Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[BWFC_Insane]

Good player, and in a sense gives us something we’ve been lacking, but I’m slightly concerned that he’s another Dapo/Sadlier that doesn’t fit any of the positions in Evatt’s favoured formation.

Evatt needs to find a way to fit in these sorts of players. Be it in midfield or as wing backs or up front. We’ve lacked flair badly. Now we need to not squash it by demands of the system. Get the best out of Gomes and we will be better.

[GhostoftheBok]

CMG isn't like Dapo or Sads, as he is perfectly at home in the roles we can offer him. I think he'll primarily play as an 8/10, which he said at Luton was his preferred role; but he's not going to throw his toys out of the pram if asked to play elsewhere and he will knuckle down and learn the system.

Most transfer fail, but this one has as good a shot as any of working out for us.

[officer_dibble]

• Will Fish (17.02.03) – centre-back, was at Hibs last season and Stockport the season before.

Surely we have to sign this lad FEEEEEESHHH!!

Like the look of CMG whenever I have seen him against us - flair player, got a decent number of assists last season I think? Like insane says we need to make the system get the best from the player. Like the fact he isn’t happy in a squad and wants to be playing - we’ll be good for each other I hope.

[Worthy4England]

Happy with CMG as a signing. Just hope we can get him integrated into the "system"

[GhostoftheBok]

Happy with CMG as a signing. Just hope we can get him integrated into the "system"

The biggest issue for him is that he's not had any football in preseason, as he didn't go on tour with Luton.

I'd hope he'd start against Everton, as he needs the minutes. If he does it'll be interesting to see how we use him.

[Worthy4England]

Happy with CMG as a signing. Just hope we can get him integrated into the "system"

The biggest issue for him is that he's not had any football in preseason, as he didn't go on tour with Luton.

I'd hope he'd start against Everton, as he needs the minutes. If he does it'll be interesting to see how we use him.

Yeah, you do think though they could build up from 30 mins where he's the sort who might just do a bit of something useful and effect a change, until we've got some miles on the clock and assuming he keeps both his hammies longer than the first week...

[officer_dibble]

Kyle Dempsey might be looking over his shoulder now?

[Bertie Wooster]

Kyle Dempsey might be looking over his shoulder now?

I think Dempsey is a shoe in, a definite starter - I think that it's likely to be Sheehan who will be the one to make way for CMG.

[truewhite15]

I don't think any midfielder can count themselves as safe in the starting 11 right now. Not even CMG. Especially not if we sign the mythical midfield destroyer too. I think they've all (CMG aside) been good in patches, but none have been strong nor consistent enough to be among the first names on the team sheet.

It's up to them to change that during these next two games, and during the coming season.

[Spartan2]

I think Sheehan tends to play deeper than CMG will likely play.

[Spartan2]

I don't think any midfielder can count themselves as safe in the starting 11 right now. Not even CMG. Especially not if we sign the mythical midfield destroyer too. I think they've all (CMG aside) been good in patches, but none have been strong nor consistent enough to be among the first names on the team sheet.

It's up to them to change that during these next two games, and during the coming season.

Yeah I'd say midfield hasn't been our strong point lately.

[Bertie Wooster]

I think Sheehan tends to play deeper than CMG will likely play.

I agree, however IMO either the new 'mythical' destroyer (if we get one ?) or Morley will play alongside Dempsey in the 6 & 8 positions with CMG as the 10.

[boltonboris]

I don't know much about him, but 24 goals in 120 games doesn't scream goalscorer to me. I hope he's an upgrade on what we have, otherwise it's another WTF signing and maybe shows he's acknowledged a mistake in the signing of Adeboyejo

We have more strikers than midfielders now and we do seem a bit imbalanced

CMG may play as a forward sometimes for tactical reasons, but he's not a striker.

Is he a Centre mid?

[boltonboris]

Looks like it was just clearances Evatt was referring to, so Gomes is now our player for three years. Great stuff. We needed a fast, dribbly, goal-scorer who could play that 10 role and we've landed one. He's 24 and as proven as it gets at that age, so it's a huge signing.

I don't know much about him, but 24 goals in 120 games doesn't scream goalscorer to me. I hope he's an upgrade on what we have, otherwise it's another WTF signing and maybe shows he's acknowledged a mistake in the signing of Adeboyejo

We have more strikers than midfielders now and we do seem a bit imbalanced

More of a winger/10 than a striker? 10 goals this season will do me

Sounds promising. Trouble is, we don't play with wingers and if we play a number 10, we have 5 senior strikers on the books not playing

[boltonboris]

Looks like it was just clearances Evatt was referring to, so Gomes is now our player for three years. Great stuff. We needed a fast, dribbly, goal-scorer who could play that 10 role and we've landed one. He's 24 and as proven as it gets at that age, so it's a huge signing.

I don't know much about him, but 24 goals in 120 games doesn't scream goalscorer to me. I hope he's an upgrade on what we have, otherwise it's another WTF signing and maybe shows he's acknowledged a mistake in the signing of Adeboyejo

We have more strikers than midfielders now and we do seem a bit imbalanced

More of a winger/10 than a striker? 10 goals this season will do me

Sounds promising. Trouble is, we don't play with wingers and if we play a number 10, we have 4 senior strikers on the books not playing

[GhostoftheBok]

Is he a Centre mid?

Nooooo.....yeeeeees....maaaaaaybe.

He's not like Morley or Dempsey, who are classic midfielders. I think he's at his best linking midfield to attack, whether that's through the middle or wide.

In midfield he's more of a 10 than an 8, for me - so not really a central midfielder, but a player who works hard enough (and puts in enough tackles) in there to do he work of an 8.

I'm guessing, but I imagine he'll mainly fill the same role in the squad Shoretire did last season; but having to play up front less often as we'll hopefully have enough strikers fit this time.

Again, that's a guess. I think he also has the skillset to play down the right for us, but I suspect we'll do more business there.

[Mar]

Is he a Centre mid?

Nooooo.....yeeeeees....maaaaaaybe.

He's not like Morley or Dempsey, who are classic midfielders. I think he's at his best linking midfield to attack, whether that's through the middle or wide.

In midfield he's more of a 10 than an 8, for me - so not really a central midfielder, but a player who works hard enough (and puts in enough tackles) in there to do he work of an 8.

I'm guessing, but I imagine he'll mainly fill the same role in the squad Shoretire did last season; but having to play up front less often as we'll hopefully have enough strikers fit this time.

Again, that's a guess. I think he also has the skillset to play down the right for us, but I suspect we'll do more business there.

Sounds like a problem position we spotted from last season and dealt with. Shame Shoretire didnt work out, but that was always going to be an outside gamble.

Still Evatt faired much better than Megson did when we sold our biggest asset. That's right i'm drawing parallels between Anelka being sold and Rasiak being brought in with Dapo sold and Shoretire brought in. Either way, that would've brought more criticism had the rest of the squad not performed as well as they did.

[GhostoftheBok]

Sounds like a problem position we spotted from last season and dealt with. Shame Shoretire didnt work out, but that was always going to be an outside gamble.

Still Evatt faired much better than Megson did when we sold our biggest asset. That's right i'm drawing parallels between Anelka being sold and Rasiak being brought in with Dapo sold and Shoretire brought in. Either way, that would've brought more criticism had the rest of the squad not performed as well as they did.

Shoretire was probably a necessary gamble. We had a bloated squad with a load of injuries and tried a fix with no money.

If we had the ball winner we still need then maybe (and I'm only saying 'maybe' here) Shoretire would have had the structure around him to do a bit more. With the midfield being a bit lightweight generally he didn't really have the platform to show himself in his best light.

CMG shouldn't have the same issue. He's not massive, but he's bigger and more athletic than Shoretire, plus he knows the league. He won't be learning on the job and he should have a better attacking structure around him by the time we exit the window.

Nothing is guaranteed, but I don't think we could have done much better this window. I usually say, "Decent signing, but I'd have preferred this other guy"...I'd have signed CMG. I think he's a great pick out. I'm still gutted about Kane Wilson, but this helps.

[TANGODANCER]

My only real worry now is seeing the words "Bolton supporter" and " happy" in the same posts. Just don't seem right..

[Mar]

My only real worry now is seeing the words "Bolton supporter" and " happy" in the same posts. Just don't seem right..

We certainly look to be making progress towards a happy Bolton Supporter. Certainly managed that against Plymouth.