Summer Transfer Window 2026

[Matthew Le God]

15 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

I'd say we're weaker down the spine GK(backup assuming ramsdale still leaves), CB(starter), CM (rotational starter), CF (rotational starter)

Everywhere else i'd say we're level, though given the investment the hope would be Dobbin would be an improvement over archer.

The spine is stronger than it was for the first half of last season when we dropped lot of points and pretty similar in strength to the second half of last season when we did extremely well.

[Baird of the land]

9 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The spine is stronger than it was for the first half of last season when we dropped lot of points and pretty similar in strength to the second half of last season when we did extremely well.

I don't think a comparison vs the bad 1st half season is particularly useful. Against post January we are definitely weaker all down the spine. The only debate is over the degree of weakness.

[West end Saints]

2 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

I don't think a comparison vs the bad 1st half season is particularly useful. Against post January we are definitely weaker all down the spine. The only debate is over the degree of weakness.

It's not definitely weaker, I accept your view but the counter argument is that Larin scored,I think 8 goals last season and was unfit and not sharp, he has 5 already. I would not be surprised if mubama  contributed more over a season than Stewart.

We didn't have any back up for Azaz, we signed Dobbin and JWP who can play there.

CM - Downes is fittest he has been. Bragg was just getting his first team experience during the winter and is likely to be better. Charles is a good player, and will have a very good career but played less than half our minutes in the second half of the season, and personally I rate JWP higher for the influence he will have on games, and delivery. I would say stronger.

CB  - too early to be definitive, we have lost THB and his passing , now have an experienced left footer and Abbott - I would say more competitive but undecided on quality

So I disagree, it is very debatable and respectfully disagree

[saintant]

15 hours ago, VectisSaint said:

Swansea have 2 + Stewart 😉

So just the two then.

[a1ex2001]

11 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

I don't think a comparison vs the bad 1st half season is particularly useful. Against post January we are definitely weaker all down the spine. The only debate is over the degree of weakness.

Weaker all down the spine seems a bit of an over reaction, we've lost three first team player in THB, Shea and Stewart.  The German lad looks a perfectly adequate replacement for THB, JWP is at least as good as Shea which just leaves us lacking a little upfront but looking at Swansea's squads so far Stewart has once again gone AWOL so it would be fair to say any forward is better than him right now!

[Baird of the land]

1 minute ago, a1ex2001 said:

Weaker all down the spine seems a bit of an over reaction, we've lost three first team player in THB, Shea and Stewart.  The German lad looks a perfectly adequate replacement for THB, JWP is at least as good as Shea which just leaves us lacking a little upfront but looking at Swansea's squads so far Stewart has once again gone AWOL so it would be fair to say any forward is better than him right now!

Is adequate a replacement word for weaker, because in no way is Schlotterbeck on the same level as THB. We've already seen we don't want him with the ball at his feet too much.

I also don't think a 31 yr old prowsey is as good as Shea.

Don't think Long is as good as McCarthy(hopefully we won't ever see him)

I wonder if Stewart would have got that injury here, as our team did seem to have a learned best way to prepare him. If anything Mubama is the most uncertain downgrade, as he's a very talented youngster so by year end he may have developed and be considered an upgrade for more than fitness reasons.

 

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Is adequate a replacement word for weaker, because in no way is Schlotterbeck on the same level as THB. We've already seen we don't want him with the ball at his feet too much.

I also don't think a 31 yr old prowsey is as good as Shea.

Don't think Long is as good as McCarthy(hopefully we won't ever see him)

I wonder if Stewart would have got that injury here, as our team did seem to have a learned best way to prepare him. If anything Mubama is the most uncertain downgrade, as he's a very talented youngster so by year end he may have developed and be considered an upgrade for more than fitness reasons.

 

If Ramsdale stays my guess is we will only ever see Long off the bench if Peretz gets injured during a match. If Peretz is injured then I would think Ramsdale will start in his place.

[Give it to Ron]

35 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Is adequate a replacement word for weaker, because in no way is Schlotterbeck on the same level as THB. We've already seen we don't want him with the ball at his feet too much.

I also don't think a 31 yr old prowsey is as good as Shea.

Don't think Long is as good as McCarthy(hopefully we won't ever see him)

I wonder if Stewart would have got that injury here, as our team did seem to have a learned best way to prepare him. If anything Mubama is the most uncertain downgrade, as he's a very talented youngster so by year end he may have developed and be considered an upgrade for more than fitness reasons.

 

Dont want him with ball at his feet much! Christ did you miss all the passes he was making into feet? His passing was what led to most of our attacks. Yes he buggered up twice but who didn’t the other night. How many times did Leo lose it or Azaz letting them break on us.

Stewart not got that injury here ….are you forgetting he was out 3 months after a dive header. 

Edited 32 minutes ago by Give it to Ron

[Give it to Ron]

Interesting a lot of people are ignoring Romeo West Ham performance. Where he actually carried it forward Shea like of course not on his level yet but I am hopeful we will see him blossom into that role.

[Gloucester Saint]

7 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Interesting a lot of people are ignoring Romeo West Ham performance. Where he actually carried it forward Shea like of course not on his level yet but I am hopeful we will see him blossom into that role.

Has developed physically as well, won’t be easy to bully. 

[Rebel]

I am not sure JWP is better than Charles defensively. 

Maybe his experience will make him better positionally and his passing better at keeping possession but physcially I think we will miss Charles. 

We look very lightweight in midfield when it comes down to physical battle - which in some games it will.  

We are definitely weaker at centre forward without Stewart and Archer.  Mubama and Dobbin is a downgrade for now - despite Stewart's injury record.  

And until Roerslev proves his fitness probably weaker at right back without Jelert.  Although maybe that is where Zach Abbot comes in as cover at right back as much as centre back.

[Give it to Ron]

1 minute ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Has developed physically as well, won’t be easy to bully. 

I think that’s what struck me too he wasn’t easily pushed off the ball

[Sheaf Saint]

10 minutes ago, Rebel said:

I am not sure JWP is better than Charles defensively. 

Maybe his experience will make him better positionally and his passing better at keeping possession but physcially I think we will miss Charles. 

Agree with this. Charles, for all his good points, was often very sloppy with his passing and frequently put our defence under pressure with misplaced passes straight to opponents in our own half. JWP is light years ahead of him in this regard.