the saint in winchester

I think Fulham have put the heat on the bottom half of the table. A month ago, the bottom 3 looked cast adrift. The bottom 2 still do, but Fulham are rowing the great divide. They could catch one or more, so the heat is on.

Is Costa still available? Free agent after leaving Atletico Madrid. Kicking his heels in Brazil. Palmeriros offered him a short team deal ...but I can't establish if he joined them or not. He'd make Janko seem like a mild-mannered school kid. We need bite. We need to be tougher. right?

Darren, I think MAFSA concludes by the weekend. Hope so, as my Virgin box is crammed with MAFSA. You can still watch the game live on Monday night.

Here ya go, Mr G, happy to oblige. Although you could have googled it? https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/sevilla-name-price-they-ll-pay-for-liverpool-attacker-minamino-4359571#popup-sso And don't go all MLG and say "it's not a reputable source", it's an outlet.

Too many posts about the old days, this is supposed to be a preview of the game tonight.... I guess we're all finding it hard to predict what will happen. Have we turned a corner? Or will Leeds overpower us with their running?

Hmm, interesting. Sevilla have stated they will only offer 10M EUR, so maybe if Sevilla have a player that Liverpool want, that could come about (the player swap). Do we have a player that Liverpool might want? I'm thinking that Liverpool need a decent CB, and they usually shop with us for their CB (VVD, Lovren) then maybe they would like Wesley Hoedt. Could be a good move for them. (chuckles into sleeve)

I thought we had an agreement with Liverpool that the price for Minamino would be £10M. Not an exercisable option admittedly. Of course, now Sevilla have declared an interest the price may rise. But they are offering €10M, so we can beat that offer. For me: * Minamino - up to £15M * Walcott on a free (but I'd look into that Ryan Kent suggestion if his wages are significantly less) * RB * LB Sell Ings, Redmond.

Forster Stephens Vest Salisu Bertrand Romeu JWP Minamino Armstrong Adams Ings Quote

Why change now? Because they are not working any longer. Our playbook is in the public domain. Other sides gen up and know about our passing along the back line, then the long diagonal to the far end of the pitch. They know they can stay compact, strength in numbers, and we can't break through the rear 7 players. They know as we like to pass out from the back, GK to defender, we are vulnerable to being pressed ourselves. That's why we need to come up with NEW strategies and our old strategies are being combatted.

Everything there sounds unlikely * getting to the final * beating Utd * scoring a late goal * final appearance by Ings? * Jankewitz being at Wembley?

I'm surprised we aren't dipping into the free agent market to cover KWP's absence. https://www.transfermarkt.com/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=5&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show Aside from Cuco Martina, I see Eric Lichaj there. Experience in championship.

Preference would be Kayne Ramsey, a genuine RB. Second choice : Stephens. Reluctant option : move JWP as a stand-in.

I was venting to my son earlier about this pass it round the CB nonsense that is inflicting this pain on ourselves. He sent me this video that explains the theory. https://youtu.be/nBnczPnBBdY I tend to feel if The Athletic can explain it in such detail and it's a published practice, then the cat's out the bag and we can't persist with it.

Control the controllables! We had 95 minutes to score more than one goal. Don't let it come down to one (or two today) bad VAR decision(s). We should have scored more than one goal and then the VAR decision wouldn't have dictated the result. Ralph had a poor game today, and he needs to coach better the players he has. We seem to be focused on VAR and strength of the squad. We can do more than we are currently doing.

Be interesting to see how Ralph plays his cards this weekend, with Redders, Armstrong, Djenepo and Minamino all fit (AFAIK). Which two start, and which two go to the bench? Personally, I see Armstrong and Minamino as our BEST two, but maybe there's a case for leaving some gems on the bench to play aces late in the game.

The article says "the Italians value him at £15M now.." So, if they really expect that, then out of our price range. But if that's pie in the sky, and he's available for £5M, sure, as he plays LM, would be a good option to challenge NR.

If playing Fraser means we won't have a shot to defend, I'm all for it. But Ralph keeps saying Macca is his #1 so I expect Macca to be back. But I'd give Fraser games. You don't have to nominate one keeper over another. Just look on it as they are competing for the shirt, as with any other position.

Exactly. Make it Bamford and Harrison and as many other Leeds players as we can entice. They are all fit and oven-ready for Ralph's system.

I think we can take both of these with a pinch of salt. Simunovic, the article acknowledges, will likely go to Germany. And Musa, this is a re-hash of an old link to when he was out of favour at Leicester and we enquired, but went for Adams. It's that old. Journalists seem to think if you have enquired at any time previously, then you must still be interested. Not.

Keeping it on transfers, the issue for me on Deadline Day and the days leading up to it, was who we were targeting. We were chasing after squad players at Premier League clubs even when their clubs had said they were NOT available for loan. Why weren't we looking at Championship and even League One for players who WOULD have jumped at the chance to join us. Instead, we kept ringing up asking if MU and Liverpool had changed their mind. Surely we could afford to spend £1M on a player and develop them. In future, please, look at lower leagues for gems, not PL players on £50k a week who don't even want to join us.

Agree. We can sit picking the bones out of last night and crying into our beer. The Leicester score was a massive shock and we were at full strength. Last night we were half a team of decent players and a lot of young lads. We'd all love to have internationals on the bench, but we just can't. At full strength we may still have lost, but not by that scoreline. We may struggle for a few games but hopefully we'll pick it up again in a few games time.

I have to admit that I thought it was a bit of that too, when it happened. So you don't want me to leave then? Watch this.... But I've mellowed today. Have to believe it was just youthful exhuberance. Would like to hear his own comments, but expect Ralph has told him to say nothing. Reports suggest Ralph says it's all Janko's fault. But I take that as reporters putting a slant on Ralph's comments that were not there from Ralph. But … he did basically suspend Gunn and Valery after the Leicester game. Time will tell.

Haha, like that. Quote of the day.

That's a thought. I'd forgotten Theo is technically on loan. We could do with asking Everton to make him a free transfer, but I recall they are paying 50% of his wages, so we probably don't want to pay it all. This could be limiting.

I hear what you say about him being a midfielder, but if he would accept being a utility player with us, then I would go in for him. We have to be a more attractive option than WBA, who apparently are 'leading the chase' for his loan. I can see the chase for Williams at MU ending in frustration, so I'd sooner get in the player that is actually available. Bird in the hand and all that.