Deal or no deal? - Summer 2022 Transfer gossip!

[BWFC_Insane]

I think we will sign cover that improves on Aimson. Perhaps with some development scope.

If you want a better more frugal defence then you don’t replace your best defender ahead of someone who isn’t as good at defending.

But I suspect it’s an Aimson upgrade we will look for.

I'm asking you whether you think Evatt would agree with your assessment.

I understand what you think of Evatt's defensive options. Do you think he views them the same way you do?

*edit* I should add, I don't necessarily disagree with you that what we will do is try and get an Aimson who's a better fit to how we play. I'm mostly interested in how you make decisions about what you think we will do, vs what we should do.

I’m giving my view as I’m not Ian Evatt.

What I think Evatt will do is sign someone who can play RCB or in the middle who is better than Aimson who could also partner Santos in a back 4.

That’s my view on what he will do.

We know Jones is critical to our defence or was last season as it was shambolic without him.

But we also know that Aimson is a bit too limited and we need options for the centre and right centre back areas.

[GhostoftheBok]

I’m giving my view as I’m not Ian Evatt.

What I think Evatt will do is sign someone who can play RCB or in the middle who is better than Aimson who could also partner Santos in a back 4.

That’s my view on what he will do.

We know Jones is critical to our defence or was last season as it was shambolic without him.

But we also know that Aimson is a bit too limited and we need options for the centre and right centre back areas.

Do you think that is likely to get us to where Evatt wants us as the best side in the league?

[BWFC_Insane]

I’m giving my view as I’m not Ian Evatt.

What I think Evatt will do is sign someone who can play RCB or in the middle who is better than Aimson who could also partner Santos in a back 4.

That’s my view on what he will do.

We know Jones is critical to our defence or was last season as it was shambolic without him.

But we also know that Aimson is a bit too limited and we need options for the centre and right centre back areas.

Do you think that is likely to get us to where Evatt wants us as the best side in the league?

If it’s the right sort of centre back who balances out our weaknesses then maybe.

There are lots of players better than we have all over the pitch but it depends on cost and whether they become a priority. I think we will need to have the best balance, workrate and organisation as we won’t have necessarily the best 11 players in every situation.

Like I say if it was up to me I’d potentially sell Santos and reinvest in two defenders. It’s not up to me.

[GhostoftheBok]

If it’s the right sort of centre back who balances out our weaknesses then maybe.

There are lots of players better than we have all over the pitch but it depends on cost and whether they become a priority. I think we will need to have the best balance, workrate and organisation as we won’t have necessarily the best 11 players in every situation.

Like I say if it was up to me I’d potentially sell Santos and reinvest in two defenders. It’s not up to me.

I'm just interested in how you balance what you think with what you think Evatt might do, so I appreciate the reply.

[BWFC_Insane]

If it’s the right sort of centre back who balances out our weaknesses then maybe.

There are lots of players better than we have all over the pitch but it depends on cost and whether they become a priority. I think we will need to have the best balance, workrate and organisation as we won’t have necessarily the best 11 players in every situation.

Like I say if it was up to me I’d potentially sell Santos and reinvest in two defenders. It’s not up to me.

I'm just interested in how you balance what you think with what you think Evatt might do, so I appreciate the reply.

Trawling on twitter and some random has asked Nixon about someone called Matt Platt to Bolton which Nixon describes as possible.

Barrow….from Google. That’s as much as I know.

[GhostoftheBok]

Trawling on twitter and some random has asked Nixon about someone called Matt Platt to Bolton which Nixon describes as possible.

Barrow….from Google. That’s as much as I know.

There's been a rumour floating around Barrow for a couple of weeks that Platt has an agreement in place with an unnamed club. He took a lap of honour at the end of their last game and told some friends he was leaving.

Evatt took him to Barrow on loan and he was part of that promotion team. Good build, reasonably athletic and tidy with the ball. I'm going off memory from when I watched a lot of Barrow when Evatt was first coming in as manager and a bit last season. I don't think I've seen him play this time around.

I was told Phil Brown dropped him for a "lack of commitment to the club" or some such thing, which may indicate a move has been on the cards for a while.

Barrow fans rate Platt quite highly and he'd probably suit our needs on that right side more than, say, O'Connell.

[brommers95]

Trawling on twitter and some random has asked Nixon about someone called Matt Platt to Bolton which Nixon describes as possible.

Barrow….from Google. That’s as much as I know.

There's been a rumour floating around Barrow for a couple of weeks that Platt has an agreement in place with an unnamed club. He took a lap of honour at the end of their last game and told some friends he was leaving.

Evatt took him to Barrow on loan and he was part of that promotion team. Good build, reasonably athletic and tidy with the ball. I'm going off memory from when I watched a lot of Barrow when Evatt was first coming in as manager and a bit last season. I don't think I've seen him play this time around.

I was told Phil Brown dropped him for a "lack of commitment to the club" or some such thing, which may indicate a move has been on the cards for a while.

Barrow fans rate Platt quite highly and he'd probably suit our needs on that right side more than, say, O'Connell.

Think it was Mark Cooper who didn’t play him much at the start of the season (think he also had a niggly back injury) and apparently called him out for signing a pre-contract elsewhere.

Brown brought Platt back into the side and he put in some good performances in the second half of the season by all accounts.

[jmjhb]

I'd be disappointed if we were in for Platt tbh, would have thought we would be aiming a little higher. A 'jobs for the boys' signing if ever there was one.

[officer_dibble]

Iredale getting a lot of big ups from those that know, so thats positive. Good to have depth/competition/options down that side. Onto Fossey then…

[bw@bw]

I'd be disappointed if we were in for Platt tbh, would have thought we would be aiming a little higher. A 'jobs for the boys' signing if ever there was one.

Evatt knows him and what he can do. He must rate him, and have a specific role in mind for him.That cuts down the risk.
Looks like a squad signing .
Probably not very expensive.
Could be useful without being a world beater

We do need some players who will be happy even if they don’t get much time on the pitch

[TANGODANCER]

Iredale getting a lot of big ups from those that know, so thats positive. Good to have depth/competition/options down that side. Onto Fossey then…

He's pitch, shirt and grinned already and happy to be here. Saw it on Youtube.

[Harry Genshaw]

This is him scoring against Shrewsbury this season:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnAol7Jtlc8 (watch from about 35s in)

And it's not a one off. Also worth looking at his brace against Oldham in 20/21. You've made an excellent signing there. Gutted to be losing him but I guess that's how the world works. He goes with my absolute best wishes for the contribution he made to us getting promoted last year and consolidating this year. He's also an absolutely top bloke who embodies all that is good about being a professional footballer.

Interestingly his father, Paul (lives down in Oz) joined the Cambridge Utd forum I'm in and was a frequent contributor. Might have been worried he'd have got some backlash but, as his son hardly ever had a bad game, that didn't happen.

Wishing you all the best for the season ahead and ask away if you've any questions about Jack.

Cheers pal. Good to hear.

That goal - wow

[GhostoftheBok]

Think it was Mark Cooper who didn’t play him much at the start of the season (think he also had a niggly back injury) and apparently called him out for signing a pre-contract elsewhere.

Brown brought Platt back into the side and he put in some good performances in the second half of the season by all accounts.

I will assume you are right there. I was just told "the manager" and assumed it was Browny.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Trawling on twitter and some random has asked Nixon about someone called Matt Platt to Bolton which Nixon describes as possible.

Barrow….from Google. That’s as much as I know.

There's been a rumour floating around Barrow for a couple of weeks that Platt has an agreement in place with an unnamed club. He took a lap of honour at the end of their last game and told some friends he was leaving.

Evatt took him to Barrow on loan and he was part of that promotion team. Good build, reasonably athletic and tidy with the ball. I'm going off memory from when I watched a lot of Barrow when Evatt was first coming in as manager and a bit last season. I don't think I've seen him play this time around.

I was told Phil Brown dropped him for a "lack of commitment to the club" or some such thing, which may indicate a move has been on the cards for a while.

Barrow fans rate Platt quite highly and he'd probably suit our needs on that right side more than, say, O'Connell.

Think it was Mark Cooper who didn’t play him much at the start of the season (think he also had a niggly back injury) and apparently called him out for signing a pre-contract elsewhere.

Brown brought Platt back into the side and he put in some good performances in the second half of the season by all accounts.

As you're being too humble to mention it, Brommers, I will say there's a fine blog here that analyses the boy Platt.
https://bwfcanalysis.wordpress.com/2022 ... tre-backs/

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Just to say - Jack Iredale can also take a long throw. We’re talking almost near-post length, judging by a couple of videos I’ve seen. Not that I would expect us to use it all the time, but it’s an interesting question to ask sometimes.

[GhostoftheBok]

As you're being too humble to mention it, Brommers, I will say there's a fine blog here that analyses the boy Platt.
https://bwfcanalysis.wordpress.com/2022 ... tre-backs/

Excellent from Brommers, as ever.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

As you're being too humble to mention it, Brommers, I will say there's a fine blog here that analyses the boy Platt.
https://bwfcanalysis.wordpress.com/2022 ... tre-backs/

Excellent from Brommers, as ever.

Yep, Brommers is excellent. Platt? Hmm. As a 'type' he makes sense - clearly a ball-player, fluid positionally, can play in a 4 or a 3 (and possibly RB in a 4), understand Evattball. But there's a couple of results on that bar chart which worry me.

His number of defensive duels per 90 is way above the divisional average - presumably reflecting Barrow not being very good - but his number of defensive duels *won* per 90 is way below the divisional average. That's not, as far as I can understand the data, because you don't win every duel - I take it that each data set is evaluated within itself (X axis is "percentile rank" not bare numbers) - but because he's losing more than most defenders in the division. Aimson's actually quite good at defensive duels - ISTR Brommers posting he was one of the best in the third tier, although that might have been small-sample stuff - so would Platt be an upgrade?

Even more pertinently, his aerial duels won per 90 is below the divisional average. ISTR from last summer that his erstwhile team-mate Dixon was below divisional averages in things like shot-stopping; could familiarity be overvalued?

[GhostoftheBok]

but his number of defensive duels *won* per 90 is way below the divisional average.

Yeah, there were a number of powderpuff tackles he put in when I watched him. I was reminded by a mate I was chatting to this morning that I watched them play Bradford this season and went a bit mad about a challenge he mad in the box that led to Bradford scoring. He got to the ball, but did so in such a way that it just sort of dribbled along his leg and let the Bradford lad walk off with it as he lay on the floor and watched. So when I saw that number it jumped out at me too.

He'd not be my pick of those available, but I am prepared to go on a little faith at this point. I do think Dixon and White were bad calls and so another former Barrow player would worry me, but as you say you can make arguments in his favour. He doesn't look a Championship player to me, which is what I think we 'should' be after - again, though, if we get him Ill back him.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Yeah, I won’t hoot with derision if he comes, and I will hope he develops.

Just to strengthen that last point I wrote. We need to be aerially stronger. Or we will keep conceding from set pieces.

[BWFC_Insane]

Platt doesn’t fill me with much confidence. I don’t expect us to be signing some top level centre half. But I also think a player who has to some extent struggled at 22nd in league two Barrow is potentially not the standard we should be looking at. Were he outstanding and unstoppable and so obviously better than the turd he was surrounded by then fine. But from what I’ve read that’s not the case.

Managers returning to what they know sometimes makes sense but I fail to believe he’s genuinely the best option available to us. And it feels like we are just filling a place rather than looking to improve.

But right now it’s just a rumour. It may be based on nothing more than idle speculation up there. I hope so as whilst as DSB says I’d not be sharpening pitchforks if he came I’d also be concerned that we once again weren’t addressing properly our issues at the back. And that could potentially be our Achilles heel again.