Bethnal

Joe Hilton is a bomb scare, if we’ve not got another option, I’d rather Pears in there injured but another knock to the face and he could be out long-term. My point was that we probably need an emergency in. ”Cover and competition” wasn’t meant as signing players to be the cover and competition, it’s to create the concept of it in those positions. They can be starters, but I don’t think we’re going to shell out the required cash for starters in four positions.

Stansfield - yes please, but chance would be a fine thing. Germain - not seen mention of the fee, but if it’s low-risk, it opens up Leonard for a loan out in January and Vale out this window and I’d welcome it. I actually think Ohashi moves to the 10 as a result of this one and Gueye and Germain compete for the 9. We really need cover and competition on both flanks, RB, LB, RW, LW. We practically shouldn’t be looking at anything before GK is solved. Sounds like Tronstad really caught Pears yesterday, every chance he’s a risk for Oxford.

I’m just back from Norwich, after a nice evening out with friends there. Lot of good pubs, worth the visit. Fans were excellent and vocal throughout. Pears a liability, looks shot of confidence and capability at this stage. Upgrade essential. We lack leaders. There are a lot of grafters, but nobody that anyone looks to when the chips are down and can manage the ebb and flow of the game. Travis was very much trying to lead by example and put a big shift in. Others like Hyam did not seize the day and a few were openly blaming each other for mistakes. Brittain especially partial to a sulk. On the front foot, we look dangerous. Norwich-supporting friends commented on the quality of our passing in tight spaces to get out of trouble and it was on display today in flashes. The problem is that the back four are the least capable of it and are being asked to do most of it, which is the highest risk area. Tronstad excellent, extremely solid and despite a couple of errors, really kept us moving. Buckley looked good coming on, which was unexpected. Sigurdsson had a lot more desire than we’ve seen, which is pleasing. Dolan looked a bit lost, if busy. Tried to make too much happen, just seems to get in his own head. JRC isn’t a wide player, doesn’t have the positional sense for it, is currently wasted out there. Gueye and Ohashi - once both fully up to speed, they have to start together, you’re looking at a Rhodes/Gestede-type linkup, potentially. Ohashi’s header was magic, what a time to score it after it looked like we’d collapsed.

Think the front four is wrong here. Weimann almost certainly doesn’t have a start in his legs yet, Hedges is ineffective from the left and Gueye is too big of a handful not to start. I’d have Dolan on the left (ahead of Siggy) Ohashi behind Gueye and Hedges from the right. Responsibility for Brittain to get to the byline and Pickering to cross from deep for Gueye, with the three behind Gueye running off him for anything through the middle. Lots of potential for this to go well, if we attack the opportunity.

Just as something for us to mull over while we wait for news: We’ve sold both of our best players in succession within 7 months of each other… who would you say is our best player, now?

I suspect we are offering £10k plus performance bonuses already, is the thing.

We knew it was coming and I’m sure he’ll enjoy being nearer family and whatever pay bump he receives. Best wishes in the circumstances, but didn’t enjoy the Stroppy Sammy display on Tuesday. Not so sure he’s going to enjoy watching from the bench as Liverpool and City put 8-10 past Ipswich over the next two weekends between them or as their only genuinely top-flight asset (McKenna) leaves them for better prospects towards Christmas. There was a much better move for him if he held off a little bit and there was definitely a much better move for Rovers if we’d done the same. Usually, we’d expect no reinvestment, though the recent recruitment has been better and more than we’d probably expected. Having said that, I imagine the “you scored four on the first game of the season, you’re fine” conversation has been had. Worth pointing out that we really weren’t in it until Szmodics had warmed his calves up against Derby. I’ll be at Carrow Road this weekend. Had been feeling confident, currently a little unsure but intrigued to see what we look like post-Szmodics.

Yeah, he’s not projecting a happy demeanour, is he? Funny one with that celebration, but also his goal on Friday. Started off like he was doing the “I’m not going to celebrate at my former club’s ground,” this before realising he still played for us.

Anything telling in what he said?

Doing a good Sam Gallagher impression on a fraction of the wage

Honestly think we’re doing the right thing. A penny under £10m is daylight robbery and they’ve already pissed a lot of money up the wall on worse players. Make them pay up.

Appeared to be in a bit of a strop all evening. Possibly understandable in the circumstances but if he’s still here (touch wood) I expect to see him starting on the weekend.

THIS is the whole thing. If he wants the move that much, he can forego his loyalty bonus and put the transfer request in. It will sour the whole thing but it’ll get done and if everyone really wants that to happen, it’s what probably has to happen.

£15m for Szmodics. There’s no way he doesn’t replicate his form to some extent, after Friday. Half-fit and off the bench, he gets a goal and an assist (albeit against a chaotic defence). I’d be telling him to bide his time til January where bigger clubs will be getting twitchy. Bournemouth have lost Solanke, Brentford could still lose Toney. Everton are somehow considering signing Calvert-Lewin to a ridiculous deal. Any of those three or some clubs higher up start misfiring, he’ll be laughing and more likely to get a bigger deal with a team actually capable of staying up. In the meantime, he’ll probably win us enough points to be comfortably away from relegation that we could “afford” to lose him.

Chaddy vindicated with Josh Maja - credit where it’s due, he looked lethal y’day.

Agreed. Most were busting a gut tonight and I’ve never really seen Buckley get above a canter. I liked Siggy after his start, but I’ve only seen him go hell for leather once or twice in his time here. Both probably squad options while we have the need for it, but Eustace said in his post-match interview that he was looking for “good characters, good lads” and I think maximum effort is a part of that.

QPR for £2.5m or so

Gonna go out on a limb and say Big Mak is gonna be a cult hero. Impressive first 20 of his career. Opening night fluffing your lines is forgiven when you’re otherwise as dynamic as he is.

A little distracted by the game later today, so my productivity is somewhat down. That distraction is demonstrative of the kind of pull this club always has and probably always will have over me. The earlier despair of the summer has been slightly buffed to just a general - albeit serious - worry about the forthcoming season. Even still, that is enough for me to feel optimistic about the evening, if not exactly confident. Either way, Proper Football is back. We have a bad keeper, but I think Derby's is worse. Derby have done alright in recruiting at least a couple and were a side deserving of their promotion before the summer, but will need to do a lot more to stand a chance of staying up. I think Paul Warne seems like he has something about him as a manager, even if he comes across as a bit of a "modern middle manager." With that in mind and trying to put a positive spin on things, I think there'll be something of a "first day of school" zip about Rovers tonight. If Sammie's not playing, the players will already know and some may be looking to seize the mantle of "that guy" for the season. Who it will be is anyone's guess, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Dolan, Sigurdsson or JRC. Derby to set up 3-4-3 with wingbacks in midfield and Rovers more of a 4-3-3, I think. Should make for an interesting spectacle, but I think it'll be Rovers by a nose. 3-2 (Sigurdsson, Dolan, Mak).

I think if he’s not quite there, half a season in League One doesn’t do him any harm at all. We have four back there currently (albeit two older ones) and if we want him to be part of the side going forward, he’ll need to bridge the gap that exists, which won’t happen in the U21s and a couple of Carabao Cup games. At least in League One, he’ll be regularly testing himself against a high standard than he’s regularly played against. Hope he makes it with us, I suspect he has something about him.

Remember, guys… they never refuse to sign a check.

Late to the uproar, but I don’t think we should be letting Szmodics away on the cheap. Ipswich have wasted £15m + £5m in add-ons bringing in Liam Delap. I think the reasonable point would be, “if that’s what you’re spending on 12 goals in two seasons in the Championship, you can get to £10m + £2m for 27 goals last season/top goalscorer.” That’s a fair price. Before the “he’s only 21, we was at City” shouts: it’s a market. An asset is worth what it’s worth and proven goalscorers at any level, as Sammie was last year, are valuable. If Ipswich don’t want to pay that, I’d be telling him that they’re cheaping out on him and he’s worth too much to us to let that happen. Truth is, I reckon he’s the kind to use that as fuel, bang a few in then go for considerably more around Christmas to whichever of the usual Premier League suspects and new arrivals are misfiring. FWIW - I reckon he will go up there and score goals. I think if Calvert-Lewin is still hardballing a new deal, Everton would be tempted. If Brentford lose Toney, he’d do well there. Would like it to be West Ham for his sake, although don’t see Lopetegui wanting him.

Yeah, I think he’s not cut out for Championship football, which there’s no shame in. Has the ability, but neither the intelligence nor the consistency for it. Agreed. He did well playing that role and moving into midfield occasionally as part of it but I don’t think he has the command of that position to make it his own. If Duru impresses, I’d look to move on Brittain, put JRC there and have Duru as understudy. If not, keep Brittain as the relief pitcher to try to maintain fitness for JRC through recovery.

We could of course be especially critical of this position, given how poor our options were last season. He did seem to get lucky a few times and if that can be described as a trait, I’d take a lucky keeper over any other type.

Hmmm… seems to spill a lot of shots directly in front of him in this highlight reel. Almost a shame that there’s no such thing as a “lowlight reel” to understand if that’s a common problem.