Summer Window 2026 - Rumours and Discussion

Garrymanilow said:

wmcf123 said:

Garrymanilow said:

It's very weird on here at the moment. Nathaniel Chalobah played one friendly game for us and looked good against L2 opposition, but then so did Mwamba. Chalobah was thought of as the next big thing at Chelsea but wasn't ever able to live up to expectations. He's played a little at Premier League level but mostly Championship and in that time he's not exactly played a lot. Hi busiest season recently was in 23/24 where he played 882 Championship minutes. That's slightly less than 5 minutes a game across a 46 game season. His next busiest season before that was in 20/21, 6 seasons ago, and even then he was averaging about 57 minutes a game. 

The bloke hasn't been a first choice midfielder at this level for 6 years three clubs ago and yet people are shouting about getting him in because we're that desperate to see some transfer movement. Doc and Coventry aren't brilliant but they're available and I guarantee even if we did get Chalobah in his fitness would restrict him to being a bit-part player at best. Normally people are falling over themselves to complain about us bringing in players with fitness issues. Chalobah is at Aneke levels - 8 minutes a game across the last two seasons - but people on here seem desperate to bring him in to 'improve' us. It's mad. Has one friendly appearance really affected people's perception that badly or have people forgotten that we stayed up last season with a midfield of Coventry and Docherty and they might have spent the summer remembering them as Matt Spring and Therry Racon instead of the players they actually are?

I’d take the 08/09 Racon over Docherty any day 

Which is an utterly insane thing to say. He played 19 games that season for a team that finished rock bottom of the Championship and made exactly one more Championship appearance in his career. Docherty has 129 Championship appearances and has never been relegated from it. Docherty's not a top Championship player by any stretch but Racon was at his best a third division player. It's just getting silly now

With you on both of your posts Gary, remember the unbridled joy when we drew 2-2 at Millwall pre-season, Golfie, at the time, tried to talk some sense into people who thought we had reached Nirvana because our kids played really well that evening. If someone on here can remember the team we put out that night, they may ask themselves 'where are they now ? Friendlies are a fitness and sharpness ladder, nothing else. I think it would be a mistake to sign Chalobah, in exactly the same way it was a mistake to sign Burke or even Chuks, you cannot afford to wonder how many minutes a player can give you in this league and then disrupt the team when that player falls down through fitness issues. 

For me Bell and Burke both did a good job last year. Burke gets a bad press but I'm guessing he played close to 20 games, Bell a fair few more, and for me they both showed championship quality.Burke played at the beginning of the season and got injured in the Swansea game, and thats when we got our points

I would imagine when they were signed that  their quality was the important thing, and Jones knew they would be injured plenty. But they are older players,  and they wouldn't have been wanting them to play 46 games even if fit, rotation, maybe half the games. I reckon that's more or less what we got, half the games, championship quality

I didn't watch chalobah but sounds a similar story, older, injury prone,  but quality. For me, I would rather have 20 games of championship quality than players who can run for 46 games but can't pick a pass or find space and so on . 

I hope they have a good look at him, holsgrove will need a rest as well if he joins

wmcf123 said:

Garrymanilow said:

It's very weird on here at the moment. Nathaniel Chalobah played one friendly game for us and looked good against L2 opposition, but then so did Mwamba. Chalobah was thought of as the next big thing at Chelsea but wasn't ever able to live up to expectations. He's played a little at Premier League level but mostly Championship and in that time he's not exactly played a lot. Hi busiest season recently was in 23/24 where he played 882 Championship minutes. That's slightly less than 5 minutes a game across a 46 game season. His next busiest season before that was in 20/21, 6 seasons ago, and even then he was averaging about 57 minutes a game. 

The bloke hasn't been a first choice midfielder at this level for 6 years three clubs ago and yet people are shouting about getting him in because we're that desperate to see some transfer movement. Doc and Coventry aren't brilliant but they're available and I guarantee even if we did get Chalobah in his fitness would restrict him to being a bit-part player at best. Normally people are falling over themselves to complain about us bringing in players with fitness issues. Chalobah is at Aneke levels - 8 minutes a game across the last two seasons - but people on here seem desperate to bring him in to 'improve' us. It's mad. Has one friendly appearance really affected people's perception that badly or have people forgotten that we stayed up last season with a midfield of Coventry and Docherty and they might have spent the summer remembering them as Matt Spring and Therry Racon instead of the players they actually are?

I’d take the 08/09 Racon over Docherty any day 

One of the worst takes I have ever read on here. And I don't even particularly rate Doherty!

Bailey said:

Forester said:

For me Bell and Burke both did a good job last year. Burke gets a bad press but I'm guessing he played close to 20 games, Bell a fair few more, and for me they both showed championship quality.Burke played at the beginning of the season and got injured in the Swansea game, and thats when we got our points

I would imagine when they were signed that  their quality was the important thing, and Jones knew they would be injured plenty. But they are older players,  and they wouldn't have been wanting them to play 46 games even if fit, rotation, maybe half the games. I reckon that's more or less what we got, half the games, championship quality

I didn't watch chalobah but sounds a similar story, older, injury prone,  but quality. For me, I would rather have 20 games of championship quality than players who can run for 46 games but can't pick a pass or find space and so on . 

I hope they have a good look at him, holsgrove will need a rest as well if he joins

Bell played 34 games, Burke played 17. I don't know the substitute appearances for both. It seemed that when Bell was played at wing back, he seemed to pull up with an injury, it's also interesting to note that Burke's injuries occur when there is a 'Y' in the day. 

12 starts for Burke and 32 for Bell in the league

fenaddick said:

Bailey said:

Forester said:

For me Bell and Burke both did a good job last year. Burke gets a bad press but I'm guessing he played close to 20 games, Bell a fair few more, and for me they both showed championship quality.Burke played at the beginning of the season and got injured in the Swansea game, and thats when we got our points

I would imagine when they were signed that  their quality was the important thing, and Jones knew they would be injured plenty. But they are older players,  and they wouldn't have been wanting them to play 46 games even if fit, rotation, maybe half the games. I reckon that's more or less what we got, half the games, championship quality

I didn't watch chalobah but sounds a similar story, older, injury prone,  but quality. For me, I would rather have 20 games of championship quality than players who can run for 46 games but can't pick a pass or find space and so on . 

I hope they have a good look at him, holsgrove will need a rest as well if he joins

Bell played 34 games, Burke played 17. I don't know the substitute appearances for both. It seemed that when Bell was played at wing back, he seemed to pull up with an injury, it's also interesting to note that Burke's injuries occur when there is a 'Y' in the day. 

12 starts for Burke and 32 for Bell in the league

Thanks Fen. Burke's appearance stats would need to show a serious improvement this season to warrant his signing, in my opinion. 

Garrymanilow said:

wmcf123 said:

Garrymanilow said:

It's very weird on here at the moment. Nathaniel Chalobah played one friendly game for us and looked good against L2 opposition, but then so did Mwamba. Chalobah was thought of as the next big thing at Chelsea but wasn't ever able to live up to expectations. He's played a little at Premier League level but mostly Championship and in that time he's not exactly played a lot. Hi busiest season recently was in 23/24 where he played 882 Championship minutes. That's slightly less than 5 minutes a game across a 46 game season. His next busiest season before that was in 20/21, 6 seasons ago, and even then he was averaging about 57 minutes a game. 

The bloke hasn't been a first choice midfielder at this level for 6 years three clubs ago and yet people are shouting about getting him in because we're that desperate to see some transfer movement. Doc and Coventry aren't brilliant but they're available and I guarantee even if we did get Chalobah in his fitness would restrict him to being a bit-part player at best. Normally people are falling over themselves to complain about us bringing in players with fitness issues. Chalobah is at Aneke levels - 8 minutes a game across the last two seasons - but people on here seem desperate to bring him in to 'improve' us. It's mad. Has one friendly appearance really affected people's perception that badly or have people forgotten that we stayed up last season with a midfield of Coventry and Docherty and they might have spent the summer remembering them as Matt Spring and Therry Racon instead of the players they actually are?

I’d take the 08/09 Racon over Docherty any day 

Which is an utterly insane thing to say. He played 19 games that season for a team that finished rock bottom of the Championship and made exactly one more Championship appearance in his career. Docherty has 129 Championship appearances and has never been relegated from it. Docherty's not a top Championship player by any stretch but Racon was at his best a third division player. It's just getting silly now

Pardew didn’t pick him .  He played well under Parkinson 

Lincsaddick said:

MrBurns said:

Leander Dendoncker is still a free agent 

surname sounds like Super Clive .. sign him up on the strength of that

In Flemish it translates as Leo the Donkey.

Redrobo said:

CafcWest said:

Todds_right_hook said:

blackheathcanuck said:

Not ITK but happy to report the following arrival -

Doesn’t the 380 bus go from Blackheath to Charlton?

I have received S/T but not Valley Express...did they arrive in separate envelopes?

Mine didn’t arrive together last season.

Is this your first season using a coach?

No its my 9th or 10th .... but thought I remembered them arring together last season ... but probably not!

Sword65pf said:

Is there not a season ticket chat?

Yeah, it’s where the latest transfer rumours are.