Exiled_Rover

Got to sign another CF and CM first - easier said than done with this lot.

Oh they know, it just costs money to have a proper squad.

It's the life under Venkys in the sense that they've changed tack again: under Mowbray it was 'slow down and let's build sustainably' (spunking £14m on Gallagher, Armstrong and Brereton-Diaz!) - until the taps were turned off and Tony left in a huff under JDT it was a 'project' around a style of play and building through the Academy - until we sold A. Wharton from under him, the taps were turned off again and JDT paid to get get out of his contract under Eustace it was 'cobble together a squad of freebies and loans' - until they refused to tie down the core of his squad, lumbered him with a crap, panicked January transfer window and Eustace jumped ship to a relegation threatened Derby That's three different directions in four years. That is the problem (on the playing side - obviously off the pitch we're a mess). We're changing tack again (one I actually quite like - similar to how I though the JDT project would work). Whether it works or not, at least there's a plan - young, athletic players that we own. Yes it's resulted in us slashing the wage budget, again, and it's seen the core of a squad that finished 7th walk out the door (or perhaps more excitingly, get sold), but at least you can see the method to the madness.

30?! Absolutely past it. He should sign a new contract and settle down in Lancashire...

We could easily be on 7 points with competent refereeing. The problem is the squad is paper thin and won't survive the brutal Championship winter.

I'd use him as a pivot out wide - taking up good positions, ball fired into him and others playing off him.

Imma say it - replacing Pears with Toth has probably saved us 10 goals this season. It's an unbelievable upgrade.

At £5m there's no chance. At circa £2m I reckon we've got the budget there if Travis / Buckley / Pears leave.

In what world!? Eustace got a bunch of free transfers and loans. I don't think he had any real say in Ohashi and Gueye arriving. Cantwell was meant to be the jewel in the crown, but he wasn't an expensive transfer. He obviously wanted nothing to do with the crap they brought in in January which is part of the reason why he left.

Ooooph those are uninspiring highlights.

Same formation, but a different approach. Clearly want one of the DMs to be a box-to-box CM. Wants to press high up the pitch rather than employing a low block.

He will now because he's missed the best part of 2 seasons with a recurring back injury. Prior to that he had a good shot at making it at this level.

Good first touch, takes up dangerous positions and a nice weight of pass on him. He's not a clinical finisher, but if you put him out wide in the 3 behind the #9 I think he'd contribute. That's where I want Ohashi too - linking up play (albeit not his strong suit) and drifting in at the far post.

Just returning the hatred you show us. 😉

Looks like a natural goal scorer to me - has got in some great positions already. Not sure he's incredibly skilful and deft in those tight areas, but he'll be in the right place in and around the box to get shots off.

Well there was talk on Twitter the other day that Tronstad couldn't agree terms with a Scandinavian club - so I don't doubt his services have been bandied around. I think he's a fantastic Championship CM so we'd be silly to sell him, but this new regime seems determined to sell anyone with one year left on their contract...

Sunderland have bigger fish to fry now.

That's Neal justifying Ismael's comments today with the article stating Fiorentina, Torino and Parma were in for him in the summer.

Ribeiro is a much better footballer than Pickering - it's night and day. As for Brittain - I think he was helped massively by our tactics last season. He's always been a middling athlete and quick wingers gave him fits - and he always struggled to get back on the counter.

On Football Manager, many years ago, there was an almost unbeatable formation: 4-1-3-2, except the 3 were CMs (1 DM with 3 CMs sat in front of them). Maybe Scotland should try that.

It does warm my soul to know England are competing for European and World Cup finals and that Scottish team would struggle in the Championship.

I happen to think he's a tidy player - albeit suited to the 3 behind the #9 because he's not big / fast enough to lead the line. That said, they know more than us with regards to his medicals - a recurring back injury at 21 is quite scary. Maybe they just don't think he's worth the risk?

I wouldn't be surprised to see Hyam move on this week. A CB in the last year of his contract at 29 with, I'm sure, no desire to renew it. Prior to this year we'd just let him run that down and move on, but Gestede / Ismael are being quite ruthless in that department this summer and selling those players. I also wouldn't be surprised if they're in the market for another RB now they've had a proper look at Miller and decide to shift him to CB.

He's such a poor athlete. He's clearly quite technically gifted (and yes he plays with no urgency), but good lord he looks like he's running in treacle.

It's looking like Gestede just blurted out something stupid on a podcast because right now it's like for like replacements. One in, one out, with the one in being much cheaper.