Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[Mar]

Perhaps it would be worth investigating if Jesurun Rak-Sakyi would be a decent replacement for that Afolayan role. 15 goals, 8 assists last season from 43 appearances in a Charlton side that finished 10th. Whilst we're not quite a league above and they may be looking to have him elsewhere, but we've had a relatively decent record with young players and have past connections with Dougie Freedman so a loan might help.

Good to see Sheehan and Dad Bod offered new roles. Decent shout for MJ as well. Clearly we hit a point in the season and were thinking yeah, play him to get past that trigger point.

Dixon, Isgrove, Kacha and Lee sound about right for going. Wish them all the best of course.

[Prufrock]

Wilson. Yes please.

Rak-sakyi looks a player but 100% a winger.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Speaking of West Brom, all talk is that Kane Wilson has been told he is out at Bristol City this summer - either permanently or on loan.

Yes, please.

That'd be good. As long as he didn't properly break himself.

[GhostoftheBok]

That'd be good. As long as he didn't properly break himself.

That's the obvious question mark. Does his body hold up? That's a question mark over a number of our current squad too.

The stand-out players, for positions we need, who are supposedly available to clubs at our sort of level are Kane Wilson (probably a loan, but will likely be for sale too), Owen Moxon (fee), Jensen Weir (currently on an expiring contract) and Nathanael Ogbeta (fee).

I suspect any of them would be incredibly challenging to do, but that's the level of player that the clubs who went up (or may go up) this season have available.

Those are the sorts that good coaching could get to a level above. If we want to win the league, those are the waters we need to be swimming in.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I did a post on Kane Wilson couple of weeks ago. Yes he got injured, but also they changed to a back four and Pearson displayed his usual bedside manner to the recuperating Wilson.

He might not get a better offer - unless Barnsley go up and want him. Can’t imagine he’s on millions. So it’s probably about the medical.

Jensen Weir looks a very good shout. Should be doable. Ogbeta I’ve eyed up before - again, might be loanable, depends who follows Martin.

[GhostoftheBok]

I did a post on Kane Wilson couple of weeks ago. Yes he got injured, but also they changed to a back four and Pearson displayed his usual bedside manner to the recuperating Wilson.

He might not get a better offer - unless Barnsley go up and want him. Can’t imagine he’s on millions. So it’s probably about the medical.

I daresay there would be plenty in for him, possibly including Barnsley wanting the get the band back together.

What he would do, if fit, is give us our third "too good for this level" RWB in three seasons.

That's what we need in every position we change, if we are doing targeted work.

The chances of getting that level of player in 3-4 outfield positions are probably quite low, but the players do exist within our budget and scope.

[The_Gun]

Perhaps it would be worth investigating if Jesurun Rak-Sakyi would be a decent replacement for that Afolayan role. 15 goals, 8 assists last season from 43 appearances in a Charlton side that finished 10th. Whilst we're not quite a league above and they may be looking to have him elsewhere, but we've had a relatively decent record with young players and have past connections with Dougie Freedman so a loan might help.

Good to see Sheehan and Dad Bod offered new roles. Decent shout for MJ as well. Clearly we hit a point in the season and were thinking yeah, play him to get past that trigger point.

Dixon, Isgrove, Kacha and Lee sound about right for going. Wish them all the best of course.

Rak-Sakyi is apparently going to Ipswich.

[BWFC_Insane]

Rak-Sakyi is obviously not realistic anyway BUT...

I will say this. One of the weaknesses in our system is that these sorts of talents - and you can add the lads at Peterborough too into that - these real out and out outlets who can frighten defences- none of them work in this system. As Pru notes Shoretire only really worked as a second striker and that was only circumstantial. His real position was probably playing in a front three off one of the wings.

The number 10 for me is a fanciful idea. Because you look at the only player we've had to make it work - and that is Kieran Lee who is in essence a conventional midfield player who has played lots of his career at right back but who is just a good footballer who understood the press and how to create space. But you aren't getting that from any of these sorts of players. They become passengers in that role - and most if any are not good enough with their awareness or ability in tight spaces. Dapo wasn't - Evatt talked about his 360 awareness not being up to the role. So we'd carry him as a passenger.

Its why for me the number 10 role is a waste of time. We either end up with a Lee in there - makes us tick but has not enough goal threat or we end up with a converted wide player in there - great on the break in space but a passenger at other times - or we end up with a hybrid in someone in the mould of Nolan or Sarce who might grab goals and lead the odd charge, do ok in the press but aren't really going to make us tick from the role.

Without playing wingers it massively limits us. Its why for me we need a striker who likes to run at pace at defenders with the ball at feet and create things for themselves rather than just another box type. We need that sort of 'drop into holes and out wide' striker who then drives at defenders and scares them.

We also need wing backs who are basically wingers in most attributes.

It does make it harder though. Think how Barnsley played us. If we had Rak-Sakyi on the wing instead of wing backs and a back 3 I suspect we WOULD have created more. There'd have been more spaces to work in and Barnsley would have had less ability to press high up the pitch. And we'd have an outlet.

The downside is we've got a back three that works as a back three and deffo don't have a back four.

But it needs thought because the team lacks outlets. Our only real outlet was Bradley and Barnsley showed that you can bottle that up. After that we simply don't have one. Its great to say - well just play right through midfield - how many sides genuinely can do that week in week out at this level?

The system - needs thought. I think we need to be a hybrid 352 and 343 with different options per match. And I think it means we might need to add wingers or wing backs who can play across a front 3.

[The_Gun]

WEST BROM
Released: Jake Livermore, Tom Rogic, Kean Bryan

Offered contracts: Erik Pieters; 4x Premier League 2 players (Jamie Andrews, Mo Faal (not that one), Aaron Harper-Bailey and Brad Foster); 4x second-year scholars (Fenton Heard, Akeel Higgins, Layton Love and Narel Phillips)

Signed extension: Ted Cann

Released youngsters: Quevin Castro, Rico Richards, Ramello Mitchell, Cianole Nguepissi, Sammy Okoka, Sam Oluwatobi, Beau Hudd, Tobias Hurlock, Femi Olofinjana, Archie Oliver and Jesse Wangusi

I seem to remember Kean Bryan being good when he was with us. Still only 26, which surprised me a little. Maybe not a realistic target now we're bringing MJ back, but if I'm thinking of the right player then he would have been a very good option as a ball playing holding midfielder.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Kean Bryan's decent, but he's been absolutely devastated by injuries.

To BWFCi's point - I can see the benefit of being able to switch from "a 10 and two 9s" to "three forwards across the park". I know it would give us another option to help us achieve Pru's favourite, high width. So it's useful that our recent-record signing has played a lot of his football wide in a three.

[GhostoftheBok]

Kean Bryan's decent, but he's been absolutely devastated by injuries.

To BWFCi's point - I can see the benefit of being able to switch from "a 10 and two 9s" to "three forwards across the park". I know it would give us another option to help us achieve Pru's favourite, high width. So it's useful that our recent-record signing has played a lot of his football wide in a three.

I can just imagine Insane screaming, "Play 3 in attack! NO! NOT LIKE THAT!"

[BWFC_Insane]

Kean Bryan's decent, but he's been absolutely devastated by injuries.

To BWFCi's point - I can see the benefit of being able to switch from "a 10 and two 9s" to "three forwards across the park". I know it would give us another option to help us achieve Pru's favourite, high width. So it's useful that our recent-record signing has played a lot of his football wide in a three.

I can just imagine Insane screaming, "Play 3 in attack! NO! NOT LIKE THAT!"

I don't think Evatt is going to play a front three with Vic wide like Barnsley did though. Lets be serious.

That might work under a Parky or Allardyce but not with Evatt.

The point I'm making is the players that would improve our attack more or less all need to play in roles our current system doesn't offer.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm not sure where I am on that, to be honest.

I think one of the issues we've had is trying to sign lads who can do multiple jobs, rather than just saying "We need this, so let's get a player who does it well."

Sads is an example of trying to have someone who can play wing back and winger and he just obviously didn't really fancy it. That could just be because his attitude stinks, but it's probably also indicative of a wider issue. Jones' attitude is first rate, but he doesn't really solve the wing back issue - he can just do a job.

You've said yourself this window is about quality and I feel like we can probably either sign quality specialists, or lads who can "do a good job" in more than one position.

I think it's much easier to find a proper 10, for example, than it is to find a lad who is brilliant in two different positions.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm not sure where I am on that, to be honest.

I think one of the issues we've had is trying to sign lads who can do multiple jobs, rather than just saying "We need this, so let's get a player who does it well."

Sads is an example of trying to have someone who can play wing back and winger and he just obviously didn't really fancy it. That could just be because his attitude stinks, but it's probably also indicative of a wider issue. Jones' attitude is first rate, but he doesn't really solve the wing back issue - he can just do a job.

You've said yourself this window is about quality and I feel like we can probably either sign quality specialists, or lads who can "do a good job" in more than one position.

I think it's much easier to find a proper 10, for example, than it is to find a lad who is brilliant in two different positions.

Thing is I and you can name a lot of players who would improve us who can play in a front three. Or out wide.

How many affordable wing backs are there that possess the pace, dribbling skills, crossing ability and proven assists and goals that would as is necessary improve our attack?

We need the level of attacking ability that Rak-Sakyi offers or Poku but in a more all round wing back package.

And for me I'm not coming up with obvious options. At least known ones we can afford. So its either - convert someone from a winger or find an unknown I suspect.

A Cadden would be great IF we played how Barnsley do. For how we play he wouldn't offer enough. That for me is where the issue is. We are trying to find these players that are superstars out there. Or trying to have the best midfield league one has ever seen to compensate for lack of attacking ability outwide and in the front three.

The problem with a number 10 in our system again is that they aren't a free man shielded by two DM's - they aren't a luxury we can just let create, they are needing to score goals, and need to be exceptional on the ball in tight areas with their back to goal. Good luck with that. Seriously good luck. Its too big a role for me. Like our WBs.

The system places the strain on those three positions. And I think we're often looking for snookers. When a decent wide man with pace and delivery would add masses to us....but we couldn't accomodate them.

[Worthy4England]

My word, we don't half complicate shit as Ghost suggests. And as Insano suggests we need the right players being able to play (anyformation.com)

In an attacking sense, we have two wide players - one on the left and one on the right. We hope they will create opportunities (but for me they too often pull it back to the apex rather than run in behind).

In the middle, from midfield we have three players that could form part of an attack. We'd like one of them I think to be able to open up opportunities from the middle of the park, preferably being able to pick whether those opportunities are best opened up down the right, left or through the lines/down the middle on a case by case basis...

As a generality IMO, we're too heavily reliant on wide options with one main plan (pull back) - which is too often, relatively easy to defend with solidity, without ever turning the defenders around.

[BWFC_Insane]

My word, we don't half complicate shit as Ghost suggests. And as Insano suggests we need the right players being able to play (anyformation.com)

In an attacking sense, we have two wide players - one on the left and one on the right. We hope they will create opportunities (but for me they too often pull it back to the apex rather than run in behind).

In the middle, from midfield we have three players that could form part of an attack. We'd like one of them I think to be able to open up opportunities from the middle of the park, preferably being able to pick whether those opportunities are best opened up down the right, left or through the lines/down the middle on a case by case basis...

As a generality IMO, we're too heavily reliant on wide options with one main plan (pull back) - which is too often, relatively easy to defend with solidity, without ever turning the defenders around.

Unlike other systems though we require those wide players to be able to run up and down the full length of the pitch all day, to have the attacking qualities and be able to do some defending. Dapo was a cracking winger. We couldn't use him in our system. But missed his qualities - especially in the play off games.

And same with number 10 role.

We're recruiting to very broad roles in the system we play. Rather than just say - lets buy the most creative wideman possible...and best midfield general possible....

In essence there are many more players who fit a 433 than a 352.

[Worthy4England]

My word, we don't half complicate shit as Ghost suggests. And as Insano suggests we need the right players being able to play (anyformation.com)

In an attacking sense, we have two wide players - one on the left and one on the right. We hope they will create opportunities (but for me they too often pull it back to the apex rather than run in behind).

In the middle, from midfield we have three players that could form part of an attack. We'd like one of them I think to be able to open up opportunities from the middle of the park, preferably being able to pick whether those opportunities are best opened up down the right, left or through the lines/down the middle on a case by case basis...

As a generality IMO, we're too heavily reliant on wide options with one main plan (pull back) - which is too often, relatively easy to defend with solidity, without ever turning the defenders around.

Unlike other systems though we require those wide players to be able to run up and down the full length of the pitch all day, to have the attacking qualities and be able to do some defending. Dapo was a cracking winger. We couldn't use him in our system. But missed his qualities - especially in the play off games.

And same with number 10 role.

We're recruiting to very broad roles in the system we play. Rather than just say - lets buy the most creative wideman possible...and best midfield general possible....

In essence there are many more players who fit a 433 than a 352.

I agree in some senses - this has been one of the large question marks - whether, at what ever level we're at, we can get enough people with sufficient quality, to be able to do the position(s) justice. What I would say, is in a 433, whilst we say there are many more players that fit the bill, they then have to be of better quality as you're 6 v 7 in attack...So I dunno...

[BWFC_Insane]

^^ Not really as your fullbacks overlap meaning you have two left rather than three. Thought usually needs a DM.

[Bertie Wooster]

IMO it's Evatt himself who over complicates things tactically, he needs to pick a team and let the players express themselves. I may be completely wrong but at times it looks like the players are weighed down with instructions - hence all this sideways & backwards slow possession stuff that on most occasions goes back to the keeper who then lumps it forward to small strikers marked by big defenders.

We shouldn't be signing players just because they play in several positions, we should be signing players who can significantly improve us due to their quality or experience (or both). As BWFCI says let's sign the best midfield general available within our budget, the best creative No10 etc. they don't have to be able to play wing back or def midfield or be able to track back & defend all the time.

[Worthy4England]

^^ Not really as your fullbacks overlap meaning you have two left rather than three. Thought usually needs a DM.

Well you can spin it whatever way you want, that's part of the overcomplication point. Do you then need two better CB's to make up for the fact there's no longer three because the LB/RB have overlapped? Do you then need a better DM to cover in there and if you do, have you then effectively lost someone supporting the forward momentum? So there's all sorts of permutations, none of which will conclude 433 or 452 is "better" or easier...

As I say, for me it doesn't come down to formation specifically - did we get enough of the right balls into the front men from right/left and centre - and the answer is "probably not"...