January 2023 Transfer Window

[Prufrock]

The Aimson vs Santos conversation is starting to remind me a lot of Ream vs Wheater.

A lot of the Bolton fan base will tell you Ream is a dreadful player and Wheater is several levels above him, but one is playing in the Premier League right now and the other is at Darlington in the National League North.

And Darren Pratley is at Leyton Orient whereas Diego Maradona is in a coffin. Who's the better player?

[GhostoftheBok]

And Darren Pratley is at Leyton Orient whereas Diego Maradona is in a coffin. Who's the better player?

At the minute, Darren Pratley.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

And Darren Pratley is at Leyton Orient whereas Diego Maradona is in a coffin. Who's the better player?

At the minute, Darren Pratley.

[sonicthewhite]

The Aimson vs Santos conversation is starting to remind me a lot of Ream vs Wheater.

A lot of the Bolton fan base will tell you Ream is a dreadful player and Wheater is several levels above him, but one is playing in the Premier League right now and the other is at Darlington in the National League North.

And Darren Pratley is at Leyton Orient whereas Diego Maradona is in a coffin. Who's the better player?

That's a tough one

[GhostoftheBok]

Worth noting that Iles said we were also expecting players to leave in the next couple of days.

I think I said in this thread that there was informed talk of a block on John leaving having been resolved, so maybe we'll see some movement there.

[Prufrock]

And Darren Pratley is at Leyton Orient whereas Diego Maradona is in a coffin. Who's the better player?

At the minute, Darren Pratley.

Well, yeah. Exactly

[BWFC_Insane]

The Aimson vs Santos conversation is starting to remind me a lot of Ream vs Wheater.

A lot of the Bolton fan base will tell you Ream is a dreadful player and Wheater is several levels above him, but one is playing in the Premier League right now and the other is at Darlington in the National League North.

One has played over 100 premiership games. The other has not.

One had their career ended by a crippling back injury the other did not.

But let’s be clear. We all have eyes. One was a superb defender riddled with horrific injuries. The other a worthless coward who ducked out of challenges and headers.

You have to be able to defend. Consistently. To do the dirty stuff week in week out. To be positionally sound. Those are the basic requirements of a defender. Aimson does those. He doesn’t do the pretty stuff. But the basics. Santos can’t do the basics. That’s the issue.

And Ream vs Wheater is a great example. I know which one will play more top flight football. Because he was a better player.

[GhostoftheBok]

And Ream vs Wheater is a great example. I know which one will play more top flight football. Because he was a better player.

Again, though, the useless coward is captaining a side in the Premier League.

This is the issue with people telling themselves stories about players rather than looking at what they can actually offer a team.

[The_Gun]

Mr. Iles linking us with an unnamed Premier League attacking signing.

Man City U23 by any chance?

Sounds like it’s almost certainly not Borges.

[BWFC_Insane]

And Ream vs Wheater is a great example. I know which one will play more top flight football. Because he was a better player.

Again, though, the useless coward is captaining a side in the Premier League.

This is the issue with people telling themselves stories about players rather than looking at what they can actually offer a team.

Which one will play more top flight games?

I know you are desperate to find a narrative to try and hide what is in front of your eyes directly. But this is stretching things beyond any sense.

We’ve conceded 1 goal in 9 odd hours of football. If Santos comes back in that’s the metric by which he has to be judged. Defensive solidity is what has achieved our results.

[GhostoftheBok]

I know you are desperate to find a narrative to try and hide what is in front of your eyes directly. But this is stretching things beyond any sense.

I'm not desperate to find anything.

Wheater was a better player for Bolton, because of what we needed. Ream has shown he can play at a very high level when the style of football suits his skill set.

It's not about who was better, it's precisely not trying to view one player as always better than another.

Wheats is my kid's favourite player, because they used to kick a ball about together when he was little. I have a lot of time for him.

Wheater will finish his career with more top flight appearances, obviously, having come through at a Premier League team rather than moving to England in his mid twenties.

As to hiding what is in front of your eyes...again, the useless coward is a Premier League captain.

[Worthy4England]

And Ream vs Wheater is a great example. I know which one will play more top flight football. Because he was a better player.

Again, though, the useless coward is captaining a side in the Premier League.

This is the issue with people telling themselves stories about players rather than looking at what they can actually offer a team.

Which one will play more top flight games?

I know you are desperate to find a narrative to try and hide what is in front of your eyes directly. But this is stretching things beyond any sense.

We’ve conceded 1 goal in 9 odd hours of football. If Santos comes back in that’s the metric by which he has to be judged. Defensive solidity is what has achieved our results.

Not sure I ever had Wheater down as a Prem level defender, most of the time he was with us...But can't take achievements away

[nicholaldo]

I know you are desperate to find a narrative to try and hide what is in front of your eyes directly. But this is stretching things beyond any sense.

I'm not desperate to find anything.

Wheater was a better player for Bolton, because of what we needed. Ream has shown he can play at a very high level when the style of football suits his skill set.

It's not about who was better, it's precisely not trying to view one player as always better than another.

Wheats is my kid's favourite player, because they used to kick a ball about together when he was little. I have a lot of time for him.

Wheater will finish his career with more top flight appearances, obviously, having come through at a Premier League team rather than moving to England in his mid twenties.

As to hiding what is in front of your eyes...again, the useless coward is a Premier League captain.

I'm not sure how relevant this may or may not be, but the useless coward is the captain of a Premier League team that frequently gets relegated from it.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm not sure how relevant this may or may not be, but the useless coward is the captain of a Premier League team that frequently gets relegated from it.

As relevant as Wheater's relegations with Boro and us. I believe they've both been relegated 3 times. Prem to Champ 3 times for Ream. 2 Prem to Champ's for Wheats and one Champ to League One.

Ream is currently 6th in the Prem with Fulham, though, I believe. He's started every game for them. I think anyone suggesting Ream can't play at a high level probably needs to have a small rethink.

[The_Gun]

Which of Ream and Wheater have we been linked with?

[GhostoftheBok]

Which of Ream and Wheater have we been linked with?

Fair enough. Back on topic. Who are we thinking might go this window?

Anyone think we're in for any surprises?

[nicholaldo]

I'm not sure how relevant this may or may not be, but the useless coward is the captain of a Premier League team that frequently gets relegated from it.

As relevant as Wheater's relegations with Boro and us. I believe they've both been relegated 3 times. Prem to Champ 3 times for Ream. 2 Prem to Champ's for Wheats and one Champ to League One.

Ream is currently 6th in the Prem with Fulham, though, I believe. He's started every game for them. I think anyone suggesting Ream can't play at a high level probably needs to have a small rethink.

And, to be fair, probably also about as relevant of judging their respective abilities at the tail end of their careers when one was practically done in with a back injury at the age of about thirty.

For what it's worth, in terms of natural talent and the correspondong levels, I'd probably have it as a score draw - very good in the second tier, mediocre / just short of the required quality in the first tier.

(I think a good indicator of this is the fact that the only manager to sign either of them from a lower league specifically to play in the highest tier was Owen Coyle )

[nicholaldo]

I'm assuming the potential signing Iles is referring to isn't the rumoured Borges as he described it as a new name.

I'm not sure who else it could be though, unfortunately.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm assuming the potential signing Iles is referring to isn't the rumoured Borges as he described it as a new name.

That was my reading of it.

[nicholaldo]

I'm assuming the potential signing Iles is referring to isn't the rumoured Borges as he described it as a new name.

That was my reading of it.

Any ideas?