[Baggievicar]

Thumbs UP for Sawyers.
Thumbs DOWN for the blackcurrant ripple shocker of a third kit.

[Beefy 1965]

Sawyers: “I have unfinished business. This is the first team that I have always wanted to play for and I’m delighted I’m now going to get that chance. I left the club when I was just a boy with a lot of potential. But I am coming back as a man who has matured as a player.” (1/2)

[wba1978]

Seems like we've got some real bargains so far, excluding perhaps Zahore, whom I shouldn't judge just yet, he may turn out to be brilliant and is a good age.  
Plus you always pay more for strikers it seems...?  
A couple more additions (and a goal scorer) and I'll be a happy chappy!

[Beefy 1965]

More Sawyers: "It looks to me that we are assembling a strong group of players and I hope to add to that. The aim is promotion - that’s what we all want especially after just missing out last season.” (2/2) #wba

[wba13]

Zohore could be a stand out with the right partner, initial outlay only around 3 mill all the rest are performance relative i believe. Now for a top class winger and striker or 2 and a versatile defender and we will be well set.

[WBA-Josh]

Welcome back Romaine Sawyers. He should fit into our midfield quite nicely.

Looking at our midfield, we currently have:

DM - Livermore, Brunt
CM - Harper, Sawyers, Field
RM - Phillips, Leko
LM - Edwards
AM - Krovinović

I see two options for Bilic to finish up the midfield. We either go out and sign another left winger, which will be the long awaited permanent replacement for Barnes or we use Krovinovic out there. I’d rather we sign someone and keep Krovinović central because he’s the link that we have missed in attacking midfield but if the budget doesn’t permit it, then Krovinović on the left wing is a decent alternative because he sometimes played there for Benfica and he can glide along with the ball at pace like a winger.

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As for the third kit, I quite like it. It’s different and unique and purple is my second favourite colour so I like anything with purple in it. It’s like the new away kit of Hamburger SV but in purple rather than pink.

[wba1978]

I noticed you didn't list Oli Burke there Josh, do you see him as a back-up striker?
I know he played there for Celtic, but (imho) he seems to lack a bit of finesse up front.
Obviously still very young, but I cant see him getting a run of games up top for us to really improve him this season if we get in another striker?  Perhaps more of an impact player near the end of matches running at tired defences?
Also would like to see Krovinovic play centrally if possible, but as you say, he gives us another decent option on the left.

[WBA-Josh]

I noticed you didn't list Oli Burke there Josh, do you see him as a back-up striker?
I know he played there for Celtic, but (imho) he seems to lack a bit of finesse up front.
Obviously still very young, but I cant see him getting a run of games up top for us to really improve him this season if we get in another striker?  Perhaps more of an impact player near the end of matches running at tired defences?
Also would like to see Krovinovic play centrally if possible, but as you say, he gives us another decent option on the left.  

I see Burke as a versatile forward. What I mean by that is he’s not just a winger like Phillips, Edwards and Leko and he’s not just a striker like Zohore and HRK. He can play as a winger, as a wide forward and as a striker. I see him similar to how Bilic saw Antonio at West Ham. Someone who can be used in any attacking position. Of course Burke is now where near Antonio’s level and this is just theoretical.

I think when he will be play, it’ll be as an impact player like Megson used to have with Lloyd Dyer and RDM and Hodgson had with Tchoyi.

I agree that Krovinović should really be used in the centre and he himself says he’s an 8 and a 10 but his performance data for Benfica speaks for itself with him playing as an 8, 10 and left wing so he gives Bilic that option if we can’t sign someone.

[wba1978]

AAhh Somen Tchoyi... he was one of my favorite players for a while.

Could be so devastating on his day!

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Where is he now?

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Just searched him. Germany apparently.

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No its not, Austria maybe?

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On a different note, I see Mason's being slaughtered on social media by some of the Everton fans for some of his pre-season performances. Perhaps there is a chance he might want to come back for another season?
Do we now need him? (with O'Shea and Ferguson coming through)

[WBA-Josh]

Tchoyi’s 36 now. His last club was ASV Taxham which is in a suburb of Salzburg, Austria. I think they're a lower league, maybe even a non-league club.

As for Holgate, I think it depends on what Bilic thinks we need defensively. Currently we have Ferguson (centre back by trade) and Furlong for right back and Bartley, Hegazi, Ajayi, O’Shea and Fitzwater for centre back. Fitzwater will probably go back out on loan for the season.

I read that Everton don’t want to loan him out again so we’d probably have to buy him but can we afford him when there are are more important positions that currently need to be finalised?

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Just watched Hamburg vs Darmstadt on BT Sport and my boy Marvin Mehlem had a good game. Played the first half on the left side of midfield and was a little quiet going forward but did a solid shift defensively. At half time he moved centrally into the 10 position and had more of an impact going forward with some good 1,2’s and cute buildup play with Durham and Skarke. Overall he had some good touches, plenty of energy and movement and almost scored a cracker of a goal in the first half with a long range volley that was dipping towards the far post but didn’t have enough dip to drop into the goal.

His contract ends at the end of this forthcoming season so Darmstadt could be more open to a bid either now or in January rather than face losing him for nothing next summer.

Slaven if you please......