saintwbu

A lot of revisionism on here suggesting that Forster is much better than McCarthy. McCarthy has fallen into some truly terrible form as of Christmas last year, prior to that I think we’d have all been pretty concerned about Fraser becoming number 1. Neither are great at the moment, I just hope McCarthy can overcome what looks like a complete lack of confidence/form.

I think Ings has made the world think every team needs a 20 a season striker. The reality is outside the top 6 teams (even they often don’t), almost no one gets 20 goals. 12/13 is perfectly respectable for a mid table striker.

Ralph clearly sees Tella as a striker, not a winger. We also have a number of players that Ralph regards as being able to play there if needed (Walcott, Redmond), regardless of our opinion of them. We essentially have 8 potential strikers, we are not getting another. There is only one area of the team where I think we could still do with someone, albeit probably not urgent, and that’s CM. Yes I would like a better GK, and probably a better option in the wide area, but they’re not pressing in terms of actual personnel.

Sorloth is off to Sociedad, he’s not coming here

I’ve always liked him, and I think some of the criticism is unwarranted as I often think he is being shackled by Ralph. Last season he always seemed to be used to double up on dangerous wingers to help Bertrand, Ralph does seem to trust his defensive capabilities. I hope we get to keep seeing him with the freedom to get forward, as I think there’s a really good winger in there.

Didn’t you drop more points from winning positions than any other team last season? Would suggest if you sort that out, you don’t need a new goalscorer.

If Sam Johnstone was to leave West Brom, there aren’t many clubs so clearly in need of a number one in the PL. We couldn’t, could we…?

Yeah exactly. I felt when he said it that it wouldn’t be true, and as you say it’s already been the case. Maybe that really will be us done, but we seem to have a bit of a habit of a deadline day signing so I wouldn’t rule it out.

So Small in, Lyanco nearly done. Do we reckon that’s us done and dusted for the window? I still feel like we might have one more incoming, despite what Ralph’s said. No idea why, just a feeling. Cannot believe that Long, Valery and Obafemi won’t be leaving though.

Ah that would make sense, was just about to say I wonder if that was our choice or his, as 3 years isn’t a long time in the modern game.

Yeah i’m sure they decided to keep him because he did so well for us, but within a season he was gone (Sheffield Wednesday maybe?) - He’s had a long and winding road to the top, but seems like a top bloke and is a bloody good player. Will always hold a soft spot for him after that season for us, he was great, and his goal at Wembley was absolutely superb.

Agreed, loved his flick for Adams’ goal, and also the run he made for the chance that he should’ve scored was perfect as was the weight of pass from Adams. Add that to their combination for the goal last week too, they seem to have struck up an instant connection. Let’s hope it continues!

He basically has a goal and assist in his first two Premier League games, away to Everton and home to United. Not bad going for a Championship player.

He was also really good from Villa away at the end of 2019, until the end of that season where he cemented his place ahead of Vestergaard. The first two games of last season he was off it, Vestergaard came in and did well and kept his place, only because Stephens had been poor. Without Stephens’ poor games, we probably wouldn’t have got £15mil for Vest. When Jack came back in upon Vest’s injury, i’m pretty sure we kept 6 clean sheets on the bounce or something like that? He’s really not bad.

I don’t see him going anywhere, people outside the club don’t seem to rate him as much as we do, so I can’t see any big money being on the table. Likewise, can’t see us selling for anything other than big money. Would be one of our weirdest sales for a while if we did, so i’m sure the injury is true.

Really pleased Ralph made good, effective subs today at the right times. I’m Ralph in, always have been, but very happy to point out his substitutions are poor, so it was good that today he used them well. It was a great result, with some great individual performances. Livramento, wow, what a player. Stephens great, and for all the suggestions we lack leaders and aggression, he brings both - I get why he polarises the fanbase, but I do think I prefer him to Bednarek a lot of the time, I think he is capable of being good.

Isn’t there a stat that we haven’t conceded from a single one of these free kicks ever? Seems a bit unfair to say we’ve got lucky, it does seem to work, even if it feels a bit wrong.

We had a lot of unsuccessful signings in a short period, but we also made all of these signings in a pretty terrible time for the club. It’s a bit of a chicken and egg scenario. Were we shit because the signings failed, or did the signings fail because they came into a shit team on a downward trajectory and never really recovered. Probably a bit of both, between all of the different signings.

Not sure why we’d sign him up to a bumper new deal to put a release clause in it that could be activated next summer. Would be better to save the wages if we intend to sell him next year, given he’d still have 3 years left at the point.

Fulham fans rate Tosin quite highly - I personally found him to switch off a bit when I watched him, a bit like we have already. I like some of the descriptions of Worrall, out of the two.

I’ve seen a few Forest fans mentioning being worried about losing one of their defenders, so i’m guessing it’s him.

Safe to say we won’t be getting Tanganga from Spurs, another great performance today keeping Grealish quiet. With the ability to have 9 players on the bench now, I can see the benefit of bringing in Cahill alongside whoever we buy, to be on the bench when needed to bring a calm head to the pitch.

Exactly. Drinkwater at Leicester was brilliant, because the system suited him perfectly as well as playing alongside a world class CM partner. He’s been terrible ever since. But i’m sure someone on here would say how on earth could we turn our noses up at a player like that because he’s played 5 games for Chelsea so he must be better than all our players.

I’m not saying it’s not, but it doesn’t mean if we sign Nat Phillips we’re going to suddenly become Burnley defensively. It means more likely he’ll end up looking like Jan Bednarek, whilst maybe Jan Bednarek in Burnley’s defence would look more like James Tarkowski? Get the players who suit the system, otherwise they’ll just look shit, whether they are or aren’t.

Danny Rose was off the back of an unsuccessful loan to Sunderland, and was about to be let go by Spurs before Poch gave him the chance to stay and prove himself. Poch’s system which relied heavily on the physical attributes to press and movement was able to cover up a lot of the technical deficiencies of players like Rose. His career has nosedived since Pochettino left Spurs, and it wasn’t up to much before him. Systems can make players, Klopp’s Liverpool are another great example - many of the players he has signed, other big clubs would’ve turned their nose up at, but they fit his system perfectly. In the same way that I don’t think Nat Phillips would fit ours, he may suit Burnley, Newcastle, even maybe Brighton.