Deal or no deal? - Summer 2022 Transfer gossip!

[GhostoftheBok]

So, if we were to put every player in their favoured/natural position (I'm still not sure which is Sadlier's position, but how good it is to have the lad on board) which positions do we still need to strengthen?

Right wing back, centre back, #10/winger, striker and possibly a defensive mid. In that priority order.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

So, if we were to put every player in their favoured/natural position (I'm still not sure which is Sadlier's position, but how good it is to have the lad on board) which positions do we still need to strengthen?

Right wing back, centre back, #10/winger, striker and possibly a defensive mid. In that priority order.

If we're talking necessity rather than desire I'd swap round the last two – we have plenty strikers and only one true '6'. However, as previously discussed, a superb striker can change a season – so if one cropped up who could make a difference, I reckon we'd go for it. But then, maybe we would in any position...

[GhostoftheBok]

If we're talking necessity rather than desire I'd swap round the last two – we have plenty strikers and only one true '6'. However, as previously discussed, a superb striker can change a season – so if one cropped up who could make a difference, I reckon we'd go for it. But then, maybe we would in any position...

I'm just going off chatting with folk..

We have missed our first choice RWB and CB targets. Iles says we have concrete interest in a proper striker. We know we want a specific #10/winger, but not if we can get him over the line. The "up in the air" one seems to be the defensive mid. We have long-standing interest in Hartigan and a couple of his Championship offers seem to have dried up; but who knows whether we can stretch our budget? It looks like we are willing to wait and see on that position, whilst we've pushed for the others.

The issue is we seem to have pushed with fairly low offers. I was just saying to Brommers that my hope is that's strategic rather than just us being broke. If we are keeping our powder dry for a couple of match-winners then that's grand. If we've targeted two key players for nearly a year and then can't get them done for other reasons then that's much more of an issue.

It looks like the club's priorities are as listed. What order we put them in is up for debate. If we're holding off to get those attackers then the whole thing could be almost backwards.

[TANGODANCER]

Evatt might have been wiser saying naught than indicating. Better to be silent than wrong. We still missed out on Fossey.

[The_Gun]

So, if we were to put every player in their favoured/natural position (I'm still not sure which is Sadlier's position, but how good it is to have the lad on board) which positions do we still need to strengthen?

Right wing back, wide forward and probably centre back. The first named being by far the most important.

[GhostoftheBok]

Right wing back, wide forward and probably centre back. The first named being by far the most important.

From Iles' utterances it looks like Conor Bradley is that guy. If not for Fossey and the cultural impact he had I think we'd all be very happy to get Bradley in. International, Liverpool etc. It's a good signing on paper and I'd like to think that our recovery from missing Tucker will be as impressive.

It's League One. There are loads of players out there who can make us better.

[Worthy4England]

So, if we were to put every player in their favoured/natural position (I'm still not sure which is Sadlier's position, but how good it is to have the lad on board) which positions do we still need to strengthen?

Right wing back, wide forward and probably centre back. The first named being by far the most important.

There isn't a probably about first and last for me (with the obvious "dunno if the lad from Liverpool" is our response to missing Flossie)

[The_Gun]

Yeah actually you are right, Worthy. We do need another centre back for the rotation.

On the striker and defensive midfielder, I definitely don’t think we need to strengthen in those positions, but if a real game changer were available then of course we’d be silly to say no.

Personally I’d be satisfied with this Bradley kid, a pacey wide forward and another centre back. That should put us in a good position to challenge for promotion.

[BWFC_Insane]

Priorities for me are:

RWB
Some other sort of wing back cover either side ideally both. A utility option maybe.
Centre back.
A combative centre midfield player.
A striker.

I doubt we sign all those but RWB, centre back and a more physical midfield type are must haves in my view.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah actually you are right, Worthy. We do need another centre back for the rotation.

On the striker and defensive midfielder, I definitely don’t think we need to strengthen in those positions, but if a real game changer were available then of course we’d be silly to say no.

Personally I’d be satisfied with this Bradley kid, a pacey wide forward and another centre back. That should put us in a good position to challenge for promotion.

Always happy to strengthen, but I'm prolly most comfortable with strikers we have. In forward positions not sure we've got 10 nailed yet.

[The_Gun]

Priorities for me are:

RWB
Some other sort of wing back cover either side ideally both. A utility option maybe.
Centre back.
A combative centre midfield player.
A striker.

I doubt we sign all those but RWB, centre back and a more physical midfield type are must haves in my view.

Do you not think Dempsey is a good option alongside Morley? He’s not big in stature, but he’s certainly combative and will run all day. I think him and MJ are a good CDM rotation.

[Bruce Rioja]

So, if we were to put every player in their favoured/natural position (I'm still not sure which is Sadlier's position, but how good it is to have the lad on board) which positions do we still need to strengthen?

Right wing back, centre back, #10/winger, striker and possibly a defensive mid. In that priority order.

Interesting. RWB's pretty much a given, and yep - another CB would be good. I'm far less concerned about the other three positions you mention though. I'd really love us to kill two birds with one stone by bringing in a CB who can get on the end of stuff at the other end. Mr Cahill, maybe?!

[BWFC_Insane]

Priorities for me are:

RWB
Some other sort of wing back cover either side ideally both. A utility option maybe.
Centre back.
A combative centre midfield player.
A striker.

I doubt we sign all those but RWB, centre back and a more physical midfield type are must haves in my view.

Do you not think Dempsey is a good option alongside Morley? He’s not big in stature, but he’s certainly combative and will run all day. I think him and MJ are a good CDM rotation.

No. Dempsey who has for large parts of his career been a number 10 is a decent midfield player but absolutely isn’t going to help us win the ball back in the way I think we need to. We need to turnover possession more and for that we need a more combative style player. I also think a lack of physical presence in midfield is a problem at times so we need another option beyond MJ who can head the thing. We noticeably were outmuscled by the top sides last season and we need to accept that some games we will need to match a side in that area before we can play.

[truewhite15]

So, if we were to put every player in their favoured/natural position (I'm still not sure which is Sadlier's position, but how good it is to have the lad on board) which positions do we still need to strengthen?

Right wing back, centre back, #10/winger, striker and possibly a defensive mid. In that priority order.

Interesting. RWB's pretty much a given, and yep - another CB would be good. I'm far less concerned about the other three positions you mention though. I'd really love us to kill two birds with one stone by bringing in a CB who can get on the end of stuff at the other end. Mr Cahill, maybe?!

The longer the silence goes on, the more I wonder whether we are in for Cahill on the QT. He'd be a huge player in League One either in a back 3 or alongside Santos in a 2. He's coming to the end of his career so he knows he's not going to get huge offers - maybe selling it to him as returning to the club where he initially came to prominence is working...

[Prufrock]

Priorities for me are:

RWB
Some other sort of wing back cover either side ideally both. A utility option maybe.
Centre back.
A combative centre midfield player.
A striker.

I doubt we sign all those but RWB, centre back and a more physical midfield type are must haves in my view.

Do you not think Dempsey is a good option alongside Morley? He’s not big in stature, but he’s certainly combative and will run all day. I think him and MJ are a good CDM rotation.

No. Dempsey who has for large parts of his career been a number 10 is a decent midfield player but absolutely isn’t going to help us win the ball back in the way I think we need to. We need to turnover possession more and for that we need a more combative style player. I also think a lack of physical presence in midfield is a problem at times so we need another option beyond MJ who can head the thing. We noticeably were outmuscled by the top sides last season and we need to accept that some games we will need to match a side in that area before we can play.

He's played plenty deeper. Played at 10 a lot for Gillingham, but pretty much every time I'd ever seen him he was more of an all action sort. Depends again what we're doing shape wise, but a two of Morley and Dempsey could defo work IMO.

[BWFC_Insane]

Priorities for me are:

RWB
Some other sort of wing back cover either side ideally both. A utility option maybe.
Centre back.
A combative centre midfield player.
A striker.

I doubt we sign all those but RWB, centre back and a more physical midfield type are must haves in my view.

Do you not think Dempsey is a good option alongside Morley? He’s not big in stature, but he’s certainly combative and will run all day. I think him and MJ are a good CDM rotation.

No. Dempsey who has for large parts of his career been a number 10 is a decent midfield player but absolutely isn’t going to help us win the ball back in the way I think we need to. We need to turnover possession more and for that we need a more combative style player. I also think a lack of physical presence in midfield is a problem at times so we need another option beyond MJ who can head the thing. We noticeably were outmuscled by the top sides last season and we need to accept that some games we will need to match a side in that area before we can play.

He's played plenty deeper. Played at 10 a lot for Gillingham, but pretty much every time I'd ever seen him he was more of an all action sort. Depends again what we're doing shape wise, but a two of Morley and Dempsey could defo work IMO.

Played 10 a lot for Fleetwood too. It might work some games. But there are plenty we need a different balance in. I still firmly believe a mobile strong midfield player is a must if we really want that top two.

[Prufrock]

I'd certainly like one.

[GhostoftheBok]

We do want a striker. Iles and others have been pretty clear that they know it's a priority.

We aren't targeting anything other than first team players this window, at least according to the boss.

The positions we "know" we still want to fill are Centre Back, Right (Wing) Back, Striker and some form of creative sort in attack.

We missed Tucker and Fossey. It looks like we think we'll get Bradley done, despite what was being said to me about a potential hiccup.

The persistent rumours are the Wombles trio and Barky from Preston.

That seems to be the current state of play in its entirety.

If we've given ultimatums this week, then you'd expect what we "know" to evolve pretty rapidly from now on. Windows are hectic enough without self-inflicted time limits. However, you could also see our willingness to give ultimatums and miss targets as a good thing, in a perverse way. It means we have options.

[GhostoftheBok]

Nixon is reporting that, as expected, we've also given Barkhuizen an ultimatum.

If he's hanging on for Derby over coming here then it's needed. Kick him to the kerb if not, because that's not a serious position for the player to hold. You can't put a fully functional club on hold until a basketcase gets a takeover that may or may not happen.

[TANGODANCER]

Priorities for me are:

RWB
Some other sort of wing back cover either side ideally both. A utility option maybe.
Centre back.
A combative centre midfield player.
A striker.

We have two perfectly good strikers in Dion and Jon who both work their socks off up front, and quite a few players capable of scoring goals, they're all just names (positions). Too much emphasis is placed on "glamour" positions and not enough on team equality. In short, (and obviously in my opinion) the days of centre forwards who just hang about up front waiting for crosses are long gone together with the 2,3.5 set ups of Nat's days. The Robert Lewandowskis' and Robert Mullers' are few and far between and certainly at this level, whilst the Hazards', De Bruens and Modrics are the real stars.

Some day we'll take some pointers from Hungary etc, and become packs of wolves in defence instead of playing pointless possession football that went out with the days of Roberto Baggio and Francesco Totti and co and spent more time on shooting practise. .

Amen.