dmayne7

You think Rudkin is more poisonous than Top? Who do you think signs off on the budgets and is responsible for Rudkin being in a job?

That headline absolutely hits the nail on the head. If we were in this position because we'd tried to be really ambitious, the finger would still be pointed but I think there would be far more acceptance towards the running of the club as it was a calculated risk. I say this all the time but the reality is, there is not a single player (maybe Tielemans) where you can say that we probably had to stretch ourselves to bring to the club, and we operated with a pretty modest bet spend for all but 1 season. On top of that, the inability to capitalise on the PL win, establishment as the best of the rest etc. from a commercial perspective is absolute negligence. Our commercial income was pathetic when we were in the PL. Complete failure on the footballing side and the commercial side from a financial perspective

I think some people's angle is that there has been a mass murderer out there for years that the authorities haven't properly directed their resources towards catching and now prosecuting. In the meantime, they seem to have gone all out to pursue and prosecute a number of thieves at completely disproportionate level I said this yesterday when somebody made a similar point; the Man City case is both completely irrelevant and completely relevant to us. We deserved to get fined (and hopefully this pushes a few more against KP), and yes the Man City case is much more complicated, but it's undeniable that the PL/whoever else, clearly do not have their priorities in order and are terrified of acting taking on the bigger clubs.

Great that the club statement and the report they link to, does not include the confirmation of the points deduction. Such transparency.

Well it's a good point isn't it? It's both completely relevant and not relevant at all to us. Obviously a more complicated case than ours and shouldn't have a bearing on what we get deducted, but it's also been going on for eternity and no closer to getting sorted so have to question the priorities of the lawmakers. And hate to break it to you, but the last bit of your comment is not that of somebody who is sound of mind

I wasn't necessarily agreeing with you on Monga (see my next post), just that when it comes to athletes, they have a limit on how fast/strong they can get, especially in the confines of still being able to perform in the sport they play. There is a physical limit that is different for all of us. Whereas technical ability can continue to get better almost infinitely because there is a theoretical point of perfection.

You're massively ignoring the importance on confidence/context though. Monga did those things when he came into the team and frankly, looked head a shoulders above every else on the pitch early in the season. He's had that absolutely smashed out of him. I agree maybe he's not got that electric pace but strength wise, nobody was getting him off the ball. Put Ngumoha or Dowman in this team and you'd see exactly the same things. Jakub's best quality when he came into the team was his ability to deal with crosses/corners (not seen a keeper do that here for 20 years). But again, that's gone to absolute toilet, much like other aspects of his game. Braybrooke and Alves, were massively hyped up but then had horrific injuries. Physically Alves actually came back stronger but Braybrooke clearly suffered. Not completely disagreeing with your assessment but the context is massively important when assessing these players

Eh? It's the other way if anything. You can make a player a bit quicker and stronger (at least in a footballing context), but not completely transform them. Whereas technical ability can be massively refined from thousand of hours on the training ground/playing matches. Obviously all these things are innate as no amount of work or practice is going to turn me into Usain Bolt or Cristiano Ronaldo

Great shout. Amazed he didn't establish himself for a bigger club

Doesn't that logic apply to every single transfer on the planet then? Since somebody is always the first to 'unearth' a player?

Obviously Huth in terms of impact. But then the likes of Muzzy and Tielemans obvious ones for what they then did and the fact they also became permanent signings. But agree that Mark Davies right up there for short term impact.

Haven't been giving this much thought but then had a random dream last night that we got docked 40 points today . Brace yourselves.

But he's absolutely despised by Southampton fans where he's been for the past 4 seasons. A team that has finished below us every year and has hardly had much in the way of quality compared to what we have had in that time (and most of those are crap now or left long ago). They've almost been crapper than us for most of the season yet he's barely featured. Really don't get the comparison to Lookman at all, completely different context. And going off the reactions here, I'm probably one of the more positive people about this signing! It's fine as some depth for the short term but it's just a typically lazy signing from us and can't blame people for thinking it's a terrible signing.

Cover by name, cover by nature

Ironically, the only insane comment in here is you suggesting Rice is an insane choice . - We don't create many chances so a striker isn't going to score loads of goals on their own, no matter how good. - Picking a midfielder means you get a player that affects both ends of the pitch in someway. - Rice is also extremely versatile, so you can play him as a deeper midfielder, in a double pivot or an 8. - We're bottom of the running stats and their aren't many more hard working and physical mids in the prem - Yes he doesn't score loads but that part of his game has improved massively. Interestingly compare his league career at Arsenal to James at Birmingham and there is 1 game difference, yet Rice has 6 more goals. So that would suggest that he'd be more than capable of banging them in. Oh and most importantly of all, whoever it is would be playing in the bloody championship so I think they'd be more than capable of performing better at this level . Not saying he would be my choice, but in many ways, he (or a Bruno G) is probably the most logical choice to cover all bases. Given the context was a player at the peak of their powers, probably go Palmer or Bruno Fernandes (). That way you get the ability to create but also score plenty

If that's on the cards, that's about the biggest reason not to sign him. Would be absolutely mental if that's the plan.

Ok, let me rephrase. Based on the evidence we have, he's fallen out with 2/3 managers. Is that better? We're talking about what we have been made aware of, so all signs point to Winks being the problem. That may not be true but it's certainly more substantiated that you suggesting that he's not at fault. Enzo selected him because he was his player? Then kicked up a stink when he left. That just underlines the point more. Was brought back in because we were 4 cm's down this weekend, yet he was still picked behind Hamza and a 17 year old so hardly a ring endorsement.

It's funny because at Gillingham (local team as a kid), they would actually understand report the figures so that they paid less tax. Then again, Paul Scally (owner) is an absolute crook, whereas Top's a total narcissist so that probably explains why we over inflate

Funny thing is that a couple of those were the very things he was good at, at least for a modern keeper. Seems to have lost all confidence on crosses/corners. Got a lot of potential but it just don't think he's got the concentration to make good on that (and obviously crap on the ball)

If he's supposedly fallen out with 2/3 managers, all who had different approaches, doesn't that suggest that he is the problem and not them? Behaviour on the pitch that has been cited here; Preston, Huddersfield and generally bottling 50/50's, walking around the pitch etc. What's today's performance got to do with that comment you made? Just because you want to ignore all that evidence, it doesn't mean somebody else is hating for the sake of hating does it? It's a ridiculous waste of money and ability that he's not in the team this year, but that's all of his own making (from what we know)

So you just want to ignore the clear trend and the evidence we have available to us? Evidence that is backed up by his behaviour on the pitch this season.

What I would say is that if anyone in the hierarchy has even the slightest ear to the ground (implausible as that may seem), there has never been a bigger opposition to a potential appointment than Russell Martin. Even to the point that it's been bemoaned even when we weren't looking for a manager.

Yet more failings from this club if they don't recall Alves. Should have been involved in the first team this season, or at least loaned to a championship club. Got injured and now completely frozen out.

Luckily I didn't watch today so can't comment on that, but it's absolutely mental to see him in every line up on here. For the record, he's not a player I hate at all but he has been painfully bad this season yet he gets off scot-free

The problem with Thomas v Aluko is that there is the annoying thing of balance. Obviously not Aluko's preferred foot on that side and from what we've seen he likes to make runs into the box (which is a great asset that I hope he can refine), then you've got Mavididi who wants to come inside all the time as well. Not saying I agree with the decision and would rather have Aluko creating some space/carrying an attacking threat but there is some logic in playing Thomas (even is he is cack)