MrBlack

he hates us though, don't see him signing and wouldn't want him if only to stop my blues fans mates using the inevitable agent Deeney remarks when he flops. Would prefer King of if we're after a backup type forward

We got barely any penalties last season though

Oh, in that case...

Brilliant summary. This needs to be printed out and stapled to Gareth's massive nose. Or at the very least put to him by someone in the press so he can lie his way out of it again. Happy birthday Grealish. Hope the press do good for once and force bignose to change his mind by constantly pushing for your inclusion.

Sadly it seems as though, contrary to popular opinion, Southgate is actually a bit thick. Don't see him realising this given the evidence so far, but i live in hope. Or maybe he makes a complete hash of the Nations' League over the next few months and gets sacked (ha!!)

Can you be consciously unaware? Is that the same as unconscious bias? Or is that knowing you probably have an unconscious bias and doing nothing about it? As for Sothhgate, he is definitely being a condescending pr!#k with that comment. Whether he knows it or not, it's a doucehbag thing to say.

I have avoided rewatching him for largely this reason, but my memory is clear, he was awesome last season. The only thing I'm not clear on is how fast he is. I recall him being fairly speedy but reviews seem to suggest not. I'm not watching those highlights again though... no siree....

Letting it go to the end of the window would have cost us more than the extra 6m (or whatever it was beyond our valuation of him) given we'd have had no striker (edit: No effective striker) for the first few games of the season and had even less time for him to get up to speed and get settled. A bad start would undermine the good will from last season's last minute survival and cost a priceless amount. Not that this signing guarantees a good start, but if we were planning to sign him anyway in the last week of the window.. just pay the extra now

That's a good shout. Distinct possibility.

That's great to read, and does give a good feeling about the fee. Thanks! This will in turn also make Brentford a more appealing club to other teams lower down the leagues looking to make a profit on their hottest prospects, so Brentford have really made a killing with this sale.

Just think there's no way we are looking for a number 8. Need a CDM, need a right winger, need a GK. Arguably need a centre back too. Breaking our transfer record on a number 8? Not happening. Will eat my cactus if it does.

Josh King's heat map is more left sided and middle than right. I think he was just an attempt to get them to lower the Watkins fee

He did talk about Grealish after taking about someone who the question wasn't asked about, and gave a totally useless summary that he's had experience of the England setup and can build on it. The guy should be a politician, master of question avoidance.

Sure is. Maybe I was focusing more on the relative nature of his play compared with the rest of the useless players on show. Certainly he got the highest rating from the neutrals on BBC. But even that wasn't high so you could well argue he played poorly and be right

I thought Phillips looked absolutely fine. Substantially better than Rice as well. Agree with the rest of your post though

Wow that's a lot of tap ins. Guess he's always in the right place at the right time. Clearly a case of get the ball to him in the box and he'll do the rest. Need a great winger to take the pressure of jack to provide ALL his service but i'd sy even AEG (stop laughing) could be made to look half decent with Watkins on the end. Excited about this signing, he got every attribute we needed, and every thing he needs to be a success at PL level. Welcome Ollie!

He does want to play in the middle, but he's been more effective on the left for us. Maybe if we had better wing options it wouldn't be an issue, and they could interchange freely anyway. I'd be fine with that against the bottom half of the table, against the top 7 or so we'd probably get ripped apart so would still need a new cdm/ defensive midfielder anyway, unless he has faith in Nakamba.

Without wanting to jinx things, after Watkins signs we do still need a right winger and either a central midfielder or defensive midfielder depending on where Dean plans to play Luiz. Who are those signings going to be? Watkins (Samatta, Wesley) Grealish <right winger> (Trez, AEG) Luiz McGinn (Conor) <CDM> (Nakamba) Buendia would be ideal for me, and attainable. I don't know enough about European footballers to know if there is someone similar out there at a similarly accessible club, but if anyone does please suggest (Not MR obviously) As for CDM, I'm at a loss. Long way to go, but I'm feeling way more optimistic than I was this time last week.

After watching Gealish in his 15 minute starring role tonight, I'm reminded just how f$%%ing good he is. I'm also made aware of how bloody awesome it is going to be having him with Watkins offering movement and pace up front. I have a very good feeling about this. Sign a new right winger and a GK and this would be an awesome window. Edit: got carried away, forgot we still need a CDM too. But if you'd offered me keeping Jack, and 4 quality first team signings I'd have bitten your hand off. Half way there when this goes through tomorrow....

Concerned that Sterling Rashford and Kane are the first three names on the teamsheet when fit. Jack will then be behind Sancho (fk knows why) as the first sub choice. Greenwood will no doubt return being given preferential treatment too. And Foden and Mount seem to be first choice in the attacking midfield spots. I just can't see him getting in the team again unless there are numerous injuries. The only stroke of luck is his court appearance has been delayed beyond the third round of fixtures in November so at least any guilty verdict there won't hinder his chances this side of new year. Deserves to start the next game, having not pulled out for some mythical reason, having not breached the team rules (or indeed the law of the country they were staying in), and having demonstrated the only creativity of the 11 people playing tonight. But you know he won't.

You really do don't you

Philips looked good. Rice looked non existent. Southgate logic... bring Philips off. He needs the sack before he wastes another tournament

15 minutes. Dick Edit: for clarity, it should have been 90.

Utterly predictable and thoroughly depressing. Experimenting but apparently keeping the exact same front 3 that were totally ineffective in the last match. He's got to be on the wind up the **** clown. No Mings as well, so 0 left sided players at the back again. The man is, as someone put it earlier, a twunt of the highest order.

Very happy about this. His attitude is exceptional, and his ability is fine for where we are with room to improve. Given his attitude I expect him to fulfil the potential he's got