Chez

we are always going to be running to stand still I guess. As always, it will be about who and when they leave. You hope it is kind of on our terms, although it never really is. Ideally someone like Bednerak leaves for £20m, and no one else, enabling us to possibly strengthen as a squad. The possibility is, Salisu and KWP go and we have serious work to do to even stand still. Fingers crossed.

Got to say that with the club's lost income due to COVID and the debt we have, money could well be tight this summer, so spending £10m, £15m, £20m here, there and everywhere, without a major departure, might not be possible. I can see us resigning Long and attempting again to resign Forster.

Assuming the contract is true (it must be) McCarthy will be on number 1 wages. Doesn't mean he starts though. It could well be Johnstone coming in and they would then compete for the shirt.

Pickford is our first choice. We are not exactly blessed in that department. Good for him though to come back from a terrible injury and make it back into the squad.

I wouldn't be surprised if Long got a new deal. Broja will return to Chelsea and we won't have funds to acquire two strikers. There isn't a youth team striker coming through. Adams and Armstrong won't be going anywhere.

I'm sure he will have plenty of offers from Prem sides.

He was first choice when offered the contract. The contract ain't to be a backup. It will be sizeable wages. Dont shoot the messenger.

he won't be fit for August?

Thoroughly deserved. He's absolutely flying right now. Great to watch. Enjoy him while he's here.

Didn't know he had a bad injury. That will explain his lack of sharpness. Hope he can rediscover it. I also think he and Bednerak are on a similar level. Both can play at this level, but if we want to break the top 6 or 8 maybe we need to improve on them. Not easy to do. I'm not a big fan of Lyanco. He is not good enough in the air and he dives in (takes risks) all the time. Plenty of time on his his side.

Good shout. Very good player. No idea why United sold him.

bollocks

bollocks

Bollocks

bollocks

You are not objective. Broja didn't score at United, but he had a terrific game. I thought he played well against Everton too. He did everything but score. He's struggled in the last few games, especially against the teams that sat deep, but this the idea that his form goes back ages is complete and utter drivel. No one is buying it.

CB and keeper seem to be the two positions the club struggles to develop players. That means we will continue to have to sign players from elsewhere. The Gunn and Simeu signings showed that there was nothing in the pipeline. Perhaps those positions need experience that games bring. Not necessary older players, just players that come through the leagues. Does signing experienced (ageing) pros ever work these days in the Prem? United have done well signing outstanding ageing talents like Henrik Larrson, and quite a few older keepers have done well in the Prem, but by and large, don't they now all tend to get injured and bleed you dry wages wise?

he has looked the same in all the games I've seen him this season. Sluggish. He looks like a 35 year old, not a 28 year old. In this day an age, the players tend to be mega fit. Mind you, even Stu took a few games to find his match sharpness after injury. Has Stephens had a major injury? Perhaps one game a month doesn't help.

It looked a pen in real time, and then when the action was slowed down, there was clearly leg-to-leg contact, so the VAR folks could not possibly object to the decision. It felt a bit `soft', the contact between the two wasn't huge, but it was down to Salisu lunging in, not Mike Dean making a poor decision, sadly.

Obviously if money was no object, we'd of gone out and brought a rolls royce of a CB in the summer, but to me, it felt like the club were more than happy with Bednerak and we thus bought another `Bednerak' (£5m longer term project) to slot in below, not above him. If we'd have had an extra £5m to spend I think we'd of done the same thing. By and large we don't look to `upgrade' and push existing players down the pecking order, we instead fill gaps left by out of contract/sales departures and/or buy `projects' that will eventually (some quicker than others) progress up the ladder and fill the gaps.

he looks a bit `heavy'. I don't know if I mean carrying timber, or just that he looks sluggish. In the past you could never point to a lack of sharpness or pace as being Stephens undoing, but in the recent games, for me, he looks slower. That lack of sharpness possibly contributed to him not getting his feet set in time to clear that ball away. I see a lack of zip in his passing too. I might be wrong, perhaps there is no change and he just now has more of a casual relaxed way of playing.

Daily Mail suggests Tyrick Mitchell will replace James. He must be bloody good to be selected ahead of KWP who is having a tremendous season. Every game he plays he seems to be more impressive. He has done well at left back previously, but yesterday it looked like it was his natural position. It makes such a difference when he plays. He makes things happens, beating men, drawing others to him and creating space. Without that, we play in front of teams. I was so impressed with his ball skills yesterday. Very surprised he is not the next right back on Gareth's list. Perhaps that is a good thing. Saints players (JWP apart) seem to depart not long after call ups.

big style. Really hoping things click, maybe next season, and we have Ings mark II on our hands. Looks a long way from it right now, but things can change.

I thought he was offered one and turned it down, hence McCarthy getting his?

crikey. that sounds bad. I can't see there's any coming back from that.