S-Clarke

What I will also add, Brentford aren't world beaters, and whilst their goals were from our mistakes, they did create quite a few more opportunities. There were a couple of moments where we spent what felt like 20 mins to get to the edge of their box, they nick the ball back and within 1 or 2 quick passes they are at our full back and crossing into the penalty area and having a shot. 2 or 3 passes. That's not long ball, that's not hoofing it, that's just being decisive, quick and sensing the opportunity. We just winced it around for 20 mins to get to the edge of the area, it's painful to watch because it won't provide us enough chances. We will need stacks and stacks and stacks of chances per game to score at this level, so mincing around for 20mins to get it to the edge of the area ain't going to cut it. As I said, I'm not talking long ball, but quick switches of play, spotting of space, players moving into space etc. All of these things that are food and drink for PL players, but we just want to spend 20 mins passing the ball around each other. That's not brave, it's wimpish behaviour because there's nothing easier than passing between CB's - the oppo will let us do that all game.

Well it didn't take us long to be brought back down to earth after May. We're certainly back in the utter misery of the PL, such a miserable league to be part of if you're a poor side, sadly you need to be here financially though. Doesn't make it any easier to take getting beaten every week, just like we were two years ago. Nothing has changed. We scored a goal though, who'd have thought it. Smallbone needs to be taken out of the firing line for his own sake, not good enough for this level as it stands. Aribo the same who is just a mess when he's pressed. Armstrong missed chances like that last season, but he got another 2 or 3 in the same game to make up for it. In this league you get 1, that's it. He thrives on space which we don't get at this level, he isn't quicker than PL defenders, so sadly he is a pointless player to have in a PL side. I hoped last season would have brought him some confidence and belief, but sadly it's quite clear that he's just not up to the level. THB is a young player struggling, looks very nervous. He didn't get caught out like that last season, in fact he was one of our better ball playing CB's. I'd probably take him out of the firing line for a bit as well. Fernandes, who is only young and just in this country, is immediately of a better standard to that of Aribo and Smallbone - you can see it from a mile off, even in the warm up he's better. BBD looks a bit of a carthorse it has to be said, bit of a shithouse though. Although being a shithouse and still losing is a pretty miserable place to be. A very neive display all in all. The playing from the back bollocks got us caught out in the Champ, but the quality wasn't there to punish it, as everyone and their dog said...do the same at this level, with the same players, the mistakes will happen and you'll get punished. There's no refinement about it, or practice at it, you just need better players if you really want to do that. But we don't have good players, so we really shouldn't be exposing them like this. The problem isn't passing from the back at all times per-say, but it's the passing 'back' to pass around the back which does it for us. Unnecessary passing. We just need to move it quicker through the midfield and it wouldn't be such a problem, but we seemingly don't have the players to move it quickly. It's been a very tough lesson thus far, although not really surprising. We've all seen this story before so we know how it ends. Stephens, Bednarek, Aribo, Armstrong trying to play PL football doesn't really work.

That's really optimistic I think. £7m tops for Onuachu as he still has a market. The other two don't really have a market, I can see them going the same way as Hoedt and Boufal where we have to pay them off.

What we lost in the summer - (players leaving/loan expiring) Che, Stu, Rothwell, Brooks, Charly, Mara, Charles, THB, Downes, Fraser What we added to replace those lost - Archer, Fernandes, Lesley, Cornet, BBD, Lallana, THB, Downes, Fraser Other positions - We added extra quality at full back in Yuki and Charlie Taylor. Added more depth at CB in Edwards and Wood (and ABK, weirdly). Fairly sure Yuki and Taylor were signed to aid the impending exit of KWP, but now we have a nice problem of having them all here. Added extra quality in goal with the addition of Ramsdale. Undeniably we've raised the level of the team with the additions that replaced the 'lost' players, that's all you can ask for with that really. We also have the interesting conundrum of ABK and Onuachu still here - so you have to count them as more options, if we can register them that is. In my mind we had 3 priorities going into the window and we've attacked them all pretty much bang on. 1) - Sort out the GK position. We did that and then some 2) - Sign Flynn Downes and other key loanies to continue squad unity - Sorted 3 - Add quality/strikers to the attack. Somewhat sorted with Archer, BBD - but I still feel we missed the trick with a proper number 9, but I do still feel we have goals in the side with what we've added so it's not as catastrophic as it could have been. So we're in a good place, didn't lose anyone we wanted to keep, raised the level of the squad and threw our hat into the ring of PL big spenders again. We've given ourselves a good chance. I'm not giving a score as we've all been bitten by that before

He's a player that has pissed me off before, he was excellent in that Burnley game. He needs to play, WHU aren't fussed with him whatsoever but he's never really had a chance there - they spent £20m on him. Gives us another option in attack as he can also play right side or through the middle.

Sounds like this is one for the U21's to bolster their squad.

You've got one hell of a chip on your shoulder.

Can we say thank you to David Brooks as well? This is probably his biggest contribution to us, a little underwhelming during his loan spell, but we'd never see Ramsdale here if it were not for Brooks.

They were the ones banging the drum about a very unlikley move for him in the first place. They've got to save face by making up some sort of get out story.

I thought we had a chance, but I assumed it would have been a last min loan deal for the season - but the fact we've managed to get him here on a 4 year deal is a pretty big coup, big outlay on transfer fee and wages and a huge commitment from the owners to push this one over the line. We haven't had a proper goalkeeper since Forster's initial stint here, this feels like a signing long over due and as long as we remain up then he will be our GK for many years. I know SR get pelters, but as owners they have backed this club to the hilt ever since they have been here and for that I thank them. They may not always execute their ideas right, but all their intentions are there as this proves.

When L1 clubs are spending £10m on players, you know football is changed!

The Chelsea squad situation is intriguing, they've got 4 senior international players there, on probably £500k a week between them who have been told they won't play a min if they don't leave (they won't even be registered). Sterling, Chalobah, Chilwell, Fofana, Broja - Broja will probably end up staying as he's injured again. Sterling, Chilwell and Chalobah have to leave though, surely? Fofana is worth a punt for a top champ club.

It'll be interesting to see Meghoma's development now, he moved because he wanted to play (we'd offered him a new deal, he only has a year left - so we had to take the money). I thought we'd only get a couple of mill tops, although I expect that £10m is based on shed loads of clauses - we'll probably only see 4 or 5m guaranteed.

Having a goalkeeper who can actually make saves is going to be a refreshing change for us, it feels like it's been an issue for so many years. I was always confused when Arsenal side-lined him after that season, he was excellent for them. Has the move to Raya given them that extra %? No, not at all. Very odd way to treat him. Our gain though. We're defo. fortunate to be getting someone of his level, it's ridiculous in fact.

He was my pick had we stayed down, good player - would be a fun one to develop, similar to Jay Rod. Not good enough for where we are now though. But he's way better than L1, obviously will be the highest paid player in L1 too. Should score stacks of goals, Birmingham would have failed miserably this season if they don't hit 100+ points.

Don't forget, Ross '2 weeks' Stewart is only 2 weeks away from seeing the grass.

I think the club have put it all into Ramsdale if I'm honest, we'll have very little money to play with now. Striker is still an option for a loan, even with Cornet as a loan. We're limited to 2 English loans, but we can have more European loans.

That's not what he was saying. McCarthy came into the team because Bazunu, the first choice, was injured. What he's saying is without someone like McCarthy being able to step into his place, we'd have struggled to go up. Probably more criticism at Lumley than anyone, but I didn't read it as critisism at all.

I won't ever happen, it's just all fluff like China did a few years ago. There's no global interest in Saudi Arabian leagues, it's all manufactured crap. I don't see the appeal to be honest. It'll just end up a graveyard.

Going to where their careers will die. Sad really, both of those players are still of a good level and are useful in European leagues. Obviously they'll both be set for life and their families lives, but they signal the end of their proper football career by doing so.

He's gone there because of the love they gave him though, honest.

He was only ever signed as third choice though, not entirely sure why he took up the spot on the bench most of the season. Seems as if we'd have always called on McCarthy if needed. Those third choice keeper spots are proper cushy numbers. Scott Carson and Stuart Taylor have made an absolute fortune out of it.

This never felt like something that made any sense, we're already stocked in his area. Hope he gets a move though.

Cornet for Burnley was excellent, almost kept them up when he arrived in January - that's how you sign a player to impact in January. Very direct, very quick, strong - can score all sorts of goals. I remember him smashing in a couple against us for Burnley, at least one outside the box. Was handy on the day at St Mary's, their best player. I think he got a serious leg injury right at the start of his WHU career, and then got an infection on the back of an injury, there were real risks he'd have to lose his leg at one stage - so that's why he's been out for so long. Obviously WHU evolved on from him though, so he never really got the chance now he's back fit. A loan is a low risk try option in an area where we needed an extra bit of punch.