JimJams

Trouble is he's got the captain Robinson, Ahmedhodzic and loanee Gilchrist from Chelsea to get in ahead of. I think he's just in there because they need cover tbh or like today to try and see a game out. Like you say hopefully he can force his way in. Interestingly they have Rak-Sakyi on loan who we unsuccessfully tried to loan last year. He got subbed on in the 90th.

He's squad filler for them...

What's his name scores for Villa.

I'll be playing this game on a weekly basis.

Maybe they'll be saved by our points deduction!# Though the word is they might have one themselves. Their lineup looks piss, Branthwaite is injured, Young just got a red. They look like they've had a worse window than us.

Saka scores, game over.

Everton 2 down!

DO IT! Duran on loan, obligation to buy for £25mill if we stay up, under 21, no loan space taken. Whittaker £10mill Rowe £7mill Buo - Got him Hamer £16mil Keita £10-15mill? Who knows, Moore94 could tell you. Okoli - Got him Cornet and Spence - Ok not really arsed here but they both play fullback the way that suits Cooper and are both sitting out the seasons on their clubs benches at best, so might be a loan in the offing if we wanted one. Or both. Whatever. I mean, adding these guys is not only staying up, they're going on a European tour next season.

That's why you need a Hermansen.

JOELINTON!!!!

Bournemouth disallowed goal. It's been a pretty busy set of games so far.

Schar sent off for a headbutt. Saints 0-0 to play against 10 men! Bastards!

Wood scores. Havertz scores. Mitoma scores. Goal flurry!

Evertons lineup looks pretty shit. Here's hoping. Also Forest v Bournemouth, hopefully they both lose.

Which is exactly what the likes of Man Utd fans et al were saying when we were doing better than them.

What do you mean the motivation to sell is stronger? Clubs tend not to want to sell (their good players anyway) because they have less time and options to replace them.

No that wasn't the question. I already pointed to the fact we took their best players, I also pointed to the bigger point that we were only able to for a brief period in our history. At our absolute peak we were able to get players that they wanted to keep, and now we're not at that level. It's not damning that as a promoted side we aren't able to poach their best players or compete with them on transfers. For a similar scenario it's like if Brighton had have signed KDH in January, then 5 years down the line if they've gone down and we've reestablished ourselves, we beat them to a signing and their fans saying "Ooh it's damning being beaten to signings by Leicester". It's been the norm far longer than the reverse.

We're definitely worse this season than last unless Buonanotte, Okoli, Kristiansen and Cannon all end up being a hell of a lot better than we think they are.

Yes I know, but I'm saying that historically that's only been the case for a very brief period, so I don't see why it's damning. Hoffenheim, granted.

Because they didn't want him. Surely you understand the difference.

Why is it damning to be outdone by Sporting? A club which regularly competes in and wins their domestic league and gets Champions league football or some form of European tournament at worst, forgetting non football related things like living in a nice country with decent weather? It's only in very recent years that we've been able to take players from them. And that was shortlived, forgetting Fatawu who is someone they didn't want and so irrelevant in this context.

For the 10 games he'll be fit.

Maybe, but he doesn't look like he has the passing range for that role really, nor is he left footed which is something Maresca wanted for that position. I think as some have said he was brought in for an expected outgoing. A sale of Faes? If Vesty hadn't renewed? Although he had by the time Okoli signed... Of course it could have nothing to do with Enzo and him being a young Italian is pure coincidence. Cooper may have asked the recruitment team for a more physical defender and he was offered up as a gettable option.

Looks that way. Though it's a weird one as you'd expect Maresca got us onto scouting him and yet he's nothing like what you'd call a Maresca defender. But then given his attributes you'd think maybe he was brought in on the basis we'd be expected to have less of the ball and more defending to do so we need a more physical defender in there. Saying that he's not exactly fast is he?

Is he though? I remember when his contract was soon to expire there was a lot of talk about clubs being able to pick him up and yet there wasn't really much interest. He extended and he's getting back to the same spot again. I think Lyon just wanted to protect his value rather than actually liking the player. He generally looks like a player with all the tricks but without the implementation. Even that highlights video shows him beating a man and then nothing, multiple times. Maybe it's something he can be coached on, but he's always sort of struck me as a player who can do it all but doesn't know when to do it. Like a blunted Adel Taraabt. Mind you, he is still a kid really. He's a player who has shown promise but has a lot to prove if he's going to move onto bigger and better.