12 Aug 2023 20:18:14
Hey Eds, do you think we'll go back in for Lavia now MC has gone? Or have Southampton decided to sell him to Chelsea? And I'd imagine we've burnt our bridges with the player too.

{Ed002's Note - Right now, Lavia looks way more likely to move elsewhere.}

1.) 12 Aug 2023
12 Aug 2023 22:58:32
Why would we go back? We value Lavia at less than southampton do, which is why we moved onto Caicedo, he has chose Chelsea, we move onto the next, let's hope there is a next already in place though, otherwise this season could be a write off before it begins, as we have been left ridiculously short at DM.

2.) 12 Aug 2023
12 Aug 2023 23:08:46
We valued him at 4mil less than Southampton. Makes no sense we valued Caicedo at 110mill if we are that shrewd. We are just a mess at the moment, no logic to what we are doing imo. Think we will struggle to get top 4 this year and didn’t think I’d be saying that when we signed szobo but Newcastle look great and arsenal and city will finish above us.

3.) 12 Aug 2023
12 Aug 2023 23:16:11
Brummy you don’t know what the plan was? Was it Lavia at the right price plus another or all out for Caicedo? Then when Southampton wouldn’t budge we changed tack to Caicedo?

I’m not saying that’s true, I have no idea but saying we are just a mess with no clue about anything is just plain short sighted.

As for saying we will struggle for top 4 before we’ve even kicked a ball? Fans are very, very strange these days.

4.) 12 Aug 2023
12 Aug 2023 23:53:15
Beckers, you don't think we're in a mess? Horrendous month or so for us. Sold our two most experienced mids, which is fine if you've bloody replacements lined up. Sporting director for 3 months then Billy Hogan has to do the work for caicedo . Its been a total mess.

5.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 00:38:49
Where is the confirmation of Caicedo's decision?

6.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 01:13:40
I was excited for Lavia and seeing him grow with us.

7.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 01:34:49
Forget MC, we should go for EC, he’s a scouser and came out publicly in 1978 stating that he didn’t want to go to Chelsea.

8.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 02:01:28
We’ve sold players who pretty much everyone on here has been slating for over a year now, complaining how they are liabilities.
Milner was barely a squad player at best. Henderson and Fabinho out for zsoboslai and maccallister coming in.

Where’s all this negative talk coming from, we’ve got plenty of talent and a strong first 11 to see us through for now, and I’m sure we’ll sign a couple of players before the window shuts.

Getting rid of 2 dead leg liabilities and replacing them with two top players is a massive step in the right direction.

9.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 03:42:23
Kayibei - ye addition by subtraction! Still work to do and over half the month to go.

10.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 05:40:13
No Port Red we are not in a mess. We have been negotiating for 2 players whom as of today are still available. We may or may not get them but even if we don’t why does that mean we are in a mess?

It’s just transfer negotiations that have always gone on for decades without fans batting an eyelid. Now SlySports have cashed in and want to give us a blow by blow account every fan suddenly thinks they are an expert on the subject.

You’re not. Like most of us you have no clue. I suggest we all just relax and enjoy the game later. A big win and everyone will be saying we don’t need a DM anyway.

11.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 07:07:00
I admire your positivity @Beckers Pecker but a big win today won't for a second have anyone (nevermind everyone! ) saying we no longer need a DM.

We 100% need a DM.

12.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 07:40:56
Becker’s Pecker your optimism is nice but most of us are basing it on the reality of finishing fifth last year which colossal holes in the squad. The holes have got bigger in many respects. So to say we won’t make the top four again is a reasonable assessment.

13.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 07:49:37
Perhaps Lavia’’s team have told us he wants Chelsea also ??.

14.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 07:57:20
What mess are we in, exactly? We only need two more players as in a DM and CB but in some people’s world that us bring in a mess? Some of our fans can be real gems sometimes. Good grief!

15.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 08:24:22
Can’t say we’re in a mess yet.
Everyone moaned last season that fabinho’s legs had gone and hendo’s time was come to an end.
Everyone suggested that we couldn’t press as we wanted because we didn’t have the legs.
We play with three midfielders.
We’ve got bajetic, MacAllister, Szobo, TAA as an option, Jones and Elliot.
Yes ideally we’d get one more but could they carry us through to January. Unless we’re very unlucky with injuries surely there’s enough there.
Centre back remains of greater concern to me. I said it at the end of last season and I still think it’s the area to address.

16.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 10:09:44
The “we’re a mess” people are the people in the life boat complaining while the others are paddling the boat towards safety.

17.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 10:11:06
It hasn’t been great. I do think before selling Henderson and Fabinho we should have had replacements lined up already and bid for. I don’t think we are in a mess but clearly everything is not great either.

18.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 10:27:12
Frode, I would argue with some certainty that had we not lost 3 of our forwards, 1 of our starting centre backs and 2 of our starting midfielders to injury for most of the season we’d have comfortably finished in the top 4.

Added to that VVD had an injury, as did Fabinho, Robbo struggled at the start of the season and Bajcetic came in, did well and got injured.

We’ve already refreshed the midfield and have all of our forwards for with Diaz and Nunez now having more time to settle.

Even if we don’t sign another player top 4 is a certainty. I think we need another midfielder and a centre back to challenge City for the title but that’s only because they are silly good.

We are far from in a mess.

19.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 10:52:23
Long term view, don't forget Thiago, Morton and Gakpo as well who are midfield options. That is 9 senior players on top of the 6 you listed for just 3 positions. I do accept Trent and Gakpo also have duties covering other positions too though. You could equally argue that Clark and McConnell are u21 players who are ready for minutes in Cup games.

I remember 6 months ago Bajcetic was being dubbed our best midfielder by Eds and posters. 1 injury and Baj apparently needs replacing? Baj had 2 bad games for us and they were against Man City and Real Madrid when the whole team had a bad game. That run he had in DM next to Thiago was pretty good even with Keita in front of them. If they could look good in a team performing badly with no press ahead of them, how much better might they look with Macca, Szobo and Jones now there defend from the front, and Trent tucking in.

If we sign a versatile DM, great, we'll be even stronger as a squad (Kimmich, Gravenberch, Thuram etc) . If we don't, we'll still be better than we were last season in my opinion. You can't underestimate how much pressure it put our defence and DM under by having Hendo, Elliott, Keita and Milner as the press when none of them could win a 50/ 50 and Milner was the only one who could even win a 60/ 40. Jones being back on top of Macca and Szobo is a game changer.

20.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 13:57:19
MK, Morton won’t get a sniff at the first team mate, I see Bradley becoming first choice right back.