Well that's a real shame that you weren't given longer. Any decent employer would do.

And Luka came on against Ipswich so I don't think he has been off for 2 months.

Regardless of the time or wage I'd rather our club did the decent thing and gave our employees the time they need

1. Hardly something to get worked up about. It looks like Joel will be first choice RB until Clyne is recovered from Covid. Next year I expect Joel will be back up to either a new signing ...or Ferguson if he ever materialises.
2. There's enough people on here moaning about this trio - perhaps PV wants to sign an upgrade in what we currently have.
3. Maybe, maybe not. I don't think you can benchmark bereavement leave - everybody reacts in their own way, all you can wish for is an understanding employer.
4. So I assume you would have added these two to the list of out of contract players, therefore adding to the number of incoming players required to form a squad. Given where we are today with that, it's as well we kept these two.
5. It's all about opinions, but the goal against Brighton aside, I've seen nothing to suggest Mateta has what we need. But you would buy him, and potentially see him continue to fail just because he's young ?? And who is going to buy a failed striker at a reasonable fee ?? ( well, we would but in this case we already have )
6. Those are two of the positions that are being looked at. If - as is entirely possible - we don't get those players in then I refer to my response to 4.

Old, Ungifted and White

Who are all these well used player we god rid of without replacements?

Andros in fairness was offered a contract, but didn't sign it. Olise was signed to replace him.

PVA was a mistake IMHO, but most people on here hated him anyway

in terms of Luka i wonder if he is suffering from long covid too. I'm sure he got it last year and has never been the same since. If it's effecting his breathing then clearly he will struggle to run. Club are being very quiet so i suspect things are more complicated.
In terms of his recent bereavement people react in different ways - they are humans. If he needs time, the club must give him that.

Just looked at our team v Arsenal, last game of the last season.

Centre defence is now better (Cahill and Tomkins played that day) and both Ward and Mitchell played (with Clyne and PVA on bench).

Midfield was Jeff, Kouyate, McCarthy and Andros with Wilf and Tekkers upfront.

Today with have Jimmy Mac back and Gallagher which is an improvement IMHO.

Andros appears to be the one area that hasn't been addressed yet

Edited by palace99 (26 Aug 2021 12.42pm)

So we've lost 3 ageing CBs and replaced with real quality. I personally think letting PVA go was a mistake, but time will tell.

Wickham didn't play last season at all and Sakho played 4 times, so we wouldn't have been lost without them.

Andros replaced with Olise (unfortunate he is injured)
James M replaced with CG
3rd choice keeper for 3rd choice keeper

Eze is unfortunate, but we're going to have to make do until he is back. We are not the sort of club that can shell out 20m for cover. Ayew will have to do a job.

So granted we are still a little thin, but baring 2 injuries we are stronger than then end of last season.

We also do have a couple of kids that look like they will play a part this season.

Hopefully we can get in another another 2 or 3.

Well it’s all opinions, but when you cut into an existing squad ,no matter the quality of that squad , you have to have the replacements in hand because of the demands that you face ,in particular at this level, as of yet we haven’t done that ,we are still at least two or three light, even the manager has said that much. My point was that it is extremely risky to leave it so late in covering the gaps you create. The quality of the four new signings is fine, but four doesn’t make nine in an injury crisis.
Of course if it’s business as usual, and it’s a we will get by attitude from the club and support then so be it . Whichever it will not take long to know.