TWar

I think Vestergaard is quality and he playing out from the back is very valuable as is his formidability in the air. Salisu is probably our best defender on the ground and against pace and also has great distribution. For me they have to be the pairing with Bednarek on the bench. Another option could be similar to how we ended last game: Forster Bednarek Vestergaard Salisu JWP KWP Armstrong Tella Redmond Adams Ings In like a 3142 with Redmond as a wingback. Would be similar to our normal formation except with a CM dropped for a CB and this giving the extra flexibility to push our fullbacks right up, and therefore making it easier for an attacking mid to play the role, either Redmond or Djenepo. Also Stephens in for Bednarek if not fit.

RLC has been pretty underwhelming for Fulham but they have been playing him quite high up in an attacking role. Maybe we feel we can convert him into a 6 and play him next to JWP, Romeu or Diallo. As others have said, doesn't have much of an engine so don't have much hope.

When I was young a number of ponies accosted me and interrupted a picnic I was having in the new forest. Needless to say Duckhunters comments bring back some painful memories.

I mean, it's better that he is giving us a chance and saying "If I get a top club for a decent fee then I'll go, if not I'll stay with you" rather than "I'm leaving, I'll force my way out if I have to, a new contract is completely off the table. Also, if a smaller team bids more I don't care I won't go there if a big team comes in even if they pay much less" like other players have in the past, Hojbjerg for instance.

Better than him just going.

Listing number of games is a little harsh as a large number of those he came on as a sub very late on. Per minute he has 8 goals in 2539 minutes this season in the league and last season he managed 4 goals in 1105 minutes. This translates to 0.28 goals per 90 this season and 0.32 goals per 90 last season, at that rate if he starts more than 30 games a season he'd be on for a 10 goal season, he just hasn't had as many minutes as Ralph completely inexplicably favoured Redmond for a couple of months.

I think so, although I was only half listening while at work

Very far down the line. It was more obvious in the presser I thought. Unfortunately this probably means not Rico Henry as I can't imagine we will have moved very far at all before knowing if they will be promoted or not.

Ralph "very confident" Ings will be here next season.

Not really. Since 1993 the top scorer in the premier league has had a teammate in the top 5 a grand total of 4 times: - 2004 Henry and Pires -2010 drogba and lampard (lampard isn't a striker) -2014 Suarez and Sturridge -2020 Salah and Mane. And only have had a team mate in the top 10 goal scorers 8 times out of 27. The vast majority of the time a top striker gets most of the goals and his team mates enable that. Unless what you mean is they operate in pairs in that one gets the goals and one makes the goals mostly, in which case I agree although threes are a lot more common since about 2005.

I would have thought you'd know about this as it is a pretty old-school strategy. Think Bergkamp, not many goals but great touch and great passer. Che is aiming to be a budget Bergkamp. Arsenal also played "2 up top" but compare Henry to Bergkamp in their roles in that side. Football tends to be a bit more complicated than "two up top, two strikers, both play the same role".

Dunno if Ings will be that keen to go if he is going to be behind/competing with another player. To be honest though, I think it is pretty unlikely that Kane goes at the prices touted. They won't get £150m for him, they probably won't sell to a domestic rival, and Kane has 3 years or something still on his contract. I don't think he's going anywhere.

I suspect £10m won't be the maximum, it'll more likely be the average. When talking about the sort of signings we will make Ralph referenced KWP and Diallo who both went for ~£15m. My ideal three signings would be Henry, Danjuma, and Ings contract renewal. Beyond that, even if Vest left, I'd be reasonably happy. Get some depth options in and we have a good summer. I don't think CM will be that important personally with Armstrong being able to adapt there. If JWP or Romeu get injured then Diallo can step up or Armstrong can drop back and we can play Djenepo next to Danjuma.

Yeah, I think the best way to view a support striker is very similar to a 10 in a 4231. Our system is very similar to a 4231 tbh but with more flexible front 4

I think he is an excellent support striker. He is strong, fast, very intelligent, an excellent passer, has a great touch and takes up great positions. He undoubtedly makes Ings better imo. People are down on him because he is a below average finisher, but finishing isn't everything.

If Kane leaves they'll probably spend more than £15m on his replacement, being as he'll go for like £150m. I don't see spurs replacing Kane with Ings, seems more likely they'll sign someone younger for ~£40m, maybe Andre Silva.

Great player, has been one of our best and most important players since we rejoined the prem. Obviously this season he has shown age has caught up to him but I personally will remember him at his best in 2015/16 where he was amazing. Wish him the best of luck for the future.

I think people take the "Ralph wants a small squad" thing out of context. He said he wanted a group of 20 quality senior players and the rest to be youth prospects. At the time we had something like 28 senior players at the club and not on loan so that was the context. Right now I think we have 16 senior players plus two loanies, really we shot from bloated, straight past sensible, to very thin by getting rid of 10 senior players this summer and bringing in four, and the summer before a similarly high number of outs to ins.

Both are really up there for me for consistency, but both have been a little less consistent of late so returning to previous quality. Some tricky opponents coming up for KWP in Lookman, Raphinha, and Lingard, if he can pocket all three and keep them quiet then he is up for a shout. JWP if he dominates midfield in all the games, maybe scores another FK to match the all time record for most FK goals in a season he is in for a shout.

Don't sell him, he's a good utility option and easily good enough for the bench for a club our size. Next season him being fourth choice striker and fourth choice attacking mid would be ideal. Armstrong and new player behind Adams and new player (or Ings) with Redmond/Djenepo/Tella/Walcott waiting in the wings as back up is very good for a club our size, we don't need to sell. Shouldn't be a regular started though, not good enough.

Yep he's really climbing up for me. Definitely top 3 with KWP and JWP, I'd put him first though as it stands.

Bang on, we are spoiled by Ings who is statistically over the last two seasons the best finisher in the league after Son. Adams is a slightly below average finisher but as I said in the other thread, our chance creation is very poor and we desperately need Armstrong back as a 10 and a new attacking mid next to him who can create.

Hate is the wrong word, but to be clear attacking midfield is a clear weakness in our side. Even when we were flying high our chance creation and expected goals were about 15th in the league, it's why a lot of pundits were tipping us to drop away and not be european hopefuls. We only performed well as JWP and Ings both are ridiculous finishers who put away many more goals than expected both this season and last. Now we have to play Armstrong at CM our chance creation is dreadful. We need more quality there, at leftback, and in goal, this isn't kneejerk scapegoating its been the case literally all season.

Salisu has to start every game now. Our defence was miles better with him on the pitch. Salisu at CB, Stephens at LB I think at the back. Give Bednarek a break. Adams Ings is our best strike partnership by a mile. Give Djenepo and Tella a chance as Minimino and Redmond are useless. My main hope is Romeu will be back and we can put Armstrong at attacking mid again. Armstrong, Tella, Ings Adams is a pretty good front four.

Obviously his finishing could do with work. He could easily be on 12-13 goals right now if he had his eye in, but for me he makes Ings better, he finds the runs Ings makes so so well and his strength and hold up play open up so much for Ings in the box. If he was a good finisher too he'd be a top top star, at the moment he is a rough diamond and exactly the sort of player a club of our size should be working to develop and enable.