bluebruce

So so weird...I have YouTube on as I'm scrolling down here, and an ad was playing as I got to this...a Fosters ad!

If you watch it on fullscreen on a laptop (and maybe zoom in), you can see him scoring a belter from just past the halfway line. Keeper wasn't even that far off his line, and probably should have done better tbf, but there are some top players who've failed to hit the target from that distance their whole careers. Kane has tried it a lot and I think only scored one or two. What amused me was the complete lack of reaction from the coaches on the sideline. I think it's the opposition's coaches, but still, you'd think nothing had happened at all.

I was about to post this. To summarise, Brittain on the way out, Drameh not likely to be in our budget, and basically nobody we have been linked with lately looks like coming. Another CB only seen as a 'maybe', whereas personally I consider it a must, as we were already looking for one before we did the Batth out McCloughlin in move, and before Carter's fresh injury. Doesn't make for joyous reading.

What does that achieve? Does it not make the balance sheet look weaker to banks for loans, with less assets relative to debts? Or is it designed to create a 'loss' and reduce tax bills?

Exactly what I had been thinking, or loan out Leonard meanwhile and perhaps swap the loanee roles in Jan if Tabor didn't work out and Leonard's loan did. At the low investment it would have been worth a punt methinks. Surprised with our budget we weren't sniffing. Ah well. Be interesting to see if his career kicks on from here.

Just noticed that Swindon have signed non-league goalscoring phenomenon Jake Tabor, and feel a bit like an opportunity may have been missed (by a lot of teams tbf). Yes he's been playing in the 9th tier I believe, but if he manages even half as many goals (127 goals in his last 91 games) he's probably costing upwards of a million by the end of the season, as he's just turning 22. Swindon have probably paid buttons. He apparently also broke the record on Holloway's fitness test he's been using all his managerial career, whilst on trial, having been using non league facilities til now. Could be the next Jamie Vardy type. In fact from what I can tell it's considerably more goals than Vardy was scoring at the same age just one or two tiers higher. With a nominal fee, surely would have been a better bet than targeting no striker at all. Even if it didn't work out by January a decent loan wouldn't have been too hard to secure.

If Manure weren't bribing the refs we would have won the league in 93-94 too.

I do assume it's bullshit, as it doesn't add up with previous reports. Allegedly Arsenal had already had a 1 mill bid turned down, quite widely reported. Why would they then turn their attention to a kid costing 200k, presumably not outbid Liverpool's 200k for him despite having been willing to spend a mill on a youngster with that sort of profile, and then turn their attention back to the kid who will cost upwards of 1 mill?

This comment seems to have gone unnoticed. Where is the link from?

I don't think the Dolan (who was 18 not 17) scenario is the intention with signing such young players. The intent is to see if they can develop (and sometimes just to fill spaces at youth level or let someone else go on loan).

Jesus christ, Forshaw played in 16 games for us last season? No wonder we didn't get over the line.

I agree. I wouldn't rule out that they're waiting for the Baradji deal to be settled so they have an idea of what's left in the budget. If they can't get him at a price they're ok with they might end up going for a pricier or cheaper alternative. Probably the latter knowing this lot.

Then I've misremembered a little, sorry. As he posted a little after, he has rebuffed your offers to bet with him and repeatedly said he won't be doing anything like that. Outcome being the same, it won't be happening. I think I've seen him say he doesn't drink? And that's probably what I mixed it up with.

I don't know why you say this sort of thing to Chaddy when he has repeatedly told you he doesn't gamble at all. Or is that precisely why you make these offers?

Fair enough Chaddy, thanks for clarifying. It has come across that way at times. It might be worth considering your tone a little bit before replying

Interesting that Mafoumbi (who also had his name spelled wrong) only makes the bench in a u21 side weakened by having quite a few players off with the first team.

You and RF99 have had back and forth for years. You always disagree on nearly everything but you spend a lot of time talking with each other. You both spend more time talking to each other than anyone else. You're basically frenemies. Anyway, I'm saying all of this to ask you - why has your tone to RF99 become more hostile and rude recently? I mean, you have become moreso in general to be perfectly honest, but I'm really curious why you seem to have changed from respectfully disagreeing with him to acting like he's an idiot. He is in no way an idiot btw. He also doesn't seem to be aggressive towards you, his comments are pretty much always measured. (This isn't because of this post in particular btw, you've been much ruder to him in others)

Cantwell? He may be gifted but at this stage that's a strong claim. Wasn't even one of our top 4 players last season.

Now that's a reel I like the look of. Strength, technique, dribbling, quite quick, good vision. Bit of exciting flair in there too. Loves a back heel and knows how to use it. If he's also top scorer in the Conference League as stated, I think we can file this under 'I wish'.

Score?

For some.

It's nothing to a club like Chelsea. Sure I heard the other day they've spent something like 2 billion in the last few years!. If they signed 20 kids like this it would still be a drop in the ocean, and if one turns into a superstar it's an absolute bargain.

13 I believe. But still.

Has the kid gone to Chelsea though? I heard all the strong rumours, and then suddenly it went silent. If he has fair enough but last I heard it wasn't sealed. Dolan, there is disagreement on whether we do get anything for that, Wilsden showed the FIFA ruling that suggests we won't get anything. Edit - just looked up the wonderkid to Chelsea, the Sun did an article on 30th June saying it was done, and the fee was 700k not 1 mill. But they also said it hadn't been formally announced (and that academy signings rarely are). Still not sure how we got that fee for him, with the previous record being 175k and as far as I knew you don't have to pay those fees for 13 year olds you can just take them with minor training compo.

Although with Gueye it really depends how long he spends in form. He has shown that when in form he can be a menace for defences and score goals. He just wasn't in form enough last season. If he can sustain it, and part of that is motivation from the coaches and himself, you can't rule it out. It isn't something I would necessarily bank on though. But I'm hoping if he plays enough he will manage double figures this season.