hypochondriac

Let's look at the Ipswich lineup shall we: Bazunu - not signed last year Fraser - hangover from the previous season THB - loan from previous season Stephen - not signed last year Quarshie - not signed last year Wellington - signed last year Charles - not signed last year Downes - loan from previous season Fernandes - likely to leave Robinson - not signed last year Armstrong - not signed last year So if we signed players to use this season we didn't do a very good job of it, particularly when you consider the likes of Fernandes are likely to leave.

Who is scoring 16 this season? I already said I'm not expecting better strikers.

Labour working wonders for that economy.

Adams is a better championship striker than all of our current strikers and he played the majority of games. We also scraped promotion via the playoffs with a better striker leading the line than we have now.

I know we won't get another striker but the strikers aren't currently good enough in my view. Downs is a prospect, Stewart can't stay fit and hasn't had a consistent run of form since being with us, AA isn't a striker and BBD needs to leave and will hardly play regardless.

I simply don't agree with that. Still has already said that he can't play the formation he wants to at the moment because we don't have any proper wingers. We've brought in a striker with potential but have no reliable out and out number 9 that's going to score 15-20 goals this season unless we are crossing our fingers that Downs with develop in a short period or Stewart is going to suddenly start doing it. Archer is a different type of player that Still seemingly doesn't currently view as a starter. Still also said he wants new players with championship experience so remains to be seen if we can get that in too. So in my mind we need: RB Extra option in midfield because Downes and Charles won't play every game Top quality replacements for Fernandes and Dibling if/when they leave At least one winger maybe two In a perfect world I'd try to get rid of another forward option and get in a reliable number 9 as the Adams replacement but I accept that's unlikely. Aribo, Smallbone, Edozie, maybe Sugawara, BBD and ABK all need to leave or go on loan.

We must have different standards. There's still time to improve but we require more than decent-ish looking prospects.

I'm glad we were effectively relegated last December and have had so long to prepare for this summer and the transfer window in particular.

Well we supposedly have a new regime in charge. You have to think that if we don't go up this year, one main reason will be our lack of a reliable number 9.

I'm surprised we went for someone like that to be our main man up front. If he doesn't show the required quality, it's a hell of a risk to hope that Stewart stays fit and starts firing because there isn't much of an alternative beyond that.

Has the person you know mentioned the likelihood of selling Fernandes?

Losing Alcaraz was a travesty. Martin was a prick for how he treated him.

Please don't sack him rangers. At least let him get tonked by celtic first.

Based on?

Fucking lol.

I really want him up against those big teams in Europe. Please!!!

@Saint_lambden there you go.

It was a hypothetical extreme example to make a point. Using your own logic we'd be unable to make judgements about players and the people who brought them to the club until we had seen them play for a long period for saints- possibly even the end of the season.

40 million with a sell on and Dibling off to palace would be good business.

Right and I've seen Fellows and Spertsyan play. What's your point.

You're making no sense at all. Hypothetically if we signed Haaland I'd be applauding the club for their ambition and for signing a good player. He could still turn out not to play very well for us. How is that a difficult concept for you to grasp?

I don't agree with you that it's rash unless you wait until the end of the season to judge players. Of course we should judge Spors on how signings perform. Still has some responsibility as well of course.

Of course any judgement will have limitations. I don't think it will happen but I'm happy to say that Spertsyan looks to be a really good ambitious signing for a club like us. He may sign and then be rubbish but I can still applaud the club for their dealings in the transfer market. Similarly someone like fellows with a proven record of success in this division is likely to do very well for us this year if we signed him.

Of course it's a big two weeks for him. It's his job to improve the squad. Two years ago we brought in two players in particular who were starters and improved the team immediately without any need to acclimatise to the country or develop. That's the standard that he will be judged against. Can we bring in those two or three players that will hit the ground running, slot straight into the team and be decent replacements for those who will inevitably leave. We will see that fairly soon after the window closes if not earlier. We don't have to wait till the end of the season to make a comparison to between those types of signings.

You realise expressing an opinion on a transfer window isn't a definitive writing off of any players or managers right? Absolutely bizarre that you wouldn't expect anyone to comment about a transfer window at the end of it. This is an Internet messageboard. You'd be better off logging off till May and then weighing in with your definitive opinion on how Spors has done.