junkhead

Think I'd rather we act hard and stop negotiations if they're twisting our hands too much. Preferably 'tapping up' the agent/player for future windows in the process. Doesn't look like any top club is interested at the mentioned amounts so could be doable. Botman's rehabilitation is apparently going well. We can manage with Schar, Burn, Kelly and Krafth until December.. revisit the situation in January. And of course I'd spent some of the planned money on a winger - Noni is in great form, won't see much football with Palmer and Neto around and there might be potential for a FFP-friendly loan..

Barnes will be a useful option but he must improve his work rate.. and athleticism, if possible. Just a notch. Often it's like he's a second late in the dribble, a cm away from executing the turn etc.. small margins.. Think he'd improve on those things with more regular football. Feels like his 'cut-inside and shoot' will always cause problems if teams leave spaces.. Don't think his style is suited to the right wing.. to the point I'm worried he might attack our goal if we move him there...I imagine Eddie would prefer to see the improvement on the training ground first and then consider moving Gordon.

They activated his release clause tbf

Aye, it'll happen.. nobody else seems in for him. Palace are just trying to extract as much money as possible.

Broadly speaking, I can't quite work out our grand strategy. Not worried in any way, it's just that I think we're in a very hard situation to close the financial gap on the top 6. So far, under Amanda's supervision the goals seemed to be: - annual revenue growth by at least 30% - success on the pitch - european qualifications - compliance with PL financial regulations without much creative accounting (Forest deals in June kind of brought an end to that) Even if we keep rising our revenues with 30%, which is extremely unrealistic year-on-year without major help from PIF-related parties.. it would take us many years of success on the pitch and good player trading to be able to overtake even the 6th of the "Big 6" - Spurs. And they're hardly staying still with their mega London stadium, big commercial deals and expected new outside investment. So that can't be the plan if PIF really have ambitions to be "number 1". It'll be interesting if our behaviour changes with Eales and Mitchell now. I have limited knowledge on the subject but the PL's regulations were not designed by experienced Westminster policy makers or the Treasury Department. Chelsea show that it's possible to circumvent the rules in the most obvious ways without consequences. In Bulgaria we have a saying that the law is a door in a field.. it's not necessarily correct but it applies to our soviet constitution and the premier league's PSR 'top 6 memorandum'.

timeEd's absurdly detailed and researched post (it was him right?) definitely changed my outlook on this window. But still, there can be too many variables in the way transfers are structured, for example, to be absolutely sure what's possible.. even before we get into stuff like selling hotels to ourselves.. not that we possess any but I'd like to see more creative accounting from us.

He's MY FAVOURITE PLAYER! and I've only seen 3 mins of highlights! The new Ozil, the new Sane, the new Gerd Muller! Bet EVERYTHING on the title if we get him!

I posted the other day how I think he's brainless but I've seen Chelsea a couple of times since and Noni looks BY FAR their best player now. Everybody else seems to disintegrate in the middle of the pitch in this strange Maresca setup but when Noni receives the ball on the wing, it's like he plays a different sport to them.

This Gruda guy is EXACTLY what we're looking for.. he has that left footed MAGIC.. So has Will guessed anything right before?

It's barely a complete sentence. But at least you're not spoilt aye

Yeah Wilson is not very realistic.. thought the Saudi window closes later but chances are he still won't be fit enough.. Too bad somebody like Spurs, Chelsea is not feeling adventurous.. he could do a job for them with their state of the art training grounds and medical departments...

Doubt there would be many realistic options outside of Saudi. Unless we're prepared to subsidise his wages. Him and Wilson (esp. after the injury) will be hard to sell but I think there are clear signs that's the club's plan for them. Mitchell as an "outsider" can play the hard cop. I'm confident we'll sell them both this window. Also the fact that Sean is still not being offered a new contract speaks for itself. I feel he might go towards the end of the window, although Eddie relies on him

Regardless if we buy another winger, if Miggy is to stay he must get his shit together. His form annoys even Paraguay fans. I have a feeling he needs reminding the VERY basics of the game from time to time - pass to a teammate who is free; get in a good position to receive the ball; shoot with power to score a goal.. that sort of stuff

Brilliant interview,reassuring that he doesn't HATE Dan Hodges and Eddie.

Probably already discussed at length but are people worried about his apparent lack of aerial ability? He's very strong and agile and I haven't noticed him lacking in man marking situations but the stats show that he rarely wins high balls and has always been paired with a more aggressive, aerially-dominant defender - Andersen, Richards and even Tomkins before..

emm Guehi's not that big of a name.. and he's a CB after all, doubt he'd cause a commercial windfall.

Gah.. So torn on this.. I like Guehi, he's been very reliable for several years now playing for a 'weaker' team. But I'd prefer a more dominant aerial presence from a CB in the PL. Especially for 60 mil and more. Nikola Milenkovic went to Forest for 12 mil.. 1.95m, bit slow but athletic, leader, experienced in big games, mad serbian mentality, supermodel girlfriend.. much better option than Guehi for 60+ but ah well..

I was a big fan from his PSV highlights in prev years but watching him for Chelsea more closely last season - he's incredibly selfish, seems to lack vision and he's not composed when shooting. That penalty incident although a small matter, showed him in very bad light imo. Very exciting dribbler tho, if he's motivated to improve under Eddie, it'll work out. Love Miggy but we really don't need much to see an improvement from this position.

Most of them have spent time injured, Mundle and Hjelde arrived in Jan.. so they have not been available for the full 46 game season. But (probably apart from Pembele) they have featured (started or came in as a sub) in the majority of games they were available for. Which makes the majority - first team players and not 'second string'.. Your second string is the U21s. Or your finances allow you to maintain a reserve squad within the senior squad? Yup, Krafth is a first team player. Dummett was considered one too but he played less than 30 minutes last season.

I don't dispute that they're shite, just saying most of them were in your 18 man squad every week Starting XI: Moore, Pembélé, Hjelde, Anderson, Johnson, Rigg, Embleton, Ba, Aouchiche, Mundle, Rusyn. Pembele - has been in the match squad regularly when fit Hjelde - started the majority of last season when fit Rigg - def not 'second string', featured regularly last season Ba - played nearly every game Aouchiche - featured in most games Mundle - featured in most games since arriving Rusyn - featured in most games when fit So 7 of the 11 were first team players last season. Embleton will probably feature regularly in the group too if he remains..

If Biffa doesn't know, nobody knows.

Romano doesn't say anything there but maybe we'll have to offer Anthony a new contract soon if we want to be in a good position for negotiations in future windows. Think he was signed on an unusually short deal.

They refer to it as their second string as if the others aren't the same no hopers. But at least 6-7 of that starting line up featured weekly for them last season..

Off to rtg it is then..