The Championship 2020-21

Apparently they've slapped a £50m price tag on Brooks, and the as good as he is, I don't think he's as good as Sarr, although he is homegrown so there's that. King's another one of those who you'd have just assumed would have attracted Prem interest, but it hasn't happened yet, and might not now that they're not in drastic need to sell for peanuts

 

£50m for Brooks?

Um..

 

The guy is absolutely mint, deserves to stay in the Premier League, especially as he can't be blamed for Bournemouth's relegation, but Bournemouth obviously aren't going to just give him away

 

Sure, but that's a big old fee...

Trying to scare off buyers.

 

Brooks isn't fit to lace Sarr's boots

 

weirdly my kid (7) has just discovered the original scooby doo , I would have sworn that when I grew up with scooby in the 70’s it was pesky kids , but all of the original episodes I have seen use meddling kids - what the **** is going on , was the phrase changes in the UK or do we all remember it wrong

clearly this is neither important or football related

 

I am sure it was "pesky" (troublesome/vexatious) in the original series.
The word seems to have originated in New England in the late 18th century - possibly with roots in Essex dialect.

 

i was absolutely convinced as well, but if you google it the standard was meddling kids with a couple of variations much later on

 

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be

 

Pesky is an old Essex term used by the local Saxons/Danes to describe the Normans. frencisc þost þeofung was reduced to þost. þost over time became pesky. It is no longer allowed in the US in the same way the N word is no longer allowed. It will have been changed on any old TV programs and books. This is not new. Chaucer, being one of the invaders, did not use the word in any of his writing.

 

Didn't think I remembered it from The Canterbury Tales!

 

Maybe the odd reference to 'that pesky Grendel' by Beowulf.

 

You wouldn't because I just made it all up. I even got my Old English grammar wrong. þost should be þostas as in þá þostas -
those *****.

 

Definitely meddling kids

 

Pesky a banned word? What levels of moronic wokery do they have in the US these days?

 

Yes, agree. No recollection of “pesky”.

 

Josh King off to Torino, odd one

 

Very strange.

 

Yeah, it's difficult to see what about Turin would attract a player...

 

Much like Bournemouth.

Don't see a Harry Ramsden's though?

 

Sounds like New York Red Bulls are paying €2m for Struber.

 

Seems like Norwich are having the same fun we've had, with Buendia and Cantwell essentially downing tools.

 

I think they've been blind sided by it more than us. We expected a majority who have have left so far to leave as well as a few others still to go. I think Norwich were banking on them more to stay.

 

Time to revisit the squad situation as we fast approach the first transfer window closure:-

Sold
Gomes (retired)
Holebas (released)
Mariappa (released)
Foulquier (£1.5m)
Santana (undisclosed)
Aias (undisclosed)
Becerra (undisclosed)
Doucoure (£20m)
Estupinan (£15m)
Pereyra (£13m)

Total income (£49.5m) plus salary savings on 4 high earners.

Possible transfers
Pussetto (£7m)
Dawson (£5.5m)
Penaranda (loan)
Suarez (£13.6m)
Deulofeu (loan with obligation £25m)
Welbeck (£5.5m)
Success (loan)
Capoue (£5-7m)
Deeney (£5m)
Sarr (£40m + add-ons)
Femenia (£5m)

Long-term Injuries
Navarro (injured)
Masina (injured)
Janmaat (injured)

Squad
GK
Foster, Bachmann, Parkes (3)
LB/LWB
Sema, Masina (2)
RB/RWB
Ngakia, Janmatt (2)
CB
Cathcart, Troost-Ekong, Kabasele, Wilmot, Sierralta, Mariappa (to re-sign) (6)
MF
Cleverley, Chalobah, Quina, Dele-Bashiru, Garner, Hughes (6)
LW
Sinclair (1)
RW
Pedro (1)
FW
Murray, Perica, Gray (3)

Now, the interesting bit. Who from the 'Possible transfers' list is likely to come back in?

For my money, if Sarr goes then Pussetto stays. Penaranda will only go on loan if we do not lose lots of players. Right now, he seems surplus to requirements, but of course depending on squad numbers will dictate if he stays or not.

I've always felt Deulofeu will be with us until January. It was fanciful to think he'd get over a major injury and fighting fit to play by October. It works out well for us, but he'll be gone in January so don't get too used to him being around.

Welbeck and Deeney could be two bonus players for our squad. If Suarez and Sarr do go, which seems likely, we would certainly need both these players around.

So, from the big players, I expect we could have Deeney, Deulofeu and Welbeck to add back to the squad. Sarr would be a massive bonus, but that all depends on United.

 

Think those are some very optimistic valuations of Deeney, Dawson and Welbeck.

Also is Deeney is our replacement for Sarr, please can someone just shoot me now.

 

Obviously they're not in a position where they have to sell, but from an outsider's point of view, I'm surprised they haven't been picked up, both young and off the back of a good season in the top flight. Limitations of their yoyo model I suppose

 

Welbeck and Deeney for a combined £170k per week is not a bonus, it’s a millstone round the neck. Their wages are the reason no-one will take them. I expect Dawson, Success and Penaranda will also stay. The rest of the ‘possibles’ are likely to go.

If Deulofeu stays I’d bet he won’t actually play a game for us before leaving in January.

 

We couldn't play Welbeck without renegotiating his pay to play deal.

 

Or paying him, presumably?

 

What is actually wrong with Janmaat, ffs? Seen players with ACL ruptures in both knees come back quicker.

 

Good summary, thanks for the work.

I think Sarr will stay now. Utd seems pretty hell bent on getting Sancho, and even if they didnt Sarr is going to be thinking h0w much game time he wont be getting at Utd. He seems sensible and aware that young players need to be playing regularily. Id say someone like Palace might make a late swoop if Zaha goes.

 

A minor change, but I would group Success with the long term injury list. That achilles injury picked up in training I believe will carry on until at least November if I am remebering the time given for typical rehab correctly.

 

Two players from the mighty Watford FC in the Sky Sports Championship team of the month. Cathcart and Ngakia.

 

Good old Cathcart, surprised some had written him off completely before the season had even started.