Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[jmjhb]

It should be way down our list of priorities.

Do you mean a striker? For me goal scoring is our number one thing to sort this summer, whatever division we are in.

I'd hope we were looking at goalkeeper and a couple of back 5 replacements to be honest

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It should be way down our list of priorities.

Do you mean a striker? For me goal scoring is our number one thing to sort this summer, whatever division we are in.

I'd hope we were looking at goalkeeper and a couple of back 5 replacements to be honest

GK for sure. Wingbacks too. D'you think we need a new centre-back? If so, who's for the chop? I'd say with Johnston/Santos/Toal backed up by Iredale/MJ/Gethin, we're good to go at the back. Maybe I'm trusting a small-sample dataset for MJ, but his flexibility would mean we don't have to waste wages on a backup.

Of course that all changes again if we go up. And if a stone-cold genius appears within our price range, we'd be fools not to consider it. But right now, I've got CB more or less bottom of the list for improvements - after (in descending order) GK, WB, CF, CM/DM...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I wonder if we'll go in for Kane Wilson in summer, perhaps on loan, particularly if we stay down. You may remember he's the West Brom academy graduate who excelled at FGR - he was League Two player of the season in 21/22, gathering a division-leading 14 assists from right wing-back (though he has also played on the left).

Last summer he flitted to Bristol City on a three-year contract, but it's been somewhere between "frustrating" and "disastrous". After only featuring sporadically, in October he got a knee injury which required surgery. Returning in March, he got a 10-minute sub appearance and was then busted down to the kids' squads to get fit, with the ever-cuddly Nigel Pearson opining thusly:

"I want to look at some of the youngsters. It's my decision based on what I think is right for the squad. I want a balanced squad. Kane is an attacking player, he's not a defensive full-back... For me, I don't worry about trying to keep players happy for the sake of keeping them happy. I do what is right for the squad. Outside of that, people's egos I'm not bothered about."

Further hindered by Pearson's Christmastime conversion from a back three to a back four, Wilson finds himself behind regular right-back George Tanner and backup Mark Sykes (ironically, a midfielder), not to mention all these kids ol' Ostrich-Chops has got a boner for. Wilson would presumably be delighted to move, and though the medical would have to be stringent, doubts over him might mean we could pick up a good player comparatively easily.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/artic ... een-rovers

[nicholaldo]

Appropos of McDons relegation, I got to thinking about Jack Tucker. It seemed pretty clear we made him an offer in the summer but he chose to go there instead.

I suspect that ship's sailed now, not least because I think he signed a long-term contract with them, but - and I know location is always a key factor in any player's decision to sign for a club in the lower leagues - I wonder if he ever thinks back on it as a bit of a sliding doors moment?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Appropos of McDons relegation, I got to thinking about Jack Tucker. It seemed pretty clear we made him an offer in the summer but he chose to go there instead.

I suspect that ship's sailed now, not least because I think he signed a long-term contract with them, but - and I know location is always a key factor in any player's decision to sign for a club in the lower leagues - I wonder if he ever thinks back on it as a bit of a sliding doors moment?

As Lennon is reputed to have said when asked if the A&R man who turned down the Beatles would be kicking himself, "I hope he kicks himself to death..."

Nah, I bear Tucker no ill will, but I must admit when Derby stayed down my mind did wander to Barkhuizen...

(Elsewhere, Kieran Sadlier scored 1 goal – a direct free kick – in 18 League Two games)

[nicholaldo]

Connor Ripley released by Morecambe (along with Cole Stockton).

I've been a bit of an admirer of his in the past. I wonder if we might have an interest.

[irie Cee Bee]

Appropos of McDons relegation, I got to thinking about Jack Tucker. It seemed pretty clear we made him an offer in the summer but he chose to go there instead.

I suspect that ship's sailed now, not least because I think he signed a long-term contract with them, but - and I know location is always a key factor in any player's decision to sign for a club in the lower leagues - I wonder if he ever thinks back on it as a bit of a sliding doors moment?

As Lennon is reputed to have said when asked if the A&R man who turned down the Beatles would be kicking himself, "I hope he kicks himself to death..."

Nah, I bear Tucker no ill will, but I must admit when Derby stayed down my mind did wander to Barkhuizen...

(Elsewhere, Kieran Sadlier scored 1 goal – a direct free kick – in 18 League Two games)

And Baka scored zero for FGR.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

(Elsewhere, Kieran Sadlier scored 1 goal – a direct free kick – in 18 League Two games)

And Baka scored zero for FGR.[/quote]The two are technically neighbours on the league ladders - Baka's boys finished bottom of our division, Sadlier's lads top of the next one down. He did get five assists so maybe they'll offer him a contract now they're up. I wish him no ill will and I think it could have worked out differently here, but he never quite fit the system – and he was never brilliant enough to be a luxury player, even if Evatt believed in such things.

Connor Ripley released by Morecambe (along with Cole Stockton).

I've been a bit of an admirer of his in the past. I wonder if we might have an interest.

Well his dad played for us

Had a dig for stats (with usual caveats therein). He seems to have played every minute for them this season, and had the division's 12th-best shots-saved ratio of 70.6% (Traf 3rd with 78.8% behind Pompey's Macey and Wycombe's Stryjek). Only kept 8/46 clean sheets, which we might chalk up to playing for a plap team. Was very very busy: faced 252 shots on target, making 183 saves, an eyewatering 41 more than anyone else (interestingly, Stryjek was next). Also saved 5 out of 9 penalties - more than anyone else, although Sheff Weds' reserve keeper Cameron Dawson saved 2/2.
https://fbref.com/en/comps/15/keepers/League-One-Stats

Morecambe certainly not f**king about with the retained list...

PLAYERS UNDER CONTRACT FOR 2023/24

Donald Love, Max Melbourne, Farrend Rawson, Jake Taylor, Jacob Bedeau, Adam Mayor

PLAYERS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED NEW CONTRACTS

None

PLAYERS THAT WILL DEPART THE CLUB FOLLOWING EXPIRY OF THEIR CONTRACT

Connor Ripley, Liam Gibson, Ryan Delaney, Dan Crowley, Cole Stockton, Ash Hunter, Adam Smith, Andre Da Silva Mendes, Arthur Gnahoua, Oumar Niasse, Jon Obika, Ryan Cooney, Pape Souare and Courtney Duffus.

[truewhite15]

(Elsewhere, Kieran Sadlier scored 1 goal – a direct free kick – in 18 League Two games)

And Baka scored zero for FGR.

The two are technically neighbours on the league ladders - Baka's boys finished bottom of our division, Sadlier's lads top of the next one down. He did get five assists so maybe they'll offer him a contract now they're up. I wish him no ill will and I think it could have worked out differently here, but he never quite fit the system – and he was never brilliant enough to be a luxury player, even if Evatt believed in such things.

Connor Ripley released by Morecambe (along with Cole Stockton).

I've been a bit of an admirer of his in the past. I wonder if we might have an interest.

Well his dad played for us

Had a dig for stats (with usual caveats therein). He seems to have played every minute for them this season, and had the division's 12th-best shots-saved ratio of 70.6% (Traf 3rd with 78.8% behind Pompey's Macey and Wycombe's Stryjek). Only kept 8/46 clean sheets, which we might chalk up to playing for a plap team. Was very very busy: faced 252 shots on target, making 183 saves, an eyewatering 41 more than anyone else (interestingly, Stryjek was next). Also saved 5 out of 9 penalties - more than anyone else, although Sheff Weds' reserve keeper Cameron Dawson saved 2/2.
https://fbref.com/en/comps/15/keepers/League-One-Stats

Morecambe certainly not f**king about with the retained list...

PLAYERS UNDER CONTRACT FOR 2023/24

Donald Love, Max Melbourne, Farrend Rawson, Jake Taylor, Jacob Bedeau, Adam Mayor

PLAYERS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED NEW CONTRACTS

None

PLAYERS THAT WILL DEPART THE CLUB FOLLOWING EXPIRY OF THEIR CONTRACT

Connor Ripley, Liam Gibson, Ryan Delaney, Dan Crowley, Cole Stockton, Ash Hunter, Adam Smith, Andre Da Silva Mendes, Arthur Gnahoua, Oumar Niasse, Jon Obika, Ryan Cooney, Pape Souare and Courtney Duffus.

[/quote]

Good job, Agent Delaney, Agent Gnahoua. Mission successful.

[Harry Genshaw]

Mo Eissa at MK Dons is far too good for division 4. No idea of his contract status but one worth looking at?

[jmjhb]

Wouldn't mind Connor Ripley but I think he'll end up at a mid-table L1 side who can possibly offer him more of a guarantee of first-team football than we could.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Mo Eissa at MK Dons is far too good for division 4. No idea of his contract status but one worth looking at?

39 goals in 123 third-tier games. But he’s 29 in July.

MK are one of those clubs who keep contract lengths quiet. Will be interesting to see their retained list.

[Mar]

Probably worth looking at Cole Stockton for the Jerome/Bodvarsson role. Decent record in League One in a struggling team so may end up doing even better for a team higher up the table.

[Worthy4England]

Probably worth looking at Cole Stockton for the Jerome/Bodvarsson role. Decent record in League One in a struggling team so may end up doing even better for a team higher up the table.

Can we afford to give three squad places to that "role?" I know there was talk about Jerome going coaching, but he's still got another 12 months...

[The_Gun]

I reckon the Stockton ship has sailed for us. I think he'd have been a decent signing earlier on in the FV era, but given his age, playing profile, and where we're now aiming as a club, he's not the right fit for us any longer.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I reckon the Stockton ship has sailed for us. I think he'd have been a decent signing earlier on in the FV era, but given his age, playing profile, and where we're now aiming as a club, he's not the right fit for us any longer.

All entirely rational. The only thing that makes me doubt it slightly is that Evatt still hasn't found his Quigley - but he may have tactically moved past that now. I suspect he was/is hoping Ade could be the muscular focal point but early indications seem (to me) to suggest he's more of a Dion – or at least more of the runner-off than the flicker-on.

Financially, Stockton would have zero resale value. Not all players need to have them. But it's a balance, because the ones that might - the Dapos, the Dans - are always a risk.

[The_Gun]

Is Stockton an upgrade on JDB, though? He's only two years younger, and has generally been playing at a lower level throughout his career.

[Mar]

Probably worth looking at Cole Stockton for the Jerome/Bodvarsson role. Decent record in League One in a struggling team so may end up doing even better for a team higher up the table.

Can we afford to give three squad places to that "role?" I know there was talk about Jerome going coaching, but he's still got another 12 months...

Bodvarsson's contract is up at the end of the season and Jerome doesn't seem to have worked out, which means we're not well equipped for that role at the moment. As much as i'd like Bodvarsson to re-sign, he may get a better offer elsewhere which leaves us considering other options, not only that but that injury may be yet another blocker to a deal.

Hopefully Jerome will come good, but I see his signing as a covering signing. It may well be that all parties are able to acknowledge that its not worked out and he'll be looking elsewhere. Maybe not, maybe it's working ok and Jerome is aiming for coaching, which is fine, i'm onboard with that, but whatever league we're in, we're going to need a player that can contribute with goals.

Stockton is a player that looks to be capable of doing that, and is his contract situation is as good as we're going to get it. As far as I can tell he's local enough for us to make it work without him uprooting his family life.

It's not about three squad places for that role. It's about investigating options knowing it's not currently working lately.

Is Stockton an upgrade on JDB, though? He's only two years younger, and has generally been playing at a lower level throughout his career.

Wage should be less i'd imagine. End output might be the same which is why our staff may be considering it.

[The_Gun]

JDB is already in the building, appears to like it here and we know has a good character. Bringing in Stockton would be rolling the dice on him fitting in and being able to quickly adapt to Evatt's demands.

[Worthy4England]

Whether Jerome has worked out or not, doesn't change the fact he has a contract. So I think if you went for Stockton, you're probably unloading Bod...and whilst not as good at the moment, N'lundulu is probably the "same type" too...