Badger

As I questioned yesteday, you would have hoped issues like systems etc were flushed out at an early stage of discussion or should have been known. I suspect that as discussions progressed Puel became one of fewer and fewer options, possibly our only credible one remaining.

I think many of us are fearing the glass ankle and knee syndrome here aren't we ?

Not a commentators phrase but one used by players, and managers, I remember it from Pardew "we got beat".

Mane didn't cover himself in glory at Salzburg before joining us, didn't stop us from signing him though. Berahino is a player who wouldn't want to stay more than a year or two without getting a sulk again to join a bigger club. Just tie the bugger into a contract for 5 years so we can sell him at an indecent profit after two.

Toy

He looks an outstanding prospect, surprised and disappointed we weren't in for him. Not sure the Black Box and those supposedly operating it aren't in need for an upgrade.

Previously we were told the club monitored 'up and coming' coaches across Europe, who would 'fit the system'. If so, I'd have though style of play, and formations would be known along with any particular preferences a candidate might have for 'diamond formations' etc. This should have been flushed out at an early stage. But it seems rather than have known identified targets, it was a case of who is available (possibly taking a principled approach of not wanting to take another club's manager, possibly the false economy of not wanting to pay compensation). Consequently Reed ended up scratching around a bit, Garcia (declined us), Pellegrini (considered too old..), so who's left ?

Berahino would fit that bill.

Caught thieving from handbags in Portsmouth.

The player publicly expressed an interest in Saints as well. Think we've missed out on a few this summer - Dost, Kapustka, Hungarian international at c£2m (whose name escapes me) for three. That's before considering DM's and CB's.

That may be what we are known for, and possibly a reputation that the club want to uphold, but can we afford to take such a risk ? From Puels point of view though he may see Haller as ticking a lot of the right boxes, ie French, tall athletic bloke, looks like'Henry', must be another one in the making.

Its fallen apart following a clash of egos between Reed and RK, ending up with a poor replacement. Plus - Hojberg aside - some questionable quality of signings. Never mind perhaps Puel can spend £20m on a bloke with an injury to rescue us. Hope by the time Boufall gets on the pitch he isn't ****ed off by the fact the French speaking bloke he signed for has been sacked.

Injured/ crocked Suspended Seriously overpriced/over rated 'Stepping stone'

Expect Tinman, and Charlie George beat him tbh. At least Pied made it into the pitch for us before his injury.

Are the club likely to be organising any official travel package to Milan , or Prague ? I realise it limits the p1ss up potential, but with work commitments thats not really on the list of options.

Got a recollection that one of his few games for Arsenal was against us at The Dell, and we didn't score against him. If its the match I'm thinking of it was one of those games where that bast^rd Ian Wright scored a hat trick and we got hammered.

Better than Tommy Forecast.

At least he waited a couple of weeks after joining us for his injury , Bouffal is bringing his with him.

Yeh, great. See those two shortarses playing up front , and watch us whipping in crosses just sailing over their heads. Still need someone with a presence up front in my view, possibly Charlie Austin, possibly another, but I hope we don't have to pin our hopes on two midgets in attack.

.. Dani Osvaldo when his former manager was in charge, so nothing new really. It does lead to the question just how the Black Box runs to cater for a specific managers whims, and what happens in the event of the Black Box throwing up a random name only for the manager to behave like a child in a sweet shop , "NO, I want THAT one.." (pointing at Clasie, Pied or whoever). Suppose Uncle Les has to placate them nicely.

And every new appointment talks about the "project".

Three months loan max in my view to enable him to prove/regain fitness. No doubt if he goes elsewhere for a full season we'll see him playing out of his skin scoring regularly whilst we remain toothless up front.

Probably need on irrespective of whether Fonte stays. Agree about a striker though, especially one who can actually score a few.

add - "disappointed with that" to the "that was sh!t" code. Is it Tydesley who can't resist references to "that night in Istanbul..."