Fuber

Seen them given. I can't tell whether the defender has hit Semenyos foot onto the ball or not on the angles I've seen.

We need a new defence before we need a keeper. We don't have one who can hold their ground and head a ball out from a set piece without Baker.

This.

They literally had three all but unmarked from the set piece. Not removing O'Leary from blame. However not guarenteed Bents does better with that shower in front of him.

We have two keepers who dont deal with crosses, and an overall short defence who likewise general suck aerially- especially without Nathan Baker, aside from Kalas.

Not with his injury record and our finances.

Bentley is literally just as guilty of sticking to his line and not attacking the ball - its literally what I'd be most critical of him on. Max needed to do better more with regards to it being near straight at him. I'm not sure he can try claiming it through the crowd with it being in-swinging. The big question is who on earth was marking him; nobody.

I've yet to hear a Sky commentator even comment when we play well. So typically the one time we do they've given the commentator a negative filter on his contact lenses.

QPR are the model we need to follow with regards to recruiment, at least under Warburton. Smart reinvestment of funds from sales, nothing extravagant, older players on largers wages only on loan - mitigating longer term financial risk, etc. Read some daft stat earlier that out of the top 6, most squads cost are over £120m (Fulham, Bournemouth, WBA). QPR's first 18 (including bench) was something like £7m (not including any loan fees). Dickie, Dykes, Johansen, Field, and Willock cost a combined figure in the region of £4.7m - essentially for that same fee we bought Palmer and DaSilva. Austin, Odebajo, Dunne, Adomah, on frees; McCallum and Gray on loan. No fee for a single player over £2,5m essentially, plenty of frees - difference being, Eze aside, their Academy has no where near our profligate output with regards to our pathway system (O'Leary, Vyner, Towler, Scott, Benarous, Conway, Bell, Edwards, Pring, etc). The advantage to the latter being two fold - cheaper wages and greater profit margins (when/if sold). This summer will be huge. I'd actually say it was quite expensive; when you consider QPR signed Dickie, arguably a more complete player - albeit 2 years older - for only £300k more, in consideration of cumulative losses caused by COVID. We need to ultimate focus on wages, wages, and wages. Need to cut the high earners, or at least renegotiate contracts, or sell where we can maximise profit based on age/contract situation, i.e. Wells, Kalas, and Bentley as respective examples of each. Added to which others we need to make decisions on whose contract run out this season - O'Dowda, Martin, etc.

Greek - Taka Taka, The Athenian. Indian - Coronation Curry House, Urban Tandoor.

Bents passing isn't anywhere near as accurate as Max imo. And the stats back this up massively. Massive difference in passing and kicking, as a keeper.

Of the same mind Robbered, but others in the thread have a differing view.

Wouldn't go back. He's on a fair wedge, and more importantly He wasn't a fast player with us. Apparently for Cardiff hes slowed up even more. I'd also argue that with Nige's aim of making us a cohesive counter attacking threat, Pack slows the game down simply too much to suit the system, not does he have the mobility to sweep up second balls. He was a good servant. But now is not the time to entertain a comeback when we're mid rebuild just because he went round and clapped our fans and is one of the Cotts title winning team. Plenty of other midfielders who are out of contract in the summer. Rinomhota, Laurent at Reading for example, who are younger.

Some people have a bit decorum Then there's this complete cock-waving.

Us last season then, essentially, with FFP closing in much more.

I meant to amend that to the Lansdown era. ?

We had a completely overblown squad situation caused by our previous inexperienced manager and our absolute useless scumbag of a CEO that led to wages being over 200% of turnover. Nige's premise was to sort us out, not spend money due to FFP, and rebuild. I.e. releasing 11 players over the summer. If we avoid relegation this season and see progression of some kind of style of play, any of us would take it. This season was a write off before it began. As for Webster - best centre back in a City shirt bar none.

If wage reductions on relegation were standardised at 50%, across the EPL, it would avoid situations where PP are required. Ultimately there are many measures that could be taken, that won't occur, due to the inherent greed of the EPL. In some ways English Football at this stage would be better off without the Premier League. The gulf has grown substantially due to ring-fencing. It's heading towards a closed shop bit by bit.

Of those the only ones I would consider Jewels are Scott, Pring, Benarous, young - and long contracts, two of whom are in decent form - that we can build a core around, arguably Atkinson also. To be sustainable we can't afford 30+ on over £10kpw going forward (especially paying fees for said individual), nor those running down contracts (Massengo, Kalas) as stands. We also need to know when to maximise profit and when to hold onto a player. I.e. Bentley, for whom we have seemingly an adequate deputy in Max. All players have a price, what we need is a strategy in how to mitigate and improve on said individuals going forward.

It's the same way in which we did business under Cotts, even under LJ we didn't spend bucket loads that first January. What choice do we have? It was the players we stuck with and developed that earned us funds that Ashton then all but burned in a furnace. Our best players the last few years, i.e. those that were sold on for the most part, were all lower league signings, academy players, or free agents, I.e. Flint, . The only exception was Webster. Even Eisa, Szmodics, and Adelakun we just broke even on and they didn't work. There's enough free agents to provide a base, I.e. Barbet, Bidwell, for example, alongside Kalas, Atkinson, Tanner, Pring. Sign a right back and I'd consider that a marked improvement over Vyner and DaSilva. You mention in bold as if spending bucket loads on wages and fees and signed established Championship players and EPL youngsters has worked. For the large majority it hasn't. The wages at the top tier, even for academy players as per JD and Palmer are simply unsustainable for us, we need to soak up releases and avoid amortisation costs on such risks going forward - Brownhill being the big example for us in this model.

What family jewels? I'd argue we could replace anybody we sell currently, there a huge market this summer. Realistically the coming summer is the big one. We may have to suck up naming right for AG, no matter how much I/we may despise the idea. We (for FFP) would need to sell pretty much all the high earners. To that regard, we'd basically almost be forced to sell Kalas (the only one whom I think we need to keep), and Bentley (for whom we have adequate cover). We would need to find a way to then also offload Wells, Palmer, DaSilva, with Moore (where viable) permanently going to Hearts. Massengo would need to be sold if no agreement forthcoming on the contract negotiations. Realistically (nor would I think) any of those expiring will be offered further deals on a cost versus performance basis. O'Dowda possibly the exception, but also on the highest wage. That would leave a squad of; O'Leary, Wiles-Richards. Tanner, Vyner, (Kalas), Baker(?), Atkinson, Pring, Towler(Loan?). James, Scott, Benarous, Williams, Bakinson. Semenyo, Conway, Weimann, Janneh. Would leave us in the need to conduct smart business in the summer. Would basically need one player for every position across the pitch aside from Keeper, near all where possible would need to be free, loans, or reinvestment of a portion of funds received depending on how much we were to actually receive. On the likes, where applicable, of examples such as Kabongo Tshimanga, Festy Ebosele, Elliot Moore, Harry Darling, Josh Martin, Matt O'Riley, or players of that ilk. Supplemented by free transfers. Yoann Barbet or Bidwell for left back as examples who will be aware all clubs are cutting cloth. Worth noting there are also players who qualify for WP abroad with expiring contracts also, i.e. Anos Pieper, among others.

This just highlights the sheer reason as to why parachute payments need scrapping. The gulf between relegated teams (who are yoyoing) and lower championship is so, so stark.

It's a good sign for us if nothing else, that it's gotten worse since he left them. Onwards and upwards.

With the (speculated) scenario ingoing with Bakes, possible Long Covid with Atkinson, and Towler needing more league experience before the step up to first team duty (Imo). Assuming (big if), we get rid of Palmer, loan out JD, possibly offload Moore... Should we expect a CB in on loan, perhaps? Or RB, shifting Vyner as necessary? All hearsay obviously. My point being Fevs, based on your current feelings, what position if any would be your immediate concern?

I'd rather Derby win on the basis that both suffer end of season for the shenanigans with regards FFP.