Chez

I don't think Archer is a left winger or an inside forward. From what I have seen watching a lot of highlight videos of Sheffield United games last season, he plays right up top, on the shoulder of the last defender and he is always looking to get into the box, far more so than say Adams, Ings or even Lambert. He may not have scored many last season, and that's a concern, but I'd say his single role and duty is getting in positions to score goals. He's a striker. What he's isnt is a target man.

if we are looking for an alternative, then my vote is for Yaser Asprilla. Alternatively, let's get Gundogan. I can dream, can't I?

I think if we make the sales we need, we will pay Celtic what they want.

Sounds like a cub with a meticulous medical team. Perhaps if ours had the same clout, the deal for Stewart would have been abandoned, fallen through or at the very least loaded in our favour. Someone may have already posted this, but how about we make a bid for their medical team. Could save us millions in the long run.

I've missed these posts. We need to see this image at least once a week trousers.

Could not agree more. I said at the time that both McCarthy and Forster should have been allowed to leave. I also thought both Lumley and McCarthy should have been allowed to leave this summer. Two great opportunities, with clean slates, to get the position right, but both times we have `bottled it' and not trusted our scouting and/or ability to bring in new players.

Hopefully the players will gain a bit of confidence from the performance, but can we maintain that and add some ruthless finishing. There were some proper chances on Saturday. The strikers have to be lethal. Forest are dangerous on the break. Hudson-Odoi finished las season on fire. Need to prevent him getting too much space, while also cope with the physicality of Wood and Awoniyi.

Pep made just one change yesterday and he had some bloody good players on his bench.

You are not a fan then? Or did you mean, we needed a centre forward that can lead the line on his own?

Not sure. If they had stayed up, would he most likely have stayed at Sheff United?

How did he look yesterday? Did he get involved or many touches? Did he receive the ball with his back to goal at all? When watching highlights of Sheff United games, I got the feeling he made lots of runs but was never found, so it looked like he just wasn't involved. Not necessarily his fault.

This won't be the first time we are punished for a poor pass, decision, positioning etc. by far superior players to that we faced in the Championship. Last season we made a lot of mistakes that just went under the radar because subsequent attacks/opportunities fizzled out. Not sure we had a single thing to moan about Bednarek for all season. Players like THB did make mistakes though, but they got away with it, and even had time to recover their own errors. In the Prem, those same opportunities don't go begging. When mistakes are made it will be painful, but we might need to cut them all a little bit more slack, otherwise we are going to spend the entire season just moaning about how crap the players all are.

Ha. Very good. It's been a year now and I think it's fair to say that far more goals scored have come as a result of this tactic than those conceded. Some of those scored have been absolutely brilliant to watch. We have seen very few `bloopers'. Far less than I personally thought we would or was even be happy to accept. Championship finishing might have had something to do with that. If McCarthy is in goal for an elongated period, that obviously won't help. But with the right keeper, it can work. The alternative option it to `clear the lines' but goal will be conceded as a result of conceding possession to ooften. I think there has to be a balance. It needs to go long sometimes - when not under pressure, to keep teams honest. There also has to be very good decision making. Which pass helps get us into the position we want to be in and which pass puts us in a massive hole. The side needs even better footballers to do that. The one thing I'd also say is the Prem sides set traps and spot weaknesses in players and individual passes very quickly. The intensity and concentration needs to step up if we are to make it work this year.

Perhaps it's time to stop describing it as "dicking about at the back" and go with "doing everything possible to keep the ball, create space to get between the lines and open teams up"?

Do you want to or need to? Chelsea sell us a keeper now and £15m goes into their FY25 books. For us, let's say the keeper has a three year deal, a £5m expenditure goes into FY25, and the rest would be accounted for in FY26 and FY27 (although it never does). In FY26 they spend £10m buying him back, £10m goes into our FY26. Chelsea give him a 2 year deal, so £5m of expenditure goes in FY26 and £5m in FY27. Effectively we pay a £5m loan fee in FY25. Everything else balances/cancels itself out. No idea how you do it `legally and within the rules', but if any club can work that out its Chelsea.

if we are going to pass it short (a lot) deep in our own half, then it's inevitable that the keeper will see the ball a fair bit. He therefore simply has to be decent with the ball. If he is not, then you have to adjust the philosophy/style/tactic.

The clubs resolve could well be tested by a low-ball bid. We seem very reluctant to be `fucked over', so may stick our heels in to the bitter end. I wonder if the likes of Palace, Fulham and Brentford might try to get him? From his point of view, playing one more season here isn't going to hurt him. He will be available on a free and that will make him more attractive to more clubs. He can demand a higher wage too, as no fee is involved. Waiting until next year elongates his guaranteed stay in the prem. Move this summer and whoever he joins could go down - and he get a 40% cut in wage. Even if we accept a bid, doesn't mean he will want that move. It's in the summer, if we are still in the Prem, and no other decent offer comes in, when our current offer might look attractive.

could we replicate the `Archer Sheffield signing, disguising a loan by buying the player and then selling them back the following summer for a slightly cheaper amount (the loan fee)?

Interesting that Steve, and obviously he can speak for himself on here if he wishes, felt Steele was great with his feet but not a good shot stopper. In the same league as Baz/McCarthy. Also interesting that Alfie felt Johnstone was as bad as McCarthy with his feet, so not a great fit for us.

A good question. Speculating here, as I don't know, but was McCarthy injured for periods of the second half of last season? He was on the bench for the first half of the season, but then it was Lumley. I think the goal Lumley conceded at Watford put some doubt into RMs mind, although Lumley continued to be on the bench after that game. There was a thought that there might be another contract situation, where if he played x number of games, he got his contract automatically renewed (as was the case the previous season), but not sure that was the case. When push came to shove, RM went for his more experienced man, and he was right to do so, but it doesn't explain why he didn't have him as his number 2 prior to that. Yeah, I can't answer your question. RM just changed his mind. It's his prerogative.

Archer doesn't need a couple of weeks to familiarise. Strikers don't need to understand where to be to beat the press, make the angles and be in the right place defensively. Personally I am unsure about him, but RM must rate him to sign him. OK, so the other players that came on didn't change things this time, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't have been on the bench. I have no idea what you are talking about when you say: "It looked like a bench picked to keep SAA, Dibling and Archer in the group" I also have no idea why anyone would think RM would put Onuachu on the bench. RM doesn't rate him at all.

Most on here have raved about Dibling. Archer is our new striker - did you not want him on the bench? and most want to see SAA get an opportunity.

Have to agree. I'd say it's his 3rd pro season. He played 17 times in the Prem first time around. Wasn't ready then and not sure he is now. Might need another season in the Championship.

Loves Edozie's willingness to try and beat a man, but worry whether he is quite good enough, even for us. Still got time on his side, but we are going to need a few goals and assists this season from him or our other wingers this season or we go down.

OK. I thought so too, but people on here have been saying he's more of a left sided attacker, like Rodriguez was for us, rater than a Lambert (positionally).