S-Clarke

I think this would be a great moment if it happens. The way it's executed in this country is quite simply horrific, they keep trying to tweak it and then make it worse. Scrap it for now, don't ditch the idea totally for the future, but it needs to be totally rethought from the ground up if it is to return - probably best for it not handled by washed up English ref's in the future. I reckon it will stay though - the FA have chucked so much money into VAR, they even have their own purpose built HQ for it all - money will win out and they'll somehow get enough backing to keep it, probably with the promise of 'changes'. (which will just make it worse).

But he openly admitted he was in charge of recruitment in the January of 2023, arguably the most important transfer window we've had for many, many years - and he lumbered us with Orsic (wtf?), Onuachu, Sullemana - wonderful scouting there. Charly the only success, but he's not even here anymore either. He failed us in that January more than Joe Shields or Wilcox did, that's why fans have such an issue with him.

They are certainly more flush with cash, but I still can't get over how much we wasted in our last PL season. Upwards of £140m. That should have build a competitive PL team, it couldn't have gone much worse. Shows the mega importance of scouting, getting it wrong at the scale we did equals curtains pretty quickly. Villa bought well with Watkins, Diaby, Bailey, Pau Torres etc. But they added those particular players down the spine of the team for mega money, like 30-40m each - we focused on adding loads of players in the 15-20m region, but funnily enough still added up to similar as Villa. We needed to move away from that 10-15m player bracket and spend big on 2 or 3 proven players down the spine, but we didn't. Quality over quantity was certainly what we should have focused on.

There seems to be a bit of media chatter about our loanies staying, even if we fail. I can't see it......maybe they want to, but I'm not sure we could financially push to what their selling clubs want if we remain in the Championship. Another loan, maybe, but THB would have caught the eyes of PL clubs (and promoted to the PL clubs), so if he is to go on loan it would be to the prem next time round - ditto Downes. We need to go up to keep either of them.

Sometimes you just need to take a breather before posting, you throw your toys out of the pram way too quickly.

Probably was an option when we were looking to swap Charly, but we opted for Rothwell. Can't say that Azaz has ripped up any tree's what so ever at Boro, so I won't be crying over that one. Saved some $$.

Not sure what the point of threads like this are tbh.

If i'm honest today was a good result as we played 10 men for most of it. He is so bad it's not even a joke anymore, club should be able to sack him as he cannot do his job. I can't be arsed with him anymore. I'd play Stephens up front in front of this fella.

It was somewhat what I expected, very cagy, neither team really pushing too hard. Second leg will be totally different. WBA lost a lot of players through injury during that game, doubt they'll recover for Friday - so they will probably be depleted. It's very similar to the Norwich v Leeds game - both Norwich and WBA will be kicking themselves, In my opinion both sides missed their chance here - and it's now on ourselves and Leeds to take the control in the 2nd leg, which we should do in my opinion. I don't expect anything less as WBA are pretty shit and very limited. Defensively we were ok today, Bednarek the pick of the bunch. Downes decent as usual. McCarthy made saves, I can't remember the last time I saw our GK make saves - so that was a refreshing change. The week is going to drag like crap though, but I think we're in a strong position and I think WBA blew their chance today.

I would argue that both Lavia and Tino were investments that the club envisaged huge return on in the near future, and that they'd play pretty much from day 1 - and they both did. They were both head and shoulders above everyone else which was pretty much expected by the club I'd have thought. I agree that he wasn't bought as the only DM, sadly we brought in AMN who we thought could do that role - but he's not even a footballer, so that was a poor sight by the club. Lavia and Tino were brought as first team players though, with a view to sell on for mega money within 12 months - which happened pretty much.

I don't really see that as Chelsea though, they've been given their opportunity by club x or y as Chelsea weren't interested or patient enough to develop them, so they palm them off elsewhere for someone to do the hard yards. Then they just want the $$$ that they can bring in for them with no real interest in their development. But they're also dumb enough to do the above, sell Lukaku for e.g for big money (and Matic), then re-sign them for double that a few years later as they think they're the ready made player now. It's such a lazy way of developing players and I'm glad it fell flat on it's arse with Lukaku.

I think that's a 'little' harsh, they've taken over clubs on a downturn from the outset and were on the back foot from day 1 at Gotzepe and Valenciennes - so their relegations were somewhat expected, that's probably part of the reason why they acquired them - a troubled club, not as expensive as an established top flight club, but with potential to reshape them over time. We were slightly different though, a middling PL club flirting with the trap door, they thought throwing millions at young kids would move us back up the table - but it killed us dead, they misread the situation with us wildly.

What's the argument? Chelsea have been the graveyard for young talent for many years, maybe it's changing now a bit? but their history is not about youth. They don't give players time, they want the ready made options. Lukaku, De Bruyne were two young players Chelsea poached, Matic was one from their academy - didn't allow them to develop or play games, so they moved to become the players they are today. I can think of others like Van Ginkel, Marko Marin, Iaan Mattsen, Chalobah, Ugochukwu, Casadei, Chukuwembka, Malang Sarr, Broja - those are all young players that have either come through, or they've signed in recent years that cannot get a look in. Sure, they become pro players at other clubs because they're good players - but it's hard not to say that they've wasted years of their careers rotting at Chelsea to get to that point. Now those are young players they've spent big money on in the main, even as academy players - so if they struggle to get a look in I struggle to see any football for JMM or this Rodriquez guy in many years, he'll be out on loan more before he gets a look in.

Sky Sports broadcast every single playoff game from all leagues, even the non-league. There will be streams for them if people can't make it.

I'll tell you what, let's be extra generous and give them Mara as well. Just package them up as a phenomenal young talent bundle delivered in a box with a ribbon on, and then we can take Downes and JWP - no receipts or returns though.