Saint Matty 76

No need to switch up on Scienza just yet but it was another seriously disappointing showing. Good for Dobbin to come on and play well in that position to provide another option there too. Definitely missing a proper CM next to Downes and a CB who can pass a ball. Mubama great cameo. Azaz comfortable MOTM. Thought Fellows was decent too, our best option out there for me.

Peretz Bree - Stephens - Wood - Manning Bragg - Downes Fellows - Azaz - Scienza Larin

Looks like THB not in the squad, must be close.

Couldn’t begrudge THB of pushing for that move. There’s a very comfortable route into that side at the moment. Just hope we can squeeze £30m out of it. Shame we missed out on the lad who has gone to Burnley to replace, as close to a sure-thing in terms of Championship quality.

7g 9a from midfield last year are very good numbers. I remember him being good at SMS as well. Adds somebody who can hit a pass out of nowhere as we only really have (had?) THB who can do that from deep.

SaintsExtra transition into becoming an ITK?

Only one (further) point lost on West Ham, Wolves and Burnley. Could've been worse.

First half awful. Second half decent. Really disappointing result and not too many positives outside of Larin. Missed Jander a lot. Play like we did in the second half and we’ll win most games. Don’t want to overreact too much.

Absolutely had to score.

These players should still have a lot of trust in the bank after last year, keep the faith!

Why is Scienza taking set pieces with Bree on the pitch? Silly

That’s fucking brilliant from Manning, had to be so decisive Really poor from Bragg

Come on, very good finish and good composed play from Bragg!

Chill out haha

Matsuki has to go at HT, offering nothing.

Bragg looks a bit out of his depth here sadly. Nowhere near the play so far and leaving so much space.

So poor from Manning initially but Stephens does absolutely awful there.

Larin started really well! Would’ve preferred Fellows here personally.

Sometimes you forget that Stephens isn’t very good!

Good team. I think Matsuki or Fellows was really the only consideration with Jander not ready yet. Azaz, Fellows, Edozie and Mubama to come off the bench gives some real option.

Yeah, no doubt that alluded to it being more likely for Charles and THB to go as opposed to Scienza and Jander. Also don't disagree that it's not a move to begrudge THB for, I'd just want us to be holding out for the same fee as Charles. £25m feels really weak to me. Also to go a little MLG on you Benfica didn't actually qualify for the CL this season.

Jack Rosser is incredibly reliable for us so I’d imagine that’s true. Not a good figure whatsoever especially to come out a day before the season starts. I’d have expected at least the same as we got for Shea. £25m, which City would get £1m of, take away another £8m or so for Ahmedhodzic as the replacement leaves us with around £16m profit from the moves. It’s okay financially, but I see THB as the real leader of this team and think it’d be a huge blow for that reason. However I expected to lose THB, Jander and Scienza without much of a fuss so I can’t be too surprised.

Frustrating position with Ramsdale as he's a very good Goalkeeper but anybody would be mental to buy him off us permanently knowing the situation he's in here. All the Premier League teams seem to have sorted the position now as well so I can't see anything other than a loan abroad at a late hour. Nobody is paying anything for Bazunu. Maybe we can scramble £10m together for Archer, Sugawara and Brereton-Diaz at a real push.

I like Bragg but wouldn’t feel comfortable with him being the next player up after Jander and Downes. Only position I feel we desperately need somebody, and feel pretty confident that we will. Other than that I’d add a winger on loan. As soon as the play-off fiasco happened we were all dead certain that THB, Jander and Scienza, as our three best players, would be gone. If we manage to keep them, I feel pretty good about our chances irrespective of what’s happened outside of it. They’re the three players who have a level of Premier League quality about them (then Larin/Peretz too). Supplemented by top level Championship talent in Bree, Manning, Downes, Azaz and Fellows. Windows going a hell of a lot better than I expected so far, but still a way to go!

Exactly. When you’re getting down to third choice striker it’s always going to be somewhat bit part. Very optimistic for people to think otherwise.