qwertyell

Think he'll regret it more if he gets stuck in the Championship for the remainder of his career. If we don't go straight back up, who's coming in next summer with a big cheque for a 30 year old midfielder from a mediocre Championship side? It's probably now or never for him to move.

36 players have squad numbers. And although half a dozen are u21 players, you would expect the likes of Amo-Ameyaw, Doyle, Ballard, Dibling and Meghoma to see game time this season. I'm sure Saints want to bring in 3 or 4 new faces, but the squad is absolutely massive as it is. 7 or 8 or even more need to leave to get it down to a manageable number. Until there's more significant movement out, I wouldn't expect to see much in the way of incomings. We've got a whole month to address things. Frankly, it might take the January window as well to get to grips with the mess last season's incompetent squad building has left us with. Lavia and Salisu will go in the next few days. Livramento soon after. We're actively trying to get rid of Lyanco. Perraud doesn't look like he has a future here now Manning has arrived. Burnley will probably get Tella eventually. Ward-Prowse will find a suitor eventually. Onuachu is surplus to requirements. Adams has a year on his contract and isn't t signing an extension. And it'd be a surprise if no-one came in for Walker-Peters or Bella-Kotchap. That's 11 realistic outgoings. After a slow start, the final month of the window could be a real churn.

Swansea about to sign a big centre forward, Mykola Kukharevich. (Also a keeper and right back incoming). Perhaps the start of some movement one way or another? Whether it's relative to us is anyone's guess, but it'd be a surprise if Martin wasn't at least a little bit interested in a few former players.

Hamstring injury (tear?) at the end of last season at Forest. (Or "bottled it", if you're that way inclined). Was shown at the club before pre season even started, presumably rehabbing the injury, and featured in training pictures on the website during squad gym sessions once everyone was back. Hasn't been seen out on the pitch.

But would you take last season's Max Aarons over KWP? Because Norwich fans think he's been bang average for a long time and hasn't developed into anything like the player he was hyped up to become. I wouldn't disparage Walker-Peters' worth for not "lighting up" the PL for one season in which everyone was poor (having previously been one of our leading lights), in comparison to someone who didn't light up the Championship and has never done well in the PL.

The quality of the managers isn't relevent to anything. Do you - presumably an actual grown up - genuinely believe that Chris Hughton called up Salisu for an important international game, trained with him for a few days when he travelled all the way out to Ghana to join the squad, decided along with the national team's medical department that Salisu, his starting centre back, was fit as fiddle, but then elected to send him home anyway and concoct a lie to tell the media about him being injured? Why would he do that? Have there been "internet rumours" about the integrity of one of the most respected individuals in the English game?

I suppose there's two schools of thought. Either Chris Hughton (his international manager), Ruben Selles (his club manager), and Salisu himself were telling the truth when they stated that he was injured (based on the substance of either working with him or actually being him). Or some random internet nomarks have uncovered an inexplicable conspiracy of lies (based on some twitter innuendo). I wonder which of our other injuries over the course of the season weren't really injuries. Perhaps if I blocked out the microwaves with a tinfoil hat the answers would present themselves.

By being injured?

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/vinzenz-zschock/profil/spieler/455428

I think he comes across well, seems to have his head on straight. The transfer movement in and out isn't really in his control - seems like it's probably going to be a bit messy as to who stays, who goes, and who comes in right up until the end of the window. Such is the market and the consequences of getting relegated with an enormous squad of overpriced ballast. Personally, I'm suspicious of "philosophy" managers, who seem more obsessed with the purity of their vision than actually winning football matches. What if the squad we end up with can't - as is the case presently - pass out from the back under pressure? Do we just barrel on regardless, conceding ridiculously self-inflicted goals because the manager knows no other way, and shrug it off as the cost of playing "the right way"? What if "the right way" only gets us to mid-table? Is it still the right way? Time will tell if Martin is able to compromise, which I suspect he'll have to do at points if he wants to make it to Christmas.

Don't believe he's training out on the pitch yet after a serious hamstring twang at the end of the season.

I did think it was a weird link, as Fulham are supposedly looking for a ball playing centre back. Which, with all due respect, I'm not sure anyone would describe Salisu as even on his best day.

He was training with the first team squad during the first couple of weeks of pre season. Would almost certainly have played a role in the friendlies, given Doyle, Meghoma, Amo-Ameyaw and Dibling have. Sounds like it's just a minor knock and he'll be available soon.

Wasn't a "howler" per se, but his positioning on the first goal left a lot to be desired. Watch the replay from the behind the goal. It's something he does too much of: leaving the attacker about 2/3rds of the net to aim at because he's lost his bearings.

Started (going by the pictures on the official site) training out on the pitch with the first team squad this week, having previously been rehabbing in the gym.

That reminds me - bin bag needs changing.

No we won't. Norwich were quoting £30m+ last season for Aarons.

Larios actually out on the pitch. Wonder if he'll stay fit enough for us to find out if he's any good. Abu also part of the first team training.

People are massively underrating the championship if they think a guy who cannot even do the basics of defending will be "fine" for this level.

In defence of the forwards yesterday, what chances were created for them? Mara winning a (dubious) penalty was all his own work. As a team we aren't even providing scraps. It might be fair to lump the strikers into the mix as part of the overall problem - maybe they're not making the right runs or finding enough space in the box - but the service has been and continues to be nonexistent. Doesn't matter who is up front if we can't get the ball to them.

Yeah, he's not a winger. Just filling in there, I presume, because Djenepo is ill, Edozie is possibly injured, and Sulemana isn't match ready. Doesn't have the speed to play out wide. And he's bulked up a lot in the last year. If anything, he looks a bit too heavy. Always thought he was a 10. Might even go well as an 8 now he's built like a tank.

That wasn't championship quality goalkeeping. That was basic shit.

Dragan stopping by to see what the fuck all his money has been spent on.

Dibling started the Benfica friendly.

We'd probably have to match the £700k a week, tax free, the Saudis are allegedly offering. So, no.