Summer 2021 Transfer Thread.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Not to poke the embers, but such need for financial caution also looms large in the background of the Sarce Saga, given the skipper - presumably one of our biggest earners upon his arrival - wanted a new contract. We can and probably will debate What Happened Next forever more, but it's definitely part of the scenario.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

There are reasonable questions to ask

IMO, far and away the most reasonable question to ask Evatt is not particularly about transfers but "Why are we so sh*t at set pieces?" swiftly followed by "What are you going to do about it?"

For someone so data-driven, he must have noticed the enormous gaping f*cking hole in our attacking "conversion".

Just on this, because I've kept meaning to look it up: per WhoScored we scored 7 from set pieces (excluding pens) last season - the division's joint-lowest total. That we only scored 7 from set pieces didn't matter too much because we scored 45 from open play; for huge contrast, Carlisle scored 24 from set pieces and 29 from open play.

This season, again per WhoScored, we have 2 (league) goals from set-pieces - I presume that's Sheehan's opening-day free-kick and Doiyler's header from Sheehan's corner v Oxford. No League One team has scored fewer. Fleetwood have scored 12 - as many as they've scored from open play. Wimbledon have scored 9 and only 8 from open play.

I'm not saying we should stop scoring from open play - although all too often this season, we have - but we're hugely, hugely underperforming in an area which, depending how you cut it, accounts for between 1/4 and 1/3 of all goals scored. We're not even talking management b0ll0cks about "marginal gains", we're talking about substantial failure. Such failure in any other dataset would surely be interrogated intensely. Why not this?

[GhostoftheBok]

Such failure in any other dataset would surely be interrogated intensely. Why not this?

God knows.

Our set pieces are unprofessional, which is the worst offence any team can commit for my money.

Unlike most other aspects of football, set pieces can almost always be laid squarely at the feet of the coaches even with a relatively small sample size - which ours no longer is.

Some sides are naturally less able to compete in that arena and we are a small side - but not to that degree.

[Worthy4England]

I'd be very surprised if most businesses hadn't had to do some financial replanning because of COVID. Even when the finances were previously considered squared off..

I think our own somewhat unique crisis inside the general one has probably made us a bit more cautious.

I think your account of why we'd have held back finances is reasonable. Might not be right, but if it were I'd not argue.

Certainly not ITK, just wouldn't be surprised

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Our set pieces are unprofessional, which is the worst offence any team can commit for my money.

Unlike most other aspects of football, set pieces can almost always be laid squarely at the feet of the coaches even with a relatively small sample size - which ours no longer is.

Some sides are naturally less able to compete in that arena and we are a small side - but not to that degree.

Aye. Top set-pieces scorers in the Prem are Liverpool (7), who take this stuff so seriously they (in)famously have a throw-in analyst. Interestingly, joint-second are Arsenal, with 6 – and only 5 from open play. Bottom of that league with zero? Manchester United.

[Bertie Wooster]

I know signing out of contract players is viewed as being folly (if that's the right word ?), but surely we need to be looking at bringing in an out of contract midfield player this week (tomorrow !). Someone like Adam Clayton just released by B/Ham surely he is relatively fit having only been released on 5th Nov unless he's on mega wages.

Unless he's got something else lined up in January as a Manchester lad surely he'd be interested in a short term deal (until the end of the season) with a view to an contract extension should we stay up. He's not played a game for b/ham this season, but surely he's been training with them, but in the situation we are in he must be worth a punt if we can afford his wages ?

[nicholaldo]

I don't think he can sign for another club until January.

[Bertie Wooster]

I don't think he can sign for another club until January.

Ok fair enough my mistake.

[GhostoftheBok]

Also a bit iffy, Clayton. Not had a good season in years and sat on his wage at Birmingham whilst training on his own. I mean his manager was Lee Bowyer, so it was probably Bowyer's fault; but I'd be wary if we signed him. Arguably the right type of player, though.

[BWFC_Insane]

It's very hard to see Sunday as a day of goodwill when we keep losing on Saturday.

Yeah, it is. It's always hard to watch your side lose and you can understand intellectually that there are reasonable excuses for some of it (by no means all), but you still feel every loss the same regardless.

There are reasonable questions to ask and we asked a lot of them in the summer. Evatt isn't the sort of manager to sit in a fan's forum and give detailed accounts of his actions, or not that I can see. Covid has meant he's not been asked to.

Why didn't we get fullbacks in in summer and why did we keep Tutte if there is money available for January? My suspicion is that they are waiting on long term targets and the guys available in the summer weren't players we felt could take us forward, but if it was purely gambling on fitness they need a reality check. I could accept that we are where we are because the long term plan called for investment to be held for next summer. The landscape has changed now.

A reasonable question would be if you felt you couldn’t get the players required and stuck with a piecemeal squad why keep telling people we were the best side in the league? And what damage has doing so done?

None? It's pop psychology, not a contractual promise. I wouldn't have said it but it doesn't matter.

I think we’ve blown up completely since Evatt started mouthing off. I absolutely think it’s done harm. It motivated teams and put pressure onto us just at the point our limitations started to be revealed.

To suggest statements like that don’t absolutely impact on players is I think a bit naive. He’s telling us we shouldn’t get carried away after a dismal 6 weeks. Sure. What about carried away after a good 8 weeks?

[Bertie Wooster]

Also a bit iffy, Clayton. Not had a good season in years and sat on his wage at Birmingham whilst training on his own. I mean his manager was Lee Bowyer, so it was probably Bowyer's fault; but I'd be wary if we signed him. Arguably the right type of player, though.

It's not an option anyway if Nicho's correct, but beggars can't be choosers we still need to pick up points prior to the Jan window and for me a midfield of Johnston, Lee & Thomason doesn't get us many points if any IMO.

He is the type of player though (quality wise) we need if we are to stay mid table.

[Prufrock]

It's very hard to see Sunday as a day of goodwill when we keep losing on Saturday.

Yeah, it is. It's always hard to watch your side lose and you can understand intellectually that there are reasonable excuses for some of it (by no means all), but you still feel every loss the same regardless.

There are reasonable questions to ask and we asked a lot of them in the summer. Evatt isn't the sort of manager to sit in a fan's forum and give detailed accounts of his actions, or not that I can see. Covid has meant he's not been asked to.

Why didn't we get fullbacks in in summer and why did we keep Tutte if there is money available for January? My suspicion is that they are waiting on long term targets and the guys available in the summer weren't players we felt could take us forward, but if it was purely gambling on fitness they need a reality check. I could accept that we are where we are because the long term plan called for investment to be held for next summer. The landscape has changed now.

A reasonable question would be if you felt you couldn’t get the players required and stuck with a piecemeal squad why keep telling people we were the best side in the league? And what damage has doing so done?

None? It's pop psychology, not a contractual promise. I wouldn't have said it but it doesn't matter.

I think we’ve blown up completely since Evatt started mouthing off. I absolutely think it’s done harm. It motivated teams and put pressure onto us just at the point our limitations started to be revealed.

To suggest statements like that don’t absolutely impact on players is I think a bit naive. He’s telling us we shouldn’t get carried away after a dismal 6 weeks. Sure. What about carried away after a good 8 weeks?

As is your right. But I think it's desperately grasping for straws and an easy reason.

That was also about the same time we started to pick up injuries, including to vital cog with no cover Gethin. One of those seems vastly more likely to me to be behind the slump, and it ain't what the manager says to Marc Iles.

[Prufrock]

Also a bit iffy, Clayton. Not had a good season in years and sat on his wage at Birmingham whilst training on his own. I mean his manager was Lee Bowyer, so it was probably Bowyer's fault; but I'd be wary if we signed him. Arguably the right type of player, though.

It's not an option anyway if Nicho's correct, but beggars can't be choosers we still need to pick up points prior to the Jan window and for me a midfield of Johnston, Lee & Thomason doesn't get us many points if any IMO.

He is the type of player though (quality wise) we need if we are to stay mid table.

He is, Bertie. We can only sign players on a free if they were unattached when the window shut.

[GhostoftheBok]

It's not an option anyway if Nicho's correct, but beggars can't be choosers we still need to pick up points prior to the Jan window and for me a midfield of Johnston, Lee & Thomason doesn't get us many points if any IMO.

He is the type of player though (quality wise) we need if we are to stay mid table.

Nicho is correct, as far as I'm aware. I think if you offered him to Evatt right now he'd take him (be mad not to). Not sure it'll be the same come January, but he's an Evatt sort of player. Good one to keep an eye on.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Problem with free agents is that they need to have been free since before the last deadline (or they can't play), but they also need to have been training (or they can't run). I can't quite recall whether Sexy Kieran was training with Wednesday despite being out of contract, but that's the sort of situation we'd need – and they're not very common at all.

At that sort of level – ie unemployed - you also have to consider work permits, so you're basically looking at passports too.

Put it this way - on a brief scout round Transfermarkt for UEFA-affiliated central midfielders without clubs whose contracts ended in 2021, and ignoring the already-mentioned Jack Wilshere and Adam Clayton, two of the best names I could find were Jacobs Butterfield and Mellis, both formerly drummed out of this parish. I repeat: they were two of the best. Other names I noted through the tears and desperation were Tristan Nydam - formerly quite the prospect for Ipswich and England Youth, until his progress was hampered by several injuries – and Nabil Bentaleb, although as he's been talking to top-tier teams in France and Italy he'd probably laugh down the phone at us.

Feels like Sexy Kieran was a fluke hit. We're less likely to get another Lee (Kieran) as a Lynch (Joel).

BTW Sexy Kieran, who seems a professional type, also didn't play for us until almost exactly a month after starting to train with us. By my reckoning, that's from here till Christmas.

[BWFC_Insane]

It's very hard to see Sunday as a day of goodwill when we keep losing on Saturday.

Yeah, it is. It's always hard to watch your side lose and you can understand intellectually that there are reasonable excuses for some of it (by no means all), but you still feel every loss the same regardless.

There are reasonable questions to ask and we asked a lot of them in the summer. Evatt isn't the sort of manager to sit in a fan's forum and give detailed accounts of his actions, or not that I can see. Covid has meant he's not been asked to.

Why didn't we get fullbacks in in summer and why did we keep Tutte if there is money available for January? My suspicion is that they are waiting on long term targets and the guys available in the summer weren't players we felt could take us forward, but if it was purely gambling on fitness they need a reality check. I could accept that we are where we are because the long term plan called for investment to be held for next summer. The landscape has changed now.

A reasonable question would be if you felt you couldn’t get the players required and stuck with a piecemeal squad why keep telling people we were the best side in the league? And what damage has doing so done?

None? It's pop psychology, not a contractual promise. I wouldn't have said it but it doesn't matter.

I think we’ve blown up completely since Evatt started mouthing off. I absolutely think it’s done harm. It motivated teams and put pressure onto us just at the point our limitations started to be revealed.

To suggest statements like that don’t absolutely impact on players is I think a bit naive. He’s telling us we shouldn’t get carried away after a dismal 6 weeks. Sure. What about carried away after a good 8 weeks?

As is your right. But I think it's desperately grasping for straws and an easy reason.

That was also about the same time we started to pick up injuries, including to vital cog with no cover Gethin. One of those seems vastly more likely to me to be behind the slump, and it ain't what the manager says to Marc Iles.

Not suggesting it’s a singular reason just that I don’t think it helped.

[GhostoftheBok]

Nabil Bentaleb, although as he's been talking to top-tier teams in France and Italy he'd probably laugh down the phone at us.

Nabil Bentaleb in League One would be hilarious.

For all his failings it'd be like having JJ in the Prem (that first period).

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Nabil Bentaleb, although as he's been talking to top-tier teams in France and Italy he'd probably laugh down the phone at us.

Nabil Bentaleb in League One would be hilarious.

Not sure he's all that good but yes, it's a daft idea and included as indicative of the dearth of real possibilities.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

As the working day has plodded on, I've been nosing round Champo teams to see who's on the fringes of their squads. Desperately seeking this year's MJ, I've targeted players that were good in the past but are now underused, for whatever reason, and might be available to us. I should note that in these rather blind fumblings, I've concentrated on Champo clubs who aren't known for paying stupid wages and I've (mostly) avoided players under about 22, who may simply not be good enough to get picked. Effectively, what we're after is outcasts.

As ever, further insight and opinion on any of these is very welcome.

HULL
Promoted last season, Hull are 21st, only climbed above the dots on goal difference thanks to yesterday's win against Birmingham.

Randell Williams - I mentioned him in summer when he left Exeter: "24-year-old Londoner Williams, who scored the equaliser in our last home game, is a right winger who can also play right-back, and came up through the Spurs, Palace and Watford academies; he was one of L2's leading assisters last season and almost moved to an unnamed L1 team in January but couldn't agree terms, and Exeter have been resigned since to losing him." As it turned out he vaulted straight past League One - where he played 20 times for Wycombe - into Hull's freshly-promoted second-tier squad, but before yesterday he'd only played five times (two starts), and four of them were in August. He's had Covid and the odd knock but has also simply been left out. Let's see if yesterday's 19-minute sub appearance is a blip for the man who the season before last got 14 assists in 37 D4 games and has also played on the left.

Brandon Fleming - Attacking left-back, played 10 times for us on loan in early 2020; has only played 10 times since, including just once this season. Was on the bench in the league opener but hasn't been in the match day squad since. In Nov 2020 the club extended his contract to 2023, with a year's option.

Josh Emmanuel - another we know. In and out of their line-up. Contracted until summer, though they have a year's option.

---

Briefly in passing, I note that Jonathan Leko, CHARLTON's Birmingham loanee who looked unplayable against us, hasn't been in the Addicks' squad for the past three games. He picked up a knock a while back but they've done well in his absence and if Johnnie Jackson decides he doesn't need him, I'd have the lad in a heartbeat.

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LUTON
Carlos Mendes Gomes - Morecambe's star man last season – 15 goals without playing centre-forward – was (IIRC) linked with us but jumped up to the second tier. However, Nathan Jones has been hesitant to use him: one league start (in September), and in the last seven league games the Senegal-born Spaniard has been an unused sub once and out of the 18 altogether six times. He scored Luton's consolation in a behind-closed-doors friendly v a Brentford XI last week. Only 23 so Luton may decide he needs a bit more game time to develop.

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COVENTRY
Jordan Shipley, a six-foot left-sided midfielder who's just turned 24, played 31 times in Cov's promotion season and 27 last season, but not a minute this – and his contract expires next summer. Asked about the prospects of a January loan, Mark Robins was cagey rather than dismissive. A local lad who's come up two divisions with the club, he won't be begging to leave but is clearly drifting away. 19 goals and 14 assists from 151 games in all comps; can play wide left, central or at 10.

Bright Enobakhare, a 23-year-old striker who scored 6 and created 3 in 18 third-tier games for Cov on loan from Wolves, has ended his second spell early by mutual consent. Mark Robins wished him the best but said "Sometimes you’re a free spirit and you want to be able to do what you want to do and that doesn’t always work in environments like the football environment."

Julien Da Costa - French-Senegalese right-back (25) who's now third in their queue in that position. Contracted to 2023 though.

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HUDDERSFIELD
Reece Brown - creative midfielder (at 10 or who played for England U16, U17, U18 and U20 before "manning up" with FGR, hitting double figures for goals and assists in 2018/19 and being elected to the divisional PFA Team of the Year. That summer he went to Huddersfield, freshly relegated from the top flight, on a three-year deal which lapses this summer. Unable to get in the squad, he went on a Jan-Jun loan to Peterborough, then again for the whole of last season, playing 38 times as they got promoted but cash-savvy Posh didn't want to buy him: “Reece has been brilliant for us," said Barry Fry, "but we think we can do better for the money.” Now 25, he hasn't played a minute this season; hasn't even been on the bench since August.

Mipo Odubeko - 19-year-old West Ham loanee forward, who has played in the past alongside Dapo. Was loaned to Huddersfield for the season but hasn't been playing, and rather upset Hammers fans by calling Jess Lingard the GOAT after his goal for Yernited *against* West Ham. Anyways, he came off the bench in the Terriers' first four games after the loan, but was then ignored for the next eight. After scoring a couple of bangers in a friendly during the latest international break - see below - he made it as far as the bench again yesterday but wasn't used. Possible Dapo could have a word and that the Hammers could see more benefit in him dropping a division.

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MILLWALL
Ben Thompson - Livewire midfielder who has played 89 third-tier and 75 second-tier games – mainly at 8 with some 10 – since coming through Millwall's academy, but only once in the league this season. Now 26, he's out of contract in summer and Gary Rowett, who has praised his dedication, has said he can leave in January for first-team football. Three years ago he went on loan to Pompey, whom he helped to boss the third tier with a local journalist hailing the "beautiful simplicity to the 25-year-old’s football, married with the kind of honest graft and drive which separates winners from the pack". They're tried to sign him since and possibly will again: this summer, Danny Cowley hailed him as "a player with huge energy, an infectious enthusiasm and a really good timer and arriver."

[GhostoftheBok]

Ben Thompson is a terrific player. Loads of energy and drive, yes, but also lovely delivery and the ability to shape a ball. He's never going to play in the Premier League or anything like that, but he's great. Would happily see him in a White shirt.