Dman

Mental Manji has been spouting that for months. Its bullshit, it always has been bullshit and it always will be bullshit. We have to sell to 1 - reduce the huge squad size, 2 - that huge squad is costing a fortune each week, 3 - we over spent in January and need to re-coup that money.

I know @Smirking_Saint and I disagree on this front, but this is exactly the reason why I would have compromised on the cost of a few players early on in the window, so that we had a settled (to a degree) side by now. Ultimately that extra £5m we held out for on JWP or £5m for Tella is no good when we have a week to replace them, by which point targets have moved on. Tino / Aarons was a fantastic example of that.

Funny enough I thought about him the other day as the exact type of striker we could do with. I thought he looked pretty decent on Saturday.

I'm not sure why you keep referencing Saints. I've never said he should move to us over them? Half a decent season potentially secures you a move, but so does a decent season in the championship... Just my opinion, but personally I wouldn't be rushing to either of those sides.

Potentially... or Hamer (specifically who i'm referring to) stays at Cov has another really good season or moves to someone like Leicester and he'll end up in the PL, for a stronger side in years time anyway. A move to Sheff U or Luton is a bad move for any player imo. On the pitch and financially. Regarding Downes. Realistically, Downes isn't coming to us if we didn't have Martin as our manager.

JWP had years of PL experience before the last season. Tino and Lavia are ready made top 6 players. Hamer has and isn't either. Apples and Oranges.

Getting battered every week and having a relegation on your CV - potentially, more like probably, being part of a record breaking (in a bad way) side. I'm struggling to see whats actually too like tbh.

Anyone going to either Sheff Utd or Luton are absolute idiots. Both whipping boys, both in contention to break the record low PL points. I'd happily stick my mortgage on the fact neither will be in the PL next season. Hamer going from Cov to Sheff is a ludicrous move on his behalf.

Shields clearly picked Lavia and Larios

Cheers - must have missed it then. Will keep an eye open for next week 👍

We get absolutely nothing tomorrow without him. He transforms the way in which we play by just having a bit more of a physical presence up there. If he isn't involved, we need to start Mara or god forbid, Paul. Scary thought.

It used to be live though, didn't it? Maybe I'm getting old and just dont understand the process of how they upload these things!

Che is probably a better player than Piroe. We've not seen Piroe tested at the step up as of yet. I don't know, but if their relying on Che to play as a lone striker and score them enough goals to stay up, they're in trouble. Given the option of having one or the other this season, I wouldn't swap Piroe for Che.

Not sure I agree with him on this point, unless Smallbones injury is worse than originally let on? or someone is leaving.. Realistically, we have more than enough coverage in all 3 midfield positions (I'm gonna go hipster and use numbers now) 6 Downes, Charles, Smallbone 8 Smallbone, Downes 10 Alcaraz, Stu, Aribo Maybe, at a push, we're a touch light in the 8 (box to box, traditional CM whatever you wanna call it), but if we were to bring in 1 more - lets be honest, probably grimes, it'll mean one of Smallbone, Charles or Downes missing out each week - all would expect to start and it feels like it would be difficult to keep that dynamic happy.

Do the club not show the Press conference on Twitter / youtube anymore? Or am I just being thick? A shame Downes isn't about for this one, we could have really done with him. Especially with Smallbones absence. Side picks itself for me; Bazunu KWP Janny B Stephens Manning (although i'd go perruad) Charles Stu Alcaraz Tella Adams AA Tough game, i'm gonna go 2-2 or 2-1 Plymouth.

Where has all this talk of Piroe come from anyway? are there any credible links? With all this excitement, I can already hear the chapel kop singing "Its magic, you knowww Aribo and Joel Piroeee"

The exact same could be said about Che if he his next club were to read this forum. Lets not beat around the bush here, Che was (one of) the big reasons in why we went down last season, he just seemingly doesn't have the composure to score simple goals at the top level. Piroe is a goal scorer at this level and that is exactly what we need. He has much more of a physical presence than AA up top, knows the system, knows the manager and the manager knows him. Feels like an absolute no brainer. That being said, at the price being quoted (£13m), I'd be keeping Che and letting him walk for free next season. He's already shown he's too good for the championship.

you're either very very easily impresed or just enjoy watching women running around in short shorts. These are 'elite' professionals who train every day and have the best facilities avalible to them - the slow ponderous rubbish they knock up is not impressive, imo anyway of course. I'm in full belief that you could stick the england womens team up against any competent mens side (i'm talking wessex leauge) and it'd be a massivley one sided game - to the men. I'd actually go as far as saying if you picked a sunday leauge side off the local park, gave them a month to train like a professional (i.e get fit) and have a half competent coach and they'll still turn them over. That being said, i'm probably not best qualified to talk about it as I've not watched a minute of the shite and wont be whenever the final is either. I'd rather watch the grass grow.

In fairness Manning was litterally facing the striker and could have done anything but pass it straight too him. Noone to blame but manning there

That's not really all that difficult though, is it. The standard of womens football as a whole is questionable, but the keeping is beyond pathetic for 95% of them.

The birds coach must feel embarrsed to be at these things, surely? Clearly noone other than the odd weirdo gives a enough of a fuck to 1 and only question about the womens team. Tick box exercise

You were that sap at the fans fourm asking us to be more welcoming of awy fans, weren't you...

If true that Downes is incoming, we don't need decent cover. Downes / Charles for the more defensive role, Alcaraz / Stu for the more attacking roles. Then you have the likes of Doyle coming through as cover. A shame for Smallbone, but i'm not devastated. In fact, i think it might actually help us in a weird sort of way.

I’m wondering if Holgate is seen as our KWP replacement and will play as a RB, rather than to play CB. We’ve seen already that playing 2 attacking full backs is leaving us far too exposed, someone like Holgate, who can also play CB, would give us a lot more balance, with manning being slight more attacking of the 2 and theoretically should be able to tuck in and suit our system. Would also give the option to play a back 3, if needed. I really like the thought of that one and I think he’d surprise a few.

My thoughts, for whatever they're worth. The best I've seen St Mary's in years. Genuienly a good atmopshere in all 4 stands of the ground, other than maybe 20 mins of the first half. As much as i hate to say it, the goal music worked pretty well. Overall I don't think a point is a terribly bad result. Norwich were better than I thought they would be and will certainly be one of the stronger sides we'll play this season, I'd certainly expect them to be up there. The last few seasons we don't get anything from that game, the mentality is changing, which is good to see. However, that's 2 games now where we've relied on Che to change the game for us off the bench, which is a concern as he's not going to be here in a months time. I think Martin got it wrong with the starting 11, especially in midfield. It was too attacking and didn't have the right balance. We struggled to really dominate the ball, were a bit all over the place going forwrd and defending. That being said, I thnk he got it spot on in game. Alacraz was pretty poor up until Charles came on imo. Kudos to Charles, he looked really good and composed. Has to be starting in that deeper role for me. I'm not a fan of tella on the right, would much rather he was played on the left with SAA on the right. I think Ryan Manning is a pretty poor player. He reminds me of Danny Fox and would get ripped alive in the PL. Our inabliy to defend crosses, acually, inability to defend at all, is a real worry. For me, yesterday summed up why I don't think we'll go up, we're just too sloppy. Its going to b a stressful season if we have to endure that every week! We have the foundations of being a decent side, but were not there yet.