For us to seriously compete we'd have needed spending levels comparable to Forest. Keeping Berge and Illi would hardly have made a dent in this season. Maybe 19th rather 20th and the occasional flash of brilliance. The teams just above the relegation zone have players who cost £50m and a massive wage bill. Oh, and are looking at point deductions for breaking financial rules.
Teams like Palace whose fans also aren't happy have players like Eze and Olise, and Henderson on the bench, a player we'd love here but couldn't afford in wages alone. Teams last year got relegated with players like Ward-Prowse and Madison in them. We haven't got anything like that quality and can't afford it.
Do I wish we could compete, of course. It's really not enjoyable at present. I've seen some real poor teams but today was probably the first time I'd really questioned if it was worth going, I was expecting exactly what happened. It was so predictable. Everyone knew it. Do I wish we'd spent money on players and wages to compete for 17th knowing if we failed the club could be in really serious trouble with no owner to bail us out? 100% no.
Do I care one jot that we're supposedly spoiling the product for the Premier League and getting criticised for it in the media? I couldn't care less. They don't care about us, we're just there to make up the numbers for the big boys and would like us to cause the occasional upset to keep it interesting. So what if we do go bust in the process, someone else will take our place. To be honest they'd best get used to it. Any team like us, Burnley, Luton etc. who do get promoted will face the same problem. Spend and risk the club's future and a points deduction or stay within your means and face almost certain relegation and some big losses against teams you can't hope to compete with.