hypochondriac

I saw some videos earlier in the week talking about the importance of experience in this league. That's certainly something Ipswich lack but we are pretty good McCarthy Bednarek Kwp Taylor Downes Leslie Armstrong Bereton Diaz Aribo Lallana Stephens Have all had experience in this league and most of them have performed well in it at points. I think that will count for something.

I'd say you'd have Downes and the other two competing for three spaces. You'd imagine Downes plays every time he is fit but if it's anything like last season, the other two will get plenty of gametime. I much prefer a situation where Smallbone gets a chance to show what he can do in the prem but without being too reliant on him in case he turns out to be a bit crap at this level.

Worth pointing out that this is exactly how we should use the loan system. It allows us to procure a higher quality of player that we would never be able to afford permenently. Also taking advantage of Chelsea and their ridiculously large squad.

I would secretly love Clarke and could happen for about 15 million but I'm not sure we could afford him if we did get o'riley.

Almost certainly not but even if he were I don't think you could justify playing him. He's not like a striker that you could throw on for 20 minutes to try to bag a goal.

Really good sign that we've strengthened an area we were light in. You'd have to think we will get a keeper and AM in now considering that this position wasn't as critical as those.

Without someone to provide consistent assists we are equally sunk.

Not sure I agree but obviously we need a keeper.

100% agree. I feel like a big statement signing like o'riley would be just what the doctor ordered and would give everyone a huge boost.

A timely post!

Watched some of the Oxford Coventry game and the Fulham United game. The first game was about a million times better. I'm not sure why any neutral woukd want to watch the prem trash given the choice.

Hasn't Szmodics been just as successful as Bereton Diaz was in the championship? A Blackburn fan I know said he isn't that great and the only reason he scored so many was because they set up their team so that everything went through him.

Haven't we spent about 60 million so far? Could be close to 100 by the end of the window.

Where did I mention anything about how many people we sold? I said that by the end of the summer we would probably be looking for another five players in total and you said "we're not signing that many players". There was no qualifier about how many players we were selling although that's an easy thing to say now. Who one earth thought a few days ago that we weren't going to sell a number of players?

Incorrect

Well Mr COT Farmer Saint flatly denied we would be bringing five players in a couple of days ago. Let's see if he's right... P.S. Gk, AM and winger please!

10 million for Mara effectively makes Archer 5 million (although clearly higher wages) which makes it sound like a superb deal!

Yes but the xg was about 5. So he had virtually no chances.

I don't know how the forum would cope without your insight.

Probably but if they effectively tell him he won't be playing much or at all this season then I suppose it depends how much he fancies sitting around.

I certainly hope so. I'd possibly even go so far as to say that a proper striker would be above a winger in terms of what we need after goalkeeper and AM.

He was also at his best when played with a support striker and it seems we have a couple of those in BBD and Archer. I don't expect us to and maybe we can't justify his wages but if tall paul and Mars both goes I still think we are a bit light.

And that will have relevance to the football club the day I sign as a pro...

I know many disagree but I'd still try again for Ings if Stewart isn't really going to play much again. I don't think BBD is really a striker and I'd still worry about having enough up top.

Because we wouldn't have made 60 million for Lavia or however many millions for Tino for a start.