Chez

Interesting point. Personally I think Mertesaker (does he count?) is pony and I wouldn't break up the Lovren/Fonte partnership to play him. But if Lovren goes, and he will, maybe my opinion would change.

Very surprised a championship club hasn't tried to sign him. As you say he was a major reason we got promoted. Perhaps the televised own goals have put them off. He'd be a great signing for someone or if not he will do just fine for us as 4th choice.

Zouma has been given the number 5 squad number suggesting perhaps that Jose rates him. Mind you Jose doesn't rate Ivanovic at CB (all according to Jason Cundy yesterday). Lovren would be a good acquisition for anyone though. He was fantastic for us and as with Lallana and Shaw we will struggle to replace with equal quality and immediate performance levels.

I would assume their outgoings will have included the agreed annual payments to ex-players.

Much prefer we bargained as hard as possible with transfers fees in and out. Any savings could then be passed on to the fans in the form of cheaper tickets. Fat chance.

But didn't Wanyama's injury show exactly why we need to retain Morgan? You need competition/top quality cover, not just cover.

he will be here all summer and will eventually go out on loan on the last day of the window for no fee and maybe even us paying some of his wages. Buyers marketing with him. We don't hold any cards at all.

No one will buy him because of the injury yet we are prepared to offer him a five year deal despite it.

Strange to say it, but just too much flesh on display. Also strange is that we somehow never lost to Cov at home since we dropped out of the prem in 2005

We didn't go through the season thrashing sides. There was a fine line between winning and losing. Having Lallana and Shaw in our side (and Morgan and Lovren), among the best players in the league, is why we secured so many points. Without that quality the fine line in our favour may move towards the opposition. Wins may become draws and draws become defeats. Obviously Lovren and Morgan haven't left yet. That will have a major bearing on our final league position. The players coming in to replace them will also be critical. Hopefully there will be more Lovren's than Osvlado's in terms of instant impact and season long performance. My fear is the players come in are simply not as good (immediately) as those that have left. Time will tell.

Chelsea Arsenal City Manure relegated Newcastle Saints (if Lovren and Morgan go) Burnley

as we well know from their trip to the Spurs training ground shortly before MoPo's move.

Stomper

Nathan Dyer - Thief

hope we keep him. The side needs a whipping boy with broad shoulders for the potential tough season ahead.

From the little we've seen of him in the first team he looks more of BT to me. What has Gallagher been like in the youth team? Alan was an absolute goal machine for the youth team.

I really like the Veho sponsorship, especially if they paid the going rate. Nice logo, local firm and not some loan shark either. Excellent. Looking at the ManU deal the kit manufacturer seems to be paying more than the shirt sponsor. Is that the same for all football clubs in the top flight? I don't know how much Veho are paying, £2m is mentioned on here. That would be roughly 45,000 shirts sold at £50 (assuming £45 profit per shirt).

Would it not be prudent to see how he fairs once he returns from injury before offering him the earth, or does a delay open the door to his departure? As much as I'd like our top talent to stay, it doesn't half show weakness that a player out with a serious injury can still force the club to offer him a new deal.

Away at West Ham and Swansea and at home to Spurs in 2012/13 he looked a genuine threat with pace and acceleration causing problems, but I know he failed to impress on other occasions (I am led to believe he was terrible away at Leeds in the league cup). I thought he was worth a place on the bench and possibly a few more chances as a sub a lot more in that season. We hardly had a striker as an option. I am not sure his close control (as probably seen a lot in five a sides) would have been deemed tidy enough for Poch (perhaps that's also the reason why Cork was given the cold shoulder by Poch), but maybe his erratic/unauthodox style could be beneficial on a match day? Or maybe he's just not good enough. At 23 there is still time. I wonder if Koeman likes that sort of pacey erratic style attacker to compliment the neat and tidy players we have?

My guess is `greatest'.

"...supporters asked to pay £20..." and some Simon.

This is what worries me. When we sold Bale, Baird, Jones and Pele we had the money and spunked it on the laziest striker in the world, Stern John, Wayne Thomas, Chris Perry, Paul Wotton, Jason Euell, Lee Holmes... Sell quality, replace with ****e and you go from the top end of the table to the bottom,overnight.

Shame that blue wasn't used on the home shorts. Think the kit looks slightly strange without a logo, but I suspect that will actually start to look good after a while. Feels lie it fits together with shorts and socks unlike the striped kit which doesn't sit well,together at all. Have to laugh at anyone buying one of these things though if they are £50. Absolute madness.

Only idiots were concerned about the left back slot last summer as it was blindingly obvious that we had a gem in Shaw who played a comsiderable number of games the season before.