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 4 hours 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.

[a1ex2001]

1 hour 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.

 

I've yet to see anything from Schlotterbeck to suggest he isn't a good enough replacement for THB at this level particularly, so he misplaced a couple of passes in a poor team performance the other night it's not like THB never made a mistake, prior to christmas last season plenty of people would have told you he was average at best and happily seen him move on for 30million.  Yes he was a good player for us but lets not turn him into peak van Dijk!

I really don't see it with Shea, again he was a good player for us (mainly off the bench in the second half of the season) JWP is still in the prime of his career it's not like he is some unfit 36 year old with a terrible injury record, he might not have the potential to get better that shea still has but he should be comfortably one of the best midfielders in the Championship.

Lets not pretend Stewarts injury problems had miraculously disappeared last year, how many times did he play 90 minutes or start two games in a week he was a carefully managed crock who managed to stay just about fit long enough to score a few goals.  There is every chance he would have missed large chunks of the season once again  and a top prospect like Mubama would likely not have come here had Stewart still been here.

If we loose Peretz is injured I would be amazed if Ramsdale wasn't suddenly available for selection but only time will tell and McCarthy was pants so replacing a pants player (who hardly played last season) with another pants player (who will hardly play) isn't weakening our spine!

[Hengistbury Header]

In reference to the number of concerns voiced here about our transfer business at CB  and CF, the latest Echo article by Alfie House makes it clear how many times we were turned down or outbid when shopping for those positions.

[revolution saint]

6 minutes ago, a1ex2001 said:

I've yet to see anything from Schlotterbeck to suggest he isn't a good enough replacement for THB at this level particularly, so he misplaced a couple of passes in a poor team performance the other night it's not like THB never made a mistake, prior to christmas last season plenty of people would have told you he was average at best and happily seen him move on for 30million.  Yes he was a good player for us but lets not turn him into peak van Dijk!

I really don't see it with Shea, again he was a good player for us (mainly off the bench in the second half of the season) JWP is still in the prime of his career it's not like he is some unfit 36 year old with a terrible injury record, he might not have the potential to get better that shea still has but he should be comfortably one of the best midfielders in the Championship.

Lets not pretend Stewarts injury problems had miraculously disappeared last year, how many times did he play 90 minutes or start two games in a week he was a carefully managed crock who managed to stay just about fit long enough to score a few goals.  There is every chance he would have missed large chunks of the season once again  and a top prospect like Mubama would likely not have come here had Stewart still been here.

If we loose Peretz is injured I would be amazed if Ramsdale wasn't suddenly available for selection but only time will tell and McCarthy was pants so replacing a pants player (who hardly played last season) with another pants player (who will hardly play) isn't weakening our spine!

Is Schlotterbeck a replacement for THB?  Had we not sold him, THB would have been playing alongside him.  Club clearly wanted someone else in which is why they were going for Falchener and the Austrian lad.

[Pip]

I’m interested to see how Nathan Wood does alongside a more composed partner. Not done too much wrong so far.

[Oh no Mick Mills]

14 minutes ago, Pip said:

I’m interested to see how Nathan Wood does alongside a more composed partner. Not done too much wrong so far.

Schlotterbeck looks decent but he got away with 2 bad errors on Tues with Stansfield hitting the post .

We all know the reaction on social media if Stephens had done this but Schlotterbeck is newbie and deserves a run of games . 

It's going to be interesting to see who ends up being the 2 main men at the back as the season progresses.  

Edited 2 hours ago by Oh no Mick Mills

[trousers]

9 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Schlotterbeck looks decent but he got away with 2 bad errors on Tues with Stansfield hitting the post .

We all know the reaction on social media if Stephens had done this but Schlotterbeck is newbie and deserves a run of games . 

It's going to be interesting to see who ends up being the 2 main men at the back as the season progresses.  

I guess the difference between Stephens' and Schlotterbeck's cock ups is the context...

When Stephens messes up, it's often against the backdrop of an overall sub-par performance, whereas Schlotterbeck's misdemeanors were in stark contrast to the other 99% of his game...

In other words, people tend to forgive the odd mistake here and there if they're more the exception than the rule... 

Edited 2 hours ago by trousers

[Baird of the land]

4 minutes ago, trousers said:

I guess the difference between Stephens' and Schlotterbeck's cock ups is the context...

When Stephens messes up, it's often against the backdrop of an overall sub-par performance, whereas Schlotterbeck's misdemeanors were in stark contrast to the other 99% of his game...

In other words, people tend to forgive the odd mistake here and there if they're more the exception than the rule... 

People tend to forgive mistakes if they don't lead to goals. If he keeps gifting opposition glorious chances like that it won't matter how the other 99% of his game is.

[trousers]

6 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

People tend to forgive mistakes if they don't lead to goals. If he keeps gifting opposition glorious chances like that it won't matter how the other 99% of his game is.

Fair point 👍🏻

[Oh no Mick Mills]

56 minutes ago, Pip said:

I’m interested to see how Nathan Wood does alongside a more composed partner. Not done too much wrong so far.

 

35 minutes ago, trousers said:

I guess the difference between Stephens' and Schlotterbeck's cock ups is the context...

When Stephens messes up, it's often against the backdrop of an overall sub-par performance, whereas Schlotterbeck's misdemeanors were in stark contrast to the other 99% of his game...

In other words, people tend to forgive the odd mistake here and there if they're more the exception than the rule... 

Stephens is pretty average imo , many feel he's alot worse than that! 

I've always felt he's prejudiced against because he replaced arguably our best ever CB pairing in VVD and Fonte and he's miles off that level and that has stayed with many fans.

We all know his weaknesses but overall I thought he was fine last season and he made no more errors than THB or Wood ....but , I'm all for replacing him if we can find genuine upgrades... for me the jury is still out on Wood, Schlotterbeck and the new young lad as well ...let's see what happens. 

 

[Saint Pete]

1 hour ago, Hengistbury Header said:

In reference to the number of concerns voiced here about our transfer business at CB  and CF, the latest Echo article by Alfie House makes it clear how many times we were turned down or outbid when shopping for those positions.

Well yes, in terms of the striker position, those who insist we are fine in terms of backup might want to consider why Saints were bidding £5m+£2m on deadline day for Charlton striker Mbick? Clearly, the club themselves thought we could do with one more as cover after all of the departures or they wouldn't have done that, no?