Deal or no deal? - Summer 2022 Transfer gossip!

[Worthy4England]

Waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too early for giddy!

Hey, man, take it up with the bird.

[The_Gun]

What is Kachunga actually good at? He’s kind of average to bad at everything in my eyes.

Also yeah, top scorer in preseason. He’s scored vs Stockport, Chorley and Longridge in meaningless friendlies.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

What is Kachunga actually good at? He’s kind of average to bad at everything in my eyes.

Also yeah, top scorer in preseason. He’s scored vs Stockport, Chorley and Longridge in meaningless friendlies.

His is not a hill I shall die on, but I have seen evidence that he reads the game well. For the goal at Lincoln, many's the striker who would have slashed at that instead of finding the pass. He strikes me as an intelligent player who can combine well with colleagues.

But he has yet to show it consistently, and I suspect he may not be as comfortable in a 3-5-2 as a 4-2-3-1 – when he scored all those goals to get Huddersfield in the Prem, many were arriving at the back post as the "opposite" forward. I would also currently class him as our fifth most likely striker to score, which isn't a good look. Nor was skying his penalty v Wigan.

Last season he registered assists v McDons, Pompey, Lincoln and Donny, scoring v Donny and Cheltenham. He also scored in both games v Stockport. Perhaps unfair to extrapolate too much from that limited dataset - he was injured for two months and only started once thereafter - but you start to suspect he may be scoring against the lesser teams. Not a bad thing to have someone doing that, but you suspect he would be among the least vital players to lose.

[Prufrock]

Fully fit there's a really good player in there. His footballing intelligence is the bit that's next level. Really good off the ball, with and without. Pressed well, picked up great pockets, and for a good eye for goal.

But he seems to have a really low base level of fitness. It took him *ages* to get up to speed after no preseason. He was then IMO our best player in the dark days of early winter. Then got a bad injury and could never really get back. If the forward options he'd be the one I'm least worried about losing. But I have no issue if he plays and think he's got the ability. Though share DSB's reservations on where he fits in a 352. Not an out and out striker, and doesn't have the physicality to playb the hybrid winger/wing back role Sads was. And must be this choice behind Daps and Lee for the 10/wide left role. And behind Bod, Bak, Charles and Daps for up top. Also imagine he on decent wedge. He was supposedly our first choice ahead of Amaechi but asking for too much. We then went back in when Xav got injured. Imagine he partly moved towards us but must still be good whack. And not sure who'd pick that up from us.

[GhostoftheBok]

Kachunga's best assets are all in his head. Brilliant presser (between him and Lee for the best), really hard working and plays the system exactly how Evatt coaches it.

He's not slow, he battles, he's good technically for the level, he creates chances, etc. Nothing wrong with him.

I don't think Evatt will worry about putting him into either system, as he'll do the job he's given.

What he's not shown much of is being a match winner - like Dapo, Charles, Sadlier. We do need a bit more of that in the squad. Plus, obviously, he has to prove he can stay fit.

I think a fully fit Kachunga could be a forward version of Geth. Not spectacular, but a 7 almost every week. That has value. We'll see how it goes.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah, I'm nearer this view of Kacha than some others. We've been bemoaning lack of pace and Kacha not slow. At his best, even if he's not assisting or scoring, he's spreading them thin on the counter...

[BWFC_Insane]

People keep saying ‘he’s not slow’ I’d like to know relative to what. He’s one where I feel if he wasn’t as slow as he is he’d be very very dangerous. It’s his lack of pace that I feel makes it hard in an Evatt side. He’s definitely got the brain. It’s whether he can make what he sees happen.

[Worthy4England]

People keep saying ‘he’s not slow’ I’d like to know relative to what. He’s one where I feel if he wasn’t as slow as he is he’d be very very dangerous. It’s his lack of pace that I feel makes it hard in an Evatt side. He’s definitely got the brain. It’s whether he can make what he sees happen.

OK. How about he's quicker than Dad Bod for a start? (Which don't make him "better", just quicker...)

[BWFC_Insane]

People keep saying ‘he’s not slow’ I’d like to know relative to what. He’s one where I feel if he wasn’t as slow as he is he’d be very very dangerous. It’s his lack of pace that I feel makes it hard in an Evatt side. He’s definitely got the brain. It’s whether he can make what he sees happen.

OK. How about he's quicker than Dad Bod for a start? (Which don't make him "better", just quicker...)

I mean Bodvarrson can turn and snap a shot off. Kachunga to me looks like he’s playing in treacle.

I’m not convinced he’s win a foot race against him either. But even if I gave you that. Slow is more about the speed at which he plays the game more than how quickly he can run.

[Worthy4England]

Grand, give me that. He's quicker than most we have.

[nicholaldo]

He's quicker than most we have.

What a damning indictment of our squad that is.

[Worthy4England]

He's quicker than most we have.

What a damning indictment of our squad that is.

Maybe. As Insano points out, speed is only one aspect...

[nicholaldo]

He's quicker than most we have.

What a damning indictment of our squad that is.

Maybe. As Insano points out, speed is only one aspect...

Sure, but it's an aspect in which we are sorely lacking.

[sonicthewhite]

As this lad has an apparent affinity for the mighty Whites we should at least ask about a loan deal for him

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... wanderers/

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Asked about the possibility of more transfers, Evatt indulges in the old rhetorical standby of hypophora:

“I’m never going to say never. I’m always on the lookout.

“But are we desperate? Absolutely not. Do we think we might be challenged for one or two of our own? Maybe.

“You have to be adaptable in transfer windows and we will be. We try to plan for everything and expect the unexpected almost. That is kind of how we have to be.”

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... fer-front/

[BWFC_Insane]

Somewhat disappointing given I feel we are low on quality in a couple of key areas. Not surprised though. I think I’ve sensed Evatt feels he has what he needs in the squad. But I don’t necessarily agree with him.

Has to be a serious tilt at promotion this season regardless and hopefully given we have a settled squad generally we can get off to a fast start whilst others are integrating their new signings.

[dave the minion]

Out of interest - why does it need to be a serious push for promotion? We've only had 1 season back in League 1 and not sure we have any god-given right to be competing at the top do we?

Don't get me wrong - I think we've made massive strides in terms of infrastructure, stability & squad quality and depth over the last couple of years - and I'd love to think we can make a decent go at getting up, but I genuinely don't think we can be too disappointed if it doesn't quite happen yet can we?

[BWFC_Insane]

Out of interest - why does it need to be a serious push for promotion? We've only had 1 season back in League 1 and not sure we have any god-given right to be competing at the top do we?

Don't get me wrong - I think we've made massive strides in terms of infrastructure, stability & squad quality and depth over the last couple of years - and I'd love to think we can make a decent go at getting up, but I genuinely don't think we can be too disappointed if it doesn't quite happen yet can we?

Evatt felt promotion was the target last season. Let alone this. And has once again said he wants us in the premiership in 5 years so it’s pretty obvious that’s the aim and given the backing the board have given in assembling a squad then I don’t think it an be anything other than a serious tilt at it.

I would say top two might be a tough one but not finding a way into the play offs at least, for me, would represent failure.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

has once again said he wants us in the premiership in 5 years

Has he? That quote isn’t in the Burnden Aces story, although I haven’t heard the podcast.

[GhostoftheBok]

Has he? That quote isn’t in the Burnden Aces story, although I haven’t heard the podcast.

If we get there in 5 years it'll only be 7 years after the first time he wanted to be there in 5 years.

Eventually it'll be like a Sci-Fi movie set in the far future of 2011.