of the requisite bite and quality would also go down a treat at the Emirates.

Solution 3 – Sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos

According to reports, Borussia Dortmund’s Greek international defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos will join the Gunners in a £16m deal to bolster Emery’s defensive options.

With Laurent Koscielny out, another body was needed and while Calum Chambers, Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos all have talent, Emery clearly wants someone for the here and now.

Virgil van Dijk has had a transformative effect on Liverpool’s defence so Emery will be hoping that new blood in the shape of Sokratis has a similar impact.

Solution 4 – Coach improvement from Shkodran Mustafi

In this era of bumper spending, many observers often lose sight of the fact that one way modern managers should justify their huge wages and reputation is by coaching improvement out of their existing players.

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In central defensive terms, Jose Mourinho appears largely incapable of that at Manchester United but Pep Guardiola, with Nicolas Otamendi, and Jurgen Klopp with Dejan Lovren have shown that it is possible and in some cases, necessary.

Mustafi, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, is an international defender with his best years ahead of him so Emery should be able to get more out of him than Wenger could.

Potentially, the aforementioned formation change to offer him more protection may be transformative for the German.

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Manchester United will turn their attention to signing Toby Alderweireld after sealing their deal for Fred but have been quoted £55m from Tottenham for his services, as per the Telegraph. 

What’s the latest, then?

The Telegraph claim that the arrival of Fred at Old Trafford has sparked the transfer window into life and that on the back of signing the Brazilian, Jose Mourinho has set about making Belgian international Alderweireld a part of his squad for next season.

However, they also say that Tottenham have set the asking price for the defender at £55m, despite the fact that his contract is dwindling and he missed a great deal of Tottenham’s games last season.

They also report that Alderweireld feels he has some idea of where he will be playing his football next season, suggesting that he has been given a steer on how talks are going over his future.

£55m is far too much

Daniel Levy is renowned for being a tough negotiator but even he must realise that it is ridiculous to demand £55m for an injury-prone, 29-year-old defender who is not in Mauricio Pochettino’s immediate plans given his refusal to sign a new contract.

United have swooped – rightfully – eyeing a cut-price deal, as is generally the case when a player’s contract is running out but Tottenham have set the bar too high and risk losing Alderweireld for a much-reduced fee further down the line.

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With Spurs also reportedly planning to do business with United over the sale of Anthony Martial, it would also be in their interest to strike up a good working relationship but their current asking price should make Jose Mourinho turn away and pursue other targets.

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Juventus are reportedly eyeing a move for Anthony Martial, and Tottenham should absolutely use the opportunity to grab Douglas Costa.

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Juventus and Manchester United will meet to discuss Martial in the next few days.

Martial has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford since news broke that he wants to leave the club this summer, and the Red Devils would prefer to sell him abroad for obvious reasons.

Spurs have of course been one of the front-runners to land Martial, with reports suggesting they are the closest English club to securing his signature.

Any deal to send Martial to North London would almost definitely send Toby Alderweireld the other way, which is why Spurs should change course and let him go to Juventus… then target the man he would replace.

While Costa is versatile enough to play anywhere across the attack, the arrival of Martial would certainly hamper his playing time, so he could look for a move away.

The Brazilian is 27, so would undoubtedly come cheaper than Martial, allowing Pochettino and Spurs to invest more heavily in other areas.

Lucas Moura 2.0?

You only need to look at the difference Costa made for Brazil on Friday to see what a valuable addition he would be for Tottenham.

The tricky winger transformed the Brazilian attack in the 2-0 win against Costa Rica after coming on as a half time substitute, and his ability to beat defenders one on one is unrivalled.

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The Brazilian averaged an incredible 3.6 dribbles per game last season, and completed five dribbles in just 45 minutes against Costa Rica.

His end product has skyrocketed since joining the Italian champions, grabbing 12 league assists last season, though that’s no surprise when he is averaging nearly two key passes and one successful cross per game.

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Costa has dazzling skills, electric pace and a rocket of a left foot, and his ability to play multiple positions across the attack would allow Pochettino to switch things up and take some pressure of the likes to Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

Fans might compare him to Lucas Moura as they are both small, pacey Brazilian wingers, but Costa is a far superior player.

Tottenham would have to either break the bank or give up Alderweireld to land Martial, so they should simply forget the Frenchman and target the man he could replace at Juventus.

So, Spurs fans, which winger would you rather have? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

According to an exclusive report by the Daily Star, Southampton are hoping to pip Premier League rivals Leicester City to the signing of FC Basel attacker Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Saints fans have been quick to react to the rumour.

With Sofiane Boufal’s future at St Mary’s seemingly in doubt after he fell out with Mark Hughes in April and with Dusan Tadic said to be on the verge of signing for Ajax, the south coast outfit need a new attacking midfielder/winger and the 23-year-old certainly fits the bill.

The Norway international scored 13 goals and provided a further 17 assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for the Swiss outfit, which included a goal and an assist in his team’s 2-1 win against Manchester City at the Etihad in March.

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Southampton supporters, who know two academy graduates they don’t want to replace Tadic if he does leave, took to social media to give their thoughts on the link, and while one said “this would be a great statement of intent by us”, another said “don’t think he’s good enough for the PL”.

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Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

After a season of publicly displayed anger, West Ham fans inside the Transfer Tavern were excited when they heard that Manuel Pellegrini has been appointed manager.

He’s won the Premier League with Manchester City but more importantly, he built Malaga and Valencia up from mid-table minnows to Champions League quarter-finalists while playing exciting football.

Pellegrini told West Ham’s official website “I always play attacking football”, and that will be music to Hammers’ ears, but first the Chilean must go and buy the players to make a success of his system. Premier League managers don’t get much time and nobody knows this more than ex-Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer who tried to implement a new style at Selhurst Park.

As we know, that turned sour pretty quickly, and he was sacked after four games and 77 days in charge, so Pellegrini certainly won’t want a repeat of this.

That mess can be avoided by the West Ham board backing Pellegrini in the transfer market to make sure has the players he needs.

The window has started well with the signing of centre back Issa Diop for £22m and Lukasz Fabianski for £7m, and now the Daily Star have reported they are in talks to sign tricky forward Bernard, albeit on a free transfer.

Gazzetta dello Sport claim West Ham are in talks to sign Lazio forward Felipe Anderson but are only prepared to pay £30m, while the Italian side are holding out for £40m.

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This will be a major test of West Ham’s commitment to the Pellegrini project, so it’s time for the board to put their money where their mouth is.

They can choose to back their manager and show the fans why they left the beloved Upton Park or risk another season of protests, abuse and riots in the Transfer Tavern.

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Since arriving at Crystal Palace from West Ham back in the summer (BBC), Cheikhou Kouyate has been a key figure in the Eagles’ midfield alongside James McArthur and Luka Milivojevic.

The Selhurst Park faithful have warmed to the Senegalese international, as he always gives 100 per cent and is an extremely likeable figure around the club with his positive nature and energy.

Big boots to fill

They may, however, have overlooked just how big an impact he has made in south London, as his arrival came almost immediately after French international Yohan Cabaye departed the club at the expiry of his contract.

Cabaye offered composure, calmness and authority in the middle of the park alongside Milivojevic last season, but his contract was not renewed – this may have been down to his fitness, as the former Lille man rarely managed to complete 90 minutes last season as he hit 33 years of age.

Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…

In stark contrast, Kouyate offers a robust, pragmatic approach alongside two midfielders in McArthur and Milivojevic who are also quite industrial, although perhaps slightly better on the ball.

Having said all of that, it is unfair to judge Kouyate on circumstances out of his control, so let’s take a look at his first six months in SE25 in isolation.

How has he fared?

The former Anderlecht man has impressed the fans with his tireless running, and knack of always being in the right place at the right time to nick the ball away from the opposition either with his head or his feet.

Kouyate has kept things tidy in the middle of the park, averaging a pass success rate of 82 per cent (per Whoscored) throughout his 20 Premier League appearances so far this season, whilst also picking up an assist along the way.

His aerial duel success rate of 2.5 won per game only further emphasises just how important he is from a defensive aspect, often snuffing out danger and being there to head clear time and time again.

His 1.9 tackles per game also demonstrate his selflessness in doing the dirty work for his teammates, winning possession back for them almost twice a game.

The Verdict

Overall, Kouyate has to be regarded as a good bit of business. At 29-years-old, he is perhaps in his peak as a ball-winning midfielder, and as N’Golo Kante and Fernandinho have proved time and time again, that position on the field is pivotal to any side’s chances of success.

Additionally, for an initial fee of £9.5m (as per the Guardian), you can’t really argue with the fact that the former Hammer has been exceptional value for money in the modern day market.

The experience of being a manager during the transfer window must be like the experience most of us have when we walk into a Tesco Express.

Oftentimes it’s fine, and you’ll find what you need, but if you’re looking for specifics it becomes tough. Either you pay an inflated price or you simply can’t find what you need.

And sometimes I wonder just how hard it must be to be Arsene Wenger. To be constantly looking for specifics. People like Wenger – footballers, the world’s wealthiest people, celebrities – don’t usually venture into mini-supermarkets, but I imagine if Wenger ever did he’d find it a hugely frustrating endeavour.

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After inspecting a loaf of bread for five whole minutes, Wenger would put it back on the shelf, adjust it until it was perfectly positioned, and walk on with only a pint of milk in his basket.

Later on, whilst he enjoys a coffee with his wife, he’ll complain that £1.50 is quite simply a ridiculous price to pay for something he’s going to throw into his toaster.

Ed Woodward, on the other hand, has no such problem.

He’ll gladly buy his milk from Selfridges: ‘No better than ordinary milk, you say? Well this cost double the price, of course it’s better!’

At any rate, this summer’s shopping trip seems to have gone a little like this. Manchester United have spent big and added expensive players to their squad. Arsenal, on the other hand, are the only team in Europe’s big five leagues not to sign an outfield player.

It must be frustrating to be an Arsenal fan and see that. Imagine being Arsene’s wife when he comes home and says, ‘I’m sorry sweetie pie, I didn’t get the eggs for dinner because I’m just not paying that much for eggs. Don’t worry though, the cheese we already had is probably still good.’

In a way, though, he’s not wrong. Would you pay significantly over the odds for eggs? Is Gonzalo Higuain worth a reported £64m? What about Anthony Martial? If you don’t like the price, then simply don’t pay it. And it works in other walks of life too.

Wenger, with his degree in economics, will tell you that it’s basic supply and demand: if consumers stop buying because the price is too high then vendors will simply have to reduce the price. If everyone stopped eating meat then the lack of demand would stop people selling it. If no one smoked, no one would sell cigarettes. Wenger is simply doing his bit for football’s moral compass by reducing the demand for overpriced players!

The problem is, no one else shares his concerns. If I become a vegetarian in order to reduce the demand for meat, my mates will still order burgers for dinner, and the cow still dies. Wenger is not going to reduce the price of players by himself.

But surely he knows this. Surely Wenger isn’t simply holding out on principle. Maybe I’m giving the man too much credit, but he seems like a smart bloke. He seems like the kind of guy who knows all of this already. So why has he refused to sign the striker and the holding midfielder that his side has so desperately needed since the days of Vieira and Henry?

So surely the answer is that when Wenger walks into Tesco, he’s not simply shopping for something for tea. He’s shopping for specific ingredients. It’s not the generic bread and milk Wenger is looking for – he already has a good side – it’s specialised stuff. Wenger is shopping for something to give his curry a zing, something to spice up his stew. He’s shopping for kaffir lime leaves and pink Himalayan salt. He just can’t find that in his local Tesco.

I might be giving him too much credit. Perhaps Wenger is simply being overly stubborn about price, and if he is he’ll certainly pay a bigger price come May when his team yet again fail to win the Premier League. It’s either that or Wenger simply can’t find what it is he needs to finish off his almost-there squad. If you can’t find the right ingredient, it’s best simply to go with what you’ve got – you can’t keep substituting ingredients and hoping for the best.

Let’s give Wenger the benefit of the doubt. It must be frustrating to ask your husband to nip out to Tesco for something for tea and watch him come back empty handed. But Wenger already has a decent squad and hasn’t found anything that will add to it in the way he needs.

I might be giving Wenger too much credit, but I have a feeling the dish he’s cooking up will be tasty, whether it has Himalayan salt or not.

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Clearly, something is wrong at Newcastle United this season. Despite a trio of decent performances against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Southampton, new boss Steve McClaren finds his side struggling towards the foot of the table.

After losses to Watford, West Ham and Sheffield Wednesday, serious questions were asked of the former England boss, as well as members of his squad. The Magpies were under heavy scrutiny until a plucky performance against Chelsea alleviated at least some of the pressure.

However, one decent outing does not make up for the last 9 months or so the Geordie faithful have been subjected to. Despite almost £50m spent in the transfer window, the Toon Army have looked almost as disjointed as they were under the infamous John Carver.

After heavy expenditure from owner Mike Ashley, the problems don’t seem to be the players Newcastle don’t have, but rather the players they do have.

Here are five members of the side McClaren should look to axe in January.

MOUSSA SISSOKO

Starting off with a big one here. The Frenchman is nearly unstoppable on his day, but those days simply don’t come around too often. Here’s constant flirtation with everything Champions League is leaving his current partner (Newcastle) stood alone at the bar.

As the winter window is renowned for its ridiculously over inflated prices, and selling the enigmatic midfielder may be worth it in the long run. No doubt that the St. James’ Park outfit are better with a super Sissoko in the side, but when he’s not top on form – it’s largely like playing with 10 men.

STEVEN TAYLOR

Yes, he’s a Geordie. Yes, he loves Newcastle. No, he isn’t a very good defender.

Sentimental value has no place in top level sport anymore, ask the likes of Frank Lampard, Iker Casillas and Bastian Schweinsteiger – and they’re all far more talented than Steven Taylor.

With Burnley defender Michael Keane and Cameroonian star Joel Matip linked with a move to the club – it’s time to say goodbye to the 29-year old. He plays his heart out for his boyhood heroes, but that can’t be a reason to keep him at this level.

PAPPIS CISSE

Much like the aforementioned Sissoko, Pappis Demba Cisse is not usually the sort of player you want to be selling when your backs are against the wall. He’s got the ability to pop up with a goal out of nothing, as he has done countless times in the North East.

However, again, like Sissoko, he can become a passenger. Granted, he’s been feeding off scraps at times but with the likes of Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez in the side – the Senegalese star should be shifted on.

EMMANUEL RIVIERE

The former Monaco man really hasn’t done a lot in black and white. Signed last year, he managed only three goals in all competitions during his maiden campaign. With £13.5m Aleksandar Mitrovic impressing (when he plays), Ayoze Perez dazzling and a bid thought to be on the way for Charlie Austin – Riviere looks certain to be dispensed with.

Perhaps a move to a Championship side can get his career back on track.

SYLVAIN MARVEAUX

Another Frenchman, the former Rennes midfielder has looked decent enough in glimpses, but has struggled to impose himself on the side. Whether it be through injury, or Alan Pardew simply not trusting him enough to put him in the first team – the 29-year old hasn’t kicked on at St. James’ Park.

Bizarrely enough, Marveaux looks to be an excellent player when in full flow, it’s just getting into such a flow has proved impossible thus far.

Stoke’s impressive start to the campaign in the non-pixel driven world has been reflected in the quality of their squad on FM.

Arnautovic, Bojan and Shaqiri are your key assets from the start of your save and the defensive rock of Ryan Shawcross is still as highly rated as he has been for several seasons.

Your budget might not be as generous as many of the other clubs in the top half, but some bargains are out there on FM and we are here to suggest some of the best deals to help the Potters push for Europe in their first campaign.

Mark Hughes has built a squad with plenty of technical ability, but you may want to take a look at the centre-back berth at the start of your save to make sure you have the strongest cover for the marauding Glen Johnson and Erik Pieters.

Here are FIVE absolute bargains for you to consider…

Lewis Cook

Cook is another of the stars that Premier League clubs have been linked to of late and it looks as though Cook is one of the best signings you can make on FM16.

As a central midfielder, Cook should develop into a player to replace Glenn Whelan within a season or two and Cook will be equally comfortable in a slightly more advanced role.

If Geoff Cameron is to play in a holding role, Cook would be ideal to be the spring board for attacks as you look to set Arnautovic free.

Jhon Cordoba

On most saves, Cordoba makes a move to the Premier League and this centre forward is available at a very reasonable price.

The Colombian striker offers you a powerful focal point for your attacks and will be well worth the investment once you can get the attacking midfield trio linking up with him.

Diouf might be a talent on the game, but Cordoba would undoubtedly be a step up from the ex-Manchester United man.

Gino Peruzzi

A FM hero for the last few editions of the game, Peruzzi is still available at a brilliant value price in the first couple of seasons.

Despite the addition of Glen Johnson, a right-back of extra quality would be a welcome addition to Stoke’s squad and Peruzzi is likely to offer you far more defensive security than the inconsistent Johnson.

You will face a lot of competition for Peruzzi, so make sure to snap him up as quickly as possible.

Tyler Roberts

West Brom’s starlet will be available for a pittance at the start of your save and he becomes an absolutely lethal advanced forward.

Roberts is an electric forward and can play on either flank, so he will add crucial depth to your front line once he reaches his potential.

In 2020, Roberts will be ready to be a regular starter at a top Premier League club and is a dangerously good finisher.

Sokratis

Due to the seemingly astonishing investment on every save, Dortmund often deem Sokratis surplus to requirements.

The solid centre-back is very similar to Ryan Shawcross and you need to be careful with your instructions to him as he has a tendency to push the boundaries and pick up a lot of cards – one season he got 3 reds and 19 yellows for me!

If he is put up for transfer, break the bank to bring Sokratis in and tie up the defence. Wollscheid and Muniesa are not in the same league as this Dortmund man.

The bookies don’t usually get too much wrong, and with odds now floating around of 1/25 fir Aston Villa being relegated, it’s looking more and more likely that we are going to drop out of the top division of English football for the first time since 1986/87.

The looming January transfer window, therefore, possess several problems and dilemmas. Most crucially, do we still attempt to try to save ourselves this season, or begin to build a squad that will be competitive in a tough Championship division next year.Unfortunately, it’s a choice which we may not even be in a position to make.Villa currently have a frankly pathetic total of eight points. This consists of one solitary victory, which came way back on the opening day of the season against Bournemouth (it is important to take points off your relegation rivals…). With 19 games to go, there is still time to turn things around. But realistically, out of the remaining 57 points on offer, we are looking at trying to snaffle 33 of those points – that means winning 11 of those 19 games. A tall order for a team with a one-in-19 win ratio.Even faced with such diversity, it surely can’t be an option to simply accept relegation at this point. Whilst most supporters feel we are pretty much doomed, where there is life, there is hope. As one of the grandest clubs in the whole of the game, we have set many firsts and hopefully being the first team to escape this sort of predicament will be another achievement for us.

In order to do so, reinforcements are compulsory. The big problem is that we are not in any sort of position to be a viable option or attractive proposition for the type of player we would ideally like to take on board. Or sadly, even players we would deem suitable to help us battle back from relegation.

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If I see another suggestion for us to sign Charlie Austin, I may very well bang my head against a wall until I pass out. There is zero chance of this happening. And for once it isn’t down to just finances. Austin is a proven Premier League goal scorer. I personally think we should’ve paid the £15million to sign him back in the summer.After all, that is a drop in the ocean compared to what we are about to miss out on next season. But now, there is absolutely no benefit for Austin’s career in joining us.Despite a queue of clubs ahead of us in the pecking order anyway, Austin is effectively a symbol of a greater problem that we are facing.Aston Villa, in its current position, is not even a viable option for so many Championship players. Due to the fact that we are so far adrift right now, we look nailed on to be relegated. With the Championship being notoriously tight at this point in the season, as it will be throughout January, it is feasible to suggest that any team from Fulham upwards, who currently occupy 18th place on 24 points, still have a chance of at least making the play-offs. The Cottagers are 10 points behind 6th placed Ipswich Town, and a run of two or three wins on the spin brings them right into it.That means that any of the decent players in these 18 teams who we might be looking at will be harbouring hopes of potentially being a Premier League player next year. We can currently only offer a four month relegation fight and a strong possibility that they will still be a Championship player next season, whilst their current team mates make a step up into the big time should they achieve promotion. This rules out players such as Austin, Ross McCormack, Sam Byram, Demarai Gray and a whole host of other promising options.Other, more established, experienced and impact options will also prove incredibly difficult to land and probably would see our hands severely tied in the process.For example, a strong link has been a move for Everton’s Steven Naismith. On the face of it, a decent acquisition. A player who will run all day, which is something we are desperately missing, and is also capable of scoring. But what can Villa offer him? First team football, but with the very real possibility of Championship football next season. Not exactly a enticing proposition.Indeed, if regular action is our only selling point, there is a very real risk that our offer would be gazumped by any one of our rivals who could put a more attractive package on offer. It comes to something when the likes of Bournemouth and Norwich could be preferable destinations over Villa Park, but we shouldn’t kid ourselves any longer into thinking that simply being Aston Villa is enough to give us the edge over the small fry that has, in fact, already overtaken us.Should we choose the strategy to attempt to salvage this season, the potential danger in all of this is that our only option left is to offer obscene wages to entice our targets. Players will literally be able to bend us over with their demands. This will see our wage bill rise considerably just at a point where have managed to balance Randy’s books.After an exercise in cost cutting, which has taken five years to clear the likes of Darren Bent and Shay Given off the roster and has landed us in this position in the first place, we may have to completely undo all of this austerity to be able to sign players who will give us a chance of escaping. Relegation release clauses with either huge payoffs or low sell on transfer fees will be written into contracts.WANT MORE? >> Aston Villa transfer news | Latest transfer newsFive year contracts of £50k, £60k, £70k-a-week or even more would be the minimum to attract the players wavering at the thought of joining us. And make no mistake, we aren’t talking world beaters here – we could have Steven Naismith on our books for the next five years on upwards of £50k a week! Mind you, if he kept us up, he’s more than welcome to it.We are in an extremely fragile position. Whichever way this goes we are in very real danger of a future with more average players on huge wages, or a squad of players not equipped or good enough for a Championship season. Although we may already have that anyway, of course.There is talk of clearing out the remaining deadwood on huge wages such as Gabby Agbonlahor and Charles N’Zogbia in order to free up some cash to bring in improvements in January.Easier said than done. Neither exactly has a reputation worth scrapping over and both are sitting pretty on their current contracts. N’Zogbia is reportedly generating interest in the USA and maybe a move abroad is Gabby’s only chance also, but mutual termination of their contracts, especially in N’Zogbia’s case, is the likeliest outcome if we want to rid them; a significant outlay which would render the whole point of freeing up wages pointless.Randy Lerner has some big decisions to make. Whilst I have always stood by my gratitude for not leading our great club into the sort of debt that Leeds faced after over-spending and trying to keep up with the big boys, the balance hasn’t been struck and we are now in an all or nothing last roll of the dice.Millions will be wiped off the value of the club he wants to sell if we are relegated, whilst the expenditure needed to keep us in the Premier League, or even to prepare for relegation in a positive manner, will be vast.Either way, Randy is going to be counting the cost of tightening the reins a tad too much over the last few years.Any thoughts or comments? Please let me know here or @lovespud83 on Twitter! Thanks for reading!This article was submitted via our new Write For Us feature. Think you can do better? Submit your own article via the link below, and make sure you follow @FFC_WFU on Twitter for #RealOpinions…[ad_pod id=’writeforus’ align=’center’]