Saint Matty 76

At this point you're not worth talking to then.

When the alternatives being brought up are people like Eddie Howe, I can. He's a good manager at the least ambitious club in the league. Teams come up and spend £100m~ net in a window and since he's arrived we've spent about £16m net, it's embarrassing. I'm not for a second saying he doesn't have his negatives, but just step back and look at what he's working with. I'd rather not put that on somebody like Eddie Howe who spent a shit load and couldn't spot a good player.

The funniest part is how many people in here think we can do better than Ralph with this squad/budget. Clueless.

Weird stat about Che but he's actually in the top 10 for chances created in the Prem this season. Behind only Bruno, KDB, Grealish, Kane, Son, Robertson & Rodriguez. I still think he's a good player and he brings a lot to the team outside of scoring goals, he's just in a bit of a bad spell just like everybody else. I think he's an absolutely ludicrous one to give up on, with some of the others we're watching.

Agreed. Think we'll definitely get one of Vestergaard/KWP, with Stephens at RB if it's Vest. Got my fingers crossed for Romeu as well, as there really isn't any other option for that position that I can think of?

You'd like to assume they may overturn Bednarek's ban? I'm not sure... couldn't have a much better chance to instantly turn it around as they are shit.

Loaning out a defender who was in the squad for our past 5 games, with little to no existing depth, where injuries have gotten worse and we appear not to have even had a player lined up to bring in. That's incredible, even for us.

Athletic proving to be about as useful as The Sun at the moment. Tanganga staying according to Mourinho and Bournemouth manager calling King talk nothing as well.

I'd be happy with both, but just Gilmour would be disappointing. Would pretty much confirm we're using JWP as LB/RB backup for the season and we can't afford to do that.

That's fucking crazy. They must've decided it's come off of his hip first.

We now don't have an option for our game tomorrow that we had for the last, despite already being worryingly thin squad depth wise. But you knew this anyway, not sure why I'm bothering.

Because he literally played three days ago because we had no other options. Until we bring somebody in, it is strange, quite obviously.

Vokins heading out on loan surely confirms somebody. Can't see the appeal for AMN to join us seeing as he'd just be back-up LB/RB/CDM. Obviously makes him a brilliant signing for us, just can't see why he'd choose us over West Brom.

Wolves have been an absolute state since Jimenez has been down. Unless that Willian Jose makes an immediate impact after joining today, we should go in expecting to win.

Typical Shane Long action really, would've been a harsh pen.

Well that's super depressing. Can't help but think this may accelerate Ralph's doubts too.

His personal circumstances aren't remotely comparable from where he joined to where he'd be supposedly leaving. He has every right, as the clear best player in our team, to seek assurances that he wouldn't be wasting his prime years here, when he'd clearly have the interest to go elsewhere. It's a nice idea to think he'd like to stay here after we gave him the opportunity, but if he's getting the impression from the club that we're not looking to invest and will sell other players, at 28 why would he stay? Lallana's stick was driven from the comments he made and the way he left, that's well documented. If Ings were to do the same, then I'm sure the reaction would be the same.

It's a bit of a mess how public this one is. Dan's latest tweet, combined with another from earlier stating that "he wants to stay", makes me think it's all down to the club not providing Ings with the necessary assurances about our ambition. If that is the case, no blame to Danny whatsoever.

I'm almost certain its the assurances, just like you've mentioned. It seems he'd be happy to become our highest paid player (£90k-£100k p/w) but what is the point if he isn't given assurances based on the clubs future? This also ties in with Dan's comments so I can't see what else it'd be.

It's so strange for us to be in such a good situation on the pitch, but to be so worried/nervous about us moving forwards. I know there's a big financial impact from the pandemic, but if we can't put the money together to give Ings a contract when RH has come out today himself and said he wants to stay... then we are fucked with this current ownership.

Been a bit of a tough time for Valery but maybe that's not a bad idea moving forwards. He can't defend but I think he's showed plenty of glimpses of being strong dribbling with the ball (Chelsea H?) so maybe we'll see a few more minutes of him at RW.

There's a huge difference between the two in what they bring to the team in an attacking sense, more so than a defensive one. We drastically missed Vestergaards passing through the lines yesterday, and we had absolutely zero threat from a decent amount of set pieces (apart from one headed chance which Stephens skewed way wide). I agree they're probably at a similar level defensively, but Vestergaard brings way more to the team than that now, and I think that's why we were largely struggling to create too many chances.

Awful first half. Better in the second with 2 slightly offside goals and what should've been a penalty. Going to need to be better with West Ham, but the front four can't play much worse.

Solid play from Diallo. The four attackers having a competition on who can play the worst though, not much on the bench to change this either sadly.

Another good performance, onto Fulham and West Ham now which are completely winnable. Shame about Danny but Walcott showed enough today to make me confident he can step up again.