Cedric Kipre, the 'uuuuuge WBA centre half when we played them in 2023/24, has today signed for Ipswich
We’ll see if there is any substance to the rumours that Armstrong is going there now they have enough to presumably afford him
I just think to sell a proven goal scorer in this division to a rival is madness. If we really don’t think he can cut it in the PL, keep him until we get back there so he can help us rather than ruin our chances.
I agree and am not advocating selling him. We are just fans though and not close enough to the squad on a day to day basis. If Still has Armstrong as his 5th choice central option now Downs has arrived and has decided he doesn’t fancy him for whatever reason out wide, so Armstrong is never going to play, do you just keep him to stop him going somewhere else? Or do you let him move on and actually play somewhere because you don’t want to screw him over as a player/person? The only reason we’d let Armstrong go this season is because he is down the pecking order so we are doing him a favour by letting him go somewhere where he will play more. The only other scenario I can see is he is pissed off about last season and is demanding to leave and thrown in the towel with us
I can't see Armstrong being THAT far down the pecking order. He started out wide at the weekend didn't he? So he must be considered an option in that position. Dibling would presumably start ahead of him but obviously there's a good chance Dibling won't be here at all and even if he is he's not going to play every game. If Armstrong's demanding a move then fair enough I suppose.
I can see him being pretty low down centrally (behind Downs, Archer and Stewart. Possibly BBD as well), but agree about out wide on the right. Can’t really see a scenario where he is like third choice there or something. I have no idea what formation Still likes to play though, and maybe he doesn’t see Armstrongs skill set working for him there. Ive heard Still likes two up top so a winger who cuts in and looks to score isn’t usually the system managers play with two strikers. Don’t know at this stage if Still is a manager who sticks to his way generally rather than adapts to the players he has. If it’s the latter then you’d think he would see how effective Armstrong was last time in the Championship and try and replicate that role for him, unless he thinks as a team we can do better playing another way and other players will pick up the goal scoring responsibilities so we don’t miss Armstrongs contribution
Armstrong didn’t impress me on Saturday, other than taking a decent penalty. His one real moment in open play, when he could have scored, he miscontrolled the ball giving a defender time to close down his shot. Edozie gave the team a better outlet and a better dynamic, but probably won’t score as many as Adarma. It’s a conundrum.
That is Adarma in a nutshell for us in the Championship. Even in games he scored a couple of goals for us his overall play was poor, or he was absent for large parts and his only real contribution was scoring. Which y’know, is kinda worth it if he’s going to score 20+. There were a small handful of games last time in the championship where goals aside, I thought he played well.
Every big club in the world was after this kid a couple of years ago, be interesting to see how he does at Watford
I am resigned to Dibling leaving but think we need to keep hold of Robinson. Just feel there is so much potential there. As far as Armstrong, Archer, BBD and Stewart are concerned, I would be happy to see all 4 moved on . They need to be taken off the books.
I don't think Robinson leaving is even on the table, is it? I haven't seen any rumours and given he signed a 4 year deal a few months ago we wouldn't need to sell. The only reason I definitely think Dibling will go is because he only has 2 years left on his deal.
Those 4 scored 56 goals combined in their last full season at Champ level. Admittedly they all were likely the main man at previous clubs when they played (Diaz at Blackburn, Stewart at Sunderland, Archer at M’Boro and Armstrong with us) but still feels pretty stupid to be looking to get rid of all of them this summer. You’d have to replace at least 3 of them and hope whoever you sign can score goals at this level, which all 4 of them have proven they can do
Can Can’t get rid of all four! Archer will score loads this season I reckon. Think Still fancies him.
See Derby have bought the USA striker who plays ahead of Downs, in Patrick Agyemang. Though apparently he will miss the start of the season as he needs a hernia operation.
