Think those numbers are miles off personally. Raya saved you quite a few more points than he lost. And Walton definitely wasn't only 2 points worse.

Another big test coming for Dolan now. He has had his full league debut and scored a goal and impressed in it. The next couple of games we will see if he can maintain his hunger and focus, or whether the recent successes will relax him too much. Or whether all the above mentioned press coverage will swell his head, or heap pressure on him. He is swiftly losing his 'secret weapon' status now too. Future opponents will start analysing the shit out of his game.

Nah he punched one out when it really didn't need punching. Made me a bit nervous. Hate keepers doing that.

You don't see that. You're inferring that. The reports were clear that Brentford didn't want to sell at all, and other reports suggested they wanted 15 million AND for Raya to be loaned back to them for a year. Until Arsenal, Brentford or Raya comes out and say Arsenal didn't want to pay 10 million, your claim isn't proven. There is also still the possibility that Arsenal are still in for him with the notion of loaning him back and have signed this other, very cheap keeper, with the idea of him being the backup for a season so they can get their man longer term. That may not be the case of course, but even if it isn't, we have no idea what Arsenal were willing to pay and what Brentford were insisting on getting for him.

Chapman, Buckley and Burns with the goals. Also know Lonsdale from the u18s got on for about 20 mins.

You forgot to mention the betting predictions.

Don't forget Fleetwood.

Weirdly I feel quite a bit more optimistic about this one than the Wycombe game. Which means we are doomed.

Not guaranteed at all yet. There have been rumours that Arsenal will offer to loan Raya back to Brentford for the first season. If that's their plan then it makes sense to get another keeper as backup in the meantime. This one cost less than 2 mill, so nothing to a Prem club and considerably less than the Raya price. They might still have intent there.

I do wonder if they're delaying changing it until the window shuts though, to keep clubs from overspending, then will decide on how it's going to change.

They haven't been changed so far.

Thing is Gregg, there can be no begging bowl next summer. Our three year FFP cycle will be up and we will either have broken our budget for it or be very close. I'm not sure on the specifics of the rules, but maybe you could argue that if we are just about inside it, we wouldn't get judged on it again for another season, meaning we could in theory have one last splurge and charge? But even assuming it works that way, can anybody really see the club, nevermind Venkys, taking that risk and massively over shooting the rules the next summer, getting sanctions for sure? No point anybody mentioning the potential loopholes around it either, we are late enough into these processes to know that Venkys have no stomach for that. It would take them years to arrange at their pace too. In essence, the league's rules will be dictating our budget from next summer on. That may even be the real source of limitation this summer too. It's not like we won't be aware of how close we are to it even before covid came along. Really, it's this season or practically start all over again and sell to buy from then on. This is the last time we could really roll the dice on spending to go up. We clearly aren't.

Going to have to wait for the transfer business to be concluded (including who is or isn't sold) before I make a full conclusion here. But at the moment I'm thinking midtable.

I'd say he was being too positive if anything

I can see him getting that kind of player sent off when they lose patience. I definitely used to kick attackers like that when I wasn't getting anywhere near them.

No wonder he approaches games full of such confidence! Maybe this is why Tony is finding some value in Bell after all....

I wonder how he does against Nyambe in training. (I know training isnt the same intensity barometer as games, before anyone starts)

Think it says a lot that Armstrong signed 2 years ago for the first team for 1.7 million rising to 3 million, has done great for us and has 14 goals since January, and he has 11 pages on his thread. Dolan signed about 2 months ago for nowt, for the u23s and has 5 pages already.

So is what you just quoted me saying.

Sorry but I am surprised by this question

That's surprising considering the ringing endorsement his former manager gave.

Yes and the manager's belief in that regard is terrifying. Opinions sure but can you not logically lay out, like I did, why a potential weakness is a bigger concern than a definite weakness? The fact you mostly just told me what the manager believes is making me think you're forming your opinion based on his, you see.

I don't see how that is true. GK - got a first choice now, hopefully decent and not let us down so far. Keepers are rarely injured. Backups inexperienced. Don't rate Fisher so far but he or others could prove sufficient. Emergency keeper loans might still be a thing? LB - first choice is undeniably not good enough (which some would consider putting it very lightly) and having a regular detrimental effect on the team. Has occasional injury troubles. Best backups are a RM who would have to move from his main position or a CB who has shown he is decent at CB and just as bad as Bell it worse when played LB. Much rather recruit where we definitely have a problem than where we might have a problem. Obviously we could do with both.

Ayala's wages and signing on fee mostly I expect.

I like pretty much everything about that post, cheers