Deal or no deal? - Summer 2022 Transfer gossip!

[officer_dibble]

Hope he’s a good ‘un. In front of, or behind, Will Aimson in the pecking order?

[brommers95]

Hope he’s a good ‘un. In front of, or behind, Will Aimson in the pecking order?

At this stage I would have said behind, but I’m assuming he’ll get ample opportunity to impress and will eventually move ahead of Aimson.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Hope he’s a good ‘un. In front of, or behind, Will Aimson in the pecking order?

At this stage I would have said behind, but I’m assuming he’ll get ample opportunity to impress and will eventually move ahead of Aimson.

Yeah. Geth is first choice RCB unless tactics decree we need another big man. For now that’s Aimson but Toal will be trained up - note Evatt’s expectation-managing “project” quote. Good job we have a B team he can get minutes in…. Cup games early doors too.

[GhostoftheBok]

I have no issue with any of our signings as individuals. I don't think they add up to the summer we needed to have.

Hopefully there's a bit more to come.

We still have a good squad and Toal makes it a bit better in terms of depth. We need at least one in who really raises the bar, though. At the minute we feel a bit like we're treading water and that's not ideal.

I've been silly busy, so I don't know if we are aware of more targets at the moment, or if we know Toal is the last in. I'm hoping for the former and worry it's the latter.

When you look at having missed (or walked away from) Fossey, Tucker, Butcher and Barkhuizen then what we have in doesn't match up to what Evatt seemingly thought he had in line.

From Evatt's quotes we seem to have given up on the striker part of that (all the "People tell me I need a striker" BS). Midfield looked the least vital and the club has been pushing Thomason forward a bit more as an answer in that area (via Iles), so maybe we're through the active recruitment stage there too.

I live in hope - both that Bradley and Toal land at a run (in which case we're in decent shape) and that one real impact player can be found to kick us on.

[The_Gun]

No other names out there in terms of new targets as far as I'm aware. With this regime that isn't necessarily a sign that we're not after anyone, though.

How many overage spaces do we have left in the squad - three?

[BWFC_Insane]

I have no issue with any of our signings as individuals. I don't think they add up to the summer we needed to have.

Hopefully there's a bit more to come.

We still have a good squad and Toal makes it a bit better in terms of depth. We need at least one in who really raises the bar, though. At the minute we feel a bit like we're treading water and that's not ideal.

I've been silly busy, so I don't know if we are aware of more targets at the moment, or if we know Toal is the last in. I'm hoping for the former and worry it's the latter.

When you look at having missed (or walked away from) Fossey, Tucker, Butcher and Barkhuizen then what we have in doesn't match up to what Evatt seemingly thought he had in line.

From Evatt's quotes we seem to have given up on the striker part of that (all the "People tell me I need a striker" BS). Midfield looked the least vital and the club has been pushing Thomason forward a bit more as an answer in that area (via Iles), so maybe we're through the active recruitment stage there too.

I live in hope - both that Bradley and Toal land at a run (in which case we're in decent shape) and that one real impact player can be found to kick us on.

He sees Dapo as a striker, which for me he is, so that’s 4 up there. I don’t think we need more.

We have Sadlier, Lee, Sheehan, Kachunga who all might play number 10.

I’d have preferred proven quality at the back but we’ve probably only added Iredale there with that, but let’s see how Toal is. But back three is covered. Up front is covered.

Wing backs and the MJ Williams role are where it’s obvious we need more additions.

You need specialist wing backs and Iredale is not one, neither is Jones. Sadlier can play the odd game there. But wing back is so specialist and also involves more running that any other role so cover essential.

And midfield an upgrade on Williams was the biggest single point of improvement for this season. Thomason I just don’t see him as an option if we seriously want to go up. And Dempsey and Morley aren’t enough in certain games.

[Bruce Rioja]

and that one real impact player can be found to kick us on.

Fossey's still not got fixed-up

[GhostoftheBok]

He sees Dapo as a striker

He sees Dapo as a striker having failed to sign one.

It's more of Evatt spinning, for me. I don't disagree that Dapo is a decent striker in a two; but I don't believe for a second that that was the plan at the start of the summer.

I might feel we need 'x' and you might feel we need 'y', the players we seem to be fairly reliably told we've missed are Fossey, Tucker, Butcher and Barky. That should probably inform us as to where Evatt does and doesn't have the sorts of players he wanted.

Bradley fills the Fossey role and Toal the Tucker - whether they fill in for the quality remains to be seen.

No sign yet of us moving for a Butcher or Barkhuizen and the "Dapo was always a striker and I never wanted one at all" stuff from Evatt may mean there's no new Barky on the horizon.

That leaves Butcher as someone we are told we missed out on and who we don't seem to have a natural "He was he plan all along" player in the squad to cover for the lack of.

Would another wing back be nice? Sure. If we were to suddenly announce one I'd be happy, but I can't say with any confidence that Evatt wants one.

From the public-facing stories and football chit chat I'm fairly confident we wanted a midfield powerhouse. It's lacking.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

How many overage spaces do we have left in the squad - three?

To answer this question I've just updated the Contract Expiry list and I make it 19 overage outfielders on a maximum of 22.

viewtopic.php?p=1137068#p1137068

On the subject of clarifying rules, in the process of confirming the above I'm afraid I've just discovered that I have to correct my old mate Prufrock, who said on another thread...

But we do also have five subs per game now, so one or two could start to pop up on the bench in league games, for the matchday experience, and maybe get some minutes if the situation allows. None of them are old enough to require a squad registration.

And nine spots, so easier to chuck a couple on there in case there's a chance to give them minutes. Hopefully we'll always have a sub keeper now as well!

Not the case. Still only 18 (ie seven subs) in the matchday squad; clubs can just use more of them.
https://www.efl.com/news/2022/june/numb ... increases/

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Time for DSB to do one of his position coverage charts?
I think we now have League 1 quality cover for everyone except MJ

Something like this?

squad.jpg (45.33 KiB) Viewed 938 times

We can argue over pecking order and position but that seems to be the squad.

[BWFC_Insane]

He sees Dapo as a striker

He sees Dapo as a striker having failed to sign one.

It's more of Evatt spinning, for me. I don't disagree that Dapo is a decent striker in a two; but I don't believe for a second that that was the plan at the start of the summer.

I might feel we need 'x' and you might feel we need 'y', the players we seem to be fairly reliably told we've missed are Fossey, Tucker, Butcher and Barky. That should probably inform us as to where Evatt does and doesn't have the sorts of players he wanted.

Bradley fills the Fossey role and Toal the Tucker - whether they fill in for the quality remains to be seen.

No sign yet of us moving for a Butcher or Barkhuizen and the "Dapo was always a striker and I never wanted one at all" stuff from Evatt may mean there's no new Barky on the horizon.

That leaves Butcher as someone we are told we missed out on and who we don't seem to have a natural "He was he plan all along" player in the squad to cover for the lack of.

Would another wing back be nice? Sure. If we were to suddenly announce one I'd be happy, but I can't say with any confidence that Evatt wants one.

From the public-facing stories and football chit chat I'm fairly confident we wanted a midfield powerhouse. It's lacking.

I certainly agree that powerhouse midfield player is lacking. I’ve said that for a year and a bit now.

I’m not as convinced Evatt was in for butcher really or sees it that way but we shall see.

As for strikers I don’t know if I’d class Barky as one. I read that as a proven championship local player on a free who most sides in this league would add if they could rather than we went to look for that position specifically. He has played most of his career off the right so it would be interesting where Evatt saw him playing here.

I’m relatively happy with the four forwards we have, if one with proven quality up there was available then obviously we’d look to add. The other factor is we don’t know how much Barky or that sort of player was being eyes when maybe they did think Dapo might go.

I think wing back is so critical to everything we do in this system that only having two and their cover being essentially converted wide centre backs is a big danger. Especially as Fossey isn’t here now, the pace and width and direct option we had feels very different and even more so if one of Bradley or John or god forbid both end up missing some games.

It’s not a position you can just throw someone into you need that pace, running power, crossing ability and up and down the line stamina and I think it’s a blind spot for Evatt. We might change the system to accommodate them but again the fear is that we seem to be building around 3 5 2 more than anything else so I’d rather we had a backup but more than a backup one that maybe adds that stronger and quicker edge we’ve lost with Fossey that we’ve not found elsewhere yet.

[bw@bw]

Time for DSB to do one of his position coverage charts?
I think we now have League 1 quality cover for everyone except MJ

Something like this?
squad.jpg
We can argue over pecking order and position but that seems to be the squad.

Thanks

What a difference a year makes

We can all nitpick but overall that looks a pretty well balanced squad.
Anything extra will be about adding quality

[Prufrock]

How many overage spaces do we have left in the squad - three?

To answer this question I've just updated the Contract Expiry list and I make it 19 overage outfielders on a maximum of 22.

viewtopic.php?p=1137068#p1137068

On the subject of clarifying rules, in the process of confirming the above I'm afraid I've just discovered that I have to correct my old mate Prufrock, who said on another thread...

But we do also have five subs per game now, so one or two could start to pop up on the bench in league games, for the matchday experience, and maybe get some minutes if the situation allows. None of them are old enough to require a squad registration.

And nine spots, so easier to chuck a couple on there in case there's a chance to give them minutes. Hopefully we'll always have a sub keeper now as well!

Not the case. Still only 18 (ie seven subs) in the matchday squad; clubs can just use more of them.
https://www.efl.com/news/2022/june/numb ... increases/

Ahh I've been done by the Google preview! Was in an article about EFL clubs having five subs and the preview text said something like they'll be allowed to name nine on the bench but in context they were comparing to the Prem (where I think it will be nine).

Always check your sources, kids.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

What a difference a year makes
We can all nitpick but overall that looks a pretty well balanced squad.
Anything extra will be about adding quality

As a comparison, here's Brommers' squad-map from last December - ie where we were after last summer. (Red is injured at the time.)

Screenshot 2021-11-26 at 13.20.05.png (54.92 KiB) Viewed 922 times

[GhostoftheBok]

I certainly agree that powerhouse midfield player is lacking. I’ve said that for a year and a bit now.

I’m not as convinced Evatt was in for butcher really or sees it that way but we shall see.

As for strikers I don’t know if I’d class Barky as one. I read that as a proven championship local player on a free who most sides in this league would add if they could rather than we went to look for that position specifically. He has played most of his career off the right so it would be interesting where Evatt saw him playing here.

I’m relatively happy with the four forwards we have, if one with proven quality up there was available then obviously we’d look to add. The other factor is we don’t know how much Barky or that sort of player was being eyes when maybe they did think Dapo might go.

I think wing back is so critical to everything we do in this system that only having two and their cover being essentially converted wide centre backs is a big danger. Especially as Fossey isn’t here now, the pace and width and direct option we had feels very different and even more so if one of Bradley or John or god forbid both end up missing some games.

It’s not a position you can just throw someone into you need that pace, running power, crossing ability and up and down the line stamina and I think it’s a blind spot for Evatt. We might change the system to accommodate them but again the fear is that we seem to be building around 3 5 2 more than anything else so I’d rather we had a backup but more than a backup one that maybe adds that stronger and quicker edge we’ve lost with Fossey that we’ve not found elsewhere yet.

It's not one where I'm arguing against your preferences.

Our stated aim is promotion. I don't think we've done what's needed this window to give Evatt enough of a boost for promotion to be anything other than overachievement. It can happen, but we look like a play-offs side and not a league winner.

Whatever form it takes, we need more quality than we have. Otherwise it's a bit like asking Spurs to win the League. Yeah, it's technically possible - but it'd take some doing.

Maybe Bradley will be some next-lever star in this league and not just replace Fossey but revolutionise us. Maybe Toal will adapt instantly and improve our defending. Maybe Trafford will kick on two levels. Maybe Iredale will be enough to make all the difference.

On their own, they're decent signings. They don't add up to a good summer, though, for me.

[BWFC_Insane]

I certainly agree that powerhouse midfield player is lacking. I’ve said that for a year and a bit now.

I’m not as convinced Evatt was in for butcher really or sees it that way but we shall see.

As for strikers I don’t know if I’d class Barky as one. I read that as a proven championship local player on a free who most sides in this league would add if they could rather than we went to look for that position specifically. He has played most of his career off the right so it would be interesting where Evatt saw him playing here.

I’m relatively happy with the four forwards we have, if one with proven quality up there was available then obviously we’d look to add. The other factor is we don’t know how much Barky or that sort of player was being eyes when maybe they did think Dapo might go.

I think wing back is so critical to everything we do in this system that only having two and their cover being essentially converted wide centre backs is a big danger. Especially as Fossey isn’t here now, the pace and width and direct option we had feels very different and even more so if one of Bradley or John or god forbid both end up missing some games.

It’s not a position you can just throw someone into you need that pace, running power, crossing ability and up and down the line stamina and I think it’s a blind spot for Evatt. We might change the system to accommodate them but again the fear is that we seem to be building around 3 5 2 more than anything else so I’d rather we had a backup but more than a backup one that maybe adds that stronger and quicker edge we’ve lost with Fossey that we’ve not found elsewhere yet.

It's not one where I'm arguing against your preferences.

Our stated aim is promotion. I don't think we've done what's needed this window to give Evatt enough of a boost for promotion to be anything other than overachievement. It can happen, but we look like a play-offs side and not a league winner.

Whatever form it takes, we need more quality than we have. Otherwise it's a bit like asking Spurs to win the League. Yeah, it's technically possible - but it'd take some doing.

Maybe Bradley will be some next-lever star in this league and not just replace Fossey but revolutionise us. Maybe Toal will adapt instantly and improve our defending. Maybe Trafford will kick on two levels. Maybe Iredale will be enough to make all the difference.

On their own, they're decent signings. They don't add up to a good summer, though, for me.

I wouldn’t go as far maybe but broadly agree. I said already I think that we should be top 6 but we’ve not added any obvious guaranteed quality that you’d want to be thinking top 2 is likely rather than just a possibility.

Our form second half of the season encourages. If you can couple it within more solidity defensively (and that’s where the signings all are) then I don’t think top 2 is impossible but relies on the hard to quantify things like spirit and confidence and the start going well and form, injuries etc being on your side.

Like you I don’t think we’ve brought in the obvious quality boosters I was hoping for and it feels like we’ve brought in good prospects who can do a job rather than proven things bar Iredale. Iredale is one where I also feel as LCB he could be great but far less convinced as a LWB so it will depend on the role.

I will say if our four strikers pick up where they left off I doubt there is a team who can match what we have up front. And if we couple that with a little more robustness in behind we will be hard to stop. But we’ve seen how injuries derail it. And it’s more our strength in depth coupled to the demands a pressing game brings with it that still is a concern for me.

[GhostoftheBok]

Pretty much.

Any criticism from me comes based on the assumption that the aim is to be league winners.

We will go into next season as a good side.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Ghost must be down in the dumps if Insano’s rallying to cheer him up…. But there is some logic to Ghost’s reasoning.

To be fair to Evatt I don’t think he mentioned a striker signing one way or the other until he said we’ll go with what we’ve got. Midfield was improved in January with Morley, Demps and Sads. January also saw us swap Doyle and Delf for Charles and Bod. Being so far behind promotion meant we could go gung-ho and try to win 3-2 if necessary. And we often did.

This summer was always going to be mostly about the defence: rehiring Traf, augmenting options in front of him. We’ve got a fresh face on each side of the back three, although Toal is not Tucker (we may still have bought Eoin if we’d signed Tucker).

Beyond that I suspect it was about hiring players who we thought might improve us - Barkuizen, possibly Butcher. For all Evatt talks about position specifics (and I fully believe we have criteria) I think we may have gone into this summer with one eye on defence and the other on hiring gamechanging/marquee signings if available. The latter hasn’t happened. The former depends on whether Iredale > Johnson, Toal > Aimson and to an extent Bradley > Fossey.

I still fear we could hire three Championship/Prem defenders and concede sloppy goals. I really hope I’m wrong. The defensive coaching needs to improve because while we won some games by outscoring the oppo, when we played the big boys - Wigan, Plymouth, Wednesday - they all scored off set-pieces and we didn’t have enough firepower to make up for it.

[The_Gun]

My two hot takes when looking at the depth chart DSB posted:

1. We are miles better than we were at the start of last season. As in a million miles better.

2. There’s not a tremendous amount of pace in the squad.

John and Charles are the only players I’d describe as fast, and neither is absolute lighting. Bradley I assume must be quite quick, but, based on his highlights, he looks only fastish, certainly not a flying machine.

Most of our players are either average or slightly above average in terms of speed, so I’m not saying we’ve got a mega slow team, but neither do we have anyone who’s really going to threaten opponents with pure pace.

I’d be looking at speed as an attribute to strongly consider during recruitment if I were Evatt/Markham.

[officer_dibble]

Slightly unfair on Dapo - he’s not the quickest but he’s a fantastic dribbler at this level. I haven’t seen Bradley yet either but I can’t imagine he’s a slouch. Santos is pretty quick as well which helps with the high press.

Where do you think the lack of speed hurts us? Centre mid?