Lush Vlad

Agree with that. No idea what our budget is or what we are expecting to get in via player sales. But I still think a striker, right winger, defensive cover (sorted with the free transfers by the sounds of it) and having more than one CM that can play the deeper role. Are more pressing needs than a new number 1 GK for big money. Without even using hindsight. Plenty felt we were short at right wing and up front going into this season. Yet we spent 50 odd million on two full backs who barely played for large spells. So it is a fine line between current squad needs and players for the future we think are too good to turn down at the price.

Is it not being skipped over that this Marmaduke bloke is also crap with the ball at his feet by all accounts? Not as bad as Pope with his passing. But that’s not a high bar to clear.

Hopefully Howe has a word with Glasner Isak and Wilson have still been fairly prolific when fit and playing. Plus I’m sure a lot of it is to do with personnel available. But I watch a lot of games where I feel like our 9 is isolated and we’re not getting them the service or involved enough.

Agree with this. I also think he is really unique as a player. He has his limitations, of course. He must be one of the slowest in the squad, he can be a bit rash with diving in and going gung ho with his press and then easily bypassed and his shooting technique is terrible. But his passing range, touch, skill, ability to hold onto the ball or win the foul under pressure, energy levels, attitude... They're all elite. He doesn't shirk the dirty work, either and is almost as good off the ball as he is on it. I honestly have no idea who I'd compare him to as a player in regards to his style. I thought Thiago Alcantara a bit at first. But he's more of a shithouse, better off the ball and not permanently injured. He is a one-off and offers so much to the team and the club as a whole. Not a popular or much of a shared opinion on here and I do get that regular goals are such a rare commodity. But I genuinely think he'd be just as hard to replace as Isak. What with everything he brings to the team. The stats and all of the intangibles.

Just seen that Maddison goal Pope has spent his entire time here booting/slicing everything clear, even when an easy pass is on. Then just randomly trying to be De Bruyne with the through ball from his own box

Got this TF end of season show on. As I do quite like all the local journos views and the format. But fucking hell. Even though I do agree with him at times. Craig Hope is awful. Can tell who he writes for just by the way he speaks. Massively exaggerates things all the while and spouts shit without any context or deeper thinking.

Poch gone? Got told by a mate who gets the odd bit of info via scouts and ex-pros. Sacked yesterday, apparently? Find it hard to believe. Would have leaked by now.

It's been said plenty on here. But to get a keeper as good as Pope, that is also good with his feet, isn't going to be cheap. For all that Flekken can ping it about. I thought he was poor for the Murphy goal. It was a great pass from Isak, but he got caught in no man's land and originally went for the ball and got nowhere near it. He got hands to the Isak finish, possibly being a bit harsh there, but he could have saved it. Then he was terrible for the 4th. So 3 goals out of 4 where I think he could be doing better. Is this Valencia keeper amazing with his feet? Not hard to be better than Pope at passing But it should be a real upgrade if that's what we're looking for. We know Ramsdale is, but he's also a bit of a clown show and no way is he a better 'keeper' than Pope.

Well. I took myself away and had a day up the races. As it was bad for my health midweek. Lovely surprise checking the score

Supposedly starting today. Hopefully not his farewell game.

Yeah. Must be some concern around that. As I know he had a couple of setbacks during rehab. Not heard anything from my Pope ITK and hoping I don’t. As I really rate Pope and make no secret of loving him playing for us. Seeing as he is from just down the road. But it would make sense if the shoulder is still an issue. If we replace him with Ramsdale, however…….

Trafford looked terrible all season. Didn’t he lose his starting place about halfway through? If we‘re signing another keeper from Burnley, it should be Muric.

Yeah. Can’t see us spending £15m-£20m or more on a first choice keeper. Unless Pope’s shoulder is that much of a worry and we’re looking to move him on. No way we keep Pope if we spend that on another keeper.

Disagree. He’s better with his feet and distribution and not at anything else. Difficult to quantify that using stats and I suppose it also depends how you weight it. In regards to is it worth having a worse (IMO) traditional goalkeeper. If he is better with his feet?

Looking at a pigeon Some of them shouldn’t be in there and a bit harsh. But it’s been said plenty of times and I remember thinking it when we were first linked. His positioning seems all over the place. Plus he is erratic as fuck, as we already know. Hard pass. Think he’d be a complete waste of money. If Pope’s shoulder is a big concern. Then I’d rather we looked elsewhere. If it’s not, then we need to be investing money elsewhere and not on a new number one.