Mr Popodopolous

I think it was pretty good, one more CB for the right price and perhaps we are winners! Stoke had an interesting one albeit a bit more short term. Souttar OUT Tuanzebe, Pearson IN (loan) Rotherham over the window added quite a few, held onto Ogbene for now and got a reported £1.5m for Barlaser whose deal is up in the summer! ? Blackpool's looks decent potentially. Huddersfield hard to say but in theory some useful individuals. Stoke over the window possibly did alright although a very heavy reliance on loans as far as incomings go- churn could help or hinder them between now and May. Although a bit of chat that thay may make Tuanzebe and Pearson permanent between now and May. We've definitely had one of the better ones IMO. Sunderland think theirs is alright but a striker light probably given the departure of Simms and Stewart injured for months- Gelhardt on loan of course.

There appears to be no Fan Representative on that list? Minor in the grand scheme of football. Is that an oversight or maybe it's further down?

Is that definite? Why wasn't he offered a contract. I'd say there is still some upside in a technically good LB aged 25 or under If the wages are right for the club.

On the Sheffield United feint, their pressure to sell is different to our potential pressure with Semenyo. They I am sure are miles inside FFP. Parachutes, lowest wage bill in PL, which surely only will have fallen since (£56m in relegation season iirc). Albeit that was 11 months accounts. A £14.5m pre tax profit averaged across the 2 seasons and that BEFORE Covid 19 add-backs and FFP. However they took out a large bank loan in 2020-21 (foreign bank), seem to have a lot of loans and indeed their latest one maybe secured against Parachute Payments, so promotion from that angle is imperative.

PL clubs are spending less on Championship players than they once did, blip or trend who knows? Then again it's a 25 fold increase on January 2022 (Plange for £1m maybe the only one IIRC). It's an interesting one to watch, percentage terms are probably the best way and if Scott is as reckoned valued at £25m then that would give or take equal the entire PL spend on players at this level this window. Wonder if the profile of player they're spending big money on at our level is also shifting- Souttar at £15m vs Semenyo at a reported £10m, yet conventional wisdom talks of strikers being worth more- again blip or trend? Here is a counter view in fact, not hard to find on Twitter but argument that clubs are pricing players out of moves.

2016-17 v Brighton? Yes we started game sharply from memory. Crowd were up for it, under the lights- Tomlin missed a great chance at 0-0. We score when on top and with the crowd 3veb more up for it after going ahead who knows!

We scored two own goals in that one. Each game in which we dropped points relatively needlessly put more pressure on the next game to attack it whereas had we got the results we should we could have in tough games been a bit more content with a draw away from home e.g. Wolves at home- should have got 1 to 3 points. 1 to 3 dropped. That feeds into later whereby Norwich at home we had a lot of possession and some chances but lost 1-0. Had we got the 1-3 v Wolves we should have for a bit less pressure won this game. Bolt on away on a Friday night, can be tricky- had we likewise got the poinrs we should have in the two prior how games- 4-6 IMO, a bit less pressure on tbis and maybe we can even counter them a bit. Sunderland in particular, two dropped-- bit more margin for error to maybe tough out a point at Cardiff and Preston as these were counter pressing sides even at home. Should have made playoffs anyway that season I think from where we were an hour in v Wolves.

Sheffield United have taken out another loan. Presumably that forms part of their Plan B- pay off The relevant transfer debt with some of the loan, keep key players and a PL return resolves all issues. Pending a takeover of course.

To a bit of context- genuinely interesting times, also some of the bigger deals but not all have been lost Covid on defenders from this level. Pope, Collins x 2 and Souttar spring to mind. Otoh Lewis-Potter, Armstrong, Semenyo although not as much as the defenders we think. Wasn't Dennis £20m though? Ramsdale in summer 2021. Had a quick look too, PL clubs spent maybe 15 pct of expenditure in Jan 2020 on Championship players, this January it was around 3-3.5 pct. As per reported fees of course. Extrapolated we would have seen £120m on Jan 2023 signings from PL clubs.

Thanks. Miguel Delaney also mentioned a bit but not a breakdown dreal by deal- said abour £25m or so in up front fees- interesting to know if the £800m was just up front or add-ons, I'd the latter about 3 pct or so of PL expenditure went on Championship players.

How much was spent on Championship players though? Souttar at £15m and Semenyo at £10m or so springs to mind...some warrant selling too ie Berge, Ndiaye at Sheffield United, reportedly Ince and even Joao at Reading were linked, Bentley and his fee, it was reported as nominal. Are there any I've missed?

By the way, dunno if anyone else noticed and his view could have changed in the subsequent 6 hrs or so but at 5ish, 5.10ish Nixon said Mehmeti was the signing of the day. Let's hope he's right.

Why Kalas and DaSilva can't stay on majorly reduced terms, wouldn't be against it although Kalas and his availability would need to improve drastically.

Welcome Anis. Looks a very exciting addition, as part of a front 3- excellent. A little spoilt for choice up there all of a sudden.

Welcome Harry.

Idehen is already here, played for U21s today.

Think fitness permitting we have 4 decent CBs. Assuming we won't be going to a back 3 again, could probably have done with 1 more though.

Thank you to both for their efforts and best of luck too. Klose last sesson looked a good steadying influence shame it didn't happen for him thus season- a year too far maybe, same for Martin albeit with some reasonable displays interspersed. Martin last season, intelligence, took a bit of physical load and chipped in with some goals and assists.

I did read on the Wycombe forum last night that he was having a medical here yesterday.

Different types of player but fair comment- we were also playing a different system, he got 12 goals last season and a number of assists iirc, sometimes it's not about the individual but how that individual might enhance the side- equal to or greater than the sum of the parts. I could see Cornick slotting in well if used correctly.

Sunderland play quite good football, Mowbray seeks to play the right way tbh.

Goals, assists and all-round game- stats alone can be misleading. Can play as a support striker if we go 3-5-2 or wider as part of a front 3 I expect.

Support striker, or wide striker- goals aren't the be all and end all with either especially in the case of the latter.

Has he a release clause I wonder.

Had a quick look earlier, noticed Idehen was starting. Where do we think he ranks in 1st team squad consideration- fallen down it somewhat I assume?