Chez

Bloody nightmare seeing genuine talent leave. Not a great advert for the academy. However, I'm not sure what Saints could do other than match Chelsea's offer, but they are paying 'other level' amounts. The fee is huge at least.

Absolutely not what you want to hear. Feels like we have been mugged due to our desperate situation. That said, our wide players are offering little right now so there is a great opportunity for him to show what he can do.

is ours not a scattergun approach? Potentially 16 players in two windows. Bazunu, Callabero, Lis Larios, Bree ABK, DCC Lavia, Alvarez, AMN Osic, Edozie, Aribo, Sulemana Mara, Onuachu

is their a position we didn't/don't need to strengthen?

it's a problem. The 4-2-3-1 formation (which seems to be a good fit for us) needs wide players that assist and score and neither of ours does.

Playing five at the back is such an easy stick to beat Jones with, but it really is a shite formation. I really don't know why h keeps trying it. Every time he does we are shit, Every time we switch to a four we are better. He found a formation and tactic that worked against City. Stick with it.

Great weight of pass by Bree. Looks like he can play to me.

the five at the back means forward players have more players to cover, so at some point a CB has to pick up a midfielder, but often its just too late - see second goal. Armstrong doesn't track and Bednarek can't step out to Longstaff quick enough (not his fault). You have players back, but usually one if not marking anyone, but midfield runners are not picked up. It's a bullshit formation. Instead of providing overloads it just leaves gaps.

the first goal was because we gave the ball away so cheaply in our own half. We killed ourselves.

absolutely this. Possession is important, but we just lose it anyway in a deeper position. Ok to do it when the opponents don't press or are tired, but when they are all over you, just go forward from the free kick.

am now

fuck off. fuck five at the back. fuck two strikers chasing shadows. fuck this pathetic press that just leaves us short and open. fuck off.

Excited. Looking forward to seeing if Bree is a proper player. I see he's been written off already on here. Not a fan of five at the back, but perhaps he wants to keep it tight early on and grow into the game. Jones' is clearly concerned about the size of Newcastle, so wants that extra CB. Edozie has flattered to deceive and may offer a nice option from the bench. Amstrong has yet another chance down the middle, but I think he looked a genuine threat out wide last time. Diallo had a good game against Newcastle last time, but can he repeat that? Hope so. COYR.

For the moment? Do you not think perhaps the deals were actually done yesterday, allowing time for the players to travel today to do their medicals?

Jude Soonsup-Bell has left Chelsea to join Spurs. Big failure on our part to collect another player with a double barrelled name .

Wonder if Che could be sold to Everton to fund the deal. The noises from the club suggest that wont happen, but he value will only go down from here.

I reckon Lyon would be very happy to lose his wages until the end of the season. He just doesn't want to join us, maybe fail to score and fuck up the `image' of him being a top class striker that may secure him a big deal in the summer. Far safer for him to sit on their bench.

My guess is if he has no motivation anymore, then Lyon would want shot. Maybe a loan just makes more sense to all parties?

Frankly I'm shocked you didn't pick up the hunger element of Blackmore's post. If there are doubts about how hungry he is, and at 26, no longer young and sure to improve, then how can he be the one for us?

there was a lot of crying on here when we didn't sign Edouard. He's been pretty average, although perhaps better than Armstrong, who we went for instead. He seems like another that doesn't really do much other than score when the chance is too good to miss. Dembele has scored goals for Lyon in France, but when he got a loan move to Athletico Madrid he wasn't a huge success and they sent him back with no interest in buying him. Is he good enough to make a mark in the Prem when playing for a struggling side like us? hope so.

maybe he gets a free contract if we go down? So, we effectively pay a £3m loan fee. That doesn't sound like something we would do though. It doesn't feel genuine to me.

He thinks it is the time to change club," said Lyon's sporting director Juninho at the time of his departure. "He told me he has lost a bit of motivation." The warning signs are right there.

Likewise. Rennes ain't getting €30m for him. Everton may have scouted him in the past, but is Sulemana really a Dyche signing?

Are you talking about Dembele? That's what I thought - he said no thanks - so why would have say "sure" now?

Did we not try to sign him before and he didn't fancy coming to us, or was that just a bollocks rumour followed by bollocks reason why bollocks rumour didn't happen?