hypochondriac

You include yourself? You consider yourself to be racist? Weird.

(even though I've spoken to two premier league footballers who said to my face that they do it for a quiet life.)

When Blomey I agree with MLG! Looking at social attitude surveys, the UK population consistently scores very highly in being welcoming to minorities and accepting of diversity. We are clearly one of the most tolerant and accepting nations on Earth.

The precedent has been set now. the kneeling should continue in perpetuity or the racists win.

Great idea. keep it going. if anything the protest should be increased.

Has there been any recent link to Armstrong?

I'm prepared to give him longer than one half of football. It's not ideal but if Ralph has seen potential for him as cover in that area then I think it's worth giving a go.

For how long?

Is he going to be much worse than our options from last season? If we don't sign anyone else then it will probably be Livramento providing lb and rb cover and then Djenepo in a pinch at lb if required.

Yep. OK so we lose out on a mega fee but it reduces our initial outlay and potentially we get a cracking player for a few years.

Good post and an example of a positive and reasonable reaction to this signing.

Wasn't the plan for a midfielder to play at lb if required?

Do you have an example of moaning? I think the general consensus of those who disagreed with you was that you were going over the top and being hyperbolic with your reaction. I haven't seen anyone being apathetic, everyone has been positive about the potential signing they just didn't have the same OTT response that you did.

I genuinely haven't seen anyone moaning about this signing. Do you have a link?

There seems to be universal agreement that this is a decent signing and the club should be commended. I think though that most posters have a bit of perspective- particularly considering the reported nature of the deal - and don't want to go overboard with the hyperbole before he's walked in the door. I'm perfectly happy for people to be positive or excited about this but it's your use of the word "insane" that I had an issue with. It's a perfectly realistic sort of signing for us to get involved in given our financial situation and not insane at all (albeit the club deserve great credit if they pull it off). We've had loads of hyped signings and in my experience they are the ones who always fail to live up to expectations (off the top of my head Ramirez, Skacel, Euell, Osvaldo) so I'll take a wait and see approach

I remember when we signed Gaston ramirez after Lawro scoffed at the idea of a small club like saints signing him. I thought that was an insane signing at the time but he was just shite.

It's not an insane deal. Calm down. He's coming to us because we can offer him first team football and then he gets to go back to Chelsea in a few seasons if he makes the grade. It makes sense for both parties and we've done well to negotiate it.

If he can play rb and lb then that's a great signing and really strengthens us at the back. If we can get in a decent dm then I won't mind so much about not strengthening the attack. If we keep hold of our players and got one more in after this then that's a good window imo.

Sounds like a decent signing. I wonder if he can play in any other positions.

He's edited the post to try to hide it! Mr wrong strikes again!

If we have limited funds I can see why Ralph's priority would be making us most solid defensively. We were frankly appaling last year in that department (probably our worst season since promotion in defence.)

I suppose that would depend on ings going.

So a full back, a six and a CB.

She definitely had no idea who Carillo was. It was almost certainly a lucky guess based on his physique, what he was wearing and the fact he was very clearly foreign (and the staff were fawning all over him.)

The other depressing thing is it's the only time in my life that my wife has pointed to someone at a restaurant (the week he signed) and said "is he a footballer?" Had I known what I know now I would have definitely replied in the negative.