Charlton are spending a few million on Kelman who was top scorer in League 1 last season. It does add some perspective when all 3 promoted sides are in different leagues to us financially. Our expectations are so low that a few signings for low fees having seen so much come in and we dont expect it, it leads to some of our fans gloating about it. Still think Charlton will be near the bottom and their signings are very limited to domestic players but in Kelman and Apter they seem to be targetting top league 1 players who are young to mainly invest it. The other 2 should be well away from the bottom and Birmingham will be looking towards the play offs.

Seems to have been the top scorer in the Conference League last season. Surely no way we could afford him and seems a very weak link.

Another 3 would "feel right" to you because thats how many we seemingly plan to get. I never said that the budget definitely wont stretch. What I am saying is that is isnt an unlimited pot of money, maybe the striker plan has been shelved because there isnt enough resources to fill all positions adequately so we are having to prioritise. He doesnt "clearly" feel its enough. We dont know what he feels truly. There could be a number of reasons why we may not get a striker. Or indeed, maybe a striker will be within the 3 we plan to get. You keep throwing in names like Leonard who is not with the first team and is never fit and a young 3rd choice goalkeeper to increase the numbers. I personally think we need more than 3, I think 4 or 5. I fear that we may again have issues with squad depth as the season goes on. I also think that based on what was said before the window, that we arent going to get everything that we planned to. That could be for a number of reasons, I am merely speculating, it doesnt automatically mean that the manager will be 100% totally satisfied by what happens in this window. I suspect very few managers are when the window closes as they would have liked one or two more but resources etc wont allow or deals dont happen for whatever reason.

I think he definitely will become surplus to requirements. Theyve signed 2 midfielders, are intent on Xhaka and already have Neil, Rigg, Le Fee, even Alan Browne. But he will have had a pay increase upon promotion and also seems to have a lot of interest.

I dont usually like the mentality of signing 1 player to play 2 positions. It doesnt solve the issue of not having enough players, that player cant play 2 positions at the same time. But considering we are signing at most 3 players. I wonder if someone like Triantis at Sunderland who we were linked with would be ideal. Not necessarily endorsing him as I havent seen very much of him, but someone similar. Hibs fans absolutely love him. Hes a midfielder who really impressed but I think he signed for Sunderland as a centre back, although I may be wrong. At centre back, Hyam is rightfully an automatic pick, obviously we have 2 on the left, so someone like Triantis could provide a 5th option if needed whilst also predominantly pushing/eventually replacing Travis or Tronstad. Might be out of range financially but more an example of that type of player to ensure that we can bring in at least 2 attackers. Rather than chasing someone with an injury.

He got 7 assists last season which was the highest in the squad. And that was in a poor personal season where he never really got over not having a full pre season, and in a squad that had no pace running in behind. He has always played either as a number 10 or from the left in his career.

Its a long season though, it feels different in pre season when basically everyone is fit. You need more bodies (and quality) to get through the whole slog of a season. And it doesnt have to "block pathways." A great example is Travis. We had a number of senior midfielders and he was on the fringes initially. He got his chance, took it and stayed in the team, never mind the squad.

Could we see the picture please. The players are coming home today so wouldnt make much sense. Boro might come into some money soon though with Hackney and Van Den Berg strongly linked away.

But equally, you dont want to be too reliant on them to the point where a couple of injuries in certain positions and they are all needed together. We dont know how ready they are in terms of a footballing perspective of being able to play Championship football but moreso how they could cope physically if needed to play consecutive games. Also, if we bank on more than a couple coming through at once, its unrealistic. They wont all be ready at the same time.

My point was that you are just making things up that Tyjon can do based on no evidence just as a slight on Cantwell. He is a creative player, he can make things happen in the final third and he can assist. He had a disappointing season and never seemed to catch up fitness wise but he still got 7 assists. He had shown in the past that he can contribute with goals at previous clubs without ever being prolific. Hes a good techncial player and clearly better than he showed last season.

There is a chance that its not just a case of the manager saying he is happy with those 2. There is also a chance that the budget wont stretch that far and other positions have taken priority. We definitely did want one: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25055914.gestede-reveals-five-blackburn-summer-transfer-priorities/ "We want some power up front to challenge the two strikers we have, we will do some business." I dont see what you have seen from Gueye to suggest that he could score that number of goals, maybe Ohashi. The problem is though as we found last season, when Ohashi isnt playing we cant continue to play the same way as a team when Gueye plays as he is totally different.

Im guessing by "can kick a stationary ball" you are having a go at Cantwell's set pieces, which isnt a strong suit of his. But what makes you think Tyjon can take one? Tyjon has had some bright cameos in pre season and has some promise, but its important not to base too much on performances in pre season. But if you are to, Cantwell has been our best player.

You would think that the first 11 will play 90 minutes against NEC, or very close to. Tends to be the way in the final pre season game. I mentioned in the Elche chat but one thing that I have found a bit strange is that unlike usually when minutes are spread out with sometimes 2 games being played on successive days to keep everyone in line. Pre season has been very much weighted towards basically 11 players. Surely they will have another game BCD to allow the likes of Kargbo, Gueye, Pickering, McLoughlin, Alebiousu, Tavares, Montgomery, Tyjon etc to try and get morr minutes in?

Asking for it if we dont have a sufficiently sized squad across 46 games plus cups. Gestede said we wanted a right winger with ACD going back and some power up front to compete with Ohashi and Gueye. That was when he expected Weimann to stay and also hadnt ruled out Dolan staying. So if we ended the window with only De Neve and a new right winger, theres no way they can claim that its been a successful window.

5 is about right for what we need. And would take us to 9 which considering that Ismael said 6 or 7 BEFORE Weimann, Batth and even Dolan left, the former 2 unexpectedly. Can take Leonard off the list. No good naming people who not only arent of sufficient quality but clearly cant stay fit. If we only signed one attacker, ie a right winger. For a manager who demands high physical output, likes making mass subs so 7 or 8 attacking players may be used per game. Having only 8 including Tyjon is not sufficient and once 2 or 3 get injured will mean he cannot fully do what he wants to do.

You can get into dangerous territory by pumping too many untested kids in at once. But the 2 stand outs (typically both having a year left on their deal) in Tyjon and Montgomery both played last season and seemingly were already considered as first teamers coming into this season so nothing they have done in pre season should have altered the numbers we need. Of the others, they seem to be the typical cases (not just here) of academy players filling up the numbers to make up 2 teams whilst players are not ready for 90 minutes. Especially the centre backs against Everton with McLoughlin only having signed that day and Carter getting injured again. Mullarkey-Matthews again seems to be making up the numbers, he doesnt look anywhere near ready for the first team nor should he be expected to.

Theres a core of players who are top half Championship players. As long as we keep the majority, theres no way the first 11 is anywhere near a standard where youd worry about relegation. There was really even that when we nearly went down, the issue was that even for our standards, a team who regularly nosedive post christmas, our squad was particularly thin to the point where League 2 standard players were regularly on the bench. And we still stayed up. So the keys are to keep or replace our key players, to ensure we have enough depth especially considering the potential high energy tactics, and to get some more goals into the squad. Due to some of the teams at the bottom, you have to be really bad to go down. I dont think we will be in major danger, but its really hard to judge exactly how far up we can finish. The frustrating thing is, with a bit of money and ambition, including tying down our main assets and then a bit of investment. We wouldnt be far away at all. But it never materialises.

He must want more. He wanted 6 or 7 before he knew Batth and Weimann were going. Maybe hes managing his own expectations knowing that we wont get the size of squad he had initially planned. Feels like nothing will happen imminently.

Absolutely a great move to him. I dont think he will be good enough and stay in La Liga for the duration of his contract. But he has totally justified the decision made, disproved talk about him and his agent having egos beyond his capability, because hes gone and got a fantastic move and a chance to play at the top level against the best players.

But either way. My point was about numbers. We wanted 6 or 7 players BEFORE we knew that Batth and Weimann were leaving. Ismael also said last week or the week before that this summer was going to become more of an overhaul So the intention was 6 or 7 AND to keep Batth and Weimann. So that was the size of squad he wanted. So surely to keep that same size of squad, considering that was the plan, we now need 8 or 9. Basic maths, nothing more, nothing less. What has changed? Why is he happy with 2 less than planned? Will the budget not stretch? Not interested in spiel about how aligned they all are, how Ismael wants to play a certain style or whatever other soundbites you would like to parrot. Was purely about the numbers in the squad.

Hes a decent Championship winger. And of course he leaves a big hole, our best winger has left. How he does from now is irrelevant to the points made. Literally no one has said that he will do well in La Liga, I dont think he will. But all this shit about no offers, agent misled him, comparisons to Nyambe, talking about his ego getting the better of him, its all been proven wrong and he has been justified in his decision to leave here as he has made a step up. I mean Batth wasnt. But even if they were squad players, that means the squad is surely 2 down on the size they had planned. Which was my point. Not sure what that second frantic part is all about out. We dont know how Ismael feels about recruitment so far or if he has got or will get what he wants. And what he says in public wont necessarily reflect that.

And then quite a few (Kargbo, Cantwell, Toth, Wharton) the year after.

Was a pretty dull game aside from the odd bit of needle poorly governed by the referee. Thats not a criticism of us, just typical pre season fare and purely a fitness exercise. De Neve is the only new signing who we have got a real look at. Again, impossible to judge quality or how he will do, but you get a feel for the type of player. He plays like what he is, someone who has played loads of football at left back playing further forward. He works hard, hes athletic without being really quick, runs back as quick as forward, can carry the ball, but when given it further forward he doesnt look like a player who will scare full backs. Just in terms of the balance of the team. Obviously we need a right winger and I hope we get a direct and attacking one who can offer a goal threat. My concern would be that without that and/or Kargbo in the team, certainly this is the case with Hedges, we would lack the attacking threat to hurt teams. Wharton showed a couple of signs of rust, which is totally to be expected considering its pre season and moreso how bad his injury was and how long he hasnt played for. That feels like the only position of jeopardy but I wonder if Ismael will go for McLoughlin. Wharton has never been the best on the ball anyway but is more old school.

I never said that. Im suggesting that I am skeptical that what the club are leaking out actually happened. I would be less so if there wasnt such a recurring theme. Either way, he has gone now. His agent wasnt filling his head full of rubbish to lead him astray, Dolan didnt have ideas above his station, and it has worked out great for him because he did have an offer and it was a bloody good one in La Liga. Sadly for us, its not good because it leaves a big hole in our team.

2 or 3 is not enough I dont think. I suspect we might again encounter issues with squad depth as the season goes on, especially if Ismael wants to play high intensity football with a small squad again. We need to obviously prioritise the attack which looks well short considering Ismael seemingly likes to run them into the ground. The base of the team has a nice well organised feel if they all stay with some really good players at this level. But the attacking 4 likely to start the season doesnt fill me with much confidence, there arent many goals or much pace there, and theres little in reserve so its important to bring in 2 or 3. I think we could do with 5 personally. A right winger to come into the team is critical. Then I think its 2 from 3 - a centre back, a number 10 and a striker. I think we could also do with another cental midfielder but if we are restricted to 3, then we should bin off the Badarji deal and focus on more important positions. I find it strange that Ismael said 6 or 7 going into the summer, yet even though at least 2 have left that we didnt anticipate, that number hasnt changed. Maybe the pursestrings have been tightened again. Obviously the elephant in the room is still the 5 players (Brittain, Tronstad, Travis, Hyam and Tyjon) whose contracts end next summer. Lets see if we really have learnt our lesson.