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Reply | keeper
at 15:06 12 Jul 2025
Firstly, we really don't know if he will be sold or not.
More generally, it doesn't really matter how good we think any player is, it's just the value / amount another team is prepared to pay.
We need to get back to that cycle of selling when players are in demand, leaving us with more money to invest in the squad. Over a 3-5 year period, if we do this well, we should end up with a much better squad we''ve been able to invest in properly, with a reputation as a place players can come to develop and go on to 'bigger clubs' making us a more attractive option.
The alternative is we end up letting players go for much less and have much less money to spend on players.
I actually have more faith now that we have this sort of process set - we'll just have to accept we won't get it right everytime but if we get most done well we should be able to finish higher up the table and eventually properly push for promotion. |
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Reply | Sheffield Wednesday in a right old mess
at 18:43 3 Jul 2025
I'm not sure what test can predict an owner doing this. I suspect it must be legally quite hard to stop someone buying or investiing in a club.
I think these things look ridiculous when you get a situation like this, but how to have regulations written down to prevent someone buying before it happens must be difficult.
I'm not sure what the answer is really. I wish there was a simple one.
I guess the horse has long since bolted but is it the German model where 50% is fan owned / on the board etc which must stop a lot of this sort of thing, keep prices down etc. That would be a change if any government ever appoints an independent regulator with real powers, that I would like to see them make, |
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Reply | Ziyad Larkeche contract extension (n/t)
at 20:00 30 Jun 2025
I thought he was nowhere near the level defensively, but I think some of it was trying to hard to impress.
Les Ferdinand is the most obvious example of someone who who wasn't that good before he went on loan and we all know the rest. I'm not saying he will reach that level, but if we feel the loan has developed him then he should get a chance, otherwise what's the point.
I'm not overly optimistic, but for sure there is a chance he has improved significantly, I guess we will find out. [Post edited 30 Jun 20:04]
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Reply | Saito, Yang,Ashby and Edwards
at 19:55 30 Jun 2025
As others have said, Edwards out of our League, but then so was Tarrabt...unlikely but you never know!
I would have liked us to keep Saito, I thought he lacked physicality when he started but once he got up to speed was great, that turn inside to the byline worked so well, really loved it when he had a run at defenders in the area especially. Other than Chair, I'm not sure we have anyone who can do the same. |
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Reply | Marti Officially Gone
at 21:21 24 Jun 2025
From the fans. I don't know of course, it's my assumption. You and others may think differently of course.
Agree re Ainsworth. A real panic, crowd pleaser appointment with a sad ending for a player who brought many great moments to us. A real shame. |
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Reply | Marti Officially Gone
at 21:05 24 Jun 2025
It's going to be a weird one where the CEO is under more pressure than the manager.
I'm not sure it's entirely fair as no-one outsdie a select few individuals really know what happened, but you are right the pressue will be on.
In a strange way it might help the new manager, as I suspect like Cifuentes, even if things do go wrong, he won't be turned on which should help us and him, and the players.
I'm hoperful as I think overall our transfers have been the best in years in terms of generating revenue and making some good signings, and signing Dunne feels like a huge lift.
I think if it wasn't for the contract secrecy he'd be viewed a bit differently, but he's made his bed and now he needs toi lie in it and see how it plays out.
Marti did an amazing job in his first season, not only to turn things around but lifting morale and getting wins with team selections no-one would have picked, rotating players when no-one else would. As I said in an earlier post, would definitely have preferred him to stay, but we will have a new manager now - it would be lovely to finish top half the table! |
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Reply | MC Officially gone
at 19:14 24 Jun 2025
Like most, I would have been happy if he was still with us next year. I don't think it's quite the disaster him leaving others think though.
Whatever side of the fence you sit on, it's good this has now been formalised so preparations can start properly for next season.
Good luck Marti, thanks for some great moments and moving Jimmy Dunne to right back! |
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Reply | W*nkions League thread
at 00:42 1 Jun 2025
I wasn't expecting much but really enjoyed that. I think that's the best team performance I've ever seen. The effort, skill, vision, movement of every player from PSG start to finish was incredible. They were absolute quality.
Brilliant game for a neutral - PSG just didn't stop. |
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Reply | The Morgan - Varane - Field midfield
at 22:34 23 Feb 2025
This - sticking with the right system even if at times it means not playing some or all of the match without some of the best individual players.
We have Dembele coming back now as well - some tough choices coming up potentially, though it also maybe means we can rotate our falir players lots so they should all be fresh and less likely to be injured. |
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Thread | The Morgan - Varane - Field midfield
at 20:35 23 Feb 2025
This may be a figment of my imagination, but I think these 3 playing together in midfield were instrumental in our turnaround. They complimented each other and found their natural positions, as well as providing much needed enegry, and in the case of Morgan some very direct forward passing.
We seem to be moving away from them now as a 3m with Chair playing more centrally, and I certainly accept Chair is better centrally, but I wonder if we are losing something moving away from this.
it's as issue with Chair playing better centrally now and Saito doing well on the left, I just wonder if for some games those 3 should start and then move people around subs as the game goes on.
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Reply | Match Thread: Blackburn tonight
at 20:43 4 Feb 2025
A bit harsh on Morgan I think. He is still working hard and covering a lot of ground, applying pressure etc. |
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Reply | Match Thread: Blackburn tonight
at 20:36 4 Feb 2025
We are playing some beautiful football at times tonight. The one touch passing and movement has been as good as it gets. Just need the finish!
Great game to watch. [Post edited 4 Feb 20:38]
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Reply | Dunne off?
at 21:22 3 Feb 2025
He does want to play for us, and no reason to think if he does stay he won't be as committed as ever. We'd really be cutting off our nose to spite our face if we stuck him in the reserves.
Hopefully back tomorrow, assuming he is over his injury of course..... |
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Reply | Dunne off?
at 12:14 2 Feb 2025
For sure he would get more money, and most people would take that even if they liked where they worked and Thier boss, especially if it potentially set you up for life, or a good way there.
But no-one knows if he would play or not in the Prem if they got promoted. He'll likely never have a better chance. And at the end of the day Lumley and Manning have got appearances this season with not too dissimilar clubs so it's not impossible. Ian Evatt had a full season with Blackpool I think.
In his shoes I would 100% move - why wouldn't he? |
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Thread | Finding a way...
at 01:03 22 Jan 2025
If there is one thing Marti has done since he came here, that thing is finding a way to win irrespective of who is available to selection.
And he's managed to do it, whilst seemingly creating amazing team spirit.
We don't have the best squad in the league, but we have a set of players playing for each other and the manager on matter how many minutes they get, fully buying into his system.
This has also meant we don't really have key players like we used to. Chair, Cook, JCS would have been undropable before, now if they don't start if injured or not selected, there is no panic. Dunne is arguably our hardest player to replace right now in terms of what he offers that others can't.
Brilliant stuff.
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Reply | Ashby injured or hooked?
at 00:26 22 Jan 2025
Maybe, but you could say the same about Morgan, and we all know how he is doing so far.
Granted Ashby knows he can go back to Newcastle and have another go somewhere else, whereas a bit last chance saloon for Morgan. |
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Reply | Ashby injured or hooked?
at 23:43 21 Jan 2025
What we have seen since Marti came in, are players improving over ime.
Look at Frey and Varanne for examples, or even the most improved / new position ie Dunne.
Is he there now? no. Could he be? Maybe. If Marti sees something in him, that's enough for me. I'm not writing him off yet. |
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Reply | Saito's goal
at 22:07 21 Jan 2025
Fantastic. He is so good at that little dink past defenders, but what a finish! |
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