Chez

let's spend it on more top talent.

I had totally forgot that incident until I read it on your post.

Maybe we look to buy Brazilian attackng players and Argentinian defensive types. Or better still, just buy good players from either nation.

Brighton seem to have done very well buying talent, loaning them out until they seem Premiership ready, then utilising them when another players departs. Not sure a position has opened up or if he is Prem ready (obviously doesn't need to be to play for us).

I would say he has almost certainly downed tools, which is why Martin is explaining is absence with bullshit like he is `away getting treatment on his own'. The club has clearly received offers, perhaps some not accepted and he ain't happy, wants to leave and has gone awol to force the club to allow him to depart ASAP. Whether a £21.5m bid from Monaco is enough to make that happen, time will tell. I agree, Argentina is the place to look for players. The clubs have no money, but lots of talented players that you can pick up for a song. What was wrong with Guly? I thought he did a great job for us.

Luton couldn't afford McCarthy. I have to say that I have always liked Krul, but I am guessing he's not as a good as I imagine seeing as he can't get games for Norwich ahead of Gunn?

Our fee (or non fee if it was free) didn't seem to be the issue for Luton - so we are clearly not standing in his way of a move. It was more his wage/contract demands that caused that transfer to break down. Whether that's the case for Everton and Palace is to be seen.

very strong back up keeper for Arsenal. They don't need a new third keeper by chance do they?

No doubt getting paid a lot more to sit on Arsenal's bench than play first team football for Brentford. Slightly strange move for Raya though, as you'd think another decent season actually playing for Brentford might earn him a big move next summer and be the no 1 at that new club too.

With Lynaco on our bench and indeed playing against Gillingham, I assume the cartilage issue, discovered during the medical, is not sufficient enough to justify any surgery? No additional rumours around him, so I am guessing he will be staying?

Monaco certainly have a habit of selling their stars for serious money, so a sell-on clause would be a good idea for him, if possible.

While we wait for an annonucement... The highlights from this game against us is why I thought we should have signed Downes last summer (and possibly we tried). He won't always come up against a side that gives him as much room as we did, but you should get a good idea of the type of player he is. Very one footed, but comfortable on the ball and seems to make a lot of very good decisions as to when to play it one touch and when to use more.

The last sentence reads as: Dortmund are not going to pay the €25m release clause, so if someone else does, then Southampton will have to accept that offer, so he will possibly be joining that club and not Dortmund. We shall see.

Agreed. It was very obvious when Martin said he was getting treatment externally that he had downed tools/gone on strike because he wanted to move (and no doubt a club had already made an offer). It's a players go to tactic these days when trying to force a move. When that happens, the writing is on the wall. As I mentioned a day or two ago, he is gone. Just a matter of time until the deal is announced. Fuck him.

Taking things written on twitter or any news site as gospel is folly. I am not saying everything is untrue, but you are much better off using these stories as a guide, with specifics, such as amounts and timings, very much subject to change.

A note of warning that he played as a wing back for Forest. Doesn't mean he wouldn't be a good signing, but it's not easy to evaluate how he defends in a four.

sure. decent point, but whenever we change 11 players for a cup game we usually look fucking terrible. Take a couple out of that side and put them into the championship side and they can perform. ABK stays he does a great job, he departs (looks likely) and we'll bring someone in.

The league cup game wasn't exactly our first choice side though was it.

Are we allowed to be negative with regards to any McCarthy replacements? Schmeichel was really rubbish the season before last. That's why Leicester were happy to move on from him. Near post goals, letting stuff through him, drops, palming balls straight to strikers, poor decisions...pretty much everything we have been chastising McCarthy for.

The extra £10m or so we may bring in could pay for Downes.

You might be right, but for me, he feels like a Chelsea type with all the youngsters they have signed. Not saying best place for him, but he might feel more at home there.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/14/liverpool-romeo-lavia-chelsea Chelsea to match it?

Nathaniel Philips? Not sure if hed actually any cop, or the type of cb we are after.

Of the profit. £9.8m by my maths. We would get the £50m we always wanted.

Can't sell a player that wants to see his contract out, but I get your point. The fact is, he wanted to go and the club agreed to the move if they got £30m. It seems very amicable to me. I've got no complaints. We've been utter turd for years. I never expected him to continue with us in the second division.