OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

Exactly. RM's theory of passing it out from the back isn't the problem. The problem is the speed we do it and what happens once the initial press is broken. Practically every time we broke that initial press on Saturday, Aribo & Smallbone passed it back again except this time our defenders had an attacker standing next to them ready to pounce. I get that you don't want midfielders losing the ball when nearly all the opposition team is in your half, but they have to be able to turn on the ball and look to go forwards not backwards. I'm hoping Les and Fernandes will make a big difference.

Yes, I think we're quite entitled to start our meltdown. a) Remember that January shopping window a couple of years ago when SR went in to panic buy mode? A goal-keeper with weak wrists and a striker that on the surface looks like a joke, is negating all the good work of the transfer so far. b) I don't buy in to this idea of 'give us time, we have to find our feet in this new league'. Those tactics on Saturday were so negative and so lacking of ideas and that was a real concern. That again resembled our last season in the premier league when, if there was a passing sideways and backwards league table, we would have been top. Things need to change. Personally, I'm pinning hope on Les and Fernandes being inspired signings.

I understand that one minute cameo is the short version. There's a 5 minute version of the Yuri Albertos highlights. Evidently our scouts have filtered their search with "Che Adams" and this guy has popped up!

I still reckon we were destined for another season of championship football until RM changed two things. 1) The goalkeeper, and then 2) At the last away game at Leeds and then W.Brom, he seemed to stumble across the idea of 5 at the back with two being wing backs. Why don't we revert to having wing backs and then get Diaz and AA to come in to a traditional no. 8 & 10 role? Diaz looks pretty one footed and am not convinced AA is going to make the grade at this level but at least give them a chance. Sticking them on the wing was pointless.

This is it. We've got a squad that can compete. I can't believe RM insists on playing at a snail's pace but he needs to understand that there'll be many more clubs that will use a high press against us, so work out a way to get around it. Didn't see him for long, but get the feeling Fernandes could turn out to be our best signing this year.

And on Match of the Day, they highlighted how many passes it takes us to do one shot. And that needs to be sorted. Move the ball quicker, be more direct and have Archer or someone in the middle. For large tranches of the game there were two players standing wide on both sides with a gaping big hole through midfield and attack. Hopefully Fernandez and Les will make a difference in midfield. Afraid Aribo really isn't good enough to make the step up and for that matter, AA is proving he's a good championship player but not a lot more.

And so is BBD when he's not doing a statue imitation on the wing. Fernandez had a good cameo. He could be our creator as the season develops. Dibling looks positive. Now we need to tell Jack and the others to also have that positive intent. The only time they did things quickly was to take quick tappy free kicks....which quickly went backwards and ended up on our half way line! Eliminate those and pump the ball in the middle. Also, sitting in the Chapel right next to the Forest fans, they were noisy. It's because they're singing at you rather than to the pitch like last year when the away fans were behind the goal. Hopefully, the Northam end was more atmospheric than before.

And the BBC Gossip column is also saying we're in talks with Arsenal over Ramsdale. This seems to be following the rule of say it often enough and it will become a reality. We've got the best fans in the world.....😉

Yep, gave up half way though. Now I'll never know if it got to Lesley..

When you look at the midfield of Lesley, Downes, Aribo, Smallbone, Alcaraz and Charles (with Charles rumoured to be going out on loan), it does look very light. Unfortunately, I can see this will reduce Alcaraz's chances to becoming a regular player for us even less. Just hope Fernandez is one of those players who can see an opening because creativity is an issue.

And if we don't get him? Hopefully there won't be a knee jerk reaction. I remember Jason Steele from the Sunderland Til I Die series. Maybe a slight improvement on AMc but there again, anyone who owns a pair of gloves is probably better than AMc.

Yes probably; not so sure Aribo will make much of an impact this year. Hopefully it's third time lucky with players from Brazil. All I remember is us hiring Guly and Lyanco.

If true, this must end the O'Riley speculation. What don't the club see? We need a goalkeeper.

When you get opportunities like this, you need to take them. We need that killer instinct. Strange substitutions. Edozie for Saga started the slowdown and Edozie did what he always does. Given the opportunity, Alcaraz could turn in to a star this year. BBD looks a good buy. Downes/Smallbone/THB will shine this year. Not too sure AA showed much. Archer kicking the ball out the ground is evidently a like-for-like replacement for Che. Some days he'll do well, others he'll be cack. Predictably the lack of a decent goalkeeper and striker let us down. If Forest set up defensively next week, let's see how we go about breaking them down because they didn't have much idea today.

Totally agree. Get in a loan striker and hopefully a goalkeeper (but am guessing SR think they've already got this sorted) and we'll be competitive. I like our defence, reckon Smallbone will step up this year (concerned Aribo will show his limitations) and I think many overestimate the quality in the premier league. It's fine margins between a lot of clubs. Win a couple early and we'll be on a roll.

Haven't Arsenal offered to pay the last year's wages of one of their players to help with the transfer? Like Trousers has intimated, I'm hoping after the Newcastle game we will make one last push for him. Am guessing we will still do a couple of loan signings. Let's hope there's some quality out there wanting to come our way. Last time in the premier league we brought in the experience of Maitland-Niles on loan!

It was a good day out and yes, Tall Paul was one of the best players on the pitch. I'm not so sure RM has totally given up on him. Getting a few minutes in the last pre-season suggests RM realises our options are very limited up front and he may well bring him on from the subs bench. And with Suguwara showing he can cross the ball, that's not such a dumb idea.

He probably is still worth a good wedge but I'd like him to stay and I don't believe it's that difficult to change tactics slightly to accommodate him. At the moment, our goalscoring ideas seem to be THB threading a through ball and a slow build up down the wing which fizzles to nothing. Whenever Alcarez had the ball, you felt something could happen and opportunities would open up and to be fair to him, they often did. Yes, he loses the ball a lot but surely the team can work out what to to do when that happens. And as for ABK, from the stands you could tell his attitude stank. OK, not everyone has to show Lyanco style passion but he didn't seem to care and did seem to want off injured at the earliest opportunity. So it comes as no surprise when Blackmore says he's a bad egg. One of the worst in that crap team of two years ago

We know why. Buying a crock has worked before (eg. Danny Ings), so we bought this guy on an 'injured' discount hoping the plan would work again. I feel very privileged to have actually seen him live at one of his cameos at Huddersfield last year and he was very ordinary. Dibling's got more about him.

And I also think he would be a key player for us in the premier league, especially if with play with two wing backs. Newcastle didn't play him in that role (nor did we in his first few games), and he showed how good he is in those last couple of games of the season. He's more than a squad player, depending on our formation, he could be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

See where you're coming from, but people are talking about O'Riley as if he's the new Messi. Perhaps we can use that bid money to go towards a striker because you're right, and we all know, we need a striker who's going to knock in at least 10/15 goals this season.

West Ham have spent another £27m on the striker Fullkrug. Apart from selling us Downes, they haven't done a lot of sales, so they must still have some of the Rice money left over. But will they still bid for KWP? Here's hoping not.

Think this is more likely than the 4 or 5 - 0 doom forecasts. Teams are quite tentative for first few games. Dibling has been one of the standouts in the pre-season friendlies. Again at Millwall he looked good. Wonder if Russ Martin will do with Dibling like he did with Sam AA last year ie. give him a couple of sub try outs and then maybe even a full game to show his worth. Otherwise, who stands in the middle and please don't say Adam A?

Used to read this website for years before joining and maybe it was his name tag, but always read Dalek's comments. Don't know if he's now looking down from above, but we'll be ok this year. Prefer 17th and an interest/escape in the final games to mid-table mediocrity. Unfortunately, Everton don't do relegation. Ipswich will join Leicester and Forest.

Bit early. Usually there aren't for friendlies but check on this thread just before the game tomorrow. Thanks St. Neal for finding the last one for Wednesday's game and if there's a link to be found and he's around, Convict Colony can normally find it.