trousers

...

Do we know why Ings "doesn't want to come back"? Is there an interview / article somewhere that explains his thinking? Maybe it was a reason that could change over time? Or maybe the reason was set in stone? Who knows....?

I know it's tiresome and predictable but.... oh... go on then... one more time...

From what I've seen in the first two games, I would be inclined to disagree with you there. He's easily our player and has been running the show in the opening matches... Head and shoulders above most of the squad. The difference between staying up and going down this season is likely to come down to a few points, at most, and I feel losing KWP diminishes our chances of staying up. The only caveat to that is whether or not we're able to reinvest the £20m in a player who can be equally influential (in whatever position) but SR's track record to-date would suggest that's not guaranteed. If we're serious about staying up then banking £20m now instead of letting KWP go on a free this time next year is a potential false economy IMO. Of course, if we're resigned to the likelihood of going straight back down then, I agree, getting as much as we can for KWP now makes complete sense...

This is the key point to me... Yes, SR have spent substantial amounts of money on transfers since taking over, but we end up spreading our relatively modest budget too thinly IMO. As you say, why didn't we spend our remaining striker budget on a single player in the higher price bracket rather than on two seemingly mediocre strikers in the lower price bracket? Buying one very good striker for £30m is better than buying two average strikers for 2 x £15m, surely? #QualityOverQuantity

Worryingly, that going to rock a lot of boxes on our scouting reports....

I wasn't disputing that. Just adding additional info for my fellow forum chums

Yep, for 5 minutes in a friendly 18 months ago

🤔

That is arguably a worse combination than being competent and stingy...

Indeed. Although, to be fair, we were by far the better team when it was 11 vs 11 too, but appreciate that was only for half an hour.

Looking at possible "blessings in disguise" from our opening two performances, I think the two defeats now gives Russ a self-justification to deviate from a 'loyalty' starting 11 to a more ruthless / best starting 11.... Up to now, I see why he probably felt he couldn't drop the likes of Smallbone & Aribo, but he now has the trigger he probably feels he needs to shuffle the pack... All of which, following the Carabou Cup game, should lead to a starting 11 in the next PL game vs Brentford along the lines of: McCarthy / New GK KWP - Bednarek - THB - Yuki Downes - Big Les Dibbling - Ferdinand - Armstrong/BBD Archer / New CF

😁

Being a founder member of the fence sitting brigade, I obviously respect differing opinions, but I would venture you won't get too much empathy with that viewpoint....

Yep, decent line-up, but I'd be inclined to find a starting place for Dibbling in this game. Probably in place of Armstrong.

We've known that way before today...

Things we learned today... - we STILL need an actual goal scoring centre forward - KWP would be mad to stay - we need KWP to stay - AA only flourishes when he has space - AA isn't going to get the space he needs to flourish this season - Fernandes looks promising - With 30 minutes to go, Russ would rather preserve a draw than go for the win. At home. To Nottingham Forest. - Big Les needs to start instead of Smallbone - McCarthy isn't actually a bad goalkeeper when he's doing normal goalkeeper type stuff

McCarthy actually having another decent game overall.

Feels like we're playing for the draw here

This has got 0-0 written all over it

KWP running the show again

How many transfer windows is it now that we haven't properly addressed this omission...?