Sunbury Fox

Only chance of not losing this is if it rains for the next 2.5 days.

Important to have lots of PL experience in a big derby game....

The fact Ayew was first sub on to the pitch at Fulham the very next day after signing at about 11pm on the Friday night was very telling in that respect.

The big difference between Matip and Bertrand is that Matip has played pretty regularly over recent seasons for one of the best teams in the country, including in cup finals and big European games. If fit, he’s better than any of our centre backs by some distance, I think. I get the concerns about his injury record but that could be mitigated by a ‘pay if you play’ arrangement. Certainly wouldn’t want to be offering him a standard 2 year contract on 80k plus per week like we did Bertrand, of course.

You'd like to think so but can't say I trust the current regime.

So nothing to worry about then?

The Guardian now reporting that we could face a new PSR charge from the PL, with the club being asked to submit 23-24 accounts to the PL by the end of December under a new rule introduced in the summer. I don’t really understand how big an issue this, not least because for most of the 23-24 FY we were in the Championship.

Ha! It's true. Our story would be too far fetched for a TV drama!

Not sure they'll be dancing in the streets of Everton, Ipswich, Southampton and Nottingham about this outcome!

Better to be lucky than good! Seriously, this has to be the most surprising football news of the year! We are a truly bonkers club on every level!

I think we need a quality bowler if we’re going to have a chance of winning, rather than drawing, games.

The worrying thing is that the majority of our draws have involved us doggedly hanging on, rather than being the team pressing for victory. That said, a few years back we'd have caved and lost lots of the games we've drawn this season.

Rather have him on the bench than Ward.

Very sorry to hear this. Shocking news.

Before the game really thought his match up with Digne was a good one for us as I don’t rate Digne as a defender at all. But in the event, Digne won the duel hands down. Still believe in Abdul, though. He just needs to reflect and learn from games like today.

Surely it's Everton's turn this season?

Don't think any fans would mind that. Will Cooper ever be brave enough to pick that though?

Not sure it was a ‘good’ window, more of an ‘okay window in the circumstances’. On the downside, in addition to overpaying for Skipp (who I still think will do okay for us, though), we’ve lumbered ourselves with Reid for 3 years and bought a CB who doesn’t look an upgrade on any of the phalanx of other CBs we already have in the squad. We’ve also failed again to shift several unwanted players. On the upside, I’m excited to see what BEK and Buananotte can do and Edouard is a more promising addition than other options we could have ended up with like Broja, Fofana, etc. I do worry greatly about the quality of our manager, though. He’s definitely one of the 2 or 3 worst managers in the league for me and that could cost us. He looks tactically limited, overly conservative and is making some very odd team selections. Whilst I’m not overly impressed with Ipswich’s transfer business (which I think has been driven by the need to try to radically strengthen a starting XI which in their first 2 games still contained about 6 or 7 players who were playing in League One for them 2 seasons ago), I would bank on McKenna to get much more out of his group of players than Cooper. Same for Dyche at Everton and Frank at Brentford, the 2 other clubs most likely to be down at the bottom with the promoted teams.

We have to bring in Skipp next to Winks to have any chance of retaining possession and building through midfield. I think Cooper will do this, but, horrifyingly, with Ndidi, rather than Buanonotte, in front of them. This is why he tried this v Tranmere, I reckon. Also expect Okoli in for Vesty, which is probably why he played him with Faes on Tuesday. Otherwise, it will likely be the same team so still no Ricardo or Stephy.

Well, as he's 18 months younger than Cannon, I doubt that Cooper will regard him as a "senior" player.

Fair enough. That Tranmere team were an excellent barometer for the quality of teams we'll face in the PL this season.

We're actually going to go into a PL season with a nearly 38 year old, a non-scoring striker and a winger as our only CF options.

Not a good day for us. Glam well on top.

Feel quite emotional about this. All the very best for the future, Marc, would be great to see you involved with the club in some capacity again!

Yep but that's what the TV companies want.