disconnect

I think Wood is the least talented / least natural of our centre backs and always looks a bit awkward, but is a trier and has had a couple of decent games. If there was a choice between the two I’d persevere with Edwards as I think he has more potential.

Fraser AM? Didnt we try that experiment in pre-season and was not good... Interesting to see young right back Tabares on the bench - how long is Bree going to be out for? Gutted about Fernandes, but maybe just rested...

Not since day 1 - his first game or two he actually looked like he could be pretty good (some good positive running and crossing), but needed some time to settle into the team positionally and defensively. Sadly that never happened and he went backwards from there.

I thought he might get a few games this season if we got rid of one of Wood or Edwards (and I wouldnt be surprised to see one of them still head out on loan before the end of the window) but with Quarshie brought in it does make sense to get him more minutes. Think he'll be good (hopefully for us) next season and beyond with a bit more experience.

Didn't watch all of the first half, but Diomande looked fairly decent and Takaoka very lightweight (as I think we knew)

TBF West Ham are used to getting stuff gifted to them cough Olympic tourist trap Stadium cough 🤣

A very little this season - playing 10 minutes against a backs against the walls newly promoted team! Annoyingly whatever he had he may have also infected Downs with!

Adams is significantly better than Stewart and BBD. May be a bit of a "misser" but his hold up play and the work he made stuff happen by pressing players was generally very good. Plus he was actually available more than a third of the season. Edit: posted at same time as Hypo. He's also much better through the middle than Armstrong, who should be out on the right if he is going to play. Fingers crossed Downs comes good!

Including a winger who our current manager didn't regularly play then proceeded to loan out 🙃

Overshadowed by the Ipswich match, but the under 21s won 2-1 away to Newcastle on Sunday with goals from Dipepa and Akachukwu. From those of the older players / have been around the first team squad, the following were missing from the squad, so imagine some may be injured but others about to go out on loan? Zach Awe, Nathanael Boot, Nico Lawrence, Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Dom Ballard, Victor Udoh.

Didnt want to join us when we were in the prem, definitely wont want to join us now

What a lovely stadium. Definitely fitting of a Ligue 1 side, hopefully Takaoka, Abu and co can help get Valenciennes back towards where they belong!

Good to see Rento Takaoka already got some minutes. Kylian Kouakou sounds like an interesting prospect for our multi-club model... Good luck for tonight!

Already one of my favourites, but mostly because he hasn't had time to let me down(s) as regularly as 95% of the rest of the squad.

Was highly rated when we signed him and seems to have done well since he's been with us, playing up in the under 21s at 17/18. Would be good to see him on the bench and get in and around the squad come the end of the season. Noticed that Victor Udoh nowhere to be seen - off to Valenciennes?!

Who was playing regularly in the side last year who isn’t now? Looks like quite a different lineup with a couple of younger guys in and some staples from last season nowhere to be seen

Although he did score a great well placed finish in pre-season when the ball was slid in for him (from Robinson?)

Ironically, when he gets forward, he could be a good crosser, just needs to have proper strikers in the box.

I don’t think Edwards and Wood are displacing Quarshie based on this. BBD truly awful, Archer looks fairly bright and Downes looks like he has the pashun that has seemingly made Stephens our star man 🤣

Didn’t set the world alight at Valenciennes, but this would explain his complete lack of presence in pre season. Not sure how much we bought him for but sounds like a (very small) profit potentially.

£30 mill? They planning to buy him without a foot or something?!

We need to be getting Downs ready - he's better than Stewart. Agree with Sesay, Matsuki and Wood starting, thought Taylor and Harwood-Bellis might still be injured. Interesting if Brereton-Diaz plays.

They are both two of, if not the best players for their clubs, who are in the same division as us. Both fairly young too. Think both could be good signings for us, having performed very well at this level with the potential to step up.

Where did you get that from? He's featured quite heavily in club photos this year and was made to sound like he'd be 'like a new signing for us'...

Ironically, that's probably the thing they've prioritised most - it truly has become the best away day for fans!