SaintBobby

Amateur hour now on twitter…..they can’t get Blackmore online….

SSN just reported Stewart signed and Adams staying.

If we had the chance to sign Ings for £60k per week and said no, I’d be amazed.

Total absence of KWP rumours is odd (and possibly encouraging)…probably speaking too soon.

If the speculation around Ballard and Mara is right, I agree that indicates we have other targets. But obviously we need to be sure of the incomings before allowing a swathe of outgoings. I’d say we are going to look great in every slot apart from perhaps CF. Get that right and I’m a lot more optimistic about promotion.

My biggest worry is our CF deficit continues. The worst case scenario of Adams, Mara and Ballard going and just Stewart coming in is grim indeed. If Che somehow stays, great. I’d even take Mara staying at a pinch. But I’m probably being too pessimistic. I assume Ings on loan is fantasy? (Or could we get him for a % of his wages if he is surplus to requirements?)

We’re after Patrick Roberts and Ross Stewart. Why not combine the deal and just sign Patrick Stewart?

Hope everyone is “braced” for the next two days. I’m feeling a bit more optimistic about keeping Che & KWP - simply because every hour that passes without them moving is an hour closer to deadline. We should play hardball with Sully and if he stays (even if he sulks for a while), we don’t need Paintsil. ABK and Tall Paul leaving, Che and KWP staying and Stewart and THB joining would be a great window. But it probably won’t be that smooth…

Thank God we seem to have offered him a completely fresh new contract. I'd have been annoyed if we hadn't. I fear he is still off though.

I'm not overly fussed, but I do think the more artificial atmosphere you try and create the more you dampen any real atmosphere.

Who was the skipper when Jack came off? Some on here saying Stu A, but the bloke next to me was certain Jan B had the armband.

What is going on with Armando Broja?

I'm no medic, but a strain/pull would not be too bad....a tear however....?

In his interview, RM said it was bad. I'm not sure of the injury? He did walk off the pitch (with support), seemed he couldn't put weight on his right leg. (do we not do stretchers in the Championship?). Is that a hamstring tear?

3 points, so am happy. Upsides: Downes and especially Fraser look good. Fraser turned the match, not just by his great play down the left but by that meaning their defence got stretched. Stunning debut. Arma had another good game - yeah, he's not a top no. 9, but his tracking and tackling back is stunning. Shea Charles looked good at CB too. Downsides: Alcaraz was woeful (and I'm a big fan) - it was as if he was drunk (not saying he was, but his head wasn't in the right place). Injury to Stephens looks bad. I assume ABK is off (weird he was on the bench but not subbed on for Jack). Didn't create enough clear cut chances (in fact, QPR had more, I think). Also, conceding a minute after going ahead is getting annoying - especially as our supposed USP is possession/control. Overall, 6.5/10. Credit to RM on the subs and game management.

It just depends what's in the offer. making an offer isn't the last word. You can change it, amend it, improve it. Anyway, I'm guessing we have lost him.

I want us to keep Che and KWP, but the idea that our chances of promotion completely hinge on that outcome is mad. I’m not sure we could find good enough replacements at a reasonable price - but it’s not a case of our promotion chances being blown to pieces. It just, perhaps, dials them down a smidgen.

Isn't the problem that we need both CA and AA? It doesn't matter which you prefer...we are weaker if we lose either...

yeah, that's true of all financial arrangements - from buying a house, to buying shares to placing a bet on the horses.

Yep. If JWP had said "I'll stay if you give me an extra fiver", I'd have said "yes".

The value to us is he plays this season for Saints rather than for another club. I can't work out why - in principle - it's much different to any valued employee of any company getting a pay rise.

Well, he earns an extra £20K a week for 3 years then. There aren't any "guarantees". Maybe he sees out hsi contract here...but picks up a bad injury and can't play football at a high level again. To say "there are no circumstances in which signing a contract is beneficial to him" is surely wrong. If we offer him £100K a week for life, I bet he'd sign! It's all on a spectrum, I think. Not black or white.

I think I tried to make this point on the "stop the sales" thread. Not very well, but can someone please try and explain to me what the variables are here and what's "out of our hands"? It seems to me there are three options. Not two. 1. We say "you're staying. No one has matched our valuation, so you are serving out the last year of your contract here at £40K a week. At the end of the season, you are a free agent" 2. Someone matches our valuation, whatever it is. Most likely Everton. Most likely about £15m. We can argue about what that valuation should be, but at some point the club sells. If some Saudi club offers £200m for him, do you think we should say "no"? (obvs, not going to happen, just an illustration). But why can't we do.... 3. We say "we'd like you to stay. We will bump your pay from (say) £40K to £60k per week, with a big promotion bonus on a new three year contract. But we will include a release clause meaning that you can go to any other club next June if a bid of (say) £10m is received." Why are we locked into 1 or 2? I'm not saying Adams or his agent jumps at option 3. But it should be on the table. And surely, to him, is more attractive than option 1?

His enhanced contract would be for 2 or 3 years but with a release clause next June.

Presumably not with a release clause...?