London blue

Fine. Singing a little song about the king has zero bearing on his ability to coach a football team.

It's not that he nearly did something, though. He did make an awful mistake, running into the back of our player and allowing Foster the header at the open net. Opposition players not taking opportunities handed to them by our keeper isn't reason to excuse him of those errors. @roversfan99 gave a couple of other examples.

He's had multiple chances since he arrived, actually. I expect more of Hyam and Beck in that situation, both of their positioning was awful. I also expect more of Pears.

Very true. Thinking back to seeing the goal it was so, so clear where the cross was going. Staying on his line then reacting in the way he did was poor all round.

I know Hyam had gone walkabout for the dingle goal but I would have expected a keeper at this level to save the header. Equally accountable, in my opinion. He's played as well as anyone expects, in that he hasn't thrown the ball in his own net. Yet.

Is this the only point at which you would question him? "He hasn't fucked up yet so there's no reason to try proactively improve the team" feels like a shitty mentality to me.

Pal of mine is a Motherwell fan. They like Vale s a player but like him more cos he invested some money into their youth setup. Or, more accurately, got pissed at their award evening auction and way overpaid for some stuff.

1/4

Very much sounds like he's keeping his cards close to his chest to me.

I read the same article, think Mog's answer was something like "that isn't going to work mate". I've got some trust in Park, etc. that they've got someone in mind. How bloody naive am I?!

Not for me to defend Venkys or Wag but I reckon the recruitment team has said nah, not for that fee. And Oxford have stumped up. I know he has a couple of attributes we're crying out for but honestly think he would frustrate everyone here within a couple of games. If there's a potential alternative lined up I'm happy to see him go to Oxford.

That would be Cole Palmer levels of intellect

London is London. If that's where the client/agent/player wants to meet, that's where you go.

You can add how desperate the financial situation is at the selling club to that list

Completely different scenarios. One would be a striker option, likely 2nd or 3rd in line for the sole striker position. The other would be first choice keeper.

Why? We absolutely need another striker. As someone has said Yuki isn't going to lead the line and Big Mac, even if he stays fit 100% of the season is going to fatigue. Then we're down to Vale, basically. Germain is cheap, in good form and wants to come. We should have hit the button already.

The Hungarian fella feels more our fit. By that I mean cheap, unproven and a huge gamble. I don't mean to immediately whinge as we all know the need for a keeper but there have been, what, 4 good keepers available to us in the past 4 weeks and we delay, wring our hands, pretending we're considering paying a reasonable amount of money for a hugely important hire, knowing only too well that the likes of fucking HULL will show more ambition and stump up the cash. It's all good though, look what our European Scouting Network have found! Some no mark who is of course delighted to come and treble his wages in England after spending the entirety of his career bouncing from The Dog and Duck to Whofuckingknows FC and back again. Oh, by the way, anyone remember the last untested foreign goalie that we bought instead of making a sensible hire?

Cos he's a winger

I don't know, but did he look like a professional athlete at peak fitness last night to you? He probably plays cos the manager likes him and we've got a shit squad. I'm not defending his performance, he was abject, but to sell one of the few players with bite, drive and a bit of talent would be madness. Unless of course anyone thinks the money would be reinvested, in which case I don't want to hear from them.

Absolutely. What a ridiculous decision.

Not a joke, no. He's definitely not fit. Does that warrant selling him?

Agreed, he needs a couple of games out but cries of sell him are ridiculous.

There's no way you sell JRC. He's been awful tonight but he's a very good footballer, a good athlete and versatile.

JRC has been absolutely rotten tonight

Dembele is lightening quick. If he wasn't I think it would be a non-starter. I'm ambivalent towards signing him, unless there are other options that are being blocked in favour of signing big club players.