Norwich media sources have confirmed there’s been no bid for Adam Armstrong, nor has idah been offered as he’s a player firmly in their plans. Cheers Nixon for selling us a dream of a deal. 
 

My bet is that Southampton will eventually sign him for about 15m. Anything less than 20 (or 15m plus obafemi or Idah on a perm) would be dissapointing.

Just saying - if you read the Norwich fan forums - they don’t actually want the deal to happen if it means losing Idah on a perm, they really rate him. Would take 15m plus Idah any day

Haven’t heard much about Idah but having done some reasons he sounds like a really shrewd piece of buisness if we can get him. Norwich fans perplexed about the idea of losing him on loan let alone on a perm. Sadly if this deal turns out to be a loan then the whole perception changes.
 

From what it sounds like the ings deal to Aston Villa has completely opened this up. Obviously it has pushed Southampton into a move, which in turn has forced clubs like palace and Norwich who were maybe hoping for a bargain near the end of the window into action. 
 

What id be happy with is 15-20m plus obafemi or preferably Idah on a PERM deal. 

Kaminski 

nymabe Lenihan Carter Pickering 

Buckey Travis Rothwell 

Dolan Arma Diaz

or

Nymabe Carter Lenihan Magloire Pickering 

Buckley Travis Rothwell

Arma Diaz

These are the only two line ups that make sense IMO based of performances and match time during pre season. Don’t lose faith in the youngsters if they struggle at first, it will take them a couple of games to adjust to this level.

Personally, I have accepted our fate. The club needs a complete refresh from top to bottom, and for me that can only start with both Waggot and TM heading out the door. 
 

At this point I would rather not spend any money, have a season of struggle, gamble that we have enough to stay up (which I believe we will based on the starting 11 we can field) and provide our finances with a break. Furthermore this route will provide opportunities for our academy players to be blood through an hopefully establish themselves as key members of the squad. I think at the end of the season when his contract is up TM will go, and hopefully Waggot will follow. I half wonder if that’s why no funds are currently being provided, with Venkys perhaps losing their confidence in TM and his ability to spend, with them instead putting a halt to the spending for a season so next season, under a new manager, they can loosen things up again. 

Can I just ask, if your currently out of the UK for this game can you still buy a one off match pass for the game? Or does it have to be a season pass?

Personally I’d quite like us to stick with the 3 at the back. It’s a formation which needs practice and patience though, however once got right it can work extremely well.  Personally would quite like to see JRC in that wide right role when he’s back from injury, with nyambe as the right centre back. Him and magloire sweeping on the outside of Lenihan could be extremely effective. 

Just now, JHRover said:

With Travis absent tonight I wonder if he is the one they are trying to offload 

Nothing would surprise me with these cretins.

Hopefully it is a genuine illness and not more transfer shenanigans.

He posted an Instagram story explained his absence which I would suggest clears him from being the player on the move. Plus TM loves him. 
 

it’ll be Rothwell or chapman imo.

On 26/07/2021 at 23:57, RoversClitheroe said:

That would be absolutely awful.

Wednesday say he's awful.

A couple of seasons ago they were raving about him. In recent years that club as a whole has been in decline and sometimes players can see there standards dragged down with it. He’s a proven championship player who probably just needs that change of scene to get up and running again. 

I imagine if there’s an outgoing it’ll be Armstrong as he is the only one properly linked with other club. It wouldn’t surprise me if it was Rothwell however I can’t ever remember a club actually being reportedly interested in him so would be quite out of the blue. 

On 25/07/2021 at 12:21, lraC said:

If the £15 Million reportedly offered is correct, it is a brave decision turning it down. 

Right decisions tho. If he was tied to a long contract then he’s at least worth 25-30m when u compare him to players like Watkins. I’m really suprised a prem team hasn’t taken control of the situation and offered 20m. He’s easily worth that in the current market. Personally, I’d rather we keep him for another season, hope that his goals can keep us up, and that TM leaves when his contract is up. 

Johansen would be class btw, got Fulham mates who want him to stay and play for them next season though they accept he should move on based on how the club has treated him.

Would no doubt be a coup.

I would argue that centre back is a position we are pretty well covered in. Between Lenihan, Carter, Wharton and Ayala we are have some quality and depth. If injuries arise I would rather show faith in our younger players than spend wages for people on short deals. The reality is we are not getting promoted, we don’t have a chance under Mowbray and we need to accept that. In light with that CB doesn’t need attention in the transfer market. CM and wide positions are our most pressing issues, perhaps a back up left back.

This has transfer embargo all over it.

Strange deal for all concerned tbh. I can’t see TM giving Chapman the run of starts that he needs to find his feet at this club, while on the other hand if he does find them it’s another player we could end up losing for free at the end of the season. 

What I will say about BB is that everyone in this message board at some point has had huge doubts about him and the fee we laid out for his services. However not once do I feel the fan base has turned on him and made him a scapegoat, he’s an extremely likeable figure who every fan has wanted to do well. 
 

At this point you wouldn’t even think the 6million we spent is unreasonable. His performances in the Copa America against big international teams have been very decent, seemingly making himself a key part of chiles squad and more importantly focal to their future. If all goes well he will end up being there main attacker at the World Cup if they qualify. His confidence looks sky high atm and I can’t wait to see him next season. We need to get him signed to a long term contract ASAP. 

On another note, this represents an extremely poor reflection on TM. He has failed to get these kind of performances from Ben regularly in 3 years. 

I think a major thing to consider with young players is that they need regular games for them to really show their value. Wharton is a perfect example of this, when he first broke into the team last season he looked shaky and unconvincing, within a couple of games of playing consistently he looked like our best defender. For me Buckley hasn’t had that 5-6 game spell where he’s in the team every week, and if he did I have no doubt he would prove his doubters wrong. 
 

For me, there is no doubt he has tons of ability. The only thing that could stop him becoming a crucial player for us is Mowbray who has habit of mishandling players (Nyambe).

11 hours ago, K-Hod said:

I don’t get this argument at all. Sterling has consistently scored more goals than Rashford until this season. Even then, Rashford has a whopping one goal more than Sterling in the league (from seven more appearances)....

While I can defo respect the opinion of sterling > rashford imo rashford is streets ahead of Sterling. He’s more powerful, direct and quick and importantly hits the ball a lot more cleanly than sterling. While there’s no doubt sterling is a talented player I don’t think he has hit the heights of a couple years ago in the previous seasons. The real issue with Sterling is when he comes up against quality defensive opposition, he goes missing and often lacks the composure to put crucial chances away. Rashford is far from the finished article but he’s above sterling in the pecking order, esp if we are looking to hit on the counter. I think there’s a case for playing sterling against teams that will sit back as I think he’s better at playing in tight spaces, however in those kinds of games I’d rather Grealish or Sancho.
 

it’s also worth nothing that sterling has been in his prime the last couple of season while rashford has just been breaking into becoming a focal part of United attack. In that time Sterling has played a lot of games upfront while rashford has been on the wing, which may affect the appearance of their stats. 

I’m so surprised that people have sterling over rashford. Sterling is incredibly overrated. My starting xi would be:

4-3-3

Henderson 

Walker Stones Maguire Shaw

Mount Rice Bellingham/Grealish (depending on opposition)

Foden Kane Rashford 

2 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

If we line up with that team next season with Mowbray in charge, we'll get relegated.

In all honesty I think any team we line up under Mowbray next season will have a chance of getting us relegated. Especially without the goals of Armstrong. 
 

But I do believe under a proper manager, under that set up, we would be a dangerous team. 

Can’t help but be buzzing about this. Hopefully they can qualify for the World Cup with Big Ben as their main man!

In relation to the debate about what system we should play next season. I would argue that 3511 (Sheffield Uniteds formation of past few seasons) would get the best out of our current players. With the assumption that Armstrong will leave, and that everyone is fit, other than Wharton and Dack, we could have a line up looking like:

GK: Kaminski

CB: Nymabe

CB: Lenihan 

CB: Carter (Wharton)

RM: JRC

CDM: Travis  

CM:Buckley

CM: Rothwell

LM: Pickering

CF: Dolan/Chapman (Dack)

ST: Brereton/Gally

I think defensively it leaves us in good shape. A physical back 3 who are good in the air and not avoid of pace (nymabe is rapid and Wharton and lenihan are no slouches as CBs go). In travis they would have one of the best anchor mans in the division shielding them and two wide players who have shown (In terms of Pickering what has been gathered from reviews and reports on him) that they have the energy to get up and down the touch line constantly, an important trait in this system to support both the defence and attack. In fact I think it would be the role which could get the best out of them both, particularly JRC who I really rate as a player. Both have the ability to put the ball in the box with real quality, giving us a real threat from wide areas.
 

In central midfield, we would have Buckley and Rothwell to the left and right of Travis. Between those two we should have the ability to not only keep hold of the ball, but to play through the lines and open up defences. With Travis anchoring, both players would have a bit more freedom to roam and get on the ball. If we needed abit more defensively solidarity then you could always replace one for Johnson or davenport and have two out of the 3 anchoring.

A big worry amongst this forum is seemingly goals, as without Arma we may seem to struggle. However I don’t see this as such an issue as some do. In Bradley Dack we have a player who is capable of getting 20 a season quite easily if fit. And this formation, with him playing just off a focal striker would suit him to a tee. I really think we need to build our team around him if we are to have any hopes next season. Yes I know it probably won’t be until 2022 until we see him fit again, however I’d argue that the role off the striker would play to the strengths of Dolan and Chapman aswell. Neither players imo has the pace or aggression to play out wide, however both have the ability to take it past a few players and open the game up. The most dangerous place to that from is in this role, just off the striker where they have to play in tight spaces and don’t need to rely on pace to get past a quick full back.  
 

Finally we come to the big money strikers. Neither have impressed me enough here, but I still hold hopes for both of them. Brereton in particular I think can have a big role for us. At times this past season he has been unplayable, worked his socks off, held the ball up, and showed a knack for being able to carry it up the pitch. All attributes essential to this role. His finishing needs work no doubt, I don’t believe he will ever be a natural one, but confidence could do him wonders. On the other hand we have Gally. A player I believe is a bit of a donkey. Yet he has played nearly all of the past 2 seasons out wide and due to that I feel that I and others have judged him too harshly. Once again he is strong, decently quick and at times shown to be a decent finishing, especially from crosses, from inside the box, something he is not able to do from the wings. Once again I reckon this role would get the best out of them, especially with a link man playing off them. 
 

I would argue than a new CB and CM and wide man( preferably with genuine pace) would make us a stronger outfit, but I do reckon the line up I have recommended could do damage in the league next season. Ofc, this is all irrelevant under TM, as we will go nowhere with him in charge, but if we were to bring a 3 at the back specialist as manager *ahem Wilder ahem* then I would genuinely back us for the play offs. 

I’m surprised that people are not more keen on Ryan Guald. I’ve followed his career loosely albeit from a far since he shot onto the scene at Dundee way back when. He struggled at Sporting but even then showed glimpses of what he could do. He’s come into his own at Farenese and think has 10 goals and 7 assists in a team that has struggled all season. 
 

A player who I would compare him too is Rochina. A player I believe this club grossly misused. We should of built our entire team around him. The one issue was for rochina was his consistency, which he seems to have found after he left rovers, and grew with experience. Gauld now seems to be at that stage where he has the consistency to match his talent. I’ve no doubts he would be one of the best creative players in the championship, as a wide man or and attacking midfield. I very much doubt we will get him. There is prem and champ interest and I can’t see us being able to match the wages others are offering. But don’t get it twisted. He’d be a massive coup.

Would personally love Ryan Gauld. Can’t see it tho