Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[The_Gun]

Insano’s talking about mobile, strong, ball winners who can also play. I’m not sure many L1 sides have those.

[BWFC_Insane]

Insano’s talking about mobile, strong, ball winners who can also play. I’m not sure many L1 sides have those.

I mean like any player as Evatt has outlined we aren’t going to get everything we want at our level. So we might have to sacrifice how good they are at the ‘playing bit’ but a mobile and strong ball winner who can pass it simple and keep the game moving is far from beyond us. The won’t have sheehans passing range or first touch but that’s the point. We need different options in different games as Evatt has outlined.

We have absolutely no issue with having wing back backups who lack most of the skills a wing back requires, pace, quality on the ball, ability to beat a man and good deliver. Ashworth is a decent sort but mainly seems to be good at the more ‘hard working’ aspects of the role.

So why do we not want similar in midfield? Evatt talks about needing a defensive option out wide but the same is true for me in midfield. It’s fine having Sheehan, Morley, Maghoma in many games but sometimes we need that more robust option. Thomason can add that to some extent but he’s not exactly going to overpower anyone.

[Worthy4England]

Insano’s talking about mobile, strong, ball winners who can also play. I’m not sure many L1 sides have those.

We make compromises with other players, not sure why we couldn't for the "6"...Morley and Sheehan we accept aren't maybe the strongest tacklers...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Cardiff seem to be saying Rubin Colwill ain't goin' nowhere, but you can have a Romaine Sawyers if you like.

[boltonboris]

That's a strange area to strengthen in, if true!

2 players competing for a spot we don't use

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

That's a strange area to strengthen in, if true!

2 players competing for a spot we don't use

Ha. I hear you, but I've already suspected we will use a 10/winger as an attacking, ball-carrying WB against low blocks - as long as they have the positional discipline to respond to turnovers <glares at certain squad outliers>

That 10/winger could be CMG, but I still think we're short of such options out wide, and I suspect we will be looking for players who can improve themselves by playing such a role

Sounds risky but remember before we loaned him Bradley had only ever played as a full-back. I'm sure that skill-set extension will be on the PowerPoints we're sending to academies while requesting their finest youngsters

[The_Gun]

Do we think it likely John and Sadlier will be moved on before the window closes? Neither has made a match day squad so far this season, as far as I can tell.

[jimbo]

Do we think it likely John and Sadlier will be moved on before the window closes? Neither has made a match day squad so far this season, as far as I can tell.

I don’t doubt we’re trying to get rid. The question is whether a team who they would want to move to would want them.

[The_Gun]

Do we think it likely John and Sadlier will be moved on before the window closes? Neither has made a match day squad so far this season, as far as I can tell.

I don’t doubt we’re trying to get rid. The question is whether a team who they would want to move to would want them.

I’d suggest any club where they’d actually play would be preferable, but wages are likely the blocking point.

[Bertie Wooster]

We need to send Nlundulu out on loan.

[The_Gun]

We need to send Nlundulu out on loan.

Let’s be realistic here, pal - Nlundulu isn’t going anywhere this window.

Unless a ridiculous bid comes in for Charles, then Sadlier and John are the only departures I could see beyond some B team loans.

[Worthy4England]

We need to send Nlundulu out on loan.

Not seeing it, mate...

[BWFC_Insane]

We need to send Nlundulu out on loan.

Let’s be realistic here, pal - Nlundulu isn’t going anywhere this window.

Unless a ridiculous bid comes in for Charles, then Sadlier and John are the only departures I could see beyond some B team loans.

Being realistic is different to what needs to happen.

Nlundulu was a mistake. We needed someone who would add quality. Not a 24 year old project who looks like he’s converting from a different sport entirely.

A loan would in an ideal world be great. But can’t see any football league club fancying him unless we are paying all his wages.

[Worthy4England]

We're not going to get who you think we need (probably.) We're going to get who Evatt and Markham think we need. I very much doubt they haven't spotted JCH is good at this level, so you can only conclude that they've worked out they can't land him for a number we'd be willing to pay, or whatever other reason they've not had a sneaky bid in...

[BWFC_Insane]

We're not going to get who you think we need (probably.) We're going to get who Evatt and Markham think we need. I very much doubt they haven't spotted JCH is good at this level, so you can only conclude that they've worked out they can't land him for a number we'd be willing to pay, or whatever other reason they've not had a sneaky bid in...

That’s fine but instead of spending money on the ones we have……is the issue…….

If Evatt and Markham have got it right and we are better off with the ones we spent money on then fine. I always have questioned recruitment and early days I’m not sure those questions look wrong.

[The_Gun]

Tbh, I’ve seen enough from Baxter, CMG, JDC, Maghoma and Forrester that I think they’ll all range from decent to excellent signings.

Ashworth I haven’t seen anywhere near enough of, and Nlundulu looks a mistake.

I don’t think this summer's recruitment looks bad at all, but I agree that we do seem a couple of players light. Still a bit of time to address that.

[Worthy4England]

We're not going to get who you think we need (probably.) We're going to get who Evatt and Markham think we need. I very much doubt they haven't spotted JCH is good at this level, so you can only conclude that they've worked out they can't land him for a number we'd be willing to pay, or whatever other reason they've not had a sneaky bid in...

That’s fine but instead of spending money on the ones we have……is the issue…….

If Evatt and Markham have got it right and we are better off with the ones we spent money on then fine. I always have questioned recruitment and early days I’m not sure those questions look wrong.

Yeah but part of the problem is, no one would likely disagree that having real quality all over the team is generally a bad thing. It's sorta stating the bleeding obvious!

As you say, you question 90% of signings we make, so you're always in a pretty decent position if they then don't deliver, to say see I was right, but then you're measuring that against people we didn't sign, on the assertion that, if we had, it would've all been alright. It's a no lose gamble.

You also apply the uneven equation, so the signing of N'lundulu is somehow the measure to compare to not signing Clarke-Harris, like the reason we didn't sign JCH was Dan...that's laughable. I suspect no one can credibly argue the two would cost the same amount over their contracts. I think we'd probably accept JCH and Dion would likely be the "starting two" but obviously you don't have to worry about the investment Evatt made in Vic In Insano world, we just bench him, because money is no object...

Much easier on the outside pissing in, my friend...

[Bertie Wooster]

Worthy do you think that to date Evatt has made best use of the transfer funds available, including around £2.5M of fans bond money (part of the £4.5M) ? and do you think that our team is better than the one that finished at Barnsley ?

I'll say it again, in my opinion and in my opinion only I expected much better quality players than the ones signed to date - the boards aim is top 2, and Sharon Brittan has not been shy stating this - they (the club) asked the fans to help achieve this by the bond that raised over £4.5M (and the board said that this is in addition to the transfer funds made available by the board). I appreciate that some of the bond money was to pay for a new scoreboard, training pitches etc.

There is still time for the club & Evatt to sign 2 or 3 decent players this week to make a difference and seriously strengthen the starting XI, but if they don't I do think that overall (expectation wise) it's been a poor summer window, to add to the poor previous January window. The team / squad as it stands today is not good enough to achieve top 2, probably more of a play off team which is fine if that is the season's expectation, but it's not unless things have changed behind the scenes ?

[The_Gun]

How did you get to that £2.5m figure?

[Worthy4England]

I dunno what he's spent to be honest Bertie. There was a comparison made with Wigan, I'd be a bit surprised if N'lundulu cost more over his contract than Wyke, for example, even though they got him free. I'm pretty certain JCH would cost more too.

I think we're probably marginally better than the team that played Barnsley, if only because Vic can stand up and currently has 4 goals and 2? Assists...

As others mentioned JDC looks to add going forwards, but less consistent than Bradley, and we'd have done pretty well to secure equivalent of Trafford for anything we could afford.

I still think we're short in MF class and RWB cover...