Reconstruction time again: the summer 2018 transfer thread

[mullayo]

Karacan suffered from being neither one thing nor another. Not a real holding midfield player (though that is where he's played most of his career) but for us, not strong enough in that role. Not an up and down type...though that is how we used him, but he didn't really have the engine for it. Nor an attacking midfield player really. He's a bit of a jack of all trades master of none. I quite liked him but I definitely do not think we should have kept him.

Yeah a bit lightweight tweener. In meeting-speak we need to rollout a more robust mid...
Him and Alf are Santa's little helpers...

[mullayo]

We should have a poll on which position we first sign a NEW player in.

I'd say fullback.Just have a feeling.

[Bruce Rioja]

Karacan suffered from being neither one thing nor another. Not a real holding midfield player (though that is where he's played most of his career) but for us, not strong enough in that role. Not an up and down type...though that is how we used him, but he didn't really have the engine for it. Nor an attacking midfield player really. He's a bit of a jack of all trades master of none. I quite liked him but I definitely do not think we should have kept him.

That. A trier for sure, but there isn't a single part of his game that you can point towards and say 'Yes. That'. Hope he finds a decent club and finds regular football, but not really a player we can use anymore.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Lion of Vienna Suite are saying - via Nottingham Post - we're one of a bunch after 29-year-old Forrest fullback Eric Lichaj. Can play either side. Scored 3 goals in 28 games last year for them. American international so MLS is beckoning too.
Scored two goals in a game against Arsenal and got a dog and called it Gunner.

From the photo he played against us, anyone remember?

[Bruce Rioja]

DSB - I think I've sussed this now. On several of your posts I just see CODE: SELECT ALL below your written entry.

Have you posted a Twitter link?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

DSB - I think I've sussed this now. On several of your posts I just see CODE: SELECT ALL below your written entry.

Have you posted a Twitter link?

Yep - can you not see the embeds? #DJBluKlaxon

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

At least Eric shows good judgement regarding shite American beer

[palindromeofbolton]

^ Agreed. Vile stuff.

[Bruce Rioja]

DSB - I think I've sussed this now. On several of your posts I just see CODE: SELECT ALL below your written entry.

Have you posted a Twitter link?

Yep - can you not see the embeds? #DJBluKlaxon

It's OK, mate. I can see them at home. Twitter's a banned substance at work. All good

[Spartan2]

Lion of Vienna Suite are saying - via Nottingham Post - we're one of a bunch after 29-year-old Forrest fullback Eric Lichaj. Can play either side. Scored 3 goals in 28 games last year for them. American international so MLS is beckoning too.
Scored two goals in a game against Arsenal and got a dog and called it Gunner.

From the photo he played against us, anyone remember?

If we could only have another Holden, what a player, was destined for big things IMO. And yet still probably *only* the fourth best midfielder we've ever had.

Can anyone explain what Lichaj is saying, maybe I'm just a bit thick but i don't get his response.

[TANGODANCER]

Can anyone explain what Lichaj is saying, maybe I'm just a bit thick but i don't get his response.

I think he's saying he doesn't like Budweiser beer.

[mullayo]

Sounds like he's considering us.
Or reading between the lines, he's slagging Bud as a defence mechanism so as to not pick Bolton?
Is he any good?
American internationals are often busy and hard working players, much like Holden himself. I like it when we're linked with them, could be a good signing.

[mullayo]

From Lion of Vienna Suite RELEASE LIST:

REALEASED: Derik Osede, Dorian Dervite, Jem Karacan, Chris Taylor, Mark Howard, Chinedu Obasi and Jan Kirchhoff

UP IN THE AIR:

FIRST TEAMERS: Ben Alnwick, David Wheater, Mark Beevers, Karl Henry, Darren Pratley, Sammy Ameobi, Filipe Morais, Aaron Wilbraham,

BACK-UPS: Jeff King, Connor Hall,Cole Lonsdale, Harry Brockbank, Alex Perry, Ryan White .

[mullayo]

WHO ARE: Jeff King, Connor Hall,Cole Lonsdale, Harry Brockbank, Alex Perry, Ryan White
U23s?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

WHO ARE: Jeff King, Connor Hall,Cole Lonsdale, Harry Brockbank, Alex Perry, Ryan White
U23s?

Yes.

Hall scored a lot of goals. King (attacking midfielder) played a handful of first-team games in the autumn then spent some time on loan at FCUM, impressing. Last time I looked Lonsdale's a left-back, Brockbank a centre-back, Perry a centre-back/defensive midfielder, White a right-winger. They all played in the first-team pool last summer, especially in the earlier games when we were only giving players 45 minutes, then 60, etc.

[mullayo]

WHO ARE: Jeff King, Connor Hall,Cole Lonsdale, Harry Brockbank, Alex Perry, Ryan White
U23s?

Yes.

Hall scored a lot of goals. King (attacking midfielder) played a handful of first-team games in the autumn then spent some time on loan at FCUM, impressing. Last time I looked Lonsdale's a left-back, Brockbank a centre-back, Perry a centre-back/defensive midfielder, White a right-winger. They all played in the first-team pool last summer, especially in the earlier games when we were only giving players 45 minutes, then 60, etc.

Lot of goals is good. Impressing on loan is good.
But are they the future?
Will they save us?
Can we bank on them?
Most importantly, should I pencil them in for squad spots?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Biiiiiig jump between U23s and first-team, especially at Champo level. Think Conor Wilkinson.

David Lee's on record as saying the kids aren't ready yet, although he could be protecting them - when the first team is losing, there's always a clamour to include the lad scoring against teenagers.

Parky likes Jeff King, but the loan was at FCUM, who are sixth-tier, and he's 22. Really you want these fellas to be impressing at higher levels before you start building a squad round them. That said, I'd love us to habitually have a young 'un on the bench and maybe bring them on if the situation allows.

[mullayo]

So if we successfully re-sign the ones not released (in bold) our squad looks like:

GK: Ben Alnwick, Ben Amos, Jake Turner

RB: Mark Little, Stephen Darby
LB: Andrew Taylor, Cole Lonsdale
CB: David Wheater, Mark Beevers ,Harry Brockbank

DM:Darren Pratley, Karl Henry,Alex Perry
AM: Josh Vela, Jeff King

RW: Sammy Ameobi, Filipe Morais,Ryan White
LW: Will Buckley

ST: Adam Le Fondre, Craig Noone, Connor Hall,
TS:Aaron Wilbraham

Weaknesses are (everywhere but especially on) the left wing and target striker plus a quick quality centreback and fullbacks?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

So if we successfully re-sign the ones not released (in bold) our squad looks like:

GK: Ben Alnwick, Ben Amos, Jake Turner

RB: Mark Little, Stephen Darby
LB: Andrew Taylor, Cole Lonsdale
CB: David Wheater, Mark Beevers ,Harry Brockbank

DM:Darren Pratley, Karl Henry,Alex Perry
AM: Josh Vela, Jeff King

RW: Sammy Ameobi, Filipe Morais,Ryan White
LW: Will Buckley

ST: Adam Le Fondre, Craig Noone, Connor Hall,
TS:Aaron Wilbraham

Weaknesses are (everywhere but especially on) the left wing and target striker plus a quick quality centreback and fullbacks?

Noone's not a striker, he's a left-footed winger who prefers to cut in from the right. I wouldn't say we can rely on the kids for a Championship relegation battle. At the mo I'd say we're as follows, with possibles in italics – and we may not be intending to re-sign them all, we may just not have had time to tell them so:
GK: Ben Alnwick, Ben Amos, Jake Turner
RB: Mark Little, Stephen Darby
LB: Andrew Taylor
CB: David Wheater, Mark Beevers
DM:Darren Pratley, Karl Henry
AM: Josh Vela
RW: Sammy Ameobi, Filipe Morais, Craig Noone
LW: Will Buckley
ST: Adam Le Fondre
TS:Aaron Wilbraham

Main priority has to be goalkeeper, central midfield, central defence and centre-forward – ie the spine of the team.

I'd be happy with us re-signing Alnwick, Wheater, Beevers + a more mobile CB, one of Pratley/Henry + 2 more mobile midfielders, and a target man; more peripherally I would expect Morais to stay, Ameobi probably (he likes it here). Need a younger left-back too.

[Harry Genshaw]

Has Earing left? I liked the look of him the one game I saw.

Hardly building for the future but I see Jon Walters was telling Burnley today that he might have to look elsewhere for football after getting very little there. As someone who could play in both the hold up role and wide left (if we're playing the 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation) he'd be a good loan signing for me