ALC Fox

What an incredibly gutsy performance. On paper we're worse than the team that went down but this side could teach that one a thing or two about fight. Bravo lads, bravo Steve Cooper. Just a word on Mads, his performance in the first half kept us in it. We get nothing without him tonight. Top class keeper.

I'd take Chukwuemeka in a heartbeat. He'd instantly become our best midfielder. His all round game is already very strong, he just needs a run.

I think he's ahead of all of those bar Winks to be fair. We still need the creative midfielder, absolutely. But if we can move Soumare on and have Ndidi and Hamza as backups, I think that would be OK. Buonanotte, Golding and Alves can play further forward but we do need a more senior, creative type even though it looks like Mavididi could play inside.

The fee seems exorbitant but it's definitely a position we needed strengthening. Yeah a striker is a priority but if the deal is there and he's a player we've identified as someone who can make a proper difference then it'd be silly not to do it on the off chance we can panic buy a striker we haven't scouted properly, for example. We need strengthening all over the pitch, really, in my opinion, so we have to do the deals we can do. I think he can be a positive signing. Energetic, decent on the ball, can play alongside or instead of Winks. It's just the fee that's less than ideal imo.

Seems an insane amount of money atm. He's a good age though. If he turns out OK then it'll be a snip, I guess. We need someone next to Winks who can actually put their foot on the ball, especially if Ricardo is back at RB. Winks, Skipp and Buonanotte could be an OK, if lightweight midfield 3 perhaps?

Southampton losing to Newcastle when having a man extra and way, way more of the ball is a huge result for us and a massive waste for the Saints. I'm trying not to read into opening day results too much but if we can exploit opportunities like that if and when we get them, hopefully that means at least one team will be worse off than us this season.

The Athletic have our black away kit ranked 4th out of all PL away kits https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5684536/2024/08/17/premier-league-away-kits-rankings?source=user-shared-article

With Daka and Vardy out and no new striker in, it'll be very interesting to see whether Cooper goes with Cannon or not on Monday. If he puts Mavididi or someone else in there, I think that will give us a real indication of where he sees Cannon's place this season. Personally I think that's what he'll do with Fatawu and Reid on the wings. It's going to be a tough night, a long night, but Spurs are not exactly infallible themselves. If we can pull off something special to beat them, it could set the tone for the rest of the season.

Was just about to ask that

Russell Martin and Kieran McKenna will dogmatically stick to their principles with sides that have just been promoted. Southampton nearly buggered it up last season and we battered them twice. Ipswich were fantastic but we outplayed them twice but stuttered to a draw each time. Cooper is more pragmatic and, although it doesn't look like the season will start well, I'm confident we'll at least fight for survival. The points deduction(s) may well be our death knell this season but we'll grind things out and have a go. We might not be pretty at times but we could pick up crucial points here and there that aren't expected at all. So, as much as people are predicting Ipswich to be OK, there's a real chance that they and Southampton could be cut adrift. So just to find one more club: Forest. I think they could implode this year. This could be the year they mess it up and everything comes home to roost. Nuno will be sacked and his replacement will be crap. They'll spend a ton again and it won't work this time. So there we go. Optimism: scraping through to 17th, taking our points deductions and moving on to 25/26 with a bit more money to spend and a chance to build again Hopefully.

Genuinely a nice shirt, that. Shame about the sponsor of course but it's actually smart. Best of the three by a mile.

Tier 4 source as well. This is the reduced sugar ketchup of transfer rumours.

Fvck me, football is shite. Just loads of high net worth individuals fvcking about. PRS, FFP, Clearlake Capital, King Power, Macquarie Bank, shell companies, multi-club models, tax evasion, points deductions, "I'm alright, Jack" attitudes, Super League, 39th game, World Club Cup nonsense. Fvck me.

He's good but he ain't £150k/week good. We need players, especially good ones, but there are other deals to be done. I like Zaha and he would have given us a great chance but he's one player and there are other deals to be done. Ayew would be disappointing, sure, but I think there will be others in the offing too. PSR/FFP and what have you are moving things around all the time, not just for us. Players not available now could be available in a week if other deals fall down or a club needs to find a few quid. Even if we don't get anyone, hopefully that means Alves is more likely to get a chance. Que sera sera.

They'll try and play. We may not be able to hit a barn door at the moment but they can be got at on the break. Their pace in the back line might be able to cover them a lot of the time but they're often criminally out of position if last season is anything to go by. I'd snap anybody's hand off for an attritional 1-0.

Sounds like a good deal. If we stay up, then chances are he's done well. We then buy a decent PL player for £17m and we kick on with him in the side or some dozy richer club (Chelsea) come in and we make a tidy profit.

Let's have 'em all.

Yeah that's fair enough

Totally agree. For me, if we can rotate between Hlozek, Zaha and/or Iaonnidis in one or two of the main starting spots (Zaha rotating between wide and central positions) then having the option of Vardy as a super sub is such a great weapon. Imagine one or two of the above three battering CBs and full-backs all game long and then Vardy coming on post Red Bull and energy gel to run in behind. Could be so good.

Get this guy in sharpish. We need him - or someone - for Spurs.

We're just not ready are we

Hat-trick against Wolves incoming... Seriously, excellent news. Can't wait to see how he develops, whether that's with us this season or on loan somewhere.

Anyone one with the balls to give some s**t to Galatasaray fans is probably exactly what we need in a fight for survival

I can see it actually. Zaha at his age probably now more of a 9 now but can also help Mavididi along and obtain the kind of consistency that Zaha had before he left Palace. Zaha also drawing fouls as a 9 in the age of over zealous VAR? Yes ****ing please. Also, I've absolutely no reason whatsoever for thinking this, but I just think he and Cooper will get on like a house on fire.

Brighton aren't fools. They're hoovering up talent. They'll want to give the player the best chance of being ready for their first team or at the very least capable of making them some decent profit after the loan has ended. Agreeing an option or obligation now is based on what both clubs would agree his valuation is now, which is uncertain. It's entirely probable that they still really like him and just want him to get more minutes so he can slot in when some of their more experienced players leave.