S-Clarke

Last year (although that may change this year), they had a category for Championship games - they showed all 3pm ones, via that Ifollow thingy. Not the greatest of quality, but it was something. Be interesting to see if that is still available this year as I've not had any response to my renewal yet.

I'm so shocked that during the summer managerial merry-go-round, that no club has yet picked up the 'greatest manager of all time'. They must all be blind.

That game was our last league win of that season I think, we only picked up 4 or so points after that and we never really recovered ever again - as it followed through to the next season and our ultimate demise.

Oh for sure, I know I was only talking up the headline figures - but still, for a Championship club this is huge, huge money - unprecedented for this level. The problem we have is that there are only a couple of weeks to go, and selling clubs know we have stacks of cash burning a hole in the back of our sofa.

You've got to imagine that this is going to be such a head fuck for Lavia. He's only a kid, he's being pulled all over the place. The way Chelsea do business is horrible, they've always done it - buy players to stop the oppo getting them, then let them rot away out on loan for years to come.

But when the oppo have Halland there is simply no contest.

Absolutely, the scouting has to be totally on point. We can't waste this opportunity like we pissed the VVD fortune up the wall.

Gnonto's head has gone. "Following those conversations, Gnonto felt he was unable to play in Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie with Shrewsbury Town. "Despite training for the last two days, Willy has informed Daniel Farke that he still does not feel able to play this weekend and has not travelled to Birmingham for the game tomorrow. "This is now an internal disciplinary matter and the club will make no further comment, other than to reiterate that Willy is not for sale."

£55m feels like we've held out well on this one, he is one of the best young DM's in the world. Given that there is a £40m re-sale which kicks in next summer, this makes sense. Hopefully a fair chunk up front. £30m for JWP, £32m for Tino and £50m for Lavia - over £100m on just those 3. We've also sold Salisu for £15m Orsic, DCC, Diallo, Ely, Theo off the wage bill. I'd argue that there has never, ever been a more cash rich team in the Championship. We simply have to make this work, we have no excuses.

That didn't take long. How many for Halland this season then?

I haven't seen anything at all from Mara to suggest he will get lots of goals at this level, he doesn't seem suited for English football 'yet' - a loan move may benefit all. Armstrong may have scored goals a few years ago, but he has been shit for a while now - he's not going to rediscover it overnight, my feeling is that we need to cut losses on him and accept whatever Ipswich are paying - let him rebuild his career elsewhere, I can't see it working for him here.

He was terrific for us, but I wouldn't have ever classed him as an elite level player - he benefited from an environment at Southampton (and a system) which he fitted into like a glove, he actually grew with it which makes a lot of difference. Moving him out of that into Utd was never going to be the same, they put him in a different role to start with anyway and they didn't have the same players around him who complimented his style (his tandem with Wanyama was great). He wasn't a good enough player to stamp his own image on a team in my opinion, he needed a lot to slot in around him (which we had the benefit of)

Exactly, I'd have said we need a new striker even IF Adams and Armstrong stay - as I can't really count on them to get the goals, in fact you might as well discount AA! So if Adams goes, we'd need two additions up top in my opinion - or an absolute leading front man, and a source of goals from wide. When we last came up we had Lambo regularly scoring, but he was supported in attack by Lallana chipping in - and then we had Billy Sharp coming in during January who added about 8 or 9 goals to us. Jos was a regular scorer from corners as well I think, usually on a Wednesday night against West Ham if my memory serves!

Let's hope he doesn't buy a page in the echo to publish a goodbye letter. That went well last time.

When you get to this stage of the window, twitter is even more of a cesspit for wannabe ITKs making up shit for a laugh. Then you have SSN's chuckle brothers, and Fabrizio sensationalising things for no reason. Fans lap it up though, the state of the replies to some of the tweets make me feel worried for humanity.

Contract talks will dictate that one, by all accounts there has been no progress on a new deal (we offered him one). For what it's worth I don't see him going, any footballer going to Sheffield United this summer will need their head looking at.

If Smallbone is going then Downes makes sense!

Armstrong, Alcaraz, Charles and Smallbone are our options for CM on Saturday, there is no chance Lavia plays. The deal is too close for him to be risked. That midfield does feel incredibly lightweight, but we'll see what happens.

It feels to me that £30-35m was always our going-rate for JWP, not entirely sure why as it does seem a little on the cheap side, given that Tino went for £40 and hasn't played for 18 months - maybe there is some sort of release clause for JWP we're not privy to? I think the bartering with West Ham has been to get most, if not all, as a guaranteed immediate fee - which they weren't offering at the start.

Is that recently? His view may have chanced now that WHU have signed Alvarez and JWP, his place in the team has just plummeted.

Surely any sane fan would jump at the chance to follow their team in any European competition, even the Conference league? I know I would, that's as good as we'll ever see - and it will require a lot to go right to even get there. It may be tin-pot for teams like Man City, but for us it's all we can really aspire to and I'd enjoy every minute of it - like I did back in 2016.

I would say there is sense in getting in players like Downes due to that, as he already has a genuine understanding of what is required of him in this system. Similar with Grimes. Those are the sorts we'll target in my opinion.

Martin's honest views on the senior pro's is needed, for far too long some of the losers in this squad have been protected as they're ''good lads'' - i couldn't give a shit if Lyanco or Moussa are good lads, the fact is that they are failed footballers and are inept in whatever league or whatever team you put them in. I will be so happy if we finally ship some of those out, I don't even care if it's for free, they have just stunk this place out for way too long.

This is the key for me, we keep hearing the snippets about how we have x and y lined up ready to go. Let's see that then, talk is cheap and we need to be ready to go in the days we have left. Lots and lots to do, and my hunch is that the posts will keep changing as we have quite a few to leave the building still. I can understand the approach of not buying when we already had so many players etc, but with JWP, Lavia soon out of the door and Tino already gone....we now have to add.

Can he play in the middle aisle of Lidl? That's more suited to his abilities, and as far away from us as possible.