Chewy

It hasn’t taken him long to revert to type, has it. Thought he was making effort to be more restrained but he’s back to being an odious, pedantic bore already. I guess it was nice while his absence lasted …

So we need a result in 20 of those 22 games? Puts a lot of pressure on when you view it like that. I mean, it’s only natural that we’ll think we’ll have a better chance in those type of matches but I guarantee we lose more than 2 of those. Similarly we’ll get some unexpected results against the other 8 sides

Edit - sorry, meant to quote @Luke SkyWalker-Peters here Agree - would be really exciting. As you allude to, the rest of our business is dependent on sales so still very much to be decided. If we can shift some of ABK, Charlie, Tall Paul, Sulemana and KWP for decent sums we could still have a fair bit to play with, especially if the new GK is a loan rather than permanent. O’Riley, Ings, Moukoko, Nketiah, Fraser, Asprilla and many others … even JWP - all conceivably available/likely to transfer somewhere this window. As it stands we have 1xPL loan, 2x other loans and depending on sales possibly a fair wad of cash. We’re not done yet IMHO

If she’s young, hungry and guaranteed to improve I look forward to seeing what she’s like with a couple more years development She might actually have made me forget about us not having replaced Danny Ings for 4 years.

JWP plays the same position as Aribo and Smallbone and is patently an upgrade on them. We also scored basically no goals the last time we were in the PL except for his free kicks. So he adds a goal threat we lack and improves the team. He’s also a RM type player, with bags of experience we lack. As much of a no-brainer as Ramsdale. However, I suspect we don’t have the cash for either, let alone both (wages as a loan before we even think about a fee), so about as unlikely as Targett. Of course, I wait for our friend from Fareham to tell us what will happen

What are you talking about? Speak to Ross and you’ll discover he thought he was ok to play months ago; it’s not him being cautious, it’s the club. Or at least it was back in the spring. Do you know any better? Or just making things up in your head and presenting it as a factual summary?

Thanks @Over land and sea - I think we’ll be fine to hit the 25 but with the relatively high number of U21 players hoping/expecting to play we still have a pretty bloated squad right now. Maybe looking good for the future but it’ll be challenging to manage all of them this season. In terms of specifics I see: Lis being loaned out if/when we get a keeper in I think Mara and ABK are gone. I see us loaning out Bree if we don’t find a buyer for KWP (or obviously we sell KWP) And as you say, Bazunu won’t need selecting for this section of the season That leaves a limited bit of scope, especially if we can shift either of Alcaraz or Onuachu who look likely candidates. And there’s also one other fitness consideration with Stewart … worth a spot in the 25 🤷🏻‍♂️ Overall the squad does have some exciting youth to it, but given how big it is, it’s still worryingly short on quality in certain key areas (GK, AM, Wide, no. 9). Fixing the squad after years of terrible recruitment was always going to take time I guess

I actually fundamentally disagree with your position that the first 11 is good, we just lack depth in quality. We have over 30 first team squad members of which I’d say only KWP is proven premier league quality. Everyone will have different opinions on individuals but I guess you could make a case for the following to be acceptable as premier league starters Suga, THB, Bednarek, KWP, Downes and (from what we’ve all read but not witnessed) Lesley Behind that there’s 25 or so who are either definitely not good enough, unproven, permanently unfit or proven to be squad level but not starters. We have enough of those and in pretty much every position though funnily enough our weakest area for squad depth is central midfield. What we definitely don’t have is premier league level in the two most important positions (gk and cf) despite needing to prioritise here for 4 f*cking years. Or anyone proven in the chance creating positions. This is what we need. Of course I’m not averse to any transfer that brings in a good player that improves the squad, so long as a) we can afford it and b) it’s not at the detriment of other higher priority transfers. Given the noises and signs we appear to have limited funds so I am nervous about spending £15m for a nice to have when we desperately need to fill some essential positions. Hope I’m wrong and we get all of it, but I’m not convinced

Stephens’ leadership at the back? What about his leadership in midfield, on the wing, up front and wherever else RM asks him to play?

Very funny my alternative suggestion is to adapt vindaloo by fat Les. It’s got one too many syllables but I’m sure we can squeeze it in

I think this is likely. I suspect we might see it as a 3-4-1-2 with an AMC, possibly even a false 9 behind two wide forwards. Would make some sense seeing as we don’t have a proper 9 but with ArmA, BBD and Archer (and even Stewart?) have forwards more comfortable staying wide. Of course, problems are who would be AMC/false 9 (just Dibling and Alcaraz fit that currently … Aribo at a push), what do you do with the wingers in the squad (Edozie / SAA) and how do you expect to last a season without a proper 9 (unless we do keep Paul who is … underwhelming?). I can see us getting MOR once we (fingers crossed) cash in on ABK which sorts out AMC. If we can add Ramsdale as our second domestic loan that’d sort the GK out. That could be it, but I’d be nervous about starting the season without what I consider a proper striker. Whatever happens it’s going to be a challenging season.

Only 2 loan spots from other premier league teams. Non premier league loans still available

I think it’s fair to say we expected to have cashed in on Tall Paul, KWP and ABK by now, and probably would have hoped to have moved on Alcaraz, Sulemana and possibly Mara and even Bednarek by now. Aside from the actual fees, that’s also a lot of wages. As somebody stated above, wages are also an issue. Probably why even Fraser isn’t in the building yet (Howe/Fraser stand-off notwithstanding). All the noises are about being patient and expecting to do more business - the delays in moving on our unwanted looks like it’s clearly the reason. Frustrating but that’s what happens when you spaff millions on dross (or in Alcaraz’s case people who don’t fit the style). And let’s be clear, sitting here basically 24 hours before the 1st game of the new season kicks off without a keeper or striker of anything like the required standard is sh1t. It’s going to be tough enough to have a hope this season. Unfortunately there isn’t a lot any of us can do but try and be patient and understanding. And no matter how tough this season gets, at least it feels like we have a squad of people pulling together and likely to show some fight unlike our last season in this league. Even if we’re sh1t it’ll be far less depressing than the 22/23 sh1t show was. Glass half full as always 😆

I’m hoping we play the skates. Oh …

It’s whether the profits been cut with anything

BBD is not a striker. If we are hoping either he, ArmA or Mara can somehow become a premier league striker, when they’re not even strikers, we’re in a bit of trouble.

Really appreciate the update and definitely not trying to shoot the messenger but a couple of things really concern me about the above. The comments on Ramsdale - if it’s simply a matter of £100k a week for a season, why on earth wouldn’t we? He’s a significant upgrade on a position of real and persistent weakness for us, especially given our preferred choice of the two sub-standard options we have is injured for a number of months. The phrase no-brainer was invented for this very type of scenario. Our gk blind-spot is unfathomable. Secondly, amongst all of the comments there wasn’t a single thing said about signing a striker. After Che’s departure we are actually now weaker in this position than in either of the last four years, when we’ve been abject in this position. It got us relegated. It cost us automatic promotion (thank god for the play-offs). With our current options we’d do well to score as many as 20 next season. Given the combination of playing out from the back and sub-standard keepers we’ll need a lot more than 20 goals scored to stand the remotest of chances. If it wasn’t for JWP’s free kicks when we were last in this league we’d have finished comfortably bottom. We don’t have him and we don’t have a striker, so we’re significantly worse. And it doesn’t even appear to be on our radar. Like I say, grateful for the update and I do know we need upgrades everywhere, and a transfer window in our budget is tough. But I am worried by the gk and striker blind spots. Extremely costly errors here in recent seasons and doesn’t appear that we’ve learned anything.

So long as he doesn’t have to take a decisive penalty

I don’t really see the need for another wide option - BBD, ArmA, SAA, Edozie, Dibling, maybe Lallana. I’d even say Stewart is probably more of a wide forward if he ever appears. We still also have Sulemana (hopefully not for much longer). You can argue if that’s enough quality, but there’s definitely enough bodies. Striker really concerns me as it has ever since Ings decided he was off. GK is weak. But the other pressing concern is midfield. Last year we played with three, and at present we have just Downes, Charles, Smallbone, Aribo and Alcaraz. Possibly Lallana and Dibling. (Cam Bragg isn’t going to step up this year now). None of those can tackle, only two of them can sit (and Charles isn’t favoured), 3 of them are attacking midfielders at best. There is basically only 3 people capable of playing the midfield set up we favoured last year. Unless we move to 343/532 we’re seriously light here. That said, the squad was so far off being remotely competitive before the window opened that I don’t want this to sound like a moan. We had loads to do with financial restrictions so all to be expected and some of the additions look promising and exciting. Getting ABK, Tall Paul, KWP, Sulemana and possibly Mara, Bednarek (contract) and Alcaraz moved on will obviously be key to plugging the rest of the gaps. All IMHO.

Thanks, appreciate it

Can anyone remind me of the name of the young lad from Ireland we’re due to sign when he turns (I think) 17; and when that is? Had a mental note to say it was due in July but don’t think I’ve seen anything. Apologies if it’s happened and I’ve missed it!

Think most of us noticed that a while back

Bazunu is “foreign”. Found him easily enough. 😉

Same here - wish him all the very best

Come on saints, do the right thing and offer 30. Let’s not p*ss about. The season starts tomorrow ffs. oh