derry

This seems just another case of early in the window identifying high cost targets and then trying to buy on the cheap. Consequently Walcott to Everton, Promes not coming. They'll think it was cheap at the price if we go down. I expect they are all sitting comfortably, patting themselves on the back and letting the Gao's know how much of the VVD money they have managed to save for them. I hope I am cynically wrong and we will sign a suitable quick player tonight.

The only way to get him would be to trigger the release clause and pay up front. Then watch the Russians delay the paperwork until after the deadline.

Unless we bring in a quick goal scoring attacker it will be a disaster as all the teams around us have had no trouble strengthening.

No because he didn't have the pre season at Leicester to castrate them as he did us. Give him the summer, then we will see whether he has the sense to leave well alone, or do it his way. He took a sixth place team that had been on a tremendous run at the end of the previous season, changed completely the way it played and made it the most unenjoyable season for years, until this clown easily surpassed that with the easiest starting fixtures we have had in years. Unless things change could relegate us.

According to Sky reporter at SMS, the club are saying it is unlikely to happen, the requested fee has been met but Spartak won't sell unless a replacement is brought in and they are struggling to get one.

I think when triggering a release clause the specified sum has to be paid to EUFA to protect the players owners.

Because Stoke got him to put some elevation on it rather than the flat throw he mostly did for us if I recollect correctly.

It's more likely having to pay the lot up front if we do. Stage payments. if we negotiate without triggering the payment without Spartak's agreement.

If we do that as far as I know the complete fee has to be handed over to EUFA in one hit to trigger the clause.

Are you sure, could it be Hill of Don?

Celtic need a keeper, We are looking at Dembele, that would be a deal if we could bring in a replacement. Somehow I think Fraser's contract would kybosh that thought.

I haven't a clue how Carillo will turn out. May be it will depend who we play with him. As for Long, he was the only player to get on the end of Bertrand's free kick at full stretch and force the rebound off the keeper that Stephens knocked in. Good job he did. Two goals away at Watford scored because he outpaced the defence and got crosses in that were easily controlled. Yesterday he worked his socks off and was still strong at the end. Gabbiadini can't play on his own up front and Sims was a peripheral figure for the U23s in a big defeat at Staplewood. I've got a feeling that Carillo will turn out not able to play on his own either.

Davis was the first one that should have come off. He was a peripheral figure and when the long ball started was totally physically unsuited and had no influence on the game except to leave us a man short. Tadic had faded and should have been hooked at the same time, leaving Boufal on. Yoshida wasn't a mistake , taking Boufal off was. Carillo on was sensible but personally I thought Lamina and at the same time as Yoshida, leaving until the last ten minutes under siege was stupid and leaving Davis on, or even starting him was worse.

I don't think the criticism was bringing Yoshida on. The real criticism was taking Boufal off. Davis was a passenger by then and Tadic had faded. Both needed replacing. Leaving Boufal on and putting Lamina on with Hojbjerg and Romeu would have made it more difficult for Watford. Sending Carillo on was also positive but would have given Watford more problems if done earlier and Boufal had not been taken off. To relieve the long ball siege there needs to be an upfront outlet and threat. Long worked his socks off and was going strongly at the end, the same couldn't be said for Davis who was just bypassed because of his lack of pace, strength and not least his ability to stay out of the physical stuff. For the critics of Long, he did well at full stretch to get on the end of Bertrand's free kick and get a rebound off the keeper which was put in by Stephens. A bloody good job he did as it was the only goal we scored. Without his effort we wouldn't have won. He had a couple of shots but none were clear chances. All in all he was one of our better performers.

I've read the posts on here and I was at the game. The manager is a prat. The substitution was a nonsense. Initially we thought Soares who had taken some hefty knocks would come off and be replaced by Stephens with Yoshida at the back. Davis was a peripheral figure for most of the game and certainly not someone for a backs to the wall half hour and could have gone off instead of Boufal who was a threat all game. Hojbjerg and Romeu worked their socks off, Pied is not a left back but did a reasonable job. Long gave it everything and kept Watford occupied, including getting the touch that rebounded off the keeper for the goal. The manager only had two substitutes due to Bertrand's injury but by keeping Davis on removed a threat to Watford, didn't help us at all and effectively surrendered the last twenty five minutes to Watford. I was at that end of the Itchen and it wasn't pretty and very much self inflicted, we were just hanging on. Bringing on Carillo was a reasonable move but not so late. Tadic was ineffective by this time but Boufal had been playing well. It ended up with Long up front sometimes with Tadic but when Carillo came on he was forced to drop deep. He didn't really get in the game, had a couple of runs and a header, but we relied completely on Long to relieve the pressure. As happened in previous games we backed off too much. A better move might have been Lamina to reinforce the midfield leaving Boufal on with Long taking off Tadic and Davis..

Plus his international clearance, needs both by noon today.

Provided his international clearance as well as his signing on is received by the FA before noon today.

Williams had a nasty streak, JWP needs one and doesn't tackle anything like Williams, JWP is a pussy when it comes to tackling.

Thanks, De Vrij would be a good buy to play with Hoedt.

Charlie Austin, Ted McDougall or Derek Reeves. came alive in the penalty area.

That wouldn't be VVD's agent would it?

Make Bertrand Captain. I wish Pellegrino would stop this detailed briefing of players either at a stoppage or just before substitutions. You can see their eyes glazing over at the detail, give them a basic thought or a positional change and send them on. Firstly the training ground is the place for coaching and secondly very few coaches make good managers because they are wrapped up with the theory and lose the big picture and common sense.

His pointless running on the right and left opened up Watford for our two goals.

I'll take the point but our marking at dead ball situations is a cluster****. We need to beat Watford on Saturday and Brighton on Wednesday and we will be on a bit of a run. We need to bring in a couple up front. Tadic is best on the left. Our substitutions because of the bench weakened the team and meant we spent the last ten minutes backed into our box but with more forwards we were able to get out. JWP covered a lot of ground and had one of his best games. McCarthy, once he came off his line helped us immensely and is playing well.

All I can say is how many times have we seen this smoke and mirrors from the club and then the player goes somewhere else. It makes me think they were never that serious unless it was on the cheap relatively.