washsaint

Superb.....season now well underway. 3 games, 3 wins, 3 clean sheets. Maybe, just maybe, things are starting to come together and with Boufal still to come in. Only concern is number of chances our strikers (Redmond, Long and Austin) are missing. Hopefully Boufal can play as a striker! Looks like Hesketh has put himself well into the mix for a start too.

I would highly recommend a proper compact for the Alps based on the riding I have done out in the Rockies this year: I am just under 14 stone and cannot shift any more weight so I am not built for climbing. I could not have survived some of the 15-20 mile climbs using my standard bike with a standard chainset. Having a compact made life very bearable and meant I did not run of gas - the standard chain set is fine for short sharp hills (for me even up to 20%+) but would not want to try a very long climb using the standard chain set - especially if in places it goes to 10%+.

THat looks like a stunning ride WInner.....I miss hedgerows and country lanes over here in the US. But based on the video I do not miss the damp and grey skies and no doubt chilly weather!!! Proper jealous of the Alps trip you have planned though!!

Quite surpised -that is a well thought out piece from Quinn. I don';t believe he is just talking about the Academy: our recruitment process of buying young, unpolished talent and honing their skills means their resale value is enormous (potentiallY) which, in turn, allows us to reinvest and continue on our path. It is also much harder for younger players to break into a top 6/8 team than a mid-table/lower half Prem team so I would expect it to take longer for younger players to break through now.

How was the ride Winner? Looked like a hilly one.

Apart from in front of goal, we played superbly. Redmond looked pretty good - until he got in front of goal where he was totally woeful. You can see that Hojberg is not yet the finished article - but, boy what a player he will be. Strong, surging runs and not afraid to get stuck in.....offers way more than CLasie I think. SOares was good and great move to bring Cuco on to help cover Montero. Tadic was outstanding and cannot wait to see what Boufal adds to the team. For me, Austin or Rodriguez should be starting every game - they know where the net is and Long is having a mare and Redmond could not hit a barn door from 3 yards out. Bit worried when we started sitting so deep - when we attacked prior to the goal Swansea just could not cope with the pace and movement. Very different style from last 2 seasons - much easier on the eye. Hopefully these last 2 wins will kickstart our season now.

bloody hell......Rednmond is bloody awful in front of goal. Did the hard part and then totally clueless for the most important bloody but: scoring a goal!!

really, really dislike this formation. No width and when we attack we have to hold up as there is no-one supporting the attack. So narrow and defensive: playing a counter attacking formation is all well and good but all teams have to do is sit deep as they know we have zero threat.

That looks like a stunning ride Winner - and glad the weather won't be too brutal. That can sap the fun out of it as it becomes all about just finishing!

Toughest ride I have ever done at the weekend. Civil War Century which involved 8,000 feet of climbing over 106 miles. Ride was hard enough but the extreme humidity and heat really took a toll. Temperature was around 95 degrees with a heat index of well over 100. Very little shade in places and it is not an exaggeration to say there were plenty of ambulances carting people off with severe dehydration, heat stroke and cramp. Looked like a war zone with riders lying down under trees by the side of the road to try and recover along the route. After 50 miles I nearly bailed as pace was too strong with who I was riding with and could feel myself overheating. Managed to nurse myself home but doubt I will ever do this century again!!!!! For all that it was incredibly beautiful ride taking in many Civil War battlefields like Antietam and Gettysburg. Tough, tough, tough!

So long as the good old British weather behaves? That sucks re. the new bike - bet its made you kinda grumpy!

Enjoy the new toy WSS! I'm fortunate enough to be back in Denver for business so rented a bike for the downtime. Stunning ride this morning up Golden State Canyon but bloody tough (7.3 mile climb average 7%) starting at 6K feet and climbing 2800 feet. My route back was washed away so turned into a bike hike and even a lift by the workmen for one section where there had been a landslide and no bikes were allowed. Certainly an experience and absolutely love the Rockies for cycling.....it is pretty much perfect here but I can't persuade the wife to move out unfortunately!

We did actually look a lot better once Redmond moved to the #10 spot and Jay looked very sharp with a lot of pace. If we send him out on loan we truly have lost the plot!

Jay should stay and Austin go.

Perhaps we should sell Fonte - he's been terrible and looks a liability against anyone pacey. This is an utterly terrible side and if we persist in playing like this we really will be in a relegation scrap. Utterly awful and Puel must have real question marks over him already. taken a well drilled, strong side and turned it into a ho, steaming pile of c**p in less than 2 months

WTF! Taking off our most creative player!!!!!!!!!!!

Having watched the U23 game earlier this week - that was entertainment and a formation that looked threatening. This is the complete opposite.

I can see how playing the threaded balls through for a rapid striker might work - but Austin is not that player. Hopefully Boufal is

This diamond formation is utter sh**e. Every time we lose the ball/gain the ball there are gaping gaps on the flanks as we are not playing with width. Leaves us open all the time and this is not the French league where play is far slower and methodical.

Last 20 minutes has been awful. Unfortunately Romeu has been a liability and I don;t understand long balls up top when Redmond is the only one there. Surely Puel has to recognize that this formation has nothing going for it. FFS we are being battered by Sunderland at home!

Looked very good for 15 minutes or so but now look all over the place. Tadic was outstanding but we seem to be giving the ball away really cheaply. Fonte looks very slow and not the same Jose as last year. Looking toothless is nothing new - we have for the last 2-3 years except in purple patches. Hopefully Boufal and a striker will help solve this issue.

AR-10 certainly appears to have the info and the fact that you have clueless posters taking the mick, simply proves the point! All interesting stuff and this is not exactly the stuff of life and death and the hysteria on here is quite amusing.....if very sad. Glad Cedric has extended...but being a Euro winner and highly thought of in the game obviously doesn't fit with the 'experts' on this forum.

Nice - enjoy the new bike WSS. Over here, the nights are starting to draw in and the group rides are getting shorter as a result but speeds are going up as it gets cooler. Tonight was horrific - there was a terrible, terrible crash with a dad and his kid who should not have been on the group ride weaving all over the place trying to keep up. The kid then had a major spill, and went flying over the handlebars and landed on his face at about 20mph. It was awful and he was in a really bad way - ambulance took him away but several hours later I still feel sick to the stomach. Just hope he is an OK way.....

Or for the Europa League draw......

That is far too sensible and logical CB - wasted on here. This forum is full of the 'I want it now and it's not fair the club isn't spending a vast fortune' type these days. Thank god the board aren't as frivolous with the Liebherrs money as so many on here want them to be. 3 outstanding seasons in the Prem, group stages of Europa for the first time and 7 first team players tied down to extended contracts and yet still people aren't happy. Of course we will have 'blip' one season - and it may well be this season with the extra games. Of course we need another couple of players and I'm sure the club is working on this.