Damian Vidagany - Director of Football

[Demitri_C]

Better off saying  your back tracking but hey ho

[Clampy]

We're getting transfer advice off a poster who in the space of a couple of weeks said he would happily get rid of our back four (who got us Champions league football), bring back a 19 year old who hasn't kicked a ball for us and suggested  a swap type deal which would mean us losing one of the hottest properties in European football and he wonders why I cringe.

[Gareth]

Another thing to consider is that manager's don't just sign players for the following season but for the future.Yep, the window could have been better but it was hardly a fuck up.

Spot on Clampy…

Nothing can be ok it has to be marvellous or shit…nothing in between

[Gareth]

Last season at xmas after 18 games we sat 3rd. With 39 points and GD +16. This season with one game less played we sit 9th with 28 points and -3 difference. Im pretty sure in fact almost certain if we failed FFP and had the 10 point deduction we wouldnt be far off where  we are now with a better side. Even with a point deduction it would likely be reduced on appeal like they normally are. Forest being a prime example took the deduction and look at them now.

Not factoring in being in the Champions League as part of your equation then….comparing last season to this is nothing like comparing like with like.

[Olneythelonely]

Better off saying  your back tracking but hey ho

If by back tracking you mean admitting you might be wrong, then yeah, it’s infinitely better than doubling down on something stupid.

You missed my previous point, unsurprisingly. Why isn’t everyone just taking the 10 point deduction, if it’s as easy as just buying players = 10 more points? What about the UEFA penalty too? Just take whatever they throw at us too?

You need to understand, the incredulity with which some people have towards some of your posts isn’t because you have a different opinion. It’s often because it’s bat shit. This is far from one of your most out there opinions.

[PaulWinch again]

I’m happy enough with the window for the most part - hate the Doug deal, but understand the reasons. Onana is going to be very good, Maatsen longer-term will be an excellent signing. The one error, and I understand it to an extent, was selling Diaby and thinking they’d largely covered what he brought with Philogene. That, in my view, is still the biggest issue with the squad because it’s stops us turning the tide when we’re under pressure and limits our flexibility.

[OCD]

I’m happy enough with the window for the most part - hate the Doug deal, but understand the reasons. Onana is going to be very good, Maatsen longer-term will be an excellent signing. The one error, and I understand it to an extent, was selling Diaby and thinking they’d largely covered what he brought with Philogene. That, in my view, is still the biggest issue with the squad because it’s stops us turning the tide when we’re under pressure and limits our flexibility.

That can be summed up by simply saying Philogene hasn't worked out, which so far he hasn't. But that's going to happen from time to time, they're not all going to be a Rogers. Even Fergie bought a few duds in his time.

[PaulWinch again]

It’s more than that thought it’s also getting rid of Diaby.

[Somniloquism]

I thought Diaby was because his wages would push us over the European PSR which would have meant we were kicked out of the CL. We could have got rid of someone else (Digne for example), but being as there was an obvious buyer for Diaby in Saudi Arabia, (and potentially he might not have settled either), Diaby was the one let go.

[The Edge]

Better off saying  your back tracking but hey ho

Glad I don't go drinking with you. You remind me of someone I used to knock about with. He could start an argument on his own in a phone box.

[Percy McCarthy]

I’m happy enough with the window for the most part - hate the Doug deal, but understand the reasons. Onana is going to be very good, Maatsen longer-term will be an excellent signing. The one error, and I understand it to an extent, was selling Diaby and thinking they’d largely covered what he brought with Philogene. That, in my view, is still the biggest issue with the squad because it’s stops us turning the tide when we’re under pressure and limits our flexibility.

I’m interested to know why you think Philogene is Diaby’s replacement when they play in different positions for us.

[Dave]

I’m happy enough with the window for the most part - hate the Doug deal, but understand the reasons. Onana is going to be very good, Maatsen longer-term will be an excellent signing. The one error, and I understand it to an extent, was selling Diaby and thinking they’d largely covered what he brought with Philogene. That, in my view, is still the biggest issue with the squad because it’s stops us turning the tide when we’re under pressure and limits our flexibility.

I’m interested to know why you think Philogene is Diaby’s replacement when they play in different positions for us.

Because building and managing a squad isn't a case of replacing roles like-for-like.

So Onana isn't a "replacement" for Douglas Luiz, nor is Barkley. The closest thing is Tielemans, who is now doing most of the stuff on the pitch that DL was doing for us last season. But there was other stuff that he did which is now being done by other people. So his role on the pitch is being replaced in varying ways by all of Kamara, Onana, Barkley and Tielemans.

So Philogene is Diaby’s replacement in the sense that his departure left a gap for an attacker in the squad. And as you hint at, most of the stuff that Diaby offered has been replaced and improved upon already by Rogers.

But some of the stuff that Diaby did, Rogers can't do (mainly filling in on the wing for Bailey when needed and worrying teams about the bloke who could run into space really fast). So Philogene is supposed to be replacing those bits, but not doing it as well as Rogers is doing his.

[Percy McCarthy]

I’m happy enough with the window for the most part - hate the Doug deal, but understand the reasons. Onana is going to be very good, Maatsen longer-term will be an excellent signing. The one error, and I understand it to an extent, was selling Diaby and thinking they’d largely covered what he brought with Philogene. That, in my view, is still the biggest issue with the squad because it’s stops us turning the tide when we’re under pressure and limits our flexibility.

I’m interested to know why you think Philogene is Diaby’s replacement when they play in different positions for us.

Because building and managing a squad isn't a case of replacing roles like-for-like.

So Onana isn't a "replacement" for Douglas Luiz, nor is Barkley. The closest thing is Tielemans, who is now doing most of the stuff on the pitch that DL was doing for us last season. But there was other stuff that he did which is now being done by other people. The stuff that he did is now being done by a combination of other players.

So Philogene is Diaby’s replacement in the sense that his departure left a gap for an attacker in the squad. And most of the stuff that Diaby offered has been replaced and improved upon already by Rogers.

But some of the stuff that Diaby did, Rogers can't do (mainly filling in on the wing for Bailey when needed and worrying teams about the bloke who could run into space really fast). So Philogene is supposed to be replacing those bits, but not doing it as well as Rogers is doing his.

Yes. Tielemans was Dougie’s replacement, as was confirmed after Dougie was sold. That was the plan.

Rogers wasn’t the plan to replace Diaby, but his performances at the end of last season facilitated the sale of Diaby as it was clear we had happened upon a replacement.

[Dave]

Yes. But given Diaby played in Bailey's position at times last season with Tielemans pushed up with Watkins, we can't do that with Rogers (or we could, but his time at Boro hints that it might not be very effective), so we needed "the guy to fill in for Bailey".

Hence Philogene.

[VillaTim]

The main reason we are seemingly missing Diaby is because in August Bailey 2.0 turned up instead of Bailey.