Chez

BBC saying its only £14m, but with add ons: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53436848 hope those add ons are not related to Everton actually winning anything. I know finances have been severely effected by Covid19, but £14m seems a little low to me for an established Premiership midfielder.

Bournemouth have been unlucky with injuries and don't have quality in depth, which, rather than a lack of quality of individuals, is possibly the reason they are where they are. There is talent in that side. King is a really good player. I wouldn't think twice about signing him, but he would be too expensive for us. Brooks looked silky before his injury and Wilson was a £40m Chelsea target not so long ago. None will be joining us. Villa on the the other hand really don't have much to offer. Grealish won't be joining us. McGinn is a decent shout, but I've not seen enough of him this year to make a judgement. Norwich fullbacks interested me last season and I suggested we sign them. They have both looked competent, although not outstanding, but the price is now going to be too steep. I can't see us signing anyone but KWP. I am wondering if all their first choice keepers are better than Gunn and Forster?

I was going to suggest Rúben Vinagre again. I think he's a talent, but has hardly got a game for Wolves all season...and then he starts tonight.

I'm really surprised at how good he has been on the ball. He's miles better than the player I saw at Spurs. It's like he has just said fuck it, I gonna go for it and its working. He's certainly looked committed, chucking himself in front of things. That feels like an upgrade on Cedric. Can he cover left back. If so, then its certain he will be here next season.

Armstrong's legs are insane. He covers an awful lot of ground, but also with a lot of bursts of pace. I really like watching him in this side. We are a totally different outfit with and without him. Obviously we have other good players, but when he plays he brings out the best in us.

Good question. I am a little worried he gets caught under crosses, not too dissimilar to Cedric. To date, he has got away with that, but over a season you get found out. He may sort that out, he may not. His positioning looks a little suspect, but that might just be our frailty as a unit. We work hard, which limits our exposure, but when teams gets beyond our press we get run ragged and defenders get pulled out of shape. His positioning may also improve. I say that, but coaching can only do so much and natural ability and decision making are what they are. On the ball he has been very impressive. He looks better than Cedric. Far more balanced. I'd like to see him live before I committed and a few more games. I wonder what the price will be? No one has any money, so we should be offering buttons. Spurs don't want him or his wages. I think a deal has already been agreed to be honest.

Slightly harsh on him. For the first he naturally comes narrow and when it looks like Stephens has been turned he comes inside even further to support him. That leaves Rashford with too much space. As a CB you'd expect the fullback to be there to help out right in front of goal not stuck out wide marking the winger. For the second he perhaps should have shown Martial outside more, but it was all at pace and he didn't get it quite right. Stephens could have provided a bit more support, but not sure he could do a lot to be honest. When teams attack at pace defences make mistakes. On the ball I thought he looks excellent again. He is extremely comfortable and willing to go past a player, move into space, come inside...the lot. He is much better with the ball than I remember. I just wonder if his confidence grows further we might have a very influential attacking fullback on our hands. Whether he is quite tight enough in defence I am not sure. I've seen a few things like getting under crosses that worry me, but overall its been a very successful loan so far.

The way I read Law 8, is if the incident happens inside the box, which it didn't, but when the play is actually stopped the ball is some way out of the box, as was the case last night, then it would be a drop ball to the last team that touched it, ie Saints. The ref will argue that the incident happened in the box and play was stopped immediately and thus goes to the keeper. He would be wrong on both counts.

I think its harsh to blame him too much for the second. Martial is flying at him at that point and can go inside or out. Having come inside the CB has to help him more. I think it's Stephens that fails to close the gap and the rest is history. Everything is at such pace, so it's difficult to blame anyone, but in an ideal world Stephens would come across quicker. In that spell united and their pacey attack looked scary. We did well to keep them reasonably quiet. The save from McCarthy after JWP's mistake was top draw.

I'd be amazed if he was not here next season. The way he has presented himself both on and off the pitch since coming here is that of someone that is here to stay. I've been wrong before though.

he doesn't link up better IMO. Just an opinion though. Both need to do more next season than this. Lets hope they both do. It would be great to have real competition and for us to feel confident they will all score when the chance comes their way.

we're not great, but we're not too bad either. The attitude and application has bene outstanding after the shutdown. Extremely professional. I hope we can keep the momentum for next season. It's been the best period to watch Saints since Koeman left.

Have to say I have been very impressed with Romeu over the last few weeks. His form has dipped a few times over the years, but he's a far better player than PEH. He may have lost a yard since he first came here, but he still manages to drift past players with great body positions and timing of when to release. He's never been Morgan in his prime, but he does a decent impersonation. If we are buying someone to replace PEH I hope we look for someone with similar qualities to Romeu. You have to have ability with the ball not just run around a lot.

he really is a top class fullback. No idea why someone didn't buy him from us or why he didn't get more England caps. Makes it look easy.

with WBA going up, its never going to happen, but Matteus Pereira has been the best player in the championship IMO. I think he can shone in the Prem too.

Looks a good player whenever I have seen him, but as with all skillful players, if what they are trying does'nt come off and opponents set up to stop you, you can easily disappear. What position does he play? We seem to have moved away from having the tricky players behind the striker in favour of more hard working midfielders. I am wondering if he would fit the system. He looks like he has great balance and good composure. A workmanlike team has got us to mid table, but if you want to take on the bog sides you need a bit of flair IMO. Even that title winning Leicester side had Mahrez.

I didn't find out until a few hours later that Svensson had scored. I thought Niemi had got it and even now like to think he did. Crazy celebrations.

McGeehan broke his leg whilst playing for Luton at Shit Park and was booed by the skates whilst being stretchered off. Missing the vital pen and providing the long awaited karma three and a half years later shows incredible patience on his behalf, but well worth the wait. Well done sir.

sometimes those expectations don't become reality and you have to reassess. You have to be a special player to get that free role at a big club that he has thrived in at Norwich. Prefer Books myself, although his injury makes it a touch call to spend big on him. King is another quality player IMO.

Nice work Cameron McGeehan.

Rob Dickie was MOTM the other day against the skates and looked pretty decent. Worth another look tonight to see if you think he can step up two divisions. I think he was linked to us in February.

tremendous commitment from all the players. With something to defend they gave it all. Danny Ings was bloody everywhere. They were all excellent. Really enjoyed the first half. Less so the second as it felt a goal was coming. Really pleased Che got his goal. It has been coming. He has looked confident since the restart. We looked a threat on the break with Redmond and Armstrong creating issues for City. Slightly surprised more subs were not made. We were ran ragged for the last 15 minutes. I don't want to end on a negative, but... despite Danny Murphy loving KWP, I was really unimpressed by has back post defending of crosses. He missed a few headers that on another day could easily have led to goals. He looked as bad as Cedric ever did. Hope that was a one off. On the ball he was decent though, and made a lot of good decisions...there I didn't end on a negative after all.

when you make recruitment mistakes in the Prem you really do end up paying for them. Just a couple more years and then we can start a fresh. Just need to hang on until then and make every signing count.

wonder if our Sunderland player attacking grey tracksuit wearing numbskull and his stressed out boggle eyed curly-haired friend among those North Stand cardboard cut outs?

Che also has his birthday coming up and will be 24, which for me is a footballers prime. As with Michael, I really want him to succeed, but he has to grasp opportunities and dare I say it be a little more greedy. I know many strikers get long runs in the team without needing to score, but I am not sure he will get a run of 8 or 9 starts again for us unless there is a goal or two in there. I think he was a tad unlucky to drop dow the pecking order and when he returned his confidence looked shot. The break has done him good and he looks bright again. I like his all round game. He is strong with his back to goal and a good outlet when we are under pressure. He has a decent touch and I think he strikes the ball well and can see him scoring a hatful of goals again..for someone, at some point. He just needs to get into a grove. At Brum he struggled for about a year or more and then (with a change of manager) it all seemed to click into place and pretty much everything the touched went in. I think it got to the point when he was just so confident that he only needed one chance. That is the type of player we need. We just have to get him back to that frame of mind. Lets hope he just needed time to settle and we reap the benefits next season. A proven championship goalscorer, not in a side, is going to be high demand from championship sides. Not sure many will be able to afford him next season though. I think he will stay.