The 2018 team was certainly well below the quality in the squad of the following 3 tournaments. It was arguably Southgate's most impressive work as the first tournament after the disaster at Euro 2016 and it felt like a team playing at greater than the sum of its parts, with the main threat coming from set pieces. But the last 3 tournaments have been built on a base of proven defensive players. Walker and Stones won endless trophies and played huge roles in that, now Walker has lost the pace that was his strength and Stones has had a couple of years of constant injuries and is unlikely to play much next season. Shaw was another important player who is now finished at the highest level. You go from a solid, proven top level defence to a bunch of players who you might say "hes ok" or "he could be really good in x a couple of years" and its a huge drop off. We have lots of really good attackers but they pretty much exclusively want to play in the same position. Bellingham, Palmer, Eze, Gibbs-White, Foden etc. If you squeeze more than 1 in youve got square pegs in round holes. Kane also is clearly physically declining, also wants to come deep and often hindered us at the last Euros. He will still score but as time goes on and he becomes less physically capable, he might become an undroppable burden like Ronaldo is for Portugal at times.

very good

Are we allowed to use the phrase 'oriental' in 2025? Also who are they swapping him for?! £8m is probably the total value of the squad.

He signed a new 4 year contract in 2023 - so sadly we can't even blame Mowbray for this one.

Split into North and South for the first two rounds.

The only exception to that ruling would be if the club had fewer than 23 players in their senior playing squad, in which case they would be allowed to bring in a free transfer or free loan without breaking the embargo.

Theyve numerous kits to promote. The likes of Tronstad, Hyam, Carter, Cantwell etc are also missing. Maybe theyll promoted the away kit. Also, no way is anyone paying that for him even if he does go.

Exeter away 🤞

Lashers away.

£6.50 was quite pricey for a gig ticket in 1981.

And that is with the last two figures being pence.

No chance of cash out to get Cashin

We'll have to swap half our squad

Eiran Cashin is leaving Brighton on loan apparently. Left footed centre back who they bought from Derby 6 months ago. With our relationship with Brighton, and it being a position that we need I could see us going for him. Also kicks the can down the road for a permanent signing back there which they love to do.

I don't think "Bionic" Bradshaw achieved the heights expected of him either. Died last year, only 67

Sheffield utd replacing wilder with a manager that failed badly at Southampton is a bizarre appointment Edit. I got him confused with the Southampton manager from last season.

By the same logic, Travis and Brittain won't be sold in this window as they're in the marketing. Yet most would not be surprised if at least one of them is gone by September.

Think there are a few of us who remember Butcher! When Paul Bradshaw left for Wolves I remember Butcher's girl friend telling me at the time 'John will be better than Paul and go on to play for England'! Think my response was simply 'let's wait and see'!

Definitely the silly season ... Leeds United midfielder, Ao Tanaka thought to be of interest to a number of championship clubs. Leeds want at least £8m for the versatile oriental. Blackburn Rovers most keen, but are only willing to do a swap deal.

If anyone wants you can download load a. Free version of the DZAN site and watch all the games .

Hmmm... While the current squad has declined a bit since 2021 (when Kane, Walker and Stones were in their pomp) - I would say the current squad is substantially better than the one Southgate first ran with in 2018. The raw bones for 2026 are there - Kane still going, Bellingham and Rice are proven talents at CL level, quite a lot of talented attacking players (Palmer, Saka, Gordon, Eze). The three things we need to do are : 1) sort out the central defence (our number one problem). Since the Euros we have been very unsettled. I would just commit to Guehi and Stones as a pair as it worked well, but injuries have disrupted this. 2) Get the "pivot" in central midfield sorted to smooth out our play through the middle (has to be Wharton surely?) and get the best out of the attacking players 3) Find the right setup for Kane up front. I think we need to drop playing a number 10 as Kane wants to do that himself. Need players around him who focus on getting forward, and work their nuts off on and off the ball. I guess my team would be Gordon Kane Saka Bellingham Wharton Rice Lewis-Skelly Guehi Stones Alexander Arnold Pickford I am not happy about the defensive quality of our full backs, but maybe seems our best options above. But I think it is a hard ask for Tuchel to say he i significantly worse off in his squad than Southgate.

Hee Hee Chaplin's inside the Oak Tree which is now a Tesco Express. There's a blast from the past. Not all things change for the better sadly.

Nobbers at Dumpdale

I remember Butch very well. Obviously an admission that we are old timers. 🙂