Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[dave the minion]

I agree. We lost - and always knew we would lose - our best and 2nd best players at the end of the season.

We were always going to be weaker as a result. I'd argue it would have been nigh on impossible to replace.tjr quality of those 2 in our position.

However, we've made the best fist we.can of replacing them within our budget, but we can't expect more.

We tried to get the RWB cover everyone wants in Wilson, but chose not to pursue. Maybe it's coincidence he's currently on the physio table for weeks, but imagine the clamour on here if we'd spent a wedge on him and he ended up injury prone....

[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.

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...

It’s a long term thing. We are obsessed with signing loads of cover or promising players. We should sign less players but make sure the ones we add are the highest quality.

The aim is to go up. It’s nice having a good squad with Forrester for example able to step up. But we’ve left ourselves short of quality. I’d rather not have signed any of the strikers we have and instead signed JCH. That’s not some nonsense comparison. The problem is we have Nlundulu, Jerome and even JDB who won’t between them come close to JCH’s goal return IMHO.

[Worthy4England]

Likely you're right on them 3. But Dion might get 20 and we dunno where Vic will land. The problem for me is the illusion of strength. I doubt anyone much was thinking either sub up front was going to secure the win. I'd have felt better with King Arthur coming on.

The wider problem for me, is that in a one goal fairly even game you don't really see them impacting.

[BWFC_Insane]

Likely you're right on them 3. But Dion might get 20 and we dunno where Vic will land. The problem for me is the illusion of strength. I doubt anyone much was thinking either sub up front was going to secure the win. I'd have felt better with King Arthur coming on.

The wider problem for me, is that in a one goal fairly even game you don't really see them impacting.

Yeah and this is my issue with the summer and earlier. We have a load of players some might become very good. But we’ve neglected ensuring the first 11 are good enough. And I’m struggling to see where the signings we needed to improve were. I go back beyond the summer. Maybe we can’t afford two in every position but we should react accordingly.

[The_Gun]

The noise is that Rob Holding will leave Arsenal before the end of this window. I’m sure we’re monitoring developments on that front quite closely, as it could provide us with a handy little cash boost.

[officer_dibble]

I thought Ken cashed in on the future fees a while back?

[The_Gun]

I thought Ken cashed in on the future fees a while back?

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/1 ... t-arsenal/

[Bertie Wooster]

How did you get to that £2.5m figure?

Its just a guess at the amount of the £4.5M bond money which I think would have gone into the transfer budget. Not just fee's but wages etc. If not I fail to see where the money will be spent.

[BWFC_Insane]

Increasing amount of chatter (idle for now) that Dion is going before the deadline.

I have no idea but I do know the club thought it a realistic possibility a couple of weeks ago. So interesting to see what we would do. Would have to assume we have a ready made replacement lined up but it would have to be a player proven and established at this level. Not some ‘hopeful’.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Increasing amount of chatter (idle for now) that Dion is going before the deadline.

I have no idea but I do know the club thought it a realistic possibility a couple of weeks ago. So interesting to see what we would do. Would have to assume we have a ready made replacement lined up but it would have to be a player proven and established at this level. Not some ‘hopeful’.

it's Big Dan

[Bertie Wooster]

Increasing amount of chatter (idle for now) that Dion is going before the deadline.

I have no idea but I do know the club thought it a realistic possibility a couple of weeks ago. So interesting to see what we would do. Would have to assume we have a ready made replacement lined up but it would have to be a player proven and established at this level. Not some ‘hopeful’.

It's actually the opposite - the talk is of Charles signing a new contract.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

In general, I trust the process. And if we get offered life-changing money – or Dion threatens to de-pram his toys, as he has before – then "that's football". But I would be very fearful that if he goes, we would really struggle to replace him.

We could throw the money at Jonson Clarke-Harris, but we wouldn't get it back - he's 30 next year - and we also wouldn't get Dion's line-leading endeavour and the trap-springing pressing that matters so deeply to our tactics.

There's probably an equally enthusiastic presser out there, but it might be Kachunga.

Finding a presser who's also a scorer would be a huge task – especially in the last week of a transfer window, with everyone knowing we've just received a fat cheque. Well, probably not a cheque.

So I hope Bertie's right.

[BWFC_Insane]

Increasing amount of chatter (idle for now) that Dion is going before the deadline.

I have no idea but I do know the club thought it a realistic possibility a couple of weeks ago. So interesting to see what we would do. Would have to assume we have a ready made replacement lined up but it would have to be a player proven and established at this level. Not some ‘hopeful’.

It's actually the opposite - the talk is of Charles signing a new contract.

Well I think both were possibilities - certainly club would be keen to tie him down. The fact it’s pushed to later in the window possibly suggests a waiting game to see what happens.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

A bit like George Thomason staying and getting a new contract...

As I said after that, looking at the list of contracts expiring summer 2025, Dion's and Rico's are the two big ones to tie up, although I'm sure we're talking to Toal and Morley. (As for summer 2024 it's currently just John, Sadlier, Bod and Jerome, none of whom are vital; their lapsing contracts could/would give us decent elbow-room to retool the squad for the next task.)

[TANGODANCER]

I will be very miffed if Dion goes. Prepare for big sulks...

[sonicthewhite]

I will be very miffed if Dion goes. Prepare for big sulks...

Even if someone offered us £5m+ for him?

[TANGODANCER]

I will be very miffed if Dion goes. Prepare for big sulks...

Even if someone offered us £5m+ for him?

To do what, buy another Dion? Football or business?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I will be very miffed if Dion goes. Prepare for big sulks...

Even if someone offered us £5m+ for him?

To do what, buy another Dion? Football or business?

What if we could buy 2 Dions with the £5m?

[BWFC_Insane]

I will be very miffed if Dion goes. Prepare for big sulks...

Even if someone offered us £5m+ for him?

To do what, buy another Dion? Football or business?

The thing is fundamentally FV are good people but they aren’t here to pump money in forever. They need a return to pay back investors. There are two ways of getting that - either through promotion and increased revenues (though that would mean our costs staying relatively stable) OR through player trading.

So bottom line is we will need to sell players at some point especially if we don’t progress up the leagues.

[BWFC_Insane]

Looks like Charles has signed a new deal so TD can put the pitch forks away!