Saint86

Ah yes, tbf i forgot about Downes - but he isn't going to be hanging around beyond this season. Manning was a fullback replacement for Tino/KWP. Shea Charles is a cb/cdm to replace the various outgoings before they happen. With smallbone, Downes is essentially adding depth as we've lost two cm and gained two CDM's 🤷‍♂️.

All of our signings have been done in advance of players leaving. So far at any rate. 😅 We just haven't signed many players....

Lets hope that's it! Tella, Suleman, Alcaraz is a title winning attack.

Ryan Fraser is miles off either Tella or Sulemana. Shocking bit of business strength wise.

The ladies world cup final penalty call vs spain was a really good example of this. They took ages looking at it via video assistant, and then the ref stood by the pitch side monitor for a few minutes to look at it about 10 times... They then overturned the onfield decision to give the penalty. Quite evidently, that wasn't a clear an obvious mistake as it took to long to look at it, and for decisions like that it really should be a quick 1min look, is it an error? Yes/No style job. There are other instances where there are various issues that occur, such as potential offside, then maybe a handball etc. But even then it should be a couple of minutes top. The refs have the tech and its good, but the ref's are poor. And thats the issue - its is beyond me how time and time again they keep getting dragged into looking into decisions in minute detail when that very clearly isn't the scope or how its meant to be applied. Just shove a damn time limit on it! But the mentality of putting VAR back in the box remains nonsense in my book, shouldn't even be on the table as a possible option.

That article is written as if Leeds have a decent shot at promotion... It's not going to pan out that way 😄

I for one am just missing the Napoleonic wars chat...

Speak for yourself, but I'd happily sell onuachu, mara, Aribo, and djenpo 😅

History hasn't nothing to do with this window though. Wilcox and co have moved early for their main targets, and struck good deals for the outgoings. There is no evidence that they'll commit a huge error for our promotion chances.

That was when Che was on the verge of joining Bournemouth. Which hasn't happened. If we wanted prioe we'd be in for him. We signed Charles and manning early on the basis we couldn't afford to wait, even though we needed outgoings... If we want a player right now we'll be moving for them (given prior sales and improved financial situation). So I think this is a lot of stress about nothing atm. Ultimatley Che is better than piroe, and if we get promoted (and want to keep him beyond his contract) we likely will... The only time to worry is if we look like selling che without replacing him - unless the board think ballard is ready... Or even mara 😬😬

This would be absolute nonsense tbh. If we want Piroe and he wants to move to us, then Swansea would have no sensible choice other than to accept our offer. He's leaving them for free next summer, which for a championship team with Swansea's income would be economic stupidity. They really are in quite a weak position. Also, i'm quite happy to keep Che tbh. 3 goals in 3 games... Easily on course for 20+ goals this year, and if we get promoted he will probably sign an extension.

It will be even worse next summer after a year of scraping the barrel and signing shit sub standard players to try and stay up. One to definetly savour. They have a bleak few years ahead.

Most likely to be Stu, Charles, and alcaraz as a starting midfield surely? Downes has had food poisoning and needs time to settle and adjust to the squad and tactics - I.e. More likely to appear from the bench? Also quite surprised by the number of people happy to see Charles dropped to the bench. Been great so far.

Someone needs to have a word with Wilcox here....

Thank you, i'm glad someone said this. Never understand why people feel the need to undermine the role of Wellington and the predominately Anglo (and dutch) army at Waterloo. People forget that Blucher was first routed by Napoleon who succeeded in splitting the allied armies before they could join against him, he then turned on Wellington who had held out against the French (i think under Grouchy but CBA to google) whilst the Prussians withdrew, before retreating to waterloo and making his stand against Napoleon (and the bulk of the French army/artillery). He held long enough to allow some of Blucher's forces to get past Grouchy and arrive late in the battle to complete what was an allied rout of Napoleon. Blucher didn't win that battle, the allied forces did, neither of them would have done it alone. And most of wellington's troops were not German/Prussian (although some were) as Badger claimed. The reality is that without Wellington at Waterloo it would have been a very different world history we'd be learning about today - he was arguably the greatest general of that time period, and certainly the best defensive tactician - shame we can't get him on set pieces really.

We'd be absolutely mental to sell him to them for that.

They're probably hoping sting us for jwp's fee next summer.

It won't have just been shitting.... 🙈 And yes, i did also think that was the other possibility.

Did anyone else think he looked a bit underwhelmed to be here? Was chatting to a couple of west ham mates and apparently he kicked off a bit originally at being used in a deal for JWP. He can't be happy at being a west ham fan, not having had the chances he wants there, and now being sent down a division as his place is taken by the player he's now replacing 😅. He's been proper shafted re his west ham dreams at anyrate!

West ham fans very pleased with jwp on KUMB 😢. I just hope he has a good season and makes the England squad. Was an absolutely class player for us, criminally underrated by some of the fanbase.

Anyone who thinks it's a good idea to sell Che is saying it on blind hope (that we'll not miss him) imo. But equally we are extremely unlikely to replace him with a player of the same quality; whilst at the same time, he is our best striker. So we'd be weakening the team for minimal financial gain in the short term and certainly damage our promotion expectations in the long term. If we got promoted and we use him as a key player within the campaign then it is likely he'd stay, if that isn't the case then he'll leave for free. It's a gamble either way from a financial perspective, but the risk reward is certainly in favour of keeping him at the £12-15M price point. Also, as I've said previously, if the club in question is Everton then we shouldn't deal with them on principle.... And we should charge them a premium. But even better would be to keep them along for the ride and reject shortly before the window closes. I think they're going down regardless this year and they have just lost their key striker and need to replace him without a pot to piss in - another reason we should charge them a premium 😈

We don't need to tell Che or kwp that, they know they can go next year.... they will be out of contract 😂😅. Suspect Adams may stay for a promotion push. RM seems to think he's happy and settled and its interesting (perhaps telling) that the move that was previously countenanced by the club was Bournemouth? (family reasons?) Suspect if we get promoted and he's got a key role that he may be happy to stay rather than uprooting doe the sake of it? KWP I think is going, with clubs like arsenal interested and plenty of seemingly available similar level replacements... Tella we'd be mad to sell. And similarly I would like to see sulemana stay. We should absolutley destroy teams at this level with the likes of tella, sulemana, Armstrong, Adams, alcaraz... Still plenty of fluff to shift regardless, all of the following could be moved on and easily replaced (if not improved on). Lyanco Bednarek Stephens Aribo Onuachu Djenpo Macca

We should have tagged Everton along until deadline day and then told them no chance the evening of. Wasted opportunity to screw those cheats over!

He's a good keeper for this level and for how we want to play. Clearly has a very strong mentality and self confidence, and he's got the potential to become a very good keeper. His saves / post shot expected goals ratio was poor last year, sure... but in fairness to him, statistically the stats he's being compared against weren't from other defences spontaneously assisting the strikers with no/little warning.

Shocking decision in the Leeds game tonight, ultimatley giving west brom a draw. No excuse for mistakes like that.