egg

Perhaps because a straight loan wasn't an option - buyers don't impose terms when there's competition for a player. Or perhaps it is a loan with "a view" to buy as per the Echo, not an obligation. Fact is that we don't know the facts. Relax and get behind the lad.

Boufal by his absence was ineffective. Tadic was very creative and underappreciated by many. He'll be a miss and the new boys have big shoes to fill.

I thought the same. Selling Targett and buying Montoya makes more sense than having no dedicated right back cover and 3 left backs.

It's all about opinions, but I disagree. Forster was awful last season and had McCarthy not stepped up we almost certainly would have been relegated. We needed solid competition for McCarthy and Forster wasn't it.

Agree. McQueen was adequate lb cover when Targett was on loan and will be adequate again this season.

I question why anyone would give a monkeys what anyone's kit looked like, ours included.

Yep. He's got pace and can finish. We've not got another forward with both qualities. Would be a good addition.

So because we needed a goalscorer you think we should have kept a 2nd choice keepe who's no longer good enough? That makes sense.

Amen. If the youngsters were good enough they'd play. They don't because they're not. There's too much sentiment at times. Sentiment doesn't win football matches.

In a 4 Stephens will be solid, not exciting going forward, but solid. Yoshida in the middle plus one of the other 3 (Bednarek best of the lot imo, Hoedt and Vestergaard look awful signings) and we'll have a better defensive set up than this back 3/5 gives us. A 433 will give another man in the middle to protect the defence, and the forward 3 will give width from forwards rather than out of position defenders... problem is the club have thrown 30mil plus at immobile centre backs and I'm guessing Hughes will be expected to play them.

If a "mess" translates to a "realist" then you're right.

It seems that he was, ie from what I've seen it it's impossible to see how he improves the team and/or complements the other defenders. If he was brought in as a Hoedt upgrade with mobile CB's around him I could understand, but as this game shows, playing them together ain't a good plan. Proper scouting should have highlighted that. A signing for the sake of a signing.

They're both slow on the turn, and in a 3 susceptible to balls in behind and in the channels. Argue all you like but I ain't persuaded that they're a good combination.

He couldn't run either so we've bought another lad who can't run and played them together. Mobility and speed are more important than aerial ability - this ain't league 2.

I thought we signed Hoedt to deal with balls in the air. Having signed Hoedt, and committed to a back 3, we should have signed a player to complement him. Signing someone who shows up the worst qualities in both of them was ridiculous. And as for playing for them together in a back 4...

Vestergaard was a signing for the sake of a signing. Him alongside Hoedt is a car crash - both slow as hell. If we must play a 3 we need Bertrand on left of a 3, and Yoshida in there somewhere. If a 4 then Yoshida plus a roll of the dice from the others.

I suspect Fulham also know there's a massive gulf between the championship and the premier league. They think he can make the jump, but the fact is that he's unproven in any kind of defensive set up in the premier league.

He was successful in a back four in the championship. He's unproven in any kind of defensive set up in the premier league. He may step up...many thought Danny Fox would but the gulf between the championship and premier league is massive.

If much rather have him there than Hoedt.

Simple. Because Fraser is poor and not good enough to step in for McCarthy.

It's possible that he was Ill, so didn't play, so went somewhere. I don't buy it, but it's possible.

I'd rather we finished 8th, playing good football, and played whatever players were good enough achieve that. Boll0x to sentiment.

Well trodden ground and making the same point again and again changes nothing. The fact is we're stuck with a keeper shot on confidence on a ridiculous contract. If someone takes him the reality is it'll still cost us money as nobody will match his wages and we'll have to pay him a wedge to go. My gut feel is that he'll sit, rot and take the wages.

Not a chance. He's on a lot of money which no championship club would match or better.

Thanks. He looks better than that. Jones very good too.