Deal or no deal? - Summer 2022 Transfer gossip!

[Prufrock]

I'd be fine with no forwards (not thrilled, but ok with it) if we're going to play with a front 3. If it's going to be a front 2 then I think we're hugely over-balanced for the front 2 and one got Lee who can really even do a job as the 10. So I'd want to see a couple out and a 10 in.

But I want a front 3.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm conflicted about our attacking options. I like what we have, but I think we have to make assumptions that I'm not sure I fully believe in order to view them as potentially league-winning.

I feel like I'm only (reasonably) certain about what we'll get from Dad Bod and all the rest are a bit up in the air. Charles I really like, but he has officially now not shown up for more games than he showed up for. Baka I also like, but he needs to show he can be the threat over 90 minutes that he consistently is over 30. Dapo had a ridiculous period, but is now in Dion territory of probably having been anonymous in as many games as he's been spectacular.

You rarely build great teams on that level of uncertainty.

Even in midfield there are a lot of unknowns. I like our players, but I'd not bet the farm on them at this stage.

I think we need to see something from a few of the lads between now and the close.

[Prufrock]

Agree with the final sentence. Dapo is being played out of position. The rest individually all have lots going for them but i know what you mean, none quite convinces. Dion will be that player I think, but if he's not i don't see any of the others as much more than squad players, other than Dadbod who had the quality but probably isn't going to get the goals himself.

[Worthy4England]

I thought about a month back, we were "nailed on" for next season top 6? Was everyone getting a bit giddy (as I think one poster put it?)

We've actually got more points than Rotherham in the post Jan period based on PPG over 19 games...we'd be 5th.

MKD would be 9 points in front, Wigan 5, Sheff Weds 3, Plymouth 2...

Sunderland, Portsmouth and Oxford would be 8 points adrift, Wycombe 5, Rotherham 2 and Ipswich less than a point worse off.

[Prufrock]

I'm pretty confident we'll be there or thereabouts for top six next year (though if Santos and Dapo both go it's a bit dependent on their replacements).

I'm on about what we need to win the thing!

[Worthy4England]

Win da ting? Bit of work to do.

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[Prufrock]

I think that's why we all agree we need some defenders

[GhostoftheBok]

I thought about a month back, we were "nailed on" for next season top 6? Was everyone getting a bit giddy (as I think one poster put it?)

We've actually got more points than Rotherham in the post Jan period based on PPG over 19 games...we'd be 5th.

MKD would be 9 points in front, Wigan 5, Sheff Weds 3, Plymouth 2...

Sunderland, Portsmouth and Oxford would be 8 points adrift, Wycombe 5, Rotherham 2 and Ipswich less than a point worse off.

I still think we're "nailed on" to be pushing for top 6 - assuming good summer recruitment. As I said, I'm talking about what we need to win the league. As we've seen this season there's a gap between winning the league and being a play-offs side.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm pretty confident we'll be there or thereabouts for top six next year (though if Santos and Dapo both go it's a bit dependent on their replacements).

I'm on about what we need to win the thing!

Oh look. Snap.

[Worthy4England]

There's currently a 16 point gap between where we are and top (or 19 if they win the game in hand). At a consistent ppg top would be 97 we'd get 67 on the season overall. We'd only get to 84 even with our post Jan form. So yeah, to win it, will certainly need a step-up. Guess it depends on whether you think you could make up 13 points over a season, just by being tighter at the back...

[GhostoftheBok]

Guess it depends on whether you think you could make up 13 points over a season, just by being tighter at the back...

I think it also depends on how much natural improvement people feel there is in the squad. Players settling in and forming better understandings, coaches improving the players themselves, lads learning their positions/roles etc.

That will presumably be key for Evatt as well, in terms of him making calls about what the squad needs and where.

[Worthy4England]

Guess it depends on whether you think you could make up 13 points over a season, just by being tighter at the back...

I think it also depends on how much natural improvement people feel there is in the squad. Players settling in and forming better understandings, coaches improving the players themselves, lads learning their positions/roles etc.

That will presumably be key for Evatt as well, in terms of him making calls about what the squad needs and where.

Oh, for sure, there's plenty of other factors. And it's not all "at the back" in any event, If I think about our 0-0 v Burton at home, for example, how we didn't score is one of life's great mysteries. So maybe you have to make half of that deficit up just at the back....

[officer_dibble]

I think you could argue we need a top league 1 / championship player for most positions (so a striker, wing back, Centre mid and forward). Might be a surprise or two this summer - can we rely on Keiron Lee for example? If Dapo is sold do we replace him with a top drawer pacy striker?

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm conflicted about our attacking options. I like what we have, but I think we have to make assumptions that I'm not sure I fully believe in order to view them as potentially league-winning.

I feel like I'm only (reasonably) certain about what we'll get from Dad Bod and all the rest are a bit up in the air. Charles I really like, but he has officially now not shown up for more games than he showed up for. Baka I also like, but he needs to show he can be the threat over 90 minutes that he consistently is over 30. Dapo had a ridiculous period, but is now in Dion territory of probably having been anonymous in as many games as he's been spectacular.

You rarely build great teams on that level of uncertainty.

Even in midfield there are a lot of unknowns. I like our players, but I'd not bet the farm on them at this stage.

I think we need to see something from a few of the lads between now and the close.

This was the point I made when we signed Charles. For his age his record really hung on one season. He wasn’t a proven thing.

I think we’ve got four strikers and all add something. Am I sure we have a regular enough goalscorer guaranteed? No. But I suspect signing one would be very expensive. And likely to come with some downsides too.

What we have now that we didn’t before is real options up front which means rather than a 20 goal man we might need 3 who hit 7 or 8 each. And we have Sadlier who I think can bag in the right position. I’m less worried about scoring goals than I am about our ability to create chances and also keep the goals out of our own net.

I think both of those are areas of weakness. Against Wigan and Sheffield Weds as two recent examples we created little yet still managed to bag in each game. And we’ve seen our defensive record improve but still we concede too frequently.

If you really pushed me I’d say the balance of type of player we have is still a bit wrong and that leaves us a bit open at times and a bit tippy tappy in areas we need to be quicker and more direct in.

[GhostoftheBok]

I think the fact Dapo and Charles have both seemed to struggle over the same period isn't a coincidence. Charles has struggled on his own terms, but he'd not have been as poor if he had genuine creativity behind him. Dapo is a really talented lad, but he'd yet to show he can create from 10.

The issue we have at the minute is that a number of our best players are all ideally suited to different systems.

I think Charles can score 20 next season. I'm not convinced he can do so unless Dapo improves as a #10 (if that's where Evatt sees him).

[BWFC_Insane]

I think the fact Dapo and Charles have both seemed to struggle over the same period isn't a coincidence. Charles has struggled on his own terms, but he'd not have been as poor if he had genuine creativity behind him. Dapo is a really talented lad, but he'd yet to show he can create from 10.

The issue we have at the minute is that a number of our best players are all ideally suited to different systems.

I think Charles can score 20 next season. I'm not convinced he can do so unless Dapo improves as a #10 (if that's where Evatt sees him).

Dapo isn’t a number ten in that sense and won’t be I don’t think. He’s not going to develop that ability now. He’s more suited to a roaming striker role.

I’d ditch the idea of a technical number 10 and play Sadlier there and find another option that would help drive the team on at times.

Lee to come back too and he’s huge for us.

Charles has struggled because his supply has become gradually worse and also I think because teams started to drop off against him more and he’s not as good at running at then as he is off the shoulder.

[brommers95]

I took a look at some free agent keepers we may be interested in this summer.

FWIW, the more I look into potential GK signings the more I feel getting Trafford back for another season on loan is by the far the best option - he's developed really well since joining, seems to be loving playing for the club and he might be a free agent come the end of the next season.

[The_Gun]

Top man, Brommers.

Some of those other lads sound like they could be decent options, but I’d love for us to get Trafford back and line him up on a permanent down the line if possible.

[TANGODANCER]

Superb research Brommers. Hat off to you.

[Mar]

Top man, Brommers.

Some of those other lads sound like they could be decent options, but I’d love for us to get Trafford back and line him up on a permanent down the line if possible.

Likewise. It's hard to judge how good the keepers are, except you know them when you see them in action. Trafford seems like a good choice for next season.