hypochondriac

Well he got 4 last year in a team that you would hope are a fair bit worse than we will be this year even if we do go down. The point is that Adam's record was worse than archers is at the same age. Yes Adams has more seasons of scoring goals in the prem but he's seven years older! Again it's not a guarantee but neither is adna being older and therefore having more opportunities a negative for Archer.

I think the exciting g bit is the pote trial to have quite a few threats going forward and hopefully a more dynamic attack as a unit. Particularly if we get o'riley or an equivalent.

Also worth considering that solanke has just gone to spurs for 60 million and did naff all for anyone until he scored significantly less for Bournemouth in the championship than Che did last year when he was 24. It was only last season that he did anything in the prem and he will be 27 in a couple of weeks. Archer is 22 and there's real potential there, particularly with Martin who has a good history of improving players.

Che had never played in the premier league at 22. At 20 he scored 7 goals in 40 appearances in the championship. At the same age Archer scored 11 in 20 in the championship which is a better ratio than Che's best ever season in the championship which he had for Birmingham at 22 which is the same age as Archer. That's not a guarantee he will be better but it's certainly encouraging

Oh flynn Downes oh flynn Downes Saints are premier league Flynn Downes Downes Downes Downes doooownes Sit down - James Can we make this happen please?

Eh? The most Adams ever scored in the prem was 9!

I think you make a good point. Archer doesn't even have to be that good, he just needs to be better than Che which shouldn't be that difficult!

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.