egg

I've never heard of either to be fair, but I'm not convinced by Phillips. It's a shame Chalobah has stepped out of the shadows at Chelsea.

So what leads you to your conclusion that we'll be "fine" with Bednarek and Salisu as our first choice CB? What did you see as positives about that partnership?

Because your opinion is not fact. You think Salisu and Bednarek are "fine" for us as 1st choice. Many don't agree, and if someone thinks we're "fucked" with that as our first choice pairing, they can have that opinion.

He's played so rarely it's hard to judge him, but from what i saw he could head the ball well but not much else looked impressive. I think Stephens is massively underrated tbh, just lacking a bit of concentration at times and he could be better in the air. Personally I'm not convinced we can't do better for £15m.

So you want us to "stop wasting money" be "smart in the transfer market" and suggest we do that by signing a billy big bollocks has been who'll want massive wages. Blimey.

Lion

I can't agree with your couple of posts on this. Sure the GK isn't Ralph's pick, but 3 of the back 4 are, Diallo is his player and JWP is his kind of player, and I think all the 10's and forwards are as well. This is more Ralph's team than an inherited team, and there can be no more excuses for Ralph if this team does badly.

Just looked it up and it was actually over 4 world cups, 74-86. Found this article https://www.squadnumbers.com/2014/10/18/alphabetical-numbering-systems-at-the-world-cup/

We need someone for all those positions for me. Djenepo at LB is baffling. Absolutely baffling.

Probably 10% "loyalty" fee to the outgoing players as they haven't asked to leave, a big chunk to the new guys as signing on fees, agents fees on all the deals. £39m fees isn't £39m in real money.

Yep, dunno about 26, I'd be happy with 36 rather than 21. We need some proper experience back there. As it is, we're going into the season with Bednarek as our senior defender.

Bingo. Ralph has been dealt a shit hand with the keepers. He's got a choice between crap and crap.

Choices? Unless you're saying a keeper was a priority over a replacement for Ings or Bertrand, I'm not sure what choice you mean.

I'm sure that you're sure, but I'm not sure that anyone can be sure, surely. Anyways, he's on his way and I'm far from sure that Bednarek and Salisu is good enough for what we need. We need experience to replace experience, for sure.

Do you have proof though?

I don't blame Ralph for this. He's been given 2 shit keepers to pick from, and no money for a replacement. I suspect both were put in the shop window last season but as nobody took either, I'd imagine he'll pick one and stick with him until he has a run of mares, then throws the other one in, and repeat.

Indeed. People have differences with others sometimes (you and I have), but there's lines not to be crossed. Sadly SOG will cast very serious aspersions in his desperation to make his point.

For me it was all but calling people who don't support taking the knee as racist or racism apologists. Bang out of order. Prior to that I was very tolerant of the bloke but I became very unforgiving after that.

Vestegaard is hindered by having the speed and turning circle of a cow. He's very decent despite that but that Leicester back 3 with him, Evans and Soyuncu is going to be very one paced.

This. Our defence was woeful last season and going again with the same CB's makes no sense. Re the balls from the back, no team should have to rely on a CB to be their playmaker in chief. Hopefully our midfield will step up and do midfielders should do.

I think we only have Chauke (if he's fit) and young Finnegan. Binning off Lemina was understandable, ditto Slattery to an extent if we weren't going to use him, but the whole Jankewitz thing is baffling and leaves us very short of bodies in there.

Yep, but the CB's then split and cover the wide positions and as we saw last season, they get battered for pace out there. Bednarek in particular really struggled.

Duplicate.

Yep, Argentina. They did it across a few world cups. Ossie Ardiles wore 1 or 2 I think.

I agree. When he was playing regularly he was decent. He's been out for ages though, but assuming he's injury free he wouldn't be the worst signing and would give the squad some experience and leadership.