S-Clarke

He's way too loyal for his own good, it's a commendable trait...but it can also be completely ill-advised in some circumstances, and this is such a circumstance. I'd go as far to say that if we keep McCarthy as our GK, we might as well have not been promoted - as the season will be a waste of everyone's time. It scares the life out of me.

I don't expect us to start the season well at all, we will probably be waiting some weeks for our first win/points - we will be recruiting right up until the end of the window imo, so how we start at Newcastle will still be nowhere near how we look come September/October. I think we'll reserve our more impressive editions (loans) until the end of the month - got to be patient and roll with the punches up to then I guess.

Ronnie Edwards give away was absolutley due to a lack of understanding of who is around him, lack of communication, too near other team mates etc. Manning is seemingly doing the Stephens role, probably because Martin see's him as capable on the ball - but christ, you need shit loads more in your locker to play that role! Football isn't just about passing.

We have a weird blind spot when it comes to GK's though, the same people at the club did just offer him a new 2 year contract, with the PL in mind. The same people who extended Lumley's deal in Feb. Our GK ideas are incredibly confused and have been for as long as I can remember.

The positive is that it hammers down the need for a GK to all concerned within the club, just in case they were bordering on the 'club is relaxed about the situation and happy with McCarthy as first choice' lines. The club can't sleep on this one any longer. He shouldn't have really been given a new deal if we're honest. Real lack of understanding throughout the entire team though, which is somewhat understandable I guess.

I guess in a way they do also attract the wrong sorts of players - players seemingly happy to just take the cash and not at all bothered if they don't play lots. They signed a young CM from France last summer for around £35m, 120k p/w apparently, barely features in any capacity. Lavia slightly different because he's just been injured for a year, but even with the injury I cannot help but think he picked the wrong club. I think a combination of the injury and the club he's at will stop him ever fulfilling the potential he could reach.

I'd have argued we needed a striker if Che had stayed, but without Che we need two. BBD is a good start, he's more of a fluid attacker across the 3 I'd say - we do lack a proper number 9, I'm completely discounting Mara and Stewart as viable options.

He was equally well on course to win the same award in the Championship. I'd love for him to restart elsewhere, but we know that won't happen. His place will be kept warm by a filler until he's back fit, then we'll have to suffer his inadequacies again - let's hope we're prolific up the other end when he returns, as we'll need to be scoring 3 to win games with him in the goal - at any level.

Some odd bitter Blackburn fans there. One saying they wouldn't take him back! Laughable. Some players just don't suit certain leagues, we've seen it in the EPL many times.

What did Totton do to deserve him? In all seriousness, that's a pretty big signing for Totton.

Yeah, it's certainly been a different approach. We've still signed players with potential, such as THB and Edwards, but have supplemented them well with the likes of Charlie/Lallana/BBD etc - bit of know how in those areas (although how much Lallana plays is up for debate). Even look at pre-season and our fixture line-up, games against teams that make sense and slowly build up to the hardest tests etc - how we're approaching football things is making sense for a change, rather than it being solely focused on metrics, numbers, what we'll get for a re-sale etc etc - we're doing things based on footballing reasons in the here and now. I still feel we are planning a big signing though - that's why we've been pretty clever on our additions up to now outlay wise.

Somehow they're just about to spend £27m on a young CB from Lyon. (might have already gone through tbf). I guess it's the precursor to Brathwaite going. Although how they have the flexibility to buy before they sell is beyond me.

Is O'Riley this years Gakpo, or Gaston Ramirez? The unlikely addition that we either do pull off, or miss out on at the 11th hr. Although to be fair to Gakpo, that did kind of surface right at the end of the window. The interest in O'Riley is 100% genuine as it's been going on for over a year now, we tried to sign him last summer - or at least made some exploratory questions.

Take a note of LeG's posts, he's very much in the know of the Guan/K'billy ilk - not sure who he is (could be one of those two with a new account I guess). He's certainly connected in some way.

WHU fans don't really have a clue tbh, even their club as a whole has no idea. They love to to waste their time going after entirely unrealistic options, i.e. Amorim to replace Moyes, and then Mazraoui was another entirely unrealistic target. They've had loads of similar efforts over the years, thinking they are bigger than they really are. They are middle of the road also-rans, can occasionally get Europe in a good season, but equally as likely to be embroiled in a relegation battle. They're just one of the rest of the PL. Nothing special.

Ah these sorts of rumours are like a nod to the past, this is how the transfer window used to be. None of this Romano stuff! Maybe we can get Pilchards back up the tree outside Staplewood to see if he can spot Rudi Skacel!

He could fancy a change up for this year. Dortmund have just bought another striker (who I quite liked - Guirassy) so his chances may be even more limited, they have Fullkrug and Haller too. He defo hasn't at yet hit his hyped potential at Dortmund, which has lead to him being in and out of the side a bit. If he's available on loan (that's all it will be) then there will be a dozen takers. This is what will start to happen now though, 'elite' clubs will have top players somewhat surplus and this is where we need to put the loan market to use - we did it very well last year.

No way are we loaning out Ronnie Edwards, he'll be part of the first team. We'll end up selling him for £30m+ in a few years, mark my words on that - guy is a class act. He's a John Stones/Jarrad Brathwaite-esque lower league pickup.

The loan would make sense to me - keeps our powder dry this summer in relation to PSR, so we get a striker but on our books this year we haven't paid anything (bar a loan fee). Could be one like the THB one, turns into an obligation process if we stay up - but the loan just expires if we go down. Protects both parties.

Only the second half of the season, but he was in the running for Sheff U's player of the season - not hard going by how horrific they were though. The general consensus with their fans is that had he been there from the start, they'd have been much more competitive as he changed their attack around.

Charlie Taylor was playing in the PL in 23/24, 21/22, 20/21, 19/20 - you get the drift. He's a premier league player and we signed him on a free transfer, from Burnley, who were playing in the PL last year. Brooks was far from shite, certainly didn't live up to full expectations, but added quality to our front end without question. I'm really confused by your points, because on one hand you are bemoaning people wanting to get rid of Mara and Sulemana, yet on the other hand you call out Brooks as playing shite.

Some Sheffield United fan views - pretty much all positive, cannot find anyone moaning about him (and they had a lot to moan about last year)

It's somewhat the polar opposite of what we did the last time we were in this league. We got the likes of Mara for £12m (11.95m he cost, believe it or not - Jesus), whilst other clubs went for more experienced options at similar prices. £20m for Delap is something we'd have done, well we were trying to do, but we seem to have learnt. £8m on a attacking signing is food and drink for a PL club, if he fails....we've not just spunked over £20m on someone, so financially we won't be screwed should be need to switch out next summer - but if he does reasonably well, even 10 goals, he has paid back £8m and we will be sat on easily double or 3 times profit should we sell.

Are you suggesting Sulemana and Mara know how we play? They don't even understand football in it's simplest terms, so they would be of no loss to any professional football club. Ross Stewart doesn't know how we play because he's never played. We could lose Ross, Sulemana and Mara, and not replace them and we'd still be no weaker than we are with them.