No one is going to play every week, here or almost anywhere else. Yes, a few clubs like Chelsea with Diego Costa have a predominantly "one-forward" system but they are increasingly rare and, with Costa's problematic hamstring apparently playing up again in pre-season, it's pretty clear why. If being a squad forward is good enough for Dzeko, Falcao or Negredo, not to mention Rickie Lambert then frankly it's good enough for Murray. Some of you have a surreal view of the world.

The fact is that Bamford, Wickham, Gayle and Murray will all get playing time this season and I suspect that unless one of them goes on a tear towards 20 goals, it will be more evenly divided among them than you might think. To imagine that Murray is a 38-game starter for a top 8 Premier League team when the aforementioned players don't even aspire to that is laughable (great player as GM is, by the way.) Get real.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

The Sunderland forum is up to 50 pages already. Very mixed views on there - everything from 'he's our best striker' through to 'thank God'. I see him as a definite upgrade on Campbell (who isn't as bad as many on here seem to think in my view). A strike force of Murray Bamford, Wickam and Gayle looks pretty good to me, plenty of variety.

At first I wasn't that thrilled - then when I realized that he's only 22 it starts to make sense. He's only just starting his development, he has a ton of PL experience and he's been played out of position at Sunderland.

I think he'll turn out to be a fantastic signing - especially with the service he'll get from our midfield.

I'm looking forward to the start of the new season!

Most sensible comment on the Sunderland board:

"He'll look good as a striker in a well-constructed side, looked pretty poor as a winger in a crumbling mess to be fair."

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

Austin looked very poor at Selhurst last season too. I know he scored a lot of goals, but he looked disinterested that day...

"The course of true love never did run smooth"

Yeah because stats could tell the whole story of a 22 year old player's career. It is pathetic that some of you are throwing your rattles out your prams over signing an England under 21 international that JUST turned 22. Maybe the potential Remy signing went to your heads. Should we be confining our search parameters to French internationals from top four clubs? He's got loads of potential, and even now is a Damm good player. Kept Sunderland up season before last, and spent last year on the wing.

Edited by Jamesrichards8 (30 Jul 2015 10.01pm)

When you’re knocked on your back and your life’s a flop...