S-Clarke

I think we can entirely discount BBD at this stage.

Seems like a few of the 'favourites' are really struggling to get off of the blocks so far. Still so much uncertainty around most of our squads, so it's hard to know what 11 you'll be able to field most weeks. Ipswich seem to be struggling to find their way, they don't like like the same outfit they were last time out in this league. Sheffield United were tipped as well, but they look hopeless. Early days, but it shows how important the next week can be for everyone. No one is going to run away with it this year based on what I've seen so far, so some clever and suitable recruitment could be the difference.

I did, still don't think you can underestimate how damaging that season can be. It may even restrict players we can go for as they may not be interested, who knows. That sort of season can have massive repercussions that can last for years, we we'll see how this season goes. We needed a mega reset in the summer and I don't think we've reset enough, as we're still persisting with Bazunu, Stephens, Armstrong who we know have failed before.

I think this window has more of a critical feel to it at this stage. If we get the next week wrong, we'll be marooned at this level for many years IMO. Feels a drastic thing to say, but we're so far off at this stage from being a competitive outfit at the top end. If we wait until Jan we'll be too far off it, then we'll be stuck here for another season and have the cycle of yet another squad change over.

I felt he wasn't showing himself enough when he first came on, he was a bit passive and sort of slid into an invisible role. He did start to get on the ball in the end and was making some darts in and around, but there's no one to supply him so it's a moot point really. I don't think we can truly judge Downs until he has quality players supporting him.

I've always been quite bemused by people who say our forward options are amongst the 'best in the league'. They're really not, they're hopeless. Individually they have had good seasons in the past, but collectively they do not work together. Armstrong, IMO, is done for us. We got that one season out of him where he bagged a bucket load, but he's not the same player now. Stewart is not someone to be relied on. I've said it from the outset. People keep calling him this proven Championship striker which baffles me, he isn't. He played 13 games with Sunderland at this level and hit a purple patch, that doesn't make him proven at this level. Downs is a 'project', probably in a position where we needed to avoid a project if we're honest. Archer is at his best with a powerful CF, but we're forced to play him wide due to our horrendous lack of options. I'd probably keep Acher around and obviously Downs, but the rest can do one as far as I'm concerned as they're not good enough.

We're certainly the worst club against Stoke. A really miserable team to play against, no matter what season, what scenario, what quality of player, what league. It's always pure misery.

Fellows is the sort I can see us going for, a real traditional winger who will keep the width and stretch the game. Right up Stills street. Azaz will happen I imagine, he'd be the 10. Spertsyan isn't happening and probably never was if we're honest. Guilavogui has gone quiet, but will probably happen. Doesn't set the pulses racing though, I think we need better than him given the current state of our options. GK - isn't Ryan a free agent? If we were interested in him it would have been done by now. He probably wants first team football, but we're only signing a backup GK.

I'd rather gouge my eyes out than have Martin managing us again. You cannot judge Still at this stage, it's pretty weird to do so and sums up everything that is wrong with with modern football.

I mean it's a bit daft to judge him before the windows shut. Let's see where we are in a week. The 'biggest' deals were always going to happen towards the end of the window, they always do.

I think people are being OTT about him at this stage. This is what happens when you purchase potential though, it's not ready 'straight away'. He will score goals for us, I'm sure, but we need guys in our attack who can do that for us straight away at this point.

We need more Mads style signings in the attacking areas, ready made players who can come in and make us better from the day dot. I don't want to see any more 'potential' signings at this stage. We need ready players who start for us tomorrow. They need to replace Fraser/Armstrong/Archer and such in the attack immediately. If they don't then we've failed.

It was a bit of a disjointed mess really, I don't feel we ever had control of the game. The first half was pretty even, but Stoke had the edge and looked like a threat on the attack - much more than we could muster. The clear issue with this team is a lack of ability to play the ball between the lines, the guys just have no idea how to do it. So often our approach play is predictable as we go side to side because we have no one stretching the game or with the ability to split the defence with a pass. When teams sit in with a strong defensive unit, like stoke did, you need width, pace and the ability to move the ball quickly. Our players in unable to do that and it won't change. I would happily take an offer for Downes tomorrow. He blotted his copybook with me last January and if I'm honest I don't think he fits what we're trying to do now. His work in the midfield sums us up, as he moves the ball too slowly - russball is engrained in him and that's never going to go. To be done on the break against 10 men is embarrassing, non-league/pub league stuff, let's be honest. That should never happen. But this team always seems to produce things that should never happen, bad things - not good things. So we're pretty much as we were really. Our attack, no matter how many people keep proclaiming it's ''good for the championship' - it isn't. It's utter fodder. Individually they have good records, but collectively it's a mish mash of a mess and it will never work together. We need at least 2 wide players, game changing ones who start - not kids. And a 10, again, a starter - not a kid. I'd also use the money for a striker. Downs is a project, but he needs better to push him. And Stewart isn't that. So, a big week upcoming. We need to spend big and sort the attack out, if we don't, we will struggle to finish Top 6 with this outfit. This last week of the window will confirm us as playoff hopefuls, or Top 2 promotion chasers.

There was a crazy media story at the start of the window which said we put a £100m price tag on him, as we valued him at close to Grealish or something daft. I don't think that came from the club though, weird rumour.

There's all sorts on twitter, impossible to know what to believe really. I saw something which said £42m fixed fee, with £6m achievable add ons + 20% sell on. There's obviously agendas at play, Everton journos wanting to say they got him for much much less, and our side making us want to believe we stood our ground. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

£42m fixed fee, with £6m add-ons. 20% sell on. So pretty much what we wanted all in.

Where's Abu out of interest?

Does anyone else find the Forest owner a total knob end? He's the sort of owner who will run that club into the ground if they're not careful. I can see him stomping his feet and stopping the taps at any moment if the fans ever say anything against him. I'd hate someone like him owning us, just a constant state of apprehension.

I assume the 'bidding war' brewing has pushed them to get this completed sooner rather than later, fully on our terms I'd assume. I always felt this was likely to happen. Be interesting to see who we target to replace him, clubs will know we're totally loaded now. The next 10 days are going to be nuts.

I'd be staggered if he hadn't had an involvement or a recommendation towards this one.

I'm sure that actually came out of his mouth once. 'if we lose, but we're doing it the right way, I'm so proud of them'' - or something a long those lines. Utter bullshit. So glad we're out of that. Feel sorry for Rangers.

Depends how the Boro manager sets up, he may find that his setup fits BBD more than he's ever fitted here. I think he's a very limited player, but his past has shown that he can clearly be effective in the right environments. Why anyone thought he'd effective for us in a Russell Martin pass the ball style is beyond me though, a truly bizarre pick for the situation we were in.

It's a weird one from Ipswich to be honest. He's not a true first team player at Leicester, so they did well to get £12-14m for him. Not sure what Ipswich are getting there, Leicester describe him as fairly average - but that's probably on the back of last season. I remember him doing pretty well against us in the Championship thrashings we had against them.

I don't want to speak too soon, because we've all been burnt so many times in the past. But I do kind of get the same vibe. It's hard to explain why, but sometimes things just feel right and you ultimately have immediate trust. That's what this feels like here. I think a lot of it is because he talks straight, there's no waffle from him. He's straight, he wants to win games, he doesn't care how, here's here to win games. So many times it's been about philosophy and playing a certain way all the fricking time, but for me it's about getting good players, playing them in their natural positions and being flexible when required. That's where I feel we are now. And the Mads signing is another example of our common sense approach imo. Nothing clever, nothing flashy, 'just works'.

Once someone picks him up from South Korea.