Wilson ruled out of final 3 games

[bodacious benny]

Thank god we’re safe!

Definitely need to sign cover for him as these hamstring injuries seem pretty common.

[Speedo]

Tbh I suspect they were prepared to risk it if we weren't safe, but are now being conservative (which is the right thing to do). But still a shame. Hopefully a chance for Elliot Anderson to get a game, albeit he's not a pure striker. So probs will be some more Joelinton.

[bodacious benny]

Nah, Bruce has given Anderson his 5 mins for the season so that’s him done. I mean what kind of manager would do something as wreck-less as giving a young player with potential a couple of dead rubber games at the end of the season to show what he can do? That’s crazy talk.

[Don Sholeone]

The way Wilson's last injury dragged on makes me think he wasn't quite 100% when coming back but we knew we needed him so took the risk. I can't remember him struggling or pulling up against Leicester so there is a good chance this is just carry on from the last one. Either way he has a long rest now to get himself back to 100%, I think decent cover for him is a must in the window though. Hopefully there is something in the Armstrong links.

[Colback's Orange Tufts]

Hes always gonna have stretches out. We'll struggle again with this next season

[bodacious benny]

The way Wilson's last injury dragged on makes me think he wasn't quite 100% when coming back but we knew we needed him so took the risk. I can't remember him struggling or pulling up against Leicester so there is a good chance this is just carry on from the last one. Either way he has a long rest now to get himself back to 100%, I think decent cover for him is a must in the window though. Hopefully there is something in the Armstrong links.

Yeah, I think about 3 months until the start of next season so lots of rest and conditioning work hopefully. It's good that we don't have to throw him in v Sheffield Utd or Fulham and risk a serious long-term injury (as we've done before with Lejeune).

[lassassinblanc]

I'll be devils advocate here, I don't think we done too bad without him Saint Max was the real key for us.

Definitely agree that he may have risked a little more if we weren't safe, I remember something similar a few years back with Lascelles were he played through an injury until we were safe then had an operation to fix it.

I'll also add in my years of playing and working in football I've never come across a player who is 100% fit.

Will definitely be an area we should be looking at in the summer.

[bodacious benny]

I'll be devils advocate here, I don't think we done too bad without him Saint Max was the real key for us.

Definitely agree that he may have risked a little more if we weren't safe, I remember something similar a few years back with Lascelles were he played through an injury until we were safe then had an operation to fix it.

I'll also add in my years of playing and working in football I've never come across a player who is 100% fit.

Will definitely be an area we should be looking at in the summer.

Not sure I'd agree on the ASM point, prior to his most recent return from injury he hadn't really done much this season. If you think back to before there was a Covid outbreak he was having a very average at best season. For me Wilson has been far more important this season.

[Speedo]

The way Wilson's last injury dragged on makes me think he wasn't quite 100% when coming back but we knew we needed him so took the risk. I can't remember him struggling or pulling up against Leicester so there is a good chance this is just carry on from the last one. Either way he has a long rest now to get himself back to 100%, I think decent cover for him is a must in the window though. Hopefully there is something in the Armstrong links.

I think he did it with basically the last kick of the game, when he took a shot from miles out and badly miscued it. But as others have said, it's probably an abundance-of-caution thing, especially given his past ACL injuries (the way they rebuild it puts more strain on the hamstring, according to my physio this lunchtime...)

[Remember Colo]

I'll be devils advocate here, I don't think we done too bad without him Saint Max was the real key for us.

Definitely agree that he may have risked a little more if we weren't safe, I remember something similar a few years back with Lascelles were he played through an injury until we were safe then had an operation to fix it.

I'll also add in my years of playing and working in football I've never come across a player who is 100% fit.

Will definitely be an area we should be looking at in the summer.

Not sure I'd agree on the ASM point, prior to his most recent return from injury he hadn't really done much this season. If you think back to before there was a Covid outbreak he was having a very average at best season. For me Wilson has been far more important this season.

I'd agree that Wilson was more important in the first half of the season, and ASM has been more vital to our late season turnaround. I think ASM was really playing through some niggling injuries early in the year even before he went down with the COVID. Looking forward, I think we still need another striker we can rely on for some production when Wilson is injured or needing rest. But as everyone knows, I don't think any strikers will meet their potential until we overhaul the central midfield.

[lassassinblanc]

Not sure I'd agree on the ASM point, prior to his most recent return from injury he hadn't really done much this season. If you think back to before there was a Covid outbreak he was having a very average at best season. For me Wilson has been far more important this season.

I'd agree that Wilson was more important in the first half of the season, and ASM has been more vital to our late season turnaround. I think ASM was really playing through some niggling injuries early in the year even before he went down with the COVID. Looking forward, I think we still need another striker we can rely on for some production when Wilson is injured or needing rest. But as everyone knows, I don't think any strikers will meet their potential until we overhaul the central midfield.

Yep agreed Colo

[Valentino's fast feet]

I'll be devils advocate here, I don't think we done too bad without him Saint Max was the real key for us.

Definitely agree that he may have risked a little more if we weren't safe, I remember something similar a few years back with Lascelles were he played through an injury until we were safe then had an operation to fix it.

I'll also add in my years of playing and working in football I've never come across a player who is 100% fit.

Will definitely be an area we should be looking at in the summer.

Completely blanking on his name now, Croatian defender, played at Liverpool and Saints. He said something similar, I think it was a long the lines of if a player waits until he's 100% fit to play, then he'll never play.

I'd agree that Wilson was more important in the first half of the season, and ASM has been more vital to our late season turnaround. I think ASM was really playing through some niggling injuries early in the year even before he went down with the COVID. Looking forward, I think we still need another striker we can rely on for some production when Wilson is injured or needing rest. But as everyone knows, I don't think any strikers will meet their potential until we overhaul the central midfield.

Let's bring Armstrong back

[lassassinblanc]

I'll be devils advocate here, I don't think we done too bad without him Saint Max was the real key for us.

Definitely agree that he may have risked a little more if we weren't safe, I remember something similar a few years back with Lascelles were he played through an injury until we were safe then had an operation to fix it.

I'll also add in my years of playing and working in football I've never come across a player who is 100% fit.

Will definitely be an area we should be looking at in the summer.

Completely blanking on his name now, Croatian defender, played at Liverpool and Saints. He said something similar, I think it was a long the lines of if a player waits until he's 100% fit to play, then he'll never play.

I'd agree that Wilson was more important in the first half of the season, and ASM has been more vital to our late season turnaround. I think ASM was really playing through some niggling injuries early in the year even before he went down with the COVID. Looking forward, I think we still need another striker we can rely on for some production when Wilson is injured or needing rest. But as everyone knows, I don't think any strikers will meet their potential until we overhaul the central midfield.

Let's bring Armstrong back

Lovren

[Valentino's fast feet]

Completely blanking on his name now, Croatian defender, played at Liverpool and Saints. He said something similar, I think it was a long the lines of if a player waits until he's 100% fit to play, then he'll never play.



Let's bring Armstrong back

Lovren

Ta Completely slipped my mind haha

[Sanchino]

The way Wilson's last injury dragged on makes me think he wasn't quite 100% when coming back but we knew we needed him so took the risk. I can't remember him struggling or pulling up against Leicester so there is a good chance this is just carry on from the last one. Either way he has a long rest now to get himself back to 100%, I think decent cover for him is a must in the window though. Hopefully there is something in the Armstrong links.

This. Armstrong would be ideal.. if not there's a few names which we should look at.. Diagne at West Brom looks a handful & could be a upgraded Carroll replacement. Would anyone take Mitrovic back from Fulham? Morelos from Rangers or Edouard from Celtic both look too good for the SPL would take either one of them? If we're looking outside of the UK.. Paul Onuachu from the Belgium League is a tall 6ft 7 beast of a striker he's scored 31 goals in 35 league games.. Arsenal are linked to him. Maybe dip into the Czech market which has been West Ham's transfer blueprint to success.. Jan Kuchta & Abdallah Sima look like talents. Dusan Vlahovic from Florentina who's only 21 & has scored 21 goals for a mid-table Florentina side this season. Usually I wouldn't say buy from the Dutch League as a lot of flops have been exported to the Prem.. but for every Kezmen & Alfonso Alves there's a Van Nisteroude & Dusan Tadic. Anyway Donyell Malen looks looks like a star in the making... bigger clubs are fishing for him so it'll be tough but he's young, pacey, technical & skilful.

Whoever it may be.. we can't simply rely on Gayle & Joelinton to score on a regular basis.. we need more than that. Carroll looks past it & is set to leave. As good as ASM has looked recently upfront I still prefer him on the wing but he's starting to get accustomed to the striker role in the 3-5-2 system. So we definitely need a striker to compete & deputise for Wilson.

[bodacious benny]

Diagne has looked quite good and could be available on loan, so would suit Ashley. Plus he signed for WBA so he's clearly not bothered about playing for a decent team Wouldn't be surprised at all if we got someone like him on loan.

Mitrovic no, that ship has sailed and he's had a couple of seasons in the PL with Fulham and not done a lot (especially this season).

Morelos is a psycho and presumably wants to play in the CL for Rangers, Edouard I'd like but likely to be way out of our price range. Can't say I know any of the others names you mention but certainly some impressive scoring records.

[overseasTOON]

Looks like we need ASM to carry us to the giddy heights of 13th place in the league.

[bodacious benny]

Looks like we need ASM to carry us to the giddy heights of 13th place in the league.

13th place is the aspirational target

[Remember Colo]

Diagne has looked quite good and could be available on loan, so would suit Ashley. Plus he signed for WBA so he's clearly not bothered about playing for a decent team Wouldn't be surprised at all if we got someone like him on loan.

Mitrovic no, that ship has sailed and he's had a couple of seasons in the PL with Fulham and not done a lot (especially this season).

Morelos is a psycho and presumably wants to play in the CL for Rangers, Edouard I'd like but likely to be way out of our price range. Can't say I know any of the others names you mention but certainly some impressive scoring records.

When it comes to price range, I think it'll be interesting to see how the transfer market responds to the global economy. England dominated the previous window(s), and a lot of clubs are probably even worse off now. Doesn't mean we'll likely big big spenders, but a lot of clubs probably aren't in a position to hold out for max price, nor will others have the same budget for spending themselves.

[Speedo]

Diagne has looked quite good and could be available on loan, so would suit Ashley. Plus he signed for WBA so he's clearly not bothered about playing for a decent team Wouldn't be surprised at all if we got someone like him on loan.

Mitrovic no, that ship has sailed and he's had a couple of seasons in the PL with Fulham and not done a lot (especially this season).

Morelos is a psycho and presumably wants to play in the CL for Rangers, Edouard I'd like but likely to be way out of our price range. Can't say I know any of the others names you mention but certainly some impressive scoring records.

When it comes to price range, I think it'll be interesting to see how the transfer market responds to the global economy. England dominated the previous window(s), and a lot of clubs are probably even worse off now. Doesn't mean we'll likely big big spenders, but a lot of clubs probably aren't in a position to hold out for max price, nor will others have the same budget for spending themselves.

Prices have definitely gone down - Willock quoted at £20m is a good example, a young english player who scored 5 in 11 would've cost £40m 2 years ago. But I think there'll be a lot more free transfers/cheap deals, especially to England from Europe where they've been hit worse financially. The new domestic Prem TV deal (same terms, 3 yr extension) is a lot better than most countries have managed (Germany down 5%; Italy down 25%; France much worse than that)