Chez

good as time as any to be playing them straight after that longish trip. Burnely, Brighton, Manu and Liverpool in first four games. Feels like a good opportunity to lay a marker down for the season. If we can get results at those four confidence could be brimming...

decent shout, although I think he played quite a few games further forward and on the other side. I guess that shows his versatility. The Norwich fullbacks would be the ideal signings in terms of youth and promise, but fat chance of that now they have been promoted.

not sure I agree that Vesterguard and Bednarek are a hundred times better than Stephens and Hoedt. We have hid players in a five man defence for a season and a half now, so difficult to really judge individuals as we have yet to really see them as a pair. I alluded to this in another post, but giving away possession cheaply does have a major effect on our ability to prevent goal late in games. If you chase the ball all day eventually things open up and defences get exposed. Defensively Stephens and Hoedt have never impressed me, but on the ball they are better than Vesterguard and Bednarek. You win in some areas, but you lose in others I guess. CB has become such a challenging position to play. You need so many attributes, which is why even teams like ManU have struggled to find personnel. I worry we lack pace or ability on the ball, but better that than a complete failure to win headers I suppose...

we barely stayed up, and although there was an improvement under the new manager, we still only just survived. If they are that good, why weren't they trusted to play as a pair in a four man defence? Never seen a player as slow as Vesterguard. Bednarek isn't quick either. Massive upgrade needed if we are to make top half next season.

once booked a defensive midfielder walks a tightrope and thus perhaps doesn't do the job as effectively. That said, I think the bigger issue is the side as a whole giving the ball away too cheaply and midfielders having to then spend too much energy getting it back. Tiredness in the latter part of games tends to leave us very open and exposes our CBs and we then concede, because they are very average one on one.

we have a squad full of 4th choice centre backs IMO.

CB seems to be the achilles heal of most teams, probably because it is very hard to find a player that is good in the air, strong, fast, great positionally and comfortable on the ball.

interesting. Any percentage stats focusing on those two players but also adding in the extra element of us playing two or three centre backs?

to add, I believe he had a very high goals to shots (or chances) ratio.

you think Bednarek and Vestergaard in a two man centre back partnership is good enough to keep us up?

he had everything you could want of a striker. Work rate, pace/sharpness, movement and finishing ability. It was incredibly frustrating that it didn't work out here. I have to wonder what happened after the first injury. Did he come back too soon, was he still injured? He looked a completely different player and not in a good way. Hughes not picking him after a great preseason was also a total mystery to me. By the time he was picked, his form had gone.

Like what I see on this video. In contrast with say the Che Adams show reel, he looks like he has the ability to create goals out of nothing. Looks a big lad too. Yeah, I know, you need more to go on, but there are youtube videos of players full of near misses, tap ins and dribbles with no end product. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XxJuddK0Yw

why was it deemed a loan last season if the transfer fee was in last years budget? It will be instalments. 50% up front (start of 2019/2020 season and 50% by end of that season.

I'd agree with that. His game has come on a lot over the last 12 months and he seems ready for the step up, but there would need to be some continued improvement once he got here. His touch wasn't too bad and he showed good strength, but he's not great in the air. He is not lightening quick, but he is sharp and when the opportunity arises (a one two for example) he does come to life. Dare I say it, he might be considered as is a slightly faster Charlie Austin.

if you can keep the club in the top flight whilst remain self sufficient, he can sell the club at a profit when the time comes...it's very much like buying a house, having the SKY TV money pay the mortgage (wages) and with a rising market over the next ten years and it will be worth £300m instead of £200m.

for me it was strange signing and I thought as much at the time. Why spend so much energy scouting and investigating the right type of players to bring to the club and then go ahead and sign an obviously injury prone player? The low fee might have impressed some, but it was clearly offset by a huge wage. Whether it's £70k a week or £100k a week, as suggested by the West Ham chairman, it was certainly a lot for a guy that is injured a lot. That aside, I have been disappointed that he has not resembled that Swindon player that ran us ragged back in the league one days. Where was the same sharpness, movement and pace? Having said that, the finishing prowess hasn't been too bad and when a chance is created he hasn't let us down. Perhaps we haven't played to his strengths by getting lots and lots of crosses in the box. Prior to last season I thought we messed about a lot with strikers. Gabbi was in good form preseason and then not picked. By the time he was he had lost his form. We then sign Carrillo... lets not go over that again, but perhaps the management have not helped things. IMO we desperately needed a player that could lead the line, like Pele did, or a completely different type of player that could create and score goals out of nothing. I think we still need that and maybe Adams can offer more.

that's exactly what happened. Jutkiewicz worked his socks off and had a good season. I guess it raises a question mark as to whether Adams can lead the line on his own. If he plays with someone like Redmond or Ings he isn't going to have that physical presence next to him. doesn't mean he won't be successful. It's worth noting that until Gary Monk got hold of him, Adams' career was drifting a bit. We are effectively buying a player with one good season, although to be fair, he is relatively young. My bluenose friend feels he is a good fit for us.

do I need to repeat after every rain storm or is one experience enough to put the fukkers off for life?

middle lane drivers...cants cats...****ting in my back garden...bastards BBC Breakfast News...jesus, give us some genuine ****ing world news The One Show...what a ****ig mess People who drop litter All game shows, except the original version of 15 to 1...tosh Discovering your apple has a huge bruise Remakes of classic films.

Clarke on his way and Lowe to follow him out the door. They will generate decent funds, but as we know to our cost you have to spend it wisely

not a bad shout that. He has had a terrific season after scoring goals for Wimbledon and Falkirk. Only got 12 months left on his contract, so doubt we'd need to spend anywhere near £7m. It won't happen.

sell Targett, buy Ryan Sessegnon, or Jamal Lewis, or Justin Jones or anyone with Targett's first touch and Bertrand's pace

his Dad is a Leeds fan, his family all Leeds fans and Jack himself is a Leeds fan. Might be true, or might just be a little of 2+2=5.

this is absolutely brilliant news. Hope it is genuine interest. Getting him off our wage bill is essential, no matter what the loss on the fee.

it's not alarming.Their budget is pretty similar to ours and they have not ladened themselves with quite so many monstrous contracts, a la Forster, on players that never play. They also still have a few players they brought with them on their promotions, and they will inevitably be on lessor contracts than big signing coming in, even if they have been increased during their time in the top flight. That's before we look at their owner and his willingness to back the side with funds/loans.