What’s the story with Hill? Is it a situation where the injuries mean that his time has passed, or do you think the club still value him?
Yeah his time has passed but right now I think he is just happy to be playing again. He looks to be no less intense in his pressing. Maybe he stays another year to get his fitness levels 100% or maybe he can find a good move this summer. I think he could be someone that drops into L2 or non-league and finds his way back to a top end L1/CH side in a few years.
I expect a lot of teams will be gunshy of his injury history so he’ll likely have to go to a level where his talent is much higher than the average player, those clubs are more likely to take a shot on him.
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Harvey Blair’s move to Portsmouth is complete
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This is one I find interesting given the interpretations we were getting at the begginning of pre-season of Slot specifically ear marking him as one to spend more time with the seniors than the U21s.
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I guess he spent the time, worked hard, did well and then the other guys came back and Slot realized he’s miles away from what we require. Early pre-season is like the first round of American Idol where everyone who can hold a note sounds amazing, then you get to the live shows and when you can compare them all right next to each other then the flaws show themselves a lot more clearly.
Portsmouth is a great move for Blair though, hope he smashes it.
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I think it was probably incorrectly interpreted as a preference to Danns prior to realizing Danns was struggling with something and so wasnt available to make up numbers with the seniors.
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I’m not sure Slot working with someone means that he thinks that player will necessarily be part of the squad.
Instead, something respectful to the work these kids are putting in, human decency and helping them unearth some of their potential so they can go on and have a better career.
I was referencing reporting that after the first week when most of the kids went back to train with the reserves slot, had explicitly made a point of asking him to continue to train with the first team. There was a lot of reporting about that, supposedly, how much slot liked him.
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@Sweeting How good is Nyoni? I’ve seen his name a few places, Slot just said he’s training with first team everyday when talking about selling young players. Is he the next logical one to make the leap up? I gotta think he’s a year or three away from being in contention for the squad.
I know we are big on including sell on fees when we sell players, but do you know if we also include any buy back clause for the younger lads?
Nyoni has made a name for himself in preseason, with excellent displays on the US tour.
I’d say he’s already on the fringes of the matchday squad, although he obviously still needs game time to develop.
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I think someone posted the goal in another thread.
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With main transfer activities being finished - any info regarding Jakub Ojrzynski (was on trial in Poland afaik), James Balagizi, Oakley Cannonier and Isaac Mabaya?
Balagizi and Mabaya are injured, Cannonier played in pre-season but I haven’t seen or heard anything since and not sure on Ojrzynski.
Some countries still have their transfer windows open so still opportunities for him to get out for the season.
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Nice goal by Balagizi after great work by Morisson, that’s what Szobo should’ve done yesterday. 
Morisson testing the keeper again, good pressing high up to win it back.
1-1. Poor mistake by the CB Lucky punished, dwelled too long on the ball looking for the switch.
Was hoping to see the 2 new boys and Trey but looks like they’ve already linked up with the England youth teams.
2-1 up, sheer quality goal. First the run by Balagizi, that was a Grav like surge forward. Gives it to Morrison edge of the box who shifts it onto his weaker foot and finds the bottom corner. Loved that!
Jonas, not Lucky.
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I’m really interested to see what Dom Corness’ career trajectory will be. He’s a bit lacking athletically to make it here, just can’t cover ground quickly enough, but his left foot is so good - Ward-Prowse level on set pieces - that I am really curious what standard of football he can turn that in to.
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Charlie Adam?