SNSUN

Team made up of new signings: Ramsdale Sugawara THB Edwards Taylor Ugochukwu Downes Fernandes Cornet Archer BBD subs: Wood, Lallana, Fraser (and all the youngsters we signed) Cracking work Saints.

Keeping KWP is one of the deals of the window for me. Yes his contract is running out but to have him for potentially another 6 months if not longer boosts our chances of staying up this season. Yes we appear to be overstocked with full/wing backs now with him, Sugawara, Bree, Larios, Manning, Taylor and now Cornet and even Fraser able to do a job there (oh, and Stephens) but I think without KWP you get a noticeable drop in quality. There'll be a selection headache for sure - I'm glad it's Russ's and not mine to make. (Well, until FM25 hits the shops)

Russ looks proper knackered there! A good night's rest needed for him and hopefully a win tomorrow for the adrenaline.

GK: Ramsdale, Macca, Lumley, Bazunu RB: KWP, Sugawara, Bree LB: Taylor, Manning, Larios CB: THB, Bednarek, Stephens, Wood, Edwards, ABK CM: Ugochukwu, Downes, Smallbone, Aribo, Fernandes, Dibling, Lallana AM/Wing: Fraser, Cornet, BBD, Edozie, Sulemana, SAA Str: AA, Archer, Stewart, Onuachu As the squad is, obviously with a few positions covered by the same people like KWP that can play LB, AA can play RW or Str, Stephens can play anywhere across the pitch including up front and in goal etc etc... As good as I think our business has been, we definitely needed to shed a few and I think either that will happen with the clubs whose windows haven't closed over the next couple of weeks or they'll be shipped out in January. Good transfer business from us - as I've been saying for a few weeks, we've not only given ourselves a fighting chance of staying up this season, but we've strengthened the team for if we go back down again.

If he stays fit this is a clever signing for his versatility alone. Him and Fraser in one day have strengthened our left hand side, more importantly as Cornet is left footed and can play right wing, it satisfies my craving for that position to be filled if Martin plans on playing AA as a striker.

Ramsdale, Fraser and Cornet. We've had better deadline days... but not many Welcome Maxwell!

As mad as it is for Birmingham to be spending that sort of money on a player in League One, however well he did on loan the previous season, how good must the Fulham financiers be feeling tonight, for getting top dollar for a player that may or may not make it - especially in these days of PSR.

Will anyone go after ABK now that people know about the heart issue? Problem is we signed 3 CBs in the summer and he would be our sixth - that's us over stocked there, although he is arguably better than all of them simply based on talent alone. TP offers us something different up front than we don't have and is a proven scorer most places he's ever been. Sulemana has pace (but little else). TP and ABK on paper improve us but I think all 3 will go - either in the next few days to clubs whose windows are still open or in January. We've signed a lot of players this summer and I suspect we would want to get the wage bill down.

We have until 1am to get the deal done with the deal sheet in. Seeing as this was first announced yesterday I would be surprised if we don't get this over the line, unless he fails the medical. Assuming the club is just getting all the pressy bits done ready for the unveiling.

I'm pleased he's back - free transfer too with bags of experience. He did a decent job last year too - whether or not he can still do it in the Prem remains to be seen but he's still only 30 - madness really! Seems he really wants to be here, the manager trusts him and the players seem to like him. Thanks to Newcastle too for taking the high road and letting him go.

I echo Turkish's Congraluations. It's excellent news - even better if he signs a new contract. It only has to be for an extra year - that would do! Splendid. I think we're a right winger short (if AA is to be a striker as Martin wishes) so Cornet being able to play there means not piling too much pressure on SAA too early. I don't mind him staying - it's not great from a financial perspective but it helps with squad strength and despite his end product sucking, I still like him. A loan would have been good for him but it means more strength in depth in attack off the bench.

My guess was that Aribo, Downes or Smallbone were supposed to get forward to become the false 9 but it just didn’t work. It might work better with Fernandes but personally I’d rather see us drop Stephens and bring in Archer, especially against teams like Forest or Brentford.

A few windows remain open, Turkey and Saudi are a couple, so still time for outs to them. Tall Paul to Turkey in particular could still happen. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/statistik/transferfenster

If Fraser is on a free, am I right in saying he doesn’t need to be signed before the deadline? Or does she need to be signed tonight to be able to register him?

Now I really hope we stay up. We're building a very good team here. Just need to survive this season and hopefully we can start adding more quality to it.

I thought he'd go on loan so a permanent transfer is a bit of a surprise but his contract is running out and the money we're getting is good. Assuming KWP stays we're in good shape there anyway. He may be another Thierry Small or he may be another Bale but it'll be a few years until we find that out. Shame but with PSR it's the sensible thing to do with a short contract.

I guess we're expecting Ramsdale and Cornet over the line, but I wonder if there'll be a surprise "in" and I guess there'll be a few "outs" too. If Russ genuinely considers AA a striker, I do think we need another RW, even with the emergence of SAA and the fact that Cornet can play there but personally I'd rather keep AA as a wide option and bring in another striker. Ultimately regarding the "Outs" I do NOT want to hear of a late move for KWP, even if we have covered his positions. That said I do think the club would entertain decent offers (because we have covered his positions and because of his contract running out) and I do think there may be interested parties willing to make a late move. However surprisingly there's been no mention of a move away for weeks so 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞. I reckon there'll be a few loans out too. I wouldn't be surprised to see Manning go now he's slipped down the pecking order.

If Russ perseveres with a 5 man back line, then Suga, THB, Bednarek, ABK, KWP would be a superb back line for a newly promoted team. Add Ramsdale to that too. I guess it depends on whether anyone comes in for him. Same with TP, although with ABK coming on yesterday, it shows that perhaps he isn't as frozen out as TP is.

I'm working all night, I'll break any news if and when it happens, but will disguise it to look like I'm ITK. 😀 As for Cornet, that's an interesting link, not least because he can play LWB/LB and it seems like we are trying to cover our bases in the eventuality that KWP leaves, but also because as an attacking outlet he's very good, he can play on both wings. WhoScored lists his strengths and weaknesses: + Strengths Long shots Strong Aerial Duels Strong Tackling Strong - Weaknesses Offside awareness Very Weak Maxwel Cornet's Style of Play Likes to do layoffs Fitness appears to be an issue, as it is with seemingly most of the players we sign, but if he stays fit, he can be a real asset. I think I like this link more than I like the return of Fraser TBF. I wonder if it will contain an option to buy...

Keylor Navas is available on a free - great back up.

I liked James when he was here, an academy product with a good engine, always fit and reliable and of course, he had a specific skill, but we've spent the summer building on top of an existing midfield and I feel he wouldn't be the guaranteed starter he used to be, although perhaps he would fit Russ's passing/keep-ball philosophy. He needs to leave West Ham and become a regular starter somewhere but with Downes, Lesley, Fernandes, Lallana, Smallbone, Dibling and Aribo currently all in the squad, I can't see him coming, especially for the money West Ham would want for him. I'd rather spend the money on improving the attack.

Bring back Brooksy to keep him company. Whatever it takes!

Ah the Che Adams play book. Have a hot streak just before a transfer window or contract renewal whilst being very average the rest of the time.

After spending over £25 million on O'Riley, PSR may hinder that. They may get a loan in but likely they'll just keep Gilmour. Sucks for O'Riley though. I'm hoping our lot stay away from injury, particularly Dibling and his invisible shin pads. Thanks. Yes nasty and it looked uncontrolled. Definitely a "lower league" challenge.

Looking forward to his first mislaid pass that results in an opposition goal so I can boo the living piss out of him! 😁🤪 But seriously this is an excellent signing - he's maybe not the sort of Goalkeeper Martin wanted (like Steele or Bijlow, keepers that are super comfortable with the ball at their feet) but he's an excellent shot stopper and takes command of his area and is still young. Maybe this means Martin will take a more pragmatic approach to tippy tappying it around at the back. This is a keeper that should arguably be England's number one. It is an excellent signing in a season where not long ago we thought that McCarthy would be our number one until Baz got back.