Chez

Northern Echo's take is that Brandon Williams is now going nowhere https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/19000643.newcastle-end-interest-manchester-uniteds-brandon-williams/ with Fosu-Mensah instead departing and Williams becoming backup right back.

I've only watched Reading twice and to be honest I wasn't concentrating very hard. However, he was actually noticeable in those games because he beat people all ends up and that is something you don't see every day at most levels from fullbacks. He always seemed to want to get forward with the ball and dribbled a lot rather than seeing the ball as a hot potato - lots of confidence. I just watched a youtube video of a game agains Blackburn and he has a brilliant drag back and in that game he seemed to beat players all the time with his tricks. He certainly likes to dribble it out from the back and drive into space like KWP does. I am wondering if he is a converted winger. He looks good at that level. He wouldn't get away with as much at our level, but he has the first touch thats for sure. I don't know if he has the defensive capabilities.

Returning to the left back position, I see that Reading's Omar Richards (out of contract in the summer) is linked with Bayern Munich. Possibly agent drumming up interest from Prem sides/increasing Reading's wage offer, but he is an exciting player. Very skillful on the ball, lots if tricks and a decent crosser of the ball. He doesn't look lightning fast, which could be an issue when stepping up a level, but I would hope we have scouted him in recent weeks.

good timing that Valery got a run out in the last game I guess. Not saying he is the long term answer, but he can play one game without the world coming to an end.

Very hard to just write off £20m, but perhaps cutting losses quickly is a smart move with wages no doubt sizeable too.

I actually thought there was contact by KWP, but it wasn't enough to fell Mane, but having felt it, he then dived with arms thrown out. There is a slight delay between contact and him falling, a sure sign of a dive. My fear was VAR would just focus on the contact and ignore the fact it didn't cause him to fall over, that was all his own doing. Thankfully they either didn't think there was significant contact, or agreed with me that the only reason he ended up on the ground was because he dived.

it was a bad tackle. I've only seen it once, but definitely yellow, possibly red. Just the sort of tackle that Milner has avoided cards somehow his whole career.

Fair point, and just like you I will probably be bemoaning him when he does it, but often here aren't brilliant alternatives, so the ball will likely be turned over anyway. I would also say that its a lot easier to determine when to do it not do it from up in the stand/sofa.

Very interesting game against Leicester coming up. They are full of confidence, but won't dominate as much as Liverpool did second half. Getting the balance right between attack and defence is crucial. Not sure we have cracked that yet, but the Foxes game will be a better gauge.

I agree with this. Armstrong does lose the ball more often than say Prowse, but you have to have players willing to drive into open spaces. His willingness to push into even narrow spaces with the ball can be a real asset, it forces defenders to work hard and stay honest, he drags players to him which creates openings. Yes, often it leads to nothing, and it can look clumsy, but you have to take chances now and then otherwise everything is played out in front of back fours and we become predictable and easy to defend against. What's key here is how often he makes these runs yet still has energy to chase back. Theo is a similar type of player. It can be frustrating seeing these two seemingly trying to take one too many on, but there is room in our side for some direct runners that take chances. I see these players as brave. Perhaps not the time or place, but Lemina also showed some bravery when keeping the ball too long looking for someone to be open (which cost him and us in a couple of games). It is a fine line. Personally, I'd prefer to see us take these chances and get caught now and then if it means we are more dangerous and attacking side that is good to watch.

Terrific. Really pleased with the amount of composure we showed on the ball. It was backs against the wall in the second half, and we chucked everything in front of crosses and shot, but when the opportunity arose we put our foot on the ball and did our very best to keep it rather than hoof down the channels. KWP especially shows absolutely n fear on the ball. I thought he was outstanding. Brilliant effort from all players. Perfect timing for the FA cup game to help give one or two a rest, possibly.

Decent half for us with some good opportunities created and not too many against. Boy did we run around a lot, chasing everything hard. A bit headless chicken at times, but it worked. That massive effort worries me as we will tire and space will open up, but better us go for it from the get go than sit back and let them pick us apart in their own time. We need to use subs wisely in the second half, not helped by a lack of experience on the bench. I missed the build up. Where is Adams and Romeu?

some of his basics, like controlling a pass, and passing to a team mate ,have bene horrible in recent games. Like someone that has not played in months. You have to get those basics right. I am a little surprised Redmond has not replaced in (maybe he will tonight) because of that. Good that Ralf is giving him a run of games, but he needs to repay his faith with better play. He is certainly more of a team player, getting back behind the ball etc. and making challenges (all be it most leading to fouls) but I'm not sure he is any less predictable. Just none of his dribbles have created a lot in recent times. I think Bertrand struggles to read him or know when to overlap. I don't think he trusts him no to lose the ball and therefore is more reserved with his overlapping. He perhaps needs more space to work, which you get in the last embers of a game.

I've probably missed lots, but just as a guide: Born (school year) 1992/93 Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Isgrove, (let Mings go) 1993/4 Cropper, Stephens (bought for £150k aged 17) 1994/5 Ward Prowse, Gape, Shaw, Chambers, Reed, McQueen 1995/96 Gallagher, Targett, Hesketh, Flannigan, Seager, McCarthy 1996/97 Jones, Sims, Lewis 1997/98 Olomola, (let Ben White go) 1998/99 Valery, Slattery, Maddox, Tela, N'Lundulu, Johnson 1999/00 Vokins, Ferry, Obafemi, Smallbone, 2000/01 Ramsey

Whatever that fee was for Gray, no one paid it last summer. The question therefore is, what fee would they have been willing to pay, and thus what do they deem acceptable in terms of signing on fee and wages next summer. As a free agent he will certainly demand decent wages, but how much is is he worth? A four year contract can be a lead weight if he doesn't shine. A six month loan now, to give you a good chance to look at him, makes a lot of sense if you intend to offer him a multi-million pound contract come July. Good option off the bench at the very least. I guess it depends if the funds are there justify it.

Agree, not to mention that there are very few `wingers' that turn it on week after week, season after season. Beating men all ends up is extremely hard, yet as fans we expect wide men to do it not just every season, but every game, maybe even every single one on one. Our expectation levels can be just too high IMO. When you find a player that can do it (beat a man) you need to wrap an arm round them, build their confidence and keep them on a high for as long as possible. You have to back them, keep picking them, keep encouraging them to go at the fullback and not give up on them when they have a quite game. Easy when its Messi and Giggs, less so when you have a Redmond. Redmond is actually one of the few players in the Prem that can skip past opponents at ease. He lacks that killer speed, but when his confidence is high he is good to watch. At Brum Gray used to fly, but he is going to need an arm round him too after two seasons of sitting on the bench. I wonder also if Ralf can get the best out of Djenepo. He hasn't so far.

Significant signings these. The youth system hasn't found a star for a while. Possibly one or two here.

You're right, £300k for Ramello Mitchell wasn't it and £400k on Jeremi Rodriguez last year? Did we spend big money on Diamond Edwards the year before that too? These are serious investments. Very excited to see how they and others pan out over the next three years.

Chelsea paid Rangers an initial £500,000 for a 16 year old Billy Gilmore. That is what we are up against.

not sure we have the satellite operations like Chelsea does to be able to exploit that to its full. I might be wrong.

increasingly hard to attract the best young talent when faced with the likes of Chelsea spread their academy wings so far outside London.

he's played 18 minutes in the Prem this season. He started just three Prem games last season. I guess that means nothing more than Leicester have better options, but I just wonder if we see him in a very different light to Foxes fans. I suggested we sign him from Brum back in 2015, and I still think he is an exciting player, but for those who get frustrated by Redmond, I think he may offer similar end product. He certainly couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo against us on occasion, all be it after dribbling past numerous defenders.

New Burnley chairman Alan Pace seems to think so: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9107001/They-big-ambitions-transforming-club-ALK-Capital-bought-Burnley.html Not sure why he choose to pick us out, or by what measure he has used to come to that conclusion. I guess its been a while since a superstar has emerged from our youth system. Not sure `destroyed' is fair. Underperformed? Failed to match the five years previous, perhaps. Any thoughts?

Gray was in the Brum youth team when Redmond was there though.

He joined Brum the season after Gray left