SaintLondon

Romeu left after Ralph? Romeu played a couple of games under Martin, didn't he? Lost my mind. All the shite has merged into one hellish campaign.

I think it's gonna be Ralph on a deal to end of season and then reassess - win for all parties.

Of all the names mentioned, I’d still try to bring Ralph back - not out of misty-eyed nostalgia, and not because I think he’d necessarily say yes, but because he’s the best of the realistic options and a reminder that the grass isn’t always greener. Under Ralph we were a lower mid-table Premier League side, and he already knows the club, the facilities and the area; there’d be no settling-in period - he could get straight to work. Would he want it? Probably not. But his presence could help tempt leaders back in January - players like Romeu or JWP - to steady the ship. I know bringing back the old guard can look emotion-led, but those three genuinely care about the club and the supporters, and they might be exactly the personalities to grab this dressing room and demand standards. As Glen said on TSP last night, too few in this squad seem to care - they say they do, but it doesn’t show. We need people in that room who can get a tune out of what we have now. We’re not getting promoted (and honestly, that is a blessing). The priority is to stabilise, put together a positive second half of the season, then move players on, reset the culture, and start again with balanced, settled leadership in place.

Anyone know of 2x tickets for sale?

I was prepared to give him more time, but I can’t defend this any longer - we look uncoached and lifeless. No one in their right mind can back what we’re seeing on the pitch. My worry is twofold: first, that SR won’t have the conviction to act; second, that if they do, the replacement will be another soft choice - Lallana, or something equally ill-judged. I don’t have a perfect name, and I fear they’ll chase what they think is “popular” (say, Steven Gerrard). Not long ago I’d have said that would be a terrible appointment - just as I felt about Lampard at Coventry but he’s surprised everyone, so who bloody knows anymore. What we need is simple: someone who can inspire the dressing room, organise us, and restore belief. I watch Will Still and feel nothing - no charisma, no energy. He seems more compelling in French than in English. The bigger issue is cultural. We’re Man United-lite: something is rotten and it’s now visible across the club. The last Championship season papered over cracks; we nearly threw that away too. This decline has been years in the making, and the next few weeks will shape the next few years. I’ve got little confidence the right calls will be made. My fear is we become the next Blackburn Rovers - stuck in the Championship, occasional play-off flutters, the odd relegation scare. What a fall from grace.

Had a dream last night that we lost 21-18. Make of that what you will.

TBF - it was reported initially that he would have the medical in the next 24 - 48 hours. Perhaps contracts are being sorted etc and until that point he is technically still a WBA player. I'm hoping that is the case anyway, really want this one over the line.

Do we think we are waiting to see if Spertsyan can come off before committing to Azaz? £12m for a player that has scored and assisted in double figures in back to back Championship seasons doesn't seem too much to be honest? So if we really wanted to do it, we could and would? Surely the Spertsyan thing is dead now?

Spertsyan was never realistically coming here. I think the Azaz links have been pushed to the local rags because all the other targets are falling through. It’s not looking good right now, and I’m not convinced it’ll end well. Will Still said in an interview recently that the aim is to try for promotion this season, but if not, then next season. Under Martin there was none of that kind of hedging - he and the new signings were all clear that the only goal was going up this year. It makes me wonder if this time around it’s being treated more as a longer-term project: “let’s get there when we’re ready, even if it takes two seasons.” Maybe that means we’ll be in a stronger position once we do arrive, but right now it doesn’t feel like a club throwing everything at going up immediately. Instead, it feels more like they’re trying to stabilise things for a bigger push later on. Which as a fanbase, isn't all that exciting but perhaps I'm giving too much kudos to SR and they're just shite at their jobs.

It's not going well is it?

Yeah, he's not coming. Brentford, Bournemouth or a Leeds will get pick him up next week. Over it.

A pen and a drawing board?

I imagine for the recruitment team - who seemed to be doing a solid job of keeping this deal moving quietly up until a few weeks ago - it must feel like a real kick in the teeth to see things stall once the media spotlight turned on. That said, it looks like we always knew the money needed to get it done, and sitting on it for too long was always going to risk another club stepping in more decisively. Alternatively, as someone suggested above, maybe we’ve just been used by the agent to flush out interest from bigger European clubs. Either way, it’s clear we really want(ed) him, and it’ll be hugely frustrating for everyone if it doesn’t come off now. I’ll admit I knew nothing about him until recently, so I’m not going to pretend I’m heartbroken - but from what I’ve read, he sounds exactly the type of player we need.

ANY NEWS?

I wonder whether we should still be in the market for Armenian flags