S-Clarke

Kept our heads above water and hasn't made any stupid decisions. Seems a very sensible and trustworthy guy. He was pretty much our owner under Gao, with no money himself, so we were creative in how we could do things - which he was able to manufacture. He's a sensible and non-reactive CEO. We used to have Ralf Kruger and Les Reed pulling the strings, look at the mess they left us with (and they had money to play with).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's a bad player...he obviously 'could' improve us and on form he's still light years ahead of anyone we have, but 'could' is the question mark I have. When you sign a player however good they are you want them to be committed to the cause, otherwise it's a bit pointless. I just cannot see how he'd be committed to club football, he'll use it as a vehicle for wales - no more than that. We play an intense front foot style of football, pressing high up etc - is he going to risk himself being hacked down by getting involved in the high press, or will he just become a passenger stood in space waiting for Redmond to give him the ball? The latter I suspect. He'd never get the ball in that case. He'd have retired from football had Wales failed yesterday, that probably tells you all you need to know about his club priorities. I'd definitely stay clear, no matter how good a bit of PR it would be.

If anything it makes slightly more sense if we're loaning him to Goztepe. They will soon be part of the Sport Republic wheel, so we're just moving him around within the group. It seems relativity low risk in the sense that it's free, we've obviously seen something in him and we'll see how he gets on. We will still sign another GK without question. These 'group' clubs often do this a lot, in some cases they never play for the club who 'own them'. City do it for sure.

It's a big conundrum to whoever gets Bale. You have to be realistic and say that the club will be his training ground for the World Cup, no more than that. He'll do enough to keep fit, but I can't imagine him pulling up any trees at the fear of missing his 'last hurrah' through an injury. Potentially a lot of money to be spent on someone who will always put the club 2nd.

I don't rate him, he can cross a ball and play a pass, but in terms of in-game defending he is dreadful. That should be his primary job, or maybe he should just become a winger.

I remember having a season ticket around a group of old blokes who absolutely despised Tadic. I started to wonder if he was sleeping with all their wives or something. If he miss controlled it he had all sorts of insults thrown at him, if a keeper saved a really tricky shot he was shit, if he did something well it was a case of ''well, he's paid well enough he should be doing that'' etc. Similar bile was thrown Pele's way, most of his first season. Not sure why he divided opinions. He was on a level above anyone else we've seen for years. We've had to put up with Redmond and Moussa running around and doing nothing ever since.

It was very disjointed to be honest. The midfield two just didn't work at all. The full backs were dross, even after the subs. Mount kept giving the ball away, Kane was isolated and wasn't holding it up. Bowen ran around a lot, a committed player but very low in quality. We had absolutely no one to really stretch it, it was very one dimensional and one-paced.

Hungary are a good team, they can more than hold their own against anyone. The guy who scored against us is a big talent, he's been moved between the RB clubs and is at Lipzig now. Probably odds on for a big money move in the next 18 months. Will Orban I've always been a huge fan of, a no-nonsense centre back who just does his job. He was captain for Ralph in his RB team. The other centre back Szalai was someone we were linked with last year, plays in Turkey now.

It's just like watching Southampton.

Yeah that's a fair view, lots of attributes to help our game but that only works if there are better players around him (as we had when Mane/Tadic etc were about) The prob with Long in recent seasons is that he's sort of been hung out to dry. The quality around the squad (attack specifically) has subsided enormously so work rate and 'running' no longer gets the plaudits as it's not equating to the wins. He's then put into the position to finish the few chances we do create and more often than not fluffs it, with no better quality to dig him out. Not discrediting his contribution to us, but players like him for all their effort and commitment to the cause need better players around them to really be a success, otherwise it's all a bit pointless. You could argue that's probably why the likes of Armstrong haven't ever got going here.

Once Sevilla wanted him it was game over.

That's a pretty dated view in my eyes. It should be filed in the ''We have to play 4-4-2'' and the ''Just get it in the box'' category.

Yep, good points - if he's ambitious enough he may feel he can jump straight into other teams too though. Hopefully we start to see more concrete links in the coming weeks, all a bit vague at the moment!

Highly rated player that guy. Spurs were looking at him too, as well as AC Milan. Not sure we stand a chance, although he'll be affordable to us because he's out of contract next year.

I'd say let's have a chat about transfer targets rather than seeing yet another thread being derailed by the tedious tool that is MLG, but we don't have any real news so away you go MLG.

His goal against Watford was one for the record books as well. Generally a decent player for us over a long term and we got our £11m back no question. No, he doesn't really score goals (which is a massive blot on his copybook) but he was still part of some of our most successful periods as a club. Certainly shouldn't be keeping him around anymore as he can't really offer anything nowadays, but I'd never discredit his commitment and contribution during his earlier years here.

I'd massively argue that. He got Ingolstadt from the second division in Germany, to mid-table in the Bundesliga in 3 years. Inglostadt are now in the third division in Germany. He took over RB Leipzig in their first season in the Bundesliga and they finished 2nd. He had some money for sure, but you have to be a decent coach to do that.

Must be on a wind up.

You're right, we should have just stayed in sheds.

I wouldn't be against having Elyounoussi in and around the squad, as you're right we can't move absolutely everyone on. But his appearances need to be less than they were this year if we are to truly progress.

Maybe this is more of a case of an option had they stayed down? That I could somewhat believe. But If they can't keep Garner they'll have to aim higher than Smallbone to stand a cat in hells chance of survival.

Sounds like that horrible clique of player-power morons have got rid of yet another 'voice'. Rangnick said it how it was, so rather than play up for the manger they down tools for him and then ensure the club ditch him in any capacity for next season. Ten Haag has a very toxic job there. The players will probably get him gone in 6 months tops.

Shane Long can 'keep on going in the summer' as contract end approaches | Daily Echo Please don't, Saints. Please.

I mean the bar isn't set that high to be honest. His goal contributions from the number 10 areas are higher than the other number 10's, sure, but they're still absolutely pitiful and nothing to be happy about.

Worrell isn't streets ahead of what we have, in my opinion. He's like Liam Cooper who came up with Leeds, top in the Champ but will likley be average in the top league. I do like Garner though, I think he's such a tidy midfielder. The links we have are very predictable though. Colwill, Gibbs-White, Garner - all would have been in the England youth teams when Crocker was in charge. Talented young players, but I'd like to see some links to experienced players too!