My verdict: Outgoings; terrible business. Not being able to get rid of players on permanent deals was dissapointing and ultimately had an effect on signings. Incomings; absolutely terrific given the budget. We now have 2 senior players for every position plus some talented youngsters to call on. I dont think that the squad is paper thin, Grayson just had to utilise it. He knows the demands of the league so I'd hope to see it . Like many the only dissapointing thing was not getting a striker in, we lack a target man who is good in the air. The season starts next game for me. A so so start, let's ****ing have it.
I doubt that in the history of football a side has ever spent so little and improved the squad as much as we just have. Bearing in mind this is the era where Jonny Evans costs 30 mil.
Get your feet back on the ground Nacho. They haven't played together yet. I like the optimism but we've had a lot of false dawns after transfer windows have closed.
Don't see why I should, I know these three are good players. Besides I'm not saying they're amazing world beaters, more making the point that for the money spent the club has done brilliantly. Also including the players we'd already signed under Grayson.
I agree about the 3 lads we've got in. A much better standard than I was expecting. I'm just nervous about getting carried away with it though. Bri said something along the lines of the best team from that squad will do alright in this league. We just need to wrap them up in cotton wool.
Unfortunately mate the problem here was created when we bought them. We priced everyone else out at that point
Impossible though. This is the championship. It's physical and the games come thick and fast. Injuries are part of the game, they will happen.
I'm not getting carried away myself unless you consider no longer feeling like we might be in danger of relegation getting carried away but yeah some will be a little bit. We've done well in the transfer market but within strict limitations. How much have we spent on transfers, around 2 mil? And we've got all these players (and some I've forgotten probably): Steele Ruiter Browning Galloway Wilson McManaman McGeady Williams Grabban Vaughan That's a stupendous effort considering that McGeady alone is worth a few mil easy. Plus none of these lads are crocks, has beens or have bad attitudes.
And Williams Agree relegation battle should be well and truly out of our minds. I think we're set up nicely for a promotion push next season especially if Short manages to sell. Rome wasn't built in a day and the best things come to those who wait. I'm positive but well aware of our limitations.
Aye Williams, how could I forget him. I think we're going to enjoy watching Sunderland again once they've bedded in, sure there will be the occasional spanking but enough about my sex life, on the whole it'll be a good watch and we'll be nice and safe in the table. McGeady, McManaman and Williams I expect to be creating loads of chances, I wouldn't want to play against those three.
Really looking forward to this season. My only dread is our split personality fan base who I think will spoil our fun. Everyone was on a high after Norwich, two bad results and the poison is there in droves. Why can't they just go with the flow and enjoy the ride with all it's ups and downs? It's going to be a roller coaster but I suspect a large chunk of our fan base don't have the stomach for it. We're only 5 games in and already in that space of time large chunks have declare both a promotion challenge and a relegation battle. And people think i'm crazy!
***Updated 31/08/2017*** Goalkeepers Sam Johnstone (Man Utd) Chronicle Tomasz Kuszczak (Birmingham) birmingham vitalfootball Rob Green (Leeds) Yorkshire Evening Post John Ruddy (unattached) HITC Alex Smithies (QPR) Get West London Wiktor Bieniek (SMS Łódź) Twitter Darren Randolph (West Ham) Twitter Shay Given (unattached) Sunderland Echo Robbin Ruiter (unattached) vi Jason Steele (Blackburn) The Sun Cédric Carrasso (unattached) Nottingham Post Defenders Guillermo Varela (Man Utd) Chronicle Brendan Galloway and Tyas Browning (Everton) Sky Sources Tom Lees (Sheffield Wednesday) Chronicle Cyrus Christie (Derby) Mirror Michel Morganella (Palermo) forzapalermo Aden Flint (Bristol City) Bristol Post Tommy Elphick (Aston Villa) Birmingham Mail Marc Wilson (Bournemouth) Twitter Alan Hutton (Aston Villa) Mirror Football Alex Baptiste (Middlesbrough) HITC Andrea Ranocchia (Inter) Calciomercato Ezequiel Schelotto (Sporting CP) Tuttomercatoweb Sean Raggett (Lincoln City) Twitter Ben Heneghan (Motherwell) footballinsider247 Grant Hanley (Newcastle) the scottish sun Tosin Adarabioyo (Manchester City) The Mirror Midfielders Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) Chronicle Jonny Howson (Norwich) Yorkshire Evening Post Kenny McLean (Aberdeen ) Get West London Robert Snodgrass (West Ham) Northern Echo Ben Watson (Watford) Watford Observer Christopher Nkunku (Paris Saint-Germain) Get West London Badou N’Diaye (Osmanlispor) Daily Mail Ryan Woods (Brentford) Chronicle Patrick McEleney (Dundalk) Twitter Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough) The Sun Yassine Ayoub (Utrecht) HITC Ben Pearson (Preston) HITC Jonny Williams (Crystal Palace) Sky Sports [Added 31/8/17] Wingers Aiden McGeady (Everton Winger) Telegraph Max Gradel (Bournemouth) HITC Sheyi Ojo (Liverpool) the4thofficial Jamie Murphy (Brighton) Sky Sports Ryan Kent (Liverpool) Express Callum McManaman (West Brom) HITC [Added 31/8/17] Strikers Pierre Xavier Fonkeu (Club Bruges Striker) Chronicle Jordan Hugill (Preston North End) Northern Echo Ilija Nestorovski (Palermo) forzapalermo Andre Gray (Burnley) The Transfer rumour mill Daryl Murphy (Newcastle) The Sun James Vaughan (Bury) Twitter Ross McCormack (Aston Villa) Chronicle Cameron Jerome (Norwich) The Sun Lewis Grabban (Bournemouth) Twitter Tom Lawrence (Leicester City) Foxesofleicester Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) Daily Mail Joe Lolley (Huddersfield) Daily Mail Paul Smyth (Linfield FC) Belfast Telegraph Jordan Rhodes (Sheffield Wednesday) Thestar Jurgen Locadia (PSV) Twitter [Added 31/8/17]
Just been having a look through the free agents list on Sky. Joe Ledley, Giuseppe Rossi and Jan still all unattached.
Surprised at Ledley, first team footballer at Palace to no club. I'd take Rossi, not heard much since he left Man Utd really but been at Fiorentina and Villarreal so might be worth a punt?
Aye I assumed Ledley had been snapped up, he's a very decent player. Probably a position we don't need but he would improve the squad. Rossi is still averaging 1 in 3 but he is also still injured a fair bit. I'd imagine he'd be far too good for this league if fit but that 'if' is a major gamble. There's a fair few more decent players unattached to be fair.
I was reading that last night, think it said Rossi is in the middle of a long term injury. I wondered if Rickie Lambert might be worth a punt, he's 35 but he's the type of forward we need and is surely better than nobody.
