Andy

Carrasco would be a great signing but I can't see us spending €60m on one player like, it just doesn't seem to fit our M.O this window.

Romano's not usually too far off like, despite being a bit iffy this window. Believe he was the first journo who was adamant that Digne wouldn't be coming here when our bid went in, so he has got some things right off his own back.

Not sure about that like, he's a regular in one of the best defenses in the league, £15m sounds about right in the January window.

Probably, aye, but it seems to be a bit of a recurring theme that the way we're going about it isn't working. If the reports are to be believed, anyway.

If true, I don't really understand the installments approach like. Fair enough for older players where we may want a stop-gap signing to have less impact on our budget, but for a player like this who your team is going to be built around, just stump the money up if it's there.

Would be disappointed if we got to next week without a centre half, like.

You're not wrong, to be fair. The back and forth literally was a waste of time if it ends up fruitless; that doesn't mean anyone was at fault, just that in hindsight it's taken up time that could've been used elsewhere, and obviously that justifies some frustration - not at the club, or the player, or even at Sevilla, just at the outcome.

Can't really blame them, like. We've pretty much gone out of our way to upset one of their key players and piss them off.

I'll form an opinion on it when someone credible says we've actually make a bid. The links I've seen are tenuous at best.

Don't really know much about Nat Phillips as a player, but the only transfer link I can even see regarding him is the opinion of Mark Douglas on the previous page? Not sure it's worth getting wound up over.

Bollocks to dressing room harmony like, I couldn't give two fucks if the likes of Lascelles and Ritchie aren't happy that they're on less money than actual competent footballers. They might have had an argument if they hadn't consistently put in performances so shite that they landed us at the arse end of the table.

Frustrating that we've apparently spent so much time on this, but understandable that we don't want to be held to ransom if they're taking the piss.

I mean, if he is and he's playing for us then that means his form justifies it, so I'd be fairly happy with that personally.

Welcome to all the "new" posters. As somebody who's been around from merge to split and back it's pretty sad to see one of the old forums die out, even though I forgot it even existed a few years ago tbh.

There's more to defending than stats are often able to show, like. You can't really measure positional sense, tactical understanding, leadership and organisation in stats. Mobility, and the resulting ability to play a higher line, is also crucial in the modern game for a central defender and is something we're completely bereft of.

Burnley are always capable of grinding out points like that, but thankfully they're even more blunt than us and never turn them into wins. Can't see them finishing anywhere other than bottom this season if they don't invest well this week.

I think it'll be Burnley, Norwich and Watford if we buy well this week. I'd love to see Everton go down but I think they'll pull themselves together.

There's absolutely no chance of Howe being sacked, like. We've put our eggs in his basket until the end of the season at least.

Aye, there's certainly a bit of an echo chamber of negativity forming. Some of it is justified but mostly it's OTT. The club could be relegated rock bottom this season and still be more alive than it has been in almost a decade and a half.

Loan move would be good business all round, he instantly improves us just as he did West Ham, and nobody has to commit to anything. Another one where we just need to get it done before other offers come in.

Can't believe dcmk has misled us like that, 4 week ban IMO

I think the board are probably feeling the squeeze a bit now. They know this one is close and that we need someone in by the weekend, I think they'd prefer to push this through than start over with some other player. Everyone we go for is going to require effort and money unfortunately.

It does work like that if you're buying from willing sellers. Sevilla have no interest in selling and are probably irritated that we've unsettled their player, I doubt they're in any hurry to discuss.

From what I gather, aye. Seems fairly justified too given that he's a regular in their team and they have one of the best defensive records in Europe this season.

I doubt it, like. Our financial situation is massively different to Everton's, even discounting the wealth of our owners and impending sponsorship deals etc.