saintwbu

Does seem a pretty accepted theory that that’s what the West Ham owners do, in fairness, so don’t think it’s entirely fantasy that it does go on. But I agree it doesn’t seem to be the case with us.

Tadic was fantastic for us overall, but he was poor in the last two seasons for us (not the only one) but did basically keep us up almost on his own in the end so my memories of him will always be fond. I distinctly remember him rolling around asking for a foul (nothing in it) at home to Brighton whilst they were on the break down his side and rightly the whole stadium hammered him for it. When you listen to his interview after he left, it makes more sense, he obviously didn’t enjoy the physical side of the Premier League and had had enough of it. This was reflected by his last couple of seasons with us imo.

I thought that was a bit weird also

Me too, and i’ve no reason to think it, but it’s extremely quiet on his side and he can’t be happy with a total of about 4 minutes of football this season in a team that don’t have any strikers.

In what world? There is not a chance I would want 29 year old Mings to be playing and jeopardising Salisu’s game time. Mings is not good enough for Villa, and they’re not exactly ripping it up.

Was weird to justify our one not being given by focusing on one that was less of a handball that was given last week. They seemed to see it as some kind of confirmation that last week was a mistake, rather than our one being the mistake. The reality is our one would not have been overturned by VAR had it been given I don’t suspect, and typically we didn’t get it.

Not seen that rumour for about two months?

Agreed - he’s nowhere near as bad as some make out, he’s just not very exciting. He also moved the ball out to the right to KWP for Che’s second last week. He often knits a lot of our attacking play together which I think is why Ralph keeps him in the team, keeps the ball moving, doesn’t often lose possession.

He’s got that VVD energy, effortless. A few years younger than Virg was when he was here too. A real class above, and has settled Salisu down too.

Yep thought he was great, won a number of one on one battles, drove forward with the ball well, picked the right passes. Have always felt there’s something in there, and he’s always been a real hard worker. Hope when Perraud is fit he can become useful in the attacking roles again.

United have been poor for a couple of years but it’s not really been through lack of individual quality, it’s been cohesion. Today one piece of individual quality decided the game, as it often does in games against the top sides. We were better in most areas of the pitch, we just didn’t have a Bruno Fernandes who could pick out the perfect spot from the edge of the box. We know we are lacking potency in front of goal, clearly the club do too, so we just have to hope it’s going to be addressed in the next few days. Given the way our new signings have all looked so far, i’m excited to see who we might bring in.

Not a great signing for Everton and presumably reflects the fact they still can’t really spend much money, which is good for us.

Agreed - if we got another CB i’d want either an old head who can just plug gaps when needed, or a better version of Lyanco basically so that we could play 3 CB’s when needed without being shit. But obviously we need to shift at least one but probably two of our existing CB’s.

Haha I think he’s got a good few years left until that! 2027 would be a good bet, he’ll be 35 then and probably losing his burst of pace and looking to leave Bayern after winning everything there is. He’d be good for the youngsters etc etc.

That’s what Mane was so brilliant at, not sure i’ve seen a player do it better than him, what a player he was for us.

Quincy Promes

It’s felt like AMN would be a good signing for a couple of seasons now, because we’ve always seemed to need another full back and another CM, and he’d potentially cover both. I don’t think it’ll happen, but i’d be happy with it.

Agreed, I normally assume if it’s out in the public for a while then it’s not going to happen.

Seem to remember Sekou Mara was pretty similar too

I’m just waiting for some random European journalist to break a story out of nowhere that we’re about to sign a striker and it be announced on the OS within about an hour of the first tweet 🙏🏻

Have we had a link to Oxlade Chamberlain yet? Feel like that one is always a guarantee too

Transfer window bingo ✅

£5mil wasn’t he? Superb footballer and great guy by all accounts, will be sad to see him go.

I’ve not kept up with who’s available currently but I saw Rob Holding mentioned, and Tarkowski, Mee and Coady have all moved this window. Whether any would want to be a backup i’m not sure, but i’m sure Jan wouldn’t either. But i’m sure there are plenty across Europe who would be an improvement. It feels a bit like the Cedric debate all over again, who was upgraded hugely by two young full backs, one of which had never played a minute of PL football before.

In terms of other attainable CB’s, I feel it’s better to look at why no one seems to be trying that hard to sign a 26 year old international CB with 200+ premier league games under his belt, even though he’s clearly available? It would suggest to me that there must be plenty of better first choice, and probably backup CB’s in all other PL squads. I’ve no doubt he’ll look okay in a team that allows him to just defend the old school way. But here, he’s quite clearly not capable of doing what we need, and playing with him is hindering us.