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One thing NC did not do was control spending.

He still gets paid!

You base that opinion on what? The lad spent a fortnight before pre season working his nuts off at golden ring to get ready for pre season. That's a great attitude imo.

I read his post and thought it was unusually balanced and sensible. It's correct that Djenepo "Draws a lot of fouls and wins free kicks as his pace looks frightening". His comment "on the ball looks a little confused, if not direct. A few poor passes in there too" is an accurate assessment of the player, as is "Definite potential but looks v.raw".

Mate, you're dominating a footy thread with all sorts of nonsense. Putting aside a ridiculous French / English work attitude debate and people's knowledge or lack thereof re mental health, no reasonable human being thinks its OK to hound another human being out of a job for which he has a contract. His obligation/job is to turn up to training, stay fit and be available to play if selected and he's seemingly doing it.

Interesting if it is - he's been putting a lot of work in with a boxing trainer and my understanding is that he was going back super fit.

Klarer is very different to Jones. He's more a head to ball type, whereas Jones more of a sweeper type from what I've seen. That squad has 4 x CM's, one of which is Smallbone, and I think 6 x CB's. I wander if the intention is to take a look at Stephens as 1 of the 2 in front of the back 4. Re Hoedt, I think it's a bit like Forster - nobody else will have them so why not see if we can use them.

Surprised by the omission of Slattery but inclusion on Smallbone. I'm guessing that points to a loan for Slattery, unless he has a knock. I'm not surprised that Ralph is looking at the players we have...nobody else will and it's pretty obvious that we can't keep adding players to a huge squad - there's 26 travelling and 11 staying behind and on any analysis a 1st team squad of 37 is as bloated as Charlie Austin.

I'd be staggered if Chelsea sold him, he's a huge talent.

The fact is he can "steal a living". If he doesn't have to turn up to train, he's doing even less for his wages. You're all over the place mate.

He doesn't have to play for another team or take a negotiated (reduced) pay off. He's under contract and can see it out at full pay. What's in it for him to take less?

You're assuming he's highly driven and wishes to revive career. That's a possibility, as is the possibility that he's happy to have an easy life and see out his contract. The truth is that neither of us no the truth but if I was a betting man I wouldn't back your assumption.

Spot on Del. Somebody will pipe up and say "but we can subsidise" his wages but even if we did that, a club still has to want him, and he still has to want the move. Players have the power to decide if they're moving, not the club and I'm struggling to see why he'd uproot his life and move to another club to sit on a different bench, or drop a league, or move abroad to live in a hotel somewhere for a season. It's easy to see the attraction of rocking up to training, being available if needed/wanted, and taking the cash.

Your scenario still involves another club wanting Forster as their keeper (who?) and Foster willing to go somewhere. I don't see either as likely so we're stuck with him, hence I think it likely that we'll cash in on Mccarthy who clubs will want.

Because somebody has to want him and he has to be willing to go. People talk about loaning out or selling players as if its just the clubs choice. Forster is on a King's ransom and we have to accept that if he wants to sit back and earn his wage he can do that.

That team would get destroyed. JWP and Hoj would leave those CB's totally exposed.

Agreed. Under the watchful eye of Terry at Villa, and a dominant CB alongside him he actually could do well there. If Targett is an £11m + player, Stephens is worth at least that. If we could get decent cash for him it'd be a good move all round.

To answer your question, no I don't think we'll keep adding players in any position before we shift players. I share your concern about our CB's, although I'm more positive about Bednarek but not as positive about Vestergaard who's far too slow imo. It's unrealistic to think that we'll keep the CB's you mention, plus Stephens, Hoedt, plus the likes of Cedric and add yet more players/wages to the wage bill. Sure, getting a CB in may be a priority (we need to upgrade, that's obvious), but I don't think we'll get someone decent in addition to the players that we have.

Another keeper, we have 8! Nobody will take on Forster wages so we're stuck with him as no 2 and take money for Mccarthy I'd guess. Not sure we'll get a CB for similar reasons, but if we can shift more dead wood, ie Hoedt, Cedric, Gallagher, and free up some wages capacity I could see it. We need some pace and height at CB alongside Bednarek.

Give credit where its due. He ran into form. Sure, he ain't ever going to be Harry Kane and I'm not suggesting he should be first pick, but under RH he offers us something and is an asset. I'd much rather have a year of him as an understudy / option than Austin.

Just a tad dramatic.

I like him but not physical or pacy enough in a 4222. Can't see it personally.

Yep, strange as. I checked in to read some sensible comment and opinion on our next PM, and found comments about man rape. Odd is an understatement.

Yep, that's my interpretation, so I don't understand the comments from people that we won't / can't pay £14m.

They're an asset when someone wants to pay proper money and give them what they want in wages, but they're a liability when nobody wants to pay what we want and/or match their wages. Fraser, for example, will literally cost us money to get rid of him.