HarvSFC

Fernandes was an unused sub for Portugal U21s this evening in their 5-0 win.

We're swapping double barrels for Downes/Downs'.

Paul Trollope joins as assistant. Remember him as manager of Bristol Rovers. Had a bit of a dire time at Luton the last two years and Nottingham Forest with Hughton before that, however. But, does have two promotions from the Championship to his name with Luton and Brighton.

How has football got to a point where owners believe physically scouting a player isn't important. Just looking at numbers on a spreadsheet and making your decision from that.

Possibly. I'm just swaying to it being another example of SR not quite being as ruthless as they need to be. Chorley, you haven't done great at Valenciennes, so we're going to give you a new role at Southampton now. Rather than, Chorley, you haven't done a good job, we're going to have to part ways now as you haven't shown to be at the level we're looking for.

How has Ben Chorley been promoted from Valenciennes to us then? Sure his time there hasn't really been a success.

Nottingham Forest writing to UEFA to try and get Crystal Palace out of the Europa League so they can take their spot is so petty. Marinakis has no shame.

Scotland's a goalkeeper's retirement home - Hart, Butland and Schmeichel the recent ones. A 27 year old Aaron Ramsdale isn't going there. Might as well stay in the Championship with us if that was his only offer, which it won't be.

Aribo doesn't fit the new system. Doesn't work hard enough off the ball.

We made two good signings last summer - Aaron Ramsdale. A seasoned and experienced pro from Arsenal and Mateus Fernandes. An up and coming gem from Sporting Lisbon. So, there is talent to be found in either market. We just spent a lot of last summer recruiting crap and had a similar scattergun approach to the one that saw us relegated the first time. Just have to hope the new recruitment team can identify the required talent.

Maybe teams and upcoming managers around the world will copy PSG's tactics now, and they've been entertaining to watch in all of their Champions League matches this season.

On Jose Fonte, he changed his agent to Jorge Mendes before winning the Euros. An agent who had lots of contacts at the bigger clubs, and was Jose Mourinho's, the manager of Manchester United at the time. I know we don't know completely what went on, but that public knowledge suggests Fonte wasn't completely keen on staying here. It's still funny how West Ham ended up being his best offer and then China, but he did seem to have a late career revival. On Bale, I always thought he made his debut against Derby on the opening day, where he also scored. But, turns out he started against Millwall in April of 2006.

Positive quotes from Fernandes today: “I’ve never been in a place like this one. I can enjoy everything – even the weather here is good! The atmosphere is amazing, even when we are losing. I’m very happy to be here, I’m enjoying my time here.” “They show me in every game that they like me. That game against Leicester was unbelievable, I have never been in one place like that, singing my song almost the whole second half. It was very nice.” “I have a contract with Southampton. The next season will be different, I hope. Maybe we can play much better and win many, many games. We will work for that, train for that and I think we can do much better than this year.” I know Livramento did the same two years ago, claiming he owed the club something after his long injury before scurrying off to Newcastle, but there's still a hope in me that there is still some loyalty in today's game. Very easy for a player to say he doesn't know where his future lies also. Think Alcaraz was very open and non-committal with talks of his future when we got relegated with him. Fernandes plays in the Championship, we've got the best player.

Armstrong also had the Hugo Scheckter video situation to dent his ego. But, he is on a long contract. Out of our forwards, I'd say he's the best suited to a pressing system. He's a crap version of Shane Long, which means he's a willing runner. Stewart and Onuachu are slow target men with the latter likely to be off. Brereton-Diaz is just there and Archer doesn't do enough pressing off the ball and the press has to start from the top for it to be effective. Another summer where we really need a new number 9.

So we're going back to trying to unearth the next Livramento/Lavia and playing pressing football? I've gone back in time. A mix of young potential and proven quality will do this summer. Doesn't have to be one extreme or the other. Of course, if the scouting is good then we'll get a lot more Livramento's and Lavia's than the duds we signed three years ago. Just have to hope it is. Either way, Championship clubs don't spent £3.5m on non-first team/Goztepe loan players. THB and Quarshie centre-backs with Edwards in midfield? THB's likely off, though. It was reported a couple of weeks back that Tim Lederer was becoming our chief scout from Hoffenheim, so more than likely a suggestion of his.