Douglas Luiz - coming back?

[Ian.]

That’s bad news, he’s such a big player for us, not the same without him.

[Demitri_C]

That’s bad news, he’s such a big player for us, not the same without him.

I agree. I still find it unbelievable smith did not think we need a player in the middle. We all called it in the summer

[ROBBO]

Was it Smith that made the call?

[kippaxvilla2]

Is Gerrard still registered as a player I reckon he could still do a job.

[adrenachrome]

Is out for brighton.

God not mcginn JJ and nakamba please

I would rather go with tuanzebe at dm than nakamba.

I dont think he will go with chuk and jj

Es un problema muy grande para StevieG

[chrisw1]

That’s bad news, he’s such a big player for us, not the same without him.

I agree. I still find it unbelievable smith did not think we need a player in the middle. We all called it in the summer

Do you honestly think he did not know we need a player in the middle?  He's hardly going to say before the season starts 'our midfield is a bit shit' is he?

Same as he probably also thought we were desperately short up front in 19/20 and 20/21.  We seem to have a habit of leaving ourselves incredibly short in at least one position every season.  Hopefully Gerrard will kick the doors down and make sure he gets what he needs in the next windows.

[LeeB]

We bid ridiculously low for two fine central midfielders and got neither, there was obviously a need identified but it wasn't met.

[sickbeggar]

Indeed. The Ward-Prowse bid was so low it was like we were trolling Southampton.

[LeeB]

Indeed. The Ward-Prowse bid was so low it was like we were trolling Southampton.

I said it a few weeks back, but the parsimony was weird when we seemed to have done a Rick Parry "blow them out of the water" job with Buendia over Arsenal.

I'd have argued that Ward Prowse should have been the top target, that spot in midfield has been needed since we came up and only Barkley filled it for a few games before giving up.

[Risso]

Indeed. The Ward-Prowse bid was so low it was like we were trolling Southampton.

I said it a few weeks back, but the parsimony was weird when we seemed to have done a Rick Parry "blow them out of the water" job with Buendia over Arsenal.

I'd have argued that Ward Prowse should have been the top target, that spot in midfield has been needed since we came up and only Barkley filled it for a few games before giving up.

Yep. We seem to have paid massively over the odds for Buendia, when we'd have been much better off doing the same for Ward-Prowse. That's not to write Buendia off, but Ward-Prowse is far more Premier League-ready.

[kippaxvilla2]

Indeed. The Ward-Prowse bid was so low it was like we were trolling Southampton.

I said it a few weeks back, but the parsimony was weird when we seemed to have done a Rick Parry "blow them out of the water" job with Buendia over Arsenal.

I'd have argued that Ward Prowse should have been the top target, that spot in midfield has been needed since we came up and only Barkley filled it for a few games before giving up.

Yep. We seem to have maid massively over the odds for Buendia, when we'd have been much better off doing the same for Ward-Prowse. That's not to write Buendia off, but Ward-Prowse is far more Premier League-ready.

Let’s hope the milk of human kindness of the owners spills over to the January transfer window.

[LeeB]

Indeed. The Ward-Prowse bid was so low it was like we were trolling Southampton.

I said it a few weeks back, but the parsimony was weird when we seemed to have done a Rick Parry "blow them out of the water" job with Buendia over Arsenal.

I'd have argued that Ward Prowse should have been the top target, that spot in midfield has been needed since we came up and only Barkley filled it for a few games before giving up.

Yep. We seem to have maid massively over the odds for Buendia, when we'd have been much better off doing the same for Ward-Prowse. That's not to write Buendia off, but Ward-Prowse is far more Premier League-ready.

Yes, and the other weird thing was that had we backed out of signing Buendia, our chances of signing Smith Rowe would have increased, he may have been less inclined to sign that deal had they bought in a new expensive player in his position.

[OCD]

Ward-Prowse still isn't the defensive midfielder that we need. Romeu does that job for Southampton and their stats without him in the team were pretty grim.

I wonder if it's giving Iroegbunam a go in that role.

[paul_e]

We bid ridiculously low for two fine central midfielders and got neither, there was obviously a need identified but it wasn't met.

True but I don't think it's as simple as that. I suspect Bailey was the alternative to Smith-Rowe so for the CM/DM that we wanted JWP was the only player we went for. Given the links I suspect we scouted a fair few others though.

[paul_e]

Ward-Prowse still isn't the defensive midfielder that we need. Romeu does that job for Southampton and their stats without him in the team were pretty grim.

I wonder if it's giving Iroegbunam a go in that role.

I sort of agree but I wonder if Smith saw the players we had as enough if they had someone leading the press/organising the midfield.