Miltonaggro

Hold it in until at least £70m...

Or Virgil van Dijk - the £13m six foot five inch, short-arse!

It is, but a rarity and likely a weakness for a CB pairing in a team already lacking in height competing in a physical league. Then again, he could be the new Des Walker. I have a feeling that if he signs SFC will look to develop him as a defensive midfielder, he has all the attributes for that.

Pal at work who is a Posh fan and his view is that Edwards is a very good technical footballer, low centre of gravity and close control, but only feasible at centre half in the middle of a three. Also said that his 'Wikipedia height' of 5'11 is a tad optimistic and much nearer to 5'9 in the flesh. Not sure we need anymore midgets or Wikipedia six-footers. Agree with you about Holgate and can't see the attraction. If he joins he would likely be our Maitland-Niles loan for this season.

But then again living in London and rebuilding with Poch might sway the lad, it beats Toxteth and cuddles from Stephen Merchant's gurning Bavarian uncle. Good fun isn't it

I shouldn't have said 'bawling out' - our skipper was much more measured in his critical intervention approach

Lots going to depend on who we keep hold of. Can't see Walker-Peters still at SMS come the close of the transfer window, but would love to be wrong.

Yes, the original post was meant to be light hearted, but never mind. For the record, from where I was sat Stephens was right on both occasions and in better control of his emotions than the fans.

Never mind the quality feel the length…

He’s a heartbeat player and we are going to need that. Cracking signing if it happens.

Looks like the David Sullivan effect has started already. Poor bastard!

Yes, linesman missed some very clear calls and JS right to advise.

Best moment from Stephens yesterday was when he was rightly bawling out the inept Lino in the second half. Been a while since we’ve seen that type of necessary intervention.

The point made by LD above was the point I was trying to make yesterday about the clear difference between Gunn and Bazunu for those of us at yesterday's game - the former at least acted like a professional goalkeeper in terms of physical presence and attempting to organise his defence. The fact that Bazunu is a youngster seems to cause a lot of posters to become over-emotional when defending him on here, but in the ground you can sense the tension whenever he is called upon during our matches. My view is that if our Board feel he has potential then put him in a place where he can safely realise this potential and hopefully undertake strength training and learn his craft - a loan or number two to a proper mentor. At 20 it was ridiculous to bring him to a Premier League side as a first choice keeper and the endurance with the experiment looked like doubling down, and at 21 he still doesn't appear have what is required to keep goal for a championship side genuinely focused on promotion. Perhaps the best young keeper I remember coming through at Saints was Tim Flowers, and there is some comparison to Bazunu. Flowers joined Saints as a 20 year old prospect in 1986 understudy to Peter Shilton, exciting talent and England U21, but it was clear he needed beefing up and very raw so loaned out to Swindon after we were hammered by Man U with him in goal to gain confidence and learn his trade. Season after that made about ten appearances and loaned out again. It was only in his fourth season aged 24 he got the number one jersey from Budgie Burridge, and even then he was still seen as a very young keeper. However, by then he looked strong, confident, agile, vocal and could marshall a defence, went on for another three or four seasons and almost 200 appearances. Point is, it was clear he had talent but needed time to grow and gain experience, which he was given. He also benefited from mentors like Shilton and Burridge at Saints and Fraser Digby at Swindon. Like many on here with Bazunu I am saying what I see. Of course we want him to succeed, how we want to always see our youngsters to succeed but there are what to me seem obvious problems with his game currently. Edozie is a similar case, talent and potential yes, but problems with strength, craft and decision making too. Goalkeepers are much more exposed in terms of their game, fan and team-mate focus more intense, and their confidence is more brittle as a result. One school of thought seems to be 'he's a kid, give him a break' but the problem is that giving him a break could break him as a player - giving him adequate time and help is what might be required. I was watching the goalkeeper warm up yesterday and McCarthy and Lumley towered above Bazunu who looked like the U18 keeper, they were also more vocal and body language more confident even though they are both below GB in the pecking order - which says a good deal about recent standards. To protect their investment Sport Republic need to provide Bazunu with a credible mentor and / or some playing time outside the spotlight, anything else in my opinion is between recklessness and wishful thinking.

Can’t see it, but Norwich defence was shitting bricks with him today, bouncing them. It’s clear that he would score a hatful in champs.

Yes, a poor keeper but looked and sounded like a goalkeeper today. We don’t agree on this Whitey but to me Bazunu just doesn’t have the requesite presence or strength, regardless of the obvious weaknesses of the defenders around him.

That was childhood echoes of 78/79 and 79/80 today - you score three we’ll score four, entertaining but does nothing for the blood pressure. The way Norwich cut through us was appalling and exposes our lack of spine both physically and psychologically. Almost like they could score at will. Highlights were both from the bench, Adams who is clearly a fucking handful at this level (right up their central defenders noses) and young Sam, who caused them all sorts of problems during his cameo. Manning willing but lots of blind alleys, KWP and Alcaraz interested in parts but Tella very periferal. Signings on the way and we need them right through the middle. Pray we get a keeper as I think it will cost us crucial games and potentially a rift in the team otherwise. Appreciate the side is a work in progress and a good atmosphere at SMS today.

Gunn was much better today IMO, at least he looked and sounded like a goalkeeper.

Watched the game level with Bazunu today and the lack of presence, physicality and judgement is astonishing. The defence can be appalling (keystone cops today) but they are clearly aware that there is nothing behind them.

They’d have to be bloody deaf!

I think JS had a similar role previously so you never know. Could depend on whether we get Grimes.

It might be that ‘club captain’ is different to matchday captain should the likes of Matt Grimes arrive in the coming weeks. JS as the steady long serving club man for established influence and MG as the more dynamic Russball stalwart during games. Happened before.

Now things are moving potential for some solid new arrivals next week, including a couple of interesting loans. COYR!

Poetically foolish!

Fair play, lots of crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s today.