Chez

As was the case with BBD and Sheffield United, Archer should learn a lot from Leeds' reluctance to include a `must buy if you get promoted' clause in the loan deal. It would seem they fancy him as a player to help them get promoted, but not a player to help them once in the Prem. If they go up they will clearly be able to afford him, so not agreeing to buy on promotion suggests they think they can do better with a PL place secured. Or am I missing something? If that is the case, there seems little point in him stepping down a division now (unless of course Juric/SFC has indicated he doesn't want him). He may as well stay here, fight for his place and get some more PL games under his belt.

I was never convinced by Martin, but considering the absolutely shit show he inherited, I respect the job he did in uniting the squad, setting a pattern of play and getting us winning games. Whatever his limitations, I think he should be credited for that - so I'm never going to call him a "terrible manager". Let's see how the next manager, Juric or whoever, handles the job of turning a sinking ship (full of disgruntled sailors) around in the matter of a couple of months. I can see Archer scoring goals in the championship. He's quick and seems to know where the net is. Not sure anyone in the Prem is going to buy him in the summer, so unless he joins Leeds now (which looks unlikely), we will probably get to see that.

It seems to be a `done deal' on here that Armstrong will fire in the goals next season. I hope you are right, but right now, Armstrong's confidence is completely shot. He dithers and hesitates, all fluency is lost, nothing looks natural and he doesn't strike anything cleanly. Obviously, that was the same the last time we went down. Thankfully, he refound his confidence and form, and by the end of last season was at his most instinctive and decisive best. I don't think its a certainty he refinds that confidence and form though. I have concerns.

Very positive about Wellington. Looking forward to seeing him play. I'm not expecting the next Roberto Carlos, but an attacking fullback with pace and ball skills would be nice.

Next season, "more than alright" is getting promoted, right? That would be my hope/expectation, but my concern is that it's a worse side than the one that came 4th last time we were in the championship - and for that side to be even close to the 23/24 season one, it relies on them once again working out a way of winning most games and Armstrong once again getting his confidence back and scoring 20+ goals again (which I think is far from certain).

Readijng that first article it seems that Spurs only had 8 players on the bench on Sunday. Bit disconcerting that Postecoglou doesn't rate him enough for a place on their bench when they are desperate.

Adams replaced by Archer/BBD Brooks replaced by Dibling/Fraser Armstrong replaced by Fernandes/Lallana Perhaps we'd of benefitted retaining those three players and maybe not bringing BBD, Fraser and Lallana

Maybe best to wait until the summer and see who departs before adding yet more players to an already bloated squad?

...does that mean the interest in KWP, Baz, Taylor, Archer, Sulemena and Onuachu in the press is all bollocks? or was the question specifically about "incomings"

In the end, if we want to refresh the squad next season, we do need to sell a few, and as always, offloading the ones you really dont want is the hardest. We have BBD, Archer, Onuachu and Armstrong on the books. I know some are happy to go with those players next season because they have scored golas at that level in the past, and that's a reasonble option, but personally I'd be happy if all four departed and we tried again with another three players. Hopefully two work out, not only in getting us promoted, but also doing something after we go up. The big issue with that plan is that we might sign players that don't even do it in the Championship...and then we'd be really fucked.

Our tactic the summer was to spend every penny we had available to compile the best Prem squad we could to try and stay up. It has failed. We will go back down. So, the `yo-yo' tag becomes applicable, but the idea that becoming a yo-yo clubs was a `tactic' is not accurate IMO. Making money from high upside youngsters is certainly part of the football business plan. It's essential to become a sustainable business simply because you lose money every year on wages and failed transfers and you need to make up for those losses to allow you to reinvest. We obviously signed some young players with high upside like Archer and Fernades, but we signed two loans, Fraser, Taylor, BBD and Lallana. We also signed Ramsdale, Downes and Sugawara. So, lots of different player types, ages and values - such that it's hard to define a clear policy other than we wanted a mix of experience, youth etc.

Neither are what we needed for the Prem. What about next season the Championship? Armstrong was excellent last season. His quality stood out at that level. Come this summer, he would be another year older, so not sure he would be the guy to go for.

It was certainly surprising as we seemed to need a guy who could play with his back to goal. If BBD was always going to play in a wide role (I still understand why anyone thinks he's a wide attacker) - and Onuachu was not really part of the plan, we need a strong number 9 to give us a focal point. When we were unable to get first choice Delap, perhaps the options were limited?

When you put it like that, its pretty damning. Of course, there will always be some transfer failures, but we certainly haven't had anywhere near enough `successes' (and I am talking about immediate, not long term) to survive this season. I guess the only counter argument, would be that apart from Archer, the rest cost buttons - and had to because they didn't have the budget needed. Bigger money signings Ramsdale - success Archer - failure Downes - failure Ferndandes - Success Smaller money signings BBD - failure Sugawara - failure Wood - failure Edwards - failure Fraser - failure Taylor - failure Lallana - failure Les - failure Cornet - Failure Add that lot to a squad already bereft of PL quality and its hardly surprising we have not got the results we hoped for.

sounds good to me. I am quietly confident. If there is a team we are most likely to beat it has to the be the second worst team in the league, doesn't it? Going to go 2-3 Saints.

It would be nice to swap in a few of that 2003 side. Bridge, Svensson and Beattie for starters.

At this specfic moment in time its hard to see where the next point is coming from, so they all look tough, but if `accumulating points' has to start somewhere, why not Ipswich? They have had our number in recent times, but I wouldn't say they have been miles better.

Assuming the link with Sulemena is true (I'd take it with a pinch of salt) Lens won't be able to plead pennyless (all be it they might need soem replacement CBs) when negotiating for him, seeing as they also just sold Khosanov to City for €50m.

According to the article, we want €8m plus a sizeable sell on percentage, but Lens only want to loan him.

In the championship, Kompany picked him to play CB at the start of the season, but by and large he couldn't get in their side - he started just five times in the last 30 league games. To be fair Maatsen played at left back and he's a damn good player, and they had THB and Beyer at CB, so decent competition. With Maatsen not coming back the following season, in the Prem he seemed to be the only left back in their squad, which might explain why he played regularly. Maybe someone that saw a few Burnley games that season can say how he performed. I got the impression that the passing out from the back game failed because the defenders were not up to it, he being one of those.

Watford need a keeper on loan as Bachmann got injured recently and will miss several months now after having surgery.

Bellingham was playing for the first team at 16 years and 30 odd days and was a little younger when it came to him getting a big move (he joined Dortmund a month after his 17th birthday), but obviously plying his trade in the Championship. In his first season at Dortmund (17-18 years old) he was very impressive and he was playing well in champions league games. I'd say he was slightly more proven, but I dare say if Dibling was playing for a big side this season he'd have no problems performing in the CL too.

Simple. You dont extend any of those guys with one year left. If someone comes in with a decent offer for any of them, you sell and replace with someone that hopefully will be great in the championship and better than the predecessor was in the Prem. They all have a year to impress. Come the end of the year SAA has been great, you give him a new contract, if not, you don't. There is a great opportunity here. We get promoted and have loads of guys not good enough for the Prem out of contract - so you can cut them loose and upgrade. Average players coming to the end of their contracts is a blessing not a problem.

He was garbage in the relegation season and that must have had an impact on the size of the bids we got that summer. He's been much better this season, carrying over the great form he showed last season, but he lacks genuine pace and it gets exposed now and then at this level. Overall though he has been bloody great us and we will miss him when he departs.

Likewise. The abuse he took on here after the United loss (and since) was too harsh IMO. He came on in that game and we went backwards, and of course we lost, but the defeat wasn't his fault. There is a lot of frustration on here, I understand that, but he's only played 283 minutes out of a possible 2070 due to injury. Our issues and measly 6 point tally are not all on him. That said, I'm not a big fan. He has a good touch and his weight of pass is excellent, but there are holes in his game. There are question marks how he fits into a midfield that isn't managed by RM.