Lucas Digne - Signed

[Drummond]

At the moment we have full backs not contributing. They hang around, wide, shouting for the ball and don't get it. Then are stuck to far forward when it's our turn to defend.

[Mister E]

At the moment we have full backs not contributing. They hang around, wide, shouting for the ball and don't get it. Then are stuck to far forward when it's our turn to defend.

Tactics are wrong: maybe in the slower / less skilled Scottish League you could do what we're trying to do but without a decent defensive MF, the fullback-as-main-attack strategy is killing us.
We'd be much better off with the Smith 4-3-3 approach right now; THEN, get to the end of the season and do what everyone is advocating - BRING IN A DMF, FFS - so that we can set up in a more balanced and flexible manner thereafter.

[Dave]

Official Twitter have just sent a "you'll be back stronger" message to Digne.

Presumably out for a while then?

[Brazilian Villain]

Official Twitter have just sent a "you'll be back stronger" message to Digne.

Presumably out for a while then?

Doesn't sound good, hopefully he'll be back for next season's opener.

[eamonn]

Can we recall Targett? Barcodes are safe.

[Meanwood Villa]

Who plays LB for the kids? Or will it be Young and Hause stepping in?

[aldridgeboy]

Bad news by the sound of it.
But at least we can play Targett, as an already proven premier full back.

Oh, hang on a moment 😞

[Taylor]

Bad news by the sound of it.
But at least we can play Targett, as an already proven premier full back.

Oh, hang on a moment 😞

We do have one of the most experienced full backs to play the game though.

[Goldenballs]

Loaning out Targett was a shocking decision. And I don't give a shit if he had a bit of a nervous breakdown when we signed some competition, we should've told him to suck it up.

[Risso]

Loaning out Targett was a shocking decision. And I don't give a shit if he had a bit of a nervous breakdown when we signed some competition, we should've told him to suck it up.

I think it was more a case of Gerrard not rating him to be honest.

[Goldenballs]

Loaning out Targett was a shocking decision. And I don't give a shit if he had a bit of a nervous breakdown when we signed some competition, we should've told him to suck it up.

I think it was more a case of Gerrard not rating him to be honest.

Didn't he do an interview saying he was was disappointed etc, then Gerrard saying he only wanted committed players, or some of the usual guff? Sounded more to me like Targett wet his pants.

As much as I like Young, I'd rather have Targett at left back than for an extended run of games.

[eamonn]

Ash Young is too easy to be physically bullied these days without his pace of yore.

[SoccerHQ]

I presumed he'd just pulled a muscle walking off as he did.

Mind you I remember Okore walking off, did his ACL and was never the same.

Yeah Young v Saka dosen't look a great match up at all. Personally once we have a run of easier games I'd give Chishane a few starts.

[LeonW]

Loaning out Targett was a shocking decision. And I don't give a shit if he had a bit of a nervous breakdown when we signed some competition, we should've told him to suck it up.

I think it was more a case of Gerrard not rating him to be honest.

Didn't he do an interview saying he was was disappointed etc, then Gerrard saying he only wanted committed players, or some of the usual guff? Sounded more to me like Targett wet his pants.

As much as I like Young, I'd rather have Targett at left back than for an extended run of games.

I could understand selling Targett if a decent offer came in. But loaning him to Newcastle is a decision I found and still find baffling. Whichever was true of him wanting to be a first teamer or Gerrard not wholly rating him, we’re in the middle of a season. Why help Newcastle out with no strong alternative? Even if you think Young is still capable of doing a job, he can’t do it 2 or 3 times a week if Digne were to get injured. Plus the problem with a loan is that if it doesn’t work out, it often leads to the value of a player going down. So the only benefit we get is having his wages off the books for a few months. The upside isn’t worth it.

[Drummond]

The player wanted football and clearly wasn't going to get it with us.