disconnect

RM has shown time and again that he doesn’t like flair players, and then turns to one…. He did counter it by leaving Stephens on (to play out of position) and taking off our best player of the first half…

Haven't we only agreed the signings of the two Brazilian guys (and the young Japanese) kid who will be all 'joining' us in January?

Yep, seems very strange to think the management are just accepting the probability of relegation as we'll just get promoted next time and be better?! We have got to aim to survive and then build, which I'm sure is what they are trying to do.

Lovechild of Brett Ormerod and Rydian?

Can’t find any info anywhere on this guy. Hope he makes it to the first team just so we can sing the Stan Bush classic… “DARE… Dare to be all your dreams tonight…”

Guess this is what you get when the tax payer funds your tourist trap stadium.

Just got out of the car park (ok, back to south London, but feels like I’m still stuck in the car park). That first half team can’t play out from the back, or at least McCarthy can’t…! Thought Edwards had some potential but Wood looked awful - very clumsy and seemed to switch off. Hopefully he gets himself properly fit and concentrates a bit more, but would put him behind Edwards on that showing for sure. Thought Charles, Dibling and SAA all did well and Alcaraz looked like could make something happen. Get a poacher in the box for Edozie please.

Looking forward to tonight, despite sitting with the Oxford fans. If they're too annoying, will just go and stand behind the goal in the car park...

On the bench, hopefully.

Welcome to 18 years ago.

You're forgetting their other option is Lyndon Dykes... (and you're conveniently forgetting the actual most overrated international striker ever, who just captained his side to another runners up trophy)

Who are you including in this? Edozie and Sulemana (possibly off)? Amo-Ameyaw (although I thought he might be more off the right)?

What about a fit striker?! A combo of Broja (hasnt done anything in about 3 years, since he was with us!) and Stewart (played a total of 44 mins for us) with Mara and Armstrong (who has shown he's much better off the right) doesnt fill me with any confidence.

Wood was highly rated a year or two back under Martin, but hasn't been standout the last season or so since he departed, so would be interesting to see if he can get back up to top form and progress. Not expecting him to start, but heard rumours that Bednarek might be off, which would be an issue without an experienced replacement - even if we do go 3 at the back, we can't really have Harwood-Bellis, Wood and Edwards all playing who are all young and none of them been in the Premier League before. Hopefully they're not assuming Stephens will be in with two others, as we did try to replace him a couple of years ago for a reason. I don't mind Stephens, but his lapses in concentration do get punished at this level. Heard the same on Wood, but hopefully with a bit of time on his side, he will cut that out and become a good player for us.

There must be more to it. Newcastle probably asked them to sign him for a far overinflated fee for their own PSR reasons, and they'll give Brighton a 'favour' in the future. All very dodgy. They also sold Elliot Anderson for near £40 million(!) and bought Lewis Hall for over £30 million, both decent players but not worth that amount!!

That's because they are significantly better than 90% of the rest of the academy (perhaps only Dibling aside), and are effectively first team squad members. I think most were surprised neither featured more for the first team last year. Hoping to see more of both this season.

It's called the Ever-Sea-Castle-Villa method

What on earth is that song?! Probably the worst vocals I've ever heard, truly awful. Hopefully the player is better than the music! 🤣

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.