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Bazunu cannot be first choice at any point this coming season if we have aspirations of staying up. If he gets fit, great, but he needs to go on loan to the Championship. McCarthy is surely back up / stop gap until a new first choice comes in. Ramsdale on loan just seems far too sensible for clever, (cheap) Saints 🤣

Truly terrible deal if that's all we're getting for him. Anything we spend on Downes we should be getting back from selling KWP plus a chunk more, 1 year on the contract or not. Downes has barely played in the premier league, whilst KWP has well over 100 (good) games in the premier league, was in the England squad not too long ago and played in the Champions League. Downes is key in our system, but is relatively unproven in the Premier League and has some concerns with missing matches last year.

If compared to Stephens, then 100% yes!

Perhaps the highest injury record too.

And going back through this thread (Grimsby aside), was pretty good in the few games he did play.

Shame - I thought he was one of our better players in our relegation season, and would be a good asset this season. Certainly looked like he put the effort in and carried an actual threat going forward. Better than Manning, but guess we have someone else coming in.

Martina, but Valery's strike at(?) Old Trafford was also extremely good.

Was surprised neither played more last season. I thought Meghoma especially looked more than good enough. SAA is raw but very talented (but probably too attack minded for RM - see also Edozie and Sulemana).

He should do well for them. Not sure what happened at Birmingham (seem to remember something like he got brought in to play the same position as one of their best players?!) but I thought he had the technical ability to be a decent player in the Championship.

On the plus side, Kane did clock his tournament record speed.... about 5 miles per hour.

Any news on players staying or leaving? I see the club signed a new goalkeeper today or yesterday. I know Kayi Sanda is very highly regarded at 17 and a French youth international, so would be interesting to see whether he stays or potentially moves around the Sports Republic family?!

Injured most of last season and only just back coming off the bench (and starting once) in last 7 games.

Guaranteed when Lallana, Ox, Ings, Lambert, Fonte, (or any other player over 30 who once played for us) the stadium will start blasting The Boys Are Back In Town.

Can't believe Toney got selected. 4 in his first 5 games back, but then none in 12 since. I also hated all this "It's obvious I want to play for a top club" before he even returned to play for Brentford, who had to make do without him for more than half a season due to his stupidity, very disrespectful. Comes across as a complete tool, and his spot could've easily gone to another striker (Solanke, even Rashford) or someone like Grealish who would probably play. I'm assuming he's mainly there to take a penalty in a shoot out, but hope if he's needed he smashes in a hat trick!

Classic Premier League rules favouring certain clubs and then slapping down rules and penalties on those outside the traditional top 6/8 clubs.

Probably Larios if I'm guessing without seeing the picture. Shame he's been injured for so long, could be a good player for us

McBurnie?! I know we thought Onuachu was bad, but he isnt that bad 🤣

It's still the third tier, and features some decent historical sides like Nancy, Sochaux, Le Mans etc. It seems like professional football just isnt as big in France I guess. Just was curious really!

No disrespect to Valenciennes, especially off the back of a very difficult season, but is it common that only 30 fans would make a 4 hour drive to a match? I think Eastleigh take more to away games up north! Just curious really if the away following is quite low in France.

Interesting that Wagner was sacked when he's probably done a comparable job to Martin to date. I don't think he'd go if we fail tonight, but we wouldn't have even needed play offs if we were coached into killing off teams.

Any idea how Larios and Ballard are getting on?

Amo-Ameyaw, Dibling and maybe Meghoma surely deserves to at least feature in the squad. If we're still in the Championship next season, they'll have big parts to play (if we havent pissed them off too)!

He'd do well for Leeds, who break at pace and try to score goals.

But hold up, didnt Martin effectively say we lost (read get smashed) at Leicester because Jack Stephens wasnt playing?! I can only imagine how bad it could've been if he was 🤣

I hope not. He's terrible at full back, and always seems to 'get away' with something when played there. I remember the West Brom match, we seemed to keep a clean sheet in spite of him, not because of him. Was caught badly out of position 2 or 3 times, and only bailed out by poor finishing or the centre backs.