Reconstruction time again: the summer 2018 transfer thread

[palindromeofbolton]

Robinson gave us the pace and attacking outlet at LB that Taylor couldn't, while Taylor gave us solid, workmanlike defensiveness that Robinson couldn't (at times).

Sounds like Grounds is more towards the Taylor side of the scale so arguably we're missing that Robinson-type outlet, but nevertheless definitely better to have competition at LB than not.

Brum fans seem to be disappointed with his move, so that's a definite positive.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

BW - Personally I thought Bristol City were excellent and good to watch - their passing & movement, speed of thought, work rate all over the pitch was very good - I'd pay good money to watch that every week and I think that they could make the play off's....I can't see us ever playing that way under Parkinson, but I do think that is the way that football should be played IMO.

I totally agree, on the day they played really well, and it was a very watchable, attractive style of football.

My point is that it isn't easy to do that for 46 games in a season and be successful, unless you have the best players. I don't think you would be happy paying good money each week if it wasn't successful? At the end of the day fans want to see their team win, regardless of style.

Bristol City got 20 points from the last 22 games of last season. The season before they went three months without a win which almost took them down. Johnson is a bit of a purist, he could do with a bit of our physicality mixed in with their intricate football. A lot can go wrong playing like that each week if you have a run of games against better teams, our when pitches get heavy, or confidence drops or injuries strike.

[palindromeofbolton]

Brum fans on Grounds:

"Hardworking. Not blessed with loads of ability but always gave 100%."
"Think we should of kept him"
"Good luck Groundsy, was class last season"
"Really do not understand why he has left Blues."
"I dont care what anyone said he was a great servant to the club and was a decent left back who played under some shit managers and circumstances. Kro groundsy"

[GhostoftheBok]

I think this could actually be a better signing than we'd expect, if his injury from last season isn't an issue. He's a lad who has been able to play almost every game in a Championship season for years and he's absolutely reliable. He's a big lad, can head a ball and is pretty strong for a fullback. I think we all wanted pace, but he's not slow....just nowhere near a Robinson type. Will give us two tall, pretty strong fullbacks who can first and foremost defend, whilst also offering something going the other way.

Also, it's worth noting that his assists rate, completed crosses and key passes went up when Jukebox went to Brum and he had a big man to hit from the left.

He also knows Wheater and Taylor very well, as well as Lowe and Clayton, so he should settle quickly.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think this could actually be a better signing than we'd expect, if his injury from last season isn't an issue. He's a lad who has been able to play almost every game in a Championship season for years and he's absolutely reliable. He's a big lad, can head a ball and is pretty strong for a fullback. I think we all wanted pace, but he's not slow....just nowhere near a Robinson type. Will give us two tall, pretty strong fullbacks who can first and foremost defend, whilst also offering something going the other way.

Also, it's worth noting that his assists rate, completed crosses and key passes went up when Jukebox went to Brum and he had a big man to hit from the left.

He also knows Wheater and Taylor very well, as well as Lowe and Clayton, so he should settle quickly.

Shame we can't just clone Pawel for the left side...

[GhostoftheBok]

Shame we can't just clone Pawel for the left side...

Can we at least give him a new haircut if we do?

[jmjhb]

He can fill in at CB if needed too

[bristol_Wanderer3]

If he is over his injury then I feel Grounds is a very good signing. Has been ever present through times when Birmingham were grinding their way towards the play offs in this league. A very small sample size, but he looked very solid blocking Morais' crosses last year at St. Andrews!

[BWFC_Insane]

I guess my concern with this is if we ever play teams who come to our place and sit back (like Burton did last season for example) your fullbacks get the majority of the ball.

On the right we have Pawel - an all round type of full back who looks good at everything. Can't comment on his crossing as of yet (apart from the low one that Magennis scored from) but I assume its good like the rest of his game. Or we have attack minded, can't defend much, but Cafu like going forwards Little. So we're ok there.

On the left we've got Taylor who if you want a defender at LB is as good as they come but his crossing, and general attacking play is really weak. And to add to that we've signed another in Grounds who is a CB converted to LB type who seemingly is the same. It seems a bit limited in outlook and I'm not sure who is first choice now.

Taylor by my reckoning has done nowt wrong in the first two games.

[GhostoftheBok]

I think I agree with both the concerns and the positives. He absolutely is a "defend first" fullback and not a wingback-type. He's not lightning fast. He also doesn't have Olkowski's thing of seeing forward passes that you can't even see from the stands. He's just a Mr.Dependable player, where you put his name on the team sheet every week without thinking about it and never have to worry if he's going to show up as Jekyll or Hyde. I find it very difficult to complain about lads like that. All you can do, as a footballer, is make the best of the attributes you have and work hard - which is what he does.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think I agree with both the concerns and the positives. He absolutely is a "defend first" fullback and not a wingback-type. He's not lightning fast. He also doesn't have Olkowski's thing of seeing forward passes that you can't even see from the stands. He's just a Mr.Dependable player, where you put his name on the team sheet every week without thinking about it and never have to worry if he's going to show up as Jekyll or Hyde. I find it very difficult to complain about lads like that. All you can do, as a footballer, is make the best of the attributes you have and work hard - which is what he does.

Certainly you need those types. I just am more subscribed to the school of "full backs are more important to you as an attacking unit than a defensive one". Obviously we balance that with the fact we often have less than 50% possession so we do need full backs who are reliable. The best full back I've watched at Bolton in my time dating back a few decades is Ricardo Gardner. The complete left back that lad once Sam converted him.

But unlike some Bolton fans I had no issue with Taylor it just seems a little restrictive that we've basically signed the same player again. Fullbacks in the championship nowadays are more forward thinking and I worry Parky in this regard is a little bit old school. Not to mention some pace at left back to cover around the back when Wheater/Beevers are in trouble would have been good.

I'm not complaining, it is good to sign solid experienced championship players. Its just if we hit the buffers at any point the change won't exactly alter our shape or pattern at all.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Robinson would've been perfect. It is impossible to find anyone with that ability with a season of Championship experience behind them on a free/loan. I guess the kind of players we could've got who might have had the ability to get up and down with pace are Demitri Mitchell or Jay DaSilva. Both with no Championship experience but lots of potential. Like Robinson, they would probably have made some basic mistakes as part of their learning process.

As it is we have gone for the solid option of an experienced LB with perhaps some added attacking ability over Taylor, but nothing like a Robinson.

[GhostoftheBok]

When we were linked to him I said we need to look for a faster player who offered more going forward. I think we did, we just couldn't find one who fitted. Given some of the other "options" on the table, we probably went with the most boring but most sensible option. Which in fairness is very Parkinson.

[BWFC_Insane]

When we were linked to him I said we need to look for a faster player who offered more going forward. I think we did, we just couldn't find one who fitted. Given some of the other "options" on the table, we probably went with the most boring but most sensible option. Which in fairness is very Parkinson.

Or afforded, if Nixon's hints over the weekend are anything to go by. Seems we were interested in Milic and Mbengue but couldn't agree terms with either player.

[GhostoftheBok]

Or afforded, if Nixon's hints over the weekend are anything to go by. Seems we were interested in Milic and Mbengue but couldn't agree terms with either player.

M'Bengue was apparently another tax issue. Couldn't make the cash work with the higher tax rate here. Not sure on Milic. He seemingly showed up, looked around and left.

[boltonboris]

Milic has gone to Napoli, so at no point did we have any chance if they were interested

[GhostoftheBok]

Milic has gone to Napoli, so at no point did we have any chance if they were interested

Not that I'm aware of. They picked him up in February as temporary cover and released him in the summer. Still a free agent, I think.

[TANGODANCER]

No Grounds for complaint about our Brum L.B. signing.

[GhostoftheBok]

No Grounds for complaint about our Brum L.B. signing.

Grounds with Wildschut in front of him looks much more like a Championship left wing than Taylor with Buckley in front.

[GhostoftheBok]

Looks like we'll now try to loan in an experienced striker who can play Parky's system and then go in for Hightower (I'm bringing it back) if there's any cash left.