Rayvin

What is now our strongest starting 11 then, do we think. I agree this is the best team we've ever had.

I also suspect that we couldn't sign Wissa until the Isak deal was done, which is why we were within 30 seconds of failing to do so. I wouldn't put it past Liverpool to have tried to force that to go against us actually.

To be realistic, we had clearly tied up Wissa in terms of negotiations before we pulled the lever on Isak. Everything from the point of our press release about accepting £130m onwards was just theatre IMO.

What is that even meant to mean? If that's supposed to be some kind of zinger it's fallen flat for me.

I think we had as good a window as was possible given the elements we couldn't control, and also the poor situation in the board room. I do not believe any better window was possible from about July onwards. That being said, Fish is still right IMO. Had we sorted the executive and wider structure, this would have been a much better window. We need to do better in future, we cannot afford to go into another summer like this.

He could have, but if Gordon is a man of any character and Isak is actually his friend, he may have wished to do this publicly. I know it leaves a very sour taste to those of us who Isak has just betrayed, but if Gordon and Botman are genuinely his friends then... I just don't think we should overreact to it really.

The fact that some of the players are doing this speaks slightly better of Isak than I had started to think was possible. Maybe not a complete sociopath after all then. Either way they're all grown men and they're allowed to respond as they need to - and Gordon in particular I think I can understand this from given how we treated him the previous summer.

Good post, agree with much if it. I think we put this on the boardroom chaos and hopefully the Saudis learn from it this time. That being said, im happy with what we've added and i feel like the team has never been stronger even if we haven't applied ourselves as efficiently as we could have.

Also encouraging to hear that the club are looking at talks with Livramento, Tonali and Botman for contract renewals. I can't recall if I heard that here, on reddit, in random articles somewhere, but I heard it.

From Hope's paywalled article in the Mail - I've not gotten into the article myself but this screenshot is doing the rounds. Who do we reckon? Some suggestion either Big Joe or Lascelles.

Pays respect to Brentford in his initial interview tbf to him.

By way of comparison, here is what we said when Kuol left - a man who never played for us

The most damning judgement he could receive, right there

Doesn't even mention the goals Osula would have had more of a farewell than that.

Did anyone see the one Burnley did the other day for one of their new signings Maybe that was covered elsewhere, but it's starting to feel like clubs are just letting interns run wild.

Welcome Yoane - big upgrade on Wilson, at least last year's version. He'll get a lot of love here I'm sure.

Yeah I mean, I don't think anyone expected Donnarumma to suddenly be on the market. For clubs at that level, it's stupid not to take him. Trafford may have a high ceiling but Donna is world class already and they have him for his best years.

Yeah today was not the day for that article.

If I was him I'd wait till summer and ask for that signing on.

Or £70m in January...

Aye but in fairness to him he's been a model professional throughout the whole affair, even scored a goal for Palace last night. He'll go for a huge signing on bonus next summer, which is about what Parish deserves anyway. It's mainly Liverpool who are hurt by this, which suits me nicely.

I think it might be Palace's incompetence that has fucked it mind, they did get a replacement just not quick enough. EDIT - huh, I thought they'd landed that deal but I guess not. Well, good.

Guehi falls through - pleased at that even if it's just for a season. He would probably have been more important to them than Ratsak.

We submitted one for Wissa mind

It's an odd on though, no? Why would you play hardball on Wolt's price only to pay more than it for a lesser player a few days later?