Chris Gundleton

The remaining member of the bomb squad that I would bring back into the squad. I don’t get he’s a bad influence vibes from him so no worries that he would mess with squad harmony. Clearlake was trying to get his wage off the bill, as he hasn’t gone might as well make use of that wage. I don’t buy “he doesn’t fit the system”. That’s just the club spin that Enzo has been told to use to get the high earners out…

Maybe there is a fear that Neto and Nkunku could get injured again considering their history so we certainly have cover. Would have preferred a striker but I think we will get goals from our attacking players without playing a traditional number 9 (a bit like Liverpool). Guaranteed starter is Palmer, the rest does look exciting and I am hoping to see wingers taking on their full back etc (I’ve always liked wingers as exciting to watch and I am pleased we have fast pacy types as opposed to Beckham types who aren’t known for beating their man but just put a good ball in. Pointless for us with no proper number 9). For me Palmer at 10, with either Felix or Nkunku as the 9, and then any 2 from Neto, Sancho or Madueke on the wings looks exciting. i suspect Jackson will still play though, frustratingly, and for me Guiu doesn’t really feature (not ready) and Mudryk would be an impact sub. I’m more worried about central midfield as we are only a couple of injuries away from having to play a defender for example in the centre if 2 from Lavia, Caicedo or Enzo get done but that is for another thread….

Looks we need to sign an Atletico player but which one? Personally it would be Felix for me. I would like to see a front four of Palmer, Neto, Nkunku and Felix with Guiu and Jackson remaining in the squad. If we signed Omorodion, can't see Guiu featuring much and Jackson is not going anywhere. Just feel Omorodion will stifle Guiu, with both being raw, and therefore I believe that Felix will offer more, in an attacking sense then Omorodion even if he is not a centre forward.

It's working now...

Yes. Watch Palmer's numbers drop off when told not to take any risks. When this guy is sacked in January/May, please will Wynstanley and Stewart go too. The owners hired these two to make football decisions and every single one is wrong. I don't count Palmer as reports suggest this was Joe Shields. I just don't get how these two get away with it!!!!!

I still think it was madness getting rid of Poch. As I’ve mentioned before, I thought last season was actually decent compared to the s*** show the year before. Yes we dropped lots of points but it was entertaining, lots of goals scored etc, we were a good watch, particularly from Christmas onwards. Most importantly, players wanted to play for him. Poch deserved this season with the mandate that top 4 was a must and it would be the sack if he failed. To my mind, top 4 was easily back on. Now we are back to over complicated boring keep ball, players not buying into it, or being able to do it so top 4, no chance. The press will have a field day where we will look incredibly stupid, getting rid of a manager, even though it was mutual, on an upward trajectory for Pep Lite! I don’t think Poch is a winning manager but it made sense to keep the upward trajectory for a couple of more seasons and then switch managers when we have been top 4 for a couple of seasons (I.e. when Ranieri had his 4 seasons before switching to Mourinho)…

Completely agree. Its madness when a manager decides to play a player in a position that removes all hisstrengths. A fit Reece James, I know unlikely, for a full season playing as an out and out right back I'm sure will be 10+ goals (shooting one of his strengths) and 10+ assists. We all see it, but why do all managers do crazy things. I blame Pep.... They all think they have to be radical with stupid ideas that in the end takes away a players strength....

Mmmmm, tough one. I'm inclined to go with Mourinho's first title win in first place. 2nd, Conte season one for an unexpected title win plus I really enjoyed the football played that year and the way Conte celebrated prior to the big sulks in season. 2. Third, 1996/97, first time I had seen us win anything so a special season plus that year has my favourite game of all, the 4-2 come back win in the cup against Liverpool, amazing atmosphere, even with the shed end missing! Honourable mentions, Ancelotti season 1 for the number of goals scored but agree with Argo, could have easily messed up and finished 2nd. 2012, once RDM took over for obvious reasons. 1983/84, promotion season..... Didn't enjoy Mourinho's other two title wins as much. 05/06, the title was never in doubt but hated that if we went 2-0 up in say the first 10 minutes, it was boring keep ball for the rest of the game. Although that season, I always enjoyed Crespo's goal celebrations. The title win when Mourinho came back, was fantastic until the Spurs 5-3 loss after which he pooped himself and it was a dull affair till the end of the season. Obviously, Mourinho knew what had to be done, but in terms of favourite seasons, they are below the others....

The other thing, I have his book. He slates Bobby Campbell. Says how he was nasty, particularly to Alan Dickens, destroyed his confidence etc. He really portrayed Campbell as a nasty piece of work. Then when he died, in the Chelsea programme, there was an article from Wise with him saying what a "lovely bloke" Campbell was. I know he had died, so you can't say what you really think but I recall that article in the programme and me saying to my Dad, "that's not what he said in his book...." . Incidentally, I've listened to a few podcasts from players from that era and they seemed to like Campbell but there were a few saying he was flash, posing with expensive watches which Wise alluded to as well in his book. I'm not bashing Campbell, I just found it interesting that Wise had done a complete u-turn, thought he may have said "can you ask someone else" as I tend to believe his book is what he really thinks.

I recall annoying some fans sitting behind me at one of his early games at the Bridge as I kept shouting "will you take him on!" and a bloke behind said " will you shut up". Ha ha. I would have been about 17... Was wanting a Pat Nevin style winger but we got a Beckham type (i.e. a good cross without beating the full back). Average winger but a masterstroke when moved to the middle and rightly credited as a legend....

FFS, didn’t want RDZ but I’ll 100% take him over Enzo. I f****** hate boring possession based sh*te.

With the exception of Ranieri, we always win something with an Italian manager. The Europa conference it is. Don't want RDZ.... Mentioning Ranieri, it's crazy that he is our longest serving manager since, I reckon, John Neal (4 years...).

McKenna goes to Brighton. We take RDZ. We sack RDZ end of next season. We go to Brighton for McKenna. We sack McKenna at Christmas. We go to Brighton.....rinse and repeat....

....and just think, those extra 6 points that we should have taken from the 2-2 draws with Brentford, Burnley and Sheffield United, we would have finished 4th. I'm 100% Poch in.....

Compared to last season's borefest I'd be happy to have another season of Poch, even with the s*** defending. He has solved our scoring problem so if we have a whole season playing like we have had in the 2nd half of this, we'd be comfortably in Champions League qualification places. Id rather win 3-2, with the emotional highs and lows during the game, then a controlled but dull 1-0. Another season of Poch and then handover to the new more guaranteed up and coming manager. I've been going since 1982, so saw us before Gullit, Vialli, Zola era and the Roman era etc, I can honestly say, for a season where we have not won anything, I have been entertained and we are a good watch.

Excellent again. I am seeing another Kante, Essien, Ramires type player which every team needs. Well done Moises!

I thought ex-players threads are moved elsewhere on the forum?

For me, he is a poor, poor man's Thierry Henry. Every game he does something amazing with some impressive skill but then does something s*** in the same move... Normally not releasing the ball with a teammate in acres of space. He's had a strong end to the season in terms of numbers but a I am a little concerned that the MDs will say no new striker needed. I'd feel better about this if we could rely on Nkunku remaining fit but that is never going to happen. Personally, I'd say to the MDs, get rid of Sterling, Jackson replaces Sterling in the squad and therefore we free up a space for a central striker.

....and when we lose 2 more players after tomorrow, the youth will get a run out against WHU.

Beyond a joke! So it will be the 10 fit "first-team" players plus Gilchrist starting tomorrow. Easiest prediction of a starting 11 ever....

That’s what I mean, at the time he was a level below what we were used to, but at least 5 times better than Jackson. A competent centre forward and we win today!

100% agree. Jackson is f******* garbage. The amount of times he ran with it and could have passed but hogged it. A Demba Ba level of striker would have 2 today!

Nothing more Poch could do. Better striker who can take chances and we would have won the League Cup and be in the FA Cup final…..

That’s bollocks, no movement needed for that header that anyone with any ounce of football ability would put in. Another centre forward and we win that match!

I'm on the fence with Poch, but I do think some on here are giving him some unnecessary stick. Take for example Sanchez. Don't all managers play their 2nd keeper in the cups? By that token, Tuchel f***** up big time by playing Kepa in the final against Leicester as we all know Mandy saves the shot from Tielemans. We should all be grateful that Poch has made the right decision that Petrovic is his number 1. Also, that greedy f**** Sterling with the penalty, how is that on Poch. I remember when we needed to beat Wigan to win the league with Carlo. We were leading 1-0, get a penalty and Drogba had a massive row with Frank on the pitch as he wanted to take it (at that point we had no idea we'd win 8-0). Frank took it and Drogba sulked the entire 1st half. If that had been with Poch some on here would have said poor management - ridiculous!I Poch needs to make more effort to bond with the fans but must be hard when a lot of them are giving him.criticism for some ridiculous stuff. As I mentioned in earlier thread, a lot of you have forgotten that last year we couldn't score at all, I'm enjoying the fact that we now score and are able to come.back when things don't go well during matches.