Chicken Dancer

That’s fair, I’ve not paid any attention at all tbh. I will try and let go of my grudge. I’m sorted now with a ST (and points, though not mine), but it still stings that the people I used to go with - including my old man - are not. Regardless, I still refuse to believe only 14 (? I can’t remember exactly, but the number they told me was very low) uploaded screenshots of their points. I knew about 8 personally and a few off here who followed the instructions.

Fair enough. That’s not the information I was given on two occasions - one of which was face to face. I was told there wasn’t enough uptake so they decided not to bother. This was from a sitting board member (at the time). Either way, I wouldn’t be using the trust.

The whole points thing. Made those who were cancelling/cancelled when Benitez left upload screenshots to a page on their website promising they’d approach the club if/when there was a change of ownership. They backtracked and done absolutely fuck all, except sit in the posh seats and get tickets for every game themselves.

Your best chance is in numbers. Fuck using the trust, they lied to everyone packing in last time. Just find a group of people in a similar situation and put it to the club. I know of a couple who’d be up for it as well, though it is pissing in the wind.

If I was him I’d be looking to experience playing abroad or for one of the Old Firm. He might fancy a shot at getting Coventry promoted though, given he’s a Cov lad.

Absolutely no problem with this man He - like Gillespie - are training goalkeepers. They'll be paying paid pennies (for footballers of course), so it makes sense to keep him around. Wouldn't surprise me if he's helping coach some of the younger keepers too. Absolutely fine to keep somebody like this around. Next season it will probably be; 1a) Pope 1b) Trafford 2 Vlach 3 Ruddy/Gillespie. Assuming we can shift Dubravka, if not slot him in at number 2.

aye the £1 is cheeky as fuck mind I worded it poorly or at least didn’t get the full question across - and you may not know this btw - but my understanding (Football manger) is that the selling club is powerless if the clause is met? So what I meant to ask is why couldn’t he actually meet with Arsenal? Not that he’d have wanted too like.

I never actually understood that Suarez bid @rgk_lfc, didn’t they actually meet the release clause? From my impeccable knowledge based on triggering many a clause on FM, what actually was the issue?

Fair play to them but I can’t help but think it’s the wrong type of player they need to be signing. Fair enough a couple but what happens if they’re all just absolutely shite? I could obviously end up massively wrong.

Was poorly worded by me. I was buzzing for him, but also stung. I don’t think he ever really got a chance to get going here, so you are right. But given Joelinton’s fitness record of late, he’d have had plenty of the minutes we gave to Longstaff and Willock. Probably agree on Miley too, though I see them as different midfielders. For me Miley has always seemed more suited to play the deepest of the 3, but time will tell on that one!

Honestly think Howe really liked him, it was a sale that we were absolutely forced to make. I’ve said before and I’m sure it’s the same for everyone in this forum, despite the best season in all of our lives it did sting a little watching him thrive. If he carries on improving I’d absolutely be in favour of signing someone like that, local lad or otherwise. He’s basically perfect for Howe’s system. It’s a huge shame it was only £15m net, in hindsight of course.

Why not? In the relatively near future we’re going to need a LCM to fill the Joelinton role. We could do a Real Madrid job - give him a nudge in a year or two and say run down your deal. Or we could very realistically pay some heavy coin for him. Hes probably heading for the England squad on his current trajectory. Could definitely see us being interested again in the future, it’s just whether he would fancy it. I’m sure he would.

He will play for us again one day. I’m sure of that. Unless he’s proper peeved he was a pawn in the PSR game.

Is that Italian fella reliable or what? Got my heart set on Scalvini now, especially at £30m.

Would be absolutely delighted with Scalvini, was one of the most highly rated CBs in Europe before he done his ACL. Something tells me that it stinks of Barella/Tonali situation though, but if Scalvini is available for £30m I'd be devastated if we weren't all over it.

You'll get to see that every 2 years at least in the international tournaments!

They did do better than us, that's not debateable. But they definitely had favourable games in the league phase ('big' teams at home) and they got Brugge over 2 legs in the knockout phase. I'd love for similar games this season for sure. Their squad was definitely better equipped though, that's also not debateable.

The Poundland Brighton. Let’s not kid ourselves - they’re signing these in the hope they can flip them in 12 months time. How much more can they spend? I’d wager not a great deal without trading. The squad is pap and signing young players from a foreign league is not the approach you need when the primary objective is to finish 17th. I’d expect them to be making this kind of signing in a couple of years once they’re established. They’ll need to sign some players with some experience - certainly experience of playing top-flight football in England. They maybe have improved their side, who knows, but it’s still nowhere near enough to bring them close to even Wolves (who I’d maybe expect to struggle in 25/26). Fair play to them though, I honestly didn’t think they’d be spending much money at all. So at least they are trying.

Fair play to them for splashing some coin, wasn't sure they would but it's the only way to give yourselves a fighting chance. It's a big ask getting young, foreign players to come in and compete with the best in the world every week without any grace period to bed them in. Huge risk but fair play for taking it. I wonder how much they end up spending but they're well on track to spend over £150m +. Still a really poor side that needs a lot of work.

Be delighted and actually someone I would stump up the cash for. Unfortunately it will be a load of shite.

I’d assume that if this transfer window ends up being a failure - which I know is subjective- you might see a more hands on approach from PIF going forwards. I’m yet to panic in fairness, though I did assume we’d have a few in for the start of pre-season. Universally acknowledged that managers prefer that, and Howe said as much after the Everton game. The squad is about 13 players deep and we are an Isak/Bruno/Tonali injury away from disaster, especially given the (minimum) of 8 extra games. We need 5 or 6.

Well for starters there isn’t a guarantee Elanga would work out for us. From my limited knowledge gained from watching the odd Forest game when they’ve been on Super Sunday, he suits them down to the ground being a fast winger that they try to get the ball to as quick as possible when playing on the break. We play completely different way - he may suit, he may not. I’m not saying I don’t trust Howe to make it work. I am saying I think anything close to £60m (so I suppose £52m can be included in that) for him is absolutely absurd. I couldn’t see any of the teams we’re competing with in the league make that signing. Also able to acknowledge that £50m now is probably a £20m player 5-6 years ago, but still. Just a mad fee for a relatively limited player.

Much like last summer when I was quite happy to walk away from Guehi when it got stupid, anything close to £60m for Elanga has me feeling the same way.

Where are the survival odds? I can only find ‘to be relegated’?

Odd, given he plays primarily from the right and they have that absolute alien for the next 15 years there.