Signings unlikely next week

[BarnsleyOwl96]

Potential 11 of

westwood

hunt

lees

bartley

reach

boyd

lee

bannan

ff

rhodes

hooper

 

sounds good to me!

[Bluesteel]

5 hours ago, Holmowl said:

 

Why?

 

Over the last 25 games of the season we were the top team. Better than Brighton and Newcastle.

 

We have added a Prem regular in a weak position. Rhodes, Hooper, Lee, FF and Hutch should be fitter.

 

Surely we have a brilliant chance of promotion.

 

Agreed. Although I think the spine of our team is weakened when we don't have an enforcer in there.  I don't think they need to be a multi million pound player but someone energetic to put a foot in when Hutch can't play could be the difference between top six and top two.

 

Experienced centre half, back up centre half and back up physical defensive mid would have us there or thereabouts on paper IMO. 

 

Is there anyone in the U23s who we could use sparingly in the CDM role?

[gurujuan]

40 minutes ago, Bluesteel said:

 

Agreed. Although I think the spine of our team is weakened when we don't have an enforcer in there.  I don't think they need to be a multi million pound player but someone energetic to put a foot in when Hutch can't play could be the difference between top six and top two.

 

Experienced centre half, back up centre half and back up physical defensive mid would have us there or thereabouts on paper IMO. 

 

Is there anyone in the U23s who we could use sparingly in the CDM role?

 

No, Kirby is promising, but not yet ready for first team duties

[Mr Farrell]

Slightly concerned we are in for a third season of the same.

 

No squad additions to suggest we have addressed the weaknesses of the last 2 years, which in turn indicates the possibility if similar tactics.

 

To even suggest such a thing won't please the fundamentals, but it has to be said.

[Bluesteel]

If we're looking to add successful experience of this league and mindful a few have ruled themselves out then it's narrowed down to the usual suspects with  Elphick thrown in.

 

In terms of up and comers its good that we are looking in the lower leagues, although players like Curtis Nelson at Oxford and formerly Plymouth have always impressed me. He captained Argyle and has a lot of experience despite being relatively young.

[gurujuan]

I would hope that we won't baulk at paying what it costs to bring in a top centre back. We don't require much else, or at least that seems to be what Carlos is saying. If it costs us £5m plus, then so be it, we are talking about a position that has been a priority for a couple of seasons now. We've splashed that sort of money on players, who were not so urgently needed, so if we have to pay the going rate for a player who might make the difference between going up, or staying down, then let's do it

[Bluesteel]

2 hours ago, gurujuan said:

I would hope that we won't baulk at paying what it costs to bring in a top centre back. We don't require much else, or at least that seems to be what Carlos is saying. If it costs us £5m plus, then so be it, we are talking about a position that has been a priority for a couple of seasons now. We've splashed that sort of money on players, who were not so urgently needed, so if we have to pay the going rate for a player who might make the difference between going up, or staying down, then let's do it

 

I don't think we will, unless we either have genuine ffp concerns. We ended up paying some hefty fees when able to do so, which shows a willingness to pay for key targets but we will no doubt be playing a waiting game to try and save a few million. 

[island owl]

We defo need a commanding centre half, needs to be taller than we have now, conceded too many from free kicks.

Yes we want a good one but how much can we afford. Everyone makes mistakes even the best we just need to keep them to a minimum and also stay away from injuries. A settled back 4 asap is the way to go

[handworth52]

if we get bartley in defence and sign no1 else I say we are top 6 if we sign him and 2 top full backs and someone like Irvine in midfield id say top 2 is possible, we don't do either and just go with what we have now I'm going for a finish in around 10th place.

[S36 OWL]

On 15/07/2017 at 19:09, Suzuki_San said:

It’s really not the end of the world if we start the season with Loovens and Lees, is it?

 

People need to calm down a bit. 

 

It is if one of them gets crocked in the first game 

[Tamworthowl]

3 hours ago, gurujuan said:

I would hope that we won't baulk at paying what it costs to bring in a top centre back. We don't require much else, or at least that seems to be what Carlos is saying. If it costs us £5m plus, then so be it, we are talking about a position that has been a priority for a couple of seasons now. We've splashed that sort of money on players, who were not so urgently needed, so if we have to pay the going rate for a player who might make the difference between going up, or staying down, then let's do it

 

Agree entirely, except that we should have splashed the cash / paid the going rate three weeks ago so as to get it completed. Boyd plus a decent centre half and I'd be happy at that. Perhaps a back up centre half too.

[Tamworthowl]

1 hour ago, Bluesteel said:

 

I don't think we will, unless we either have genuine ffp concerns. We ended up paying some hefty fees when able to do so, which shows a willingness to pay for key targets but we will no doubt be playing a waiting game to try and save a few million. 

My concern is that playing the waiting game, i.e. until the end of August, will cost us a few points, which in the long run could cost us promotion.

[Bluesteel]

2 minutes ago, Tamworthowl said:

My concern is that playing the waiting game, i.e. until the end of August, will cost us a few points, which in the long run could cost us promotion.

 

Very true. Although there may be factors outside our control such as they may be unsure on whether they want to sell or may need to do their own business. Deadline day forces matters to a head.

 

I don't think we will wait though, it's a pressing need so I think we may walk away from a few if they don't start happening. Just a hunch

[Jim]

48 minutes ago, Bluesteel said:

 

Very true. Although there may be factors outside our control such as they may be unsure on whether they want to sell or may need to do their own business. Deadline day forces matters to a head.

 

I don't think we will wait though, it's a pressing need so I think we may walk away from a few if they don't start happening. Just a hunch

 

I don't think we'll walk away, we may not have a choice? I suspect the targets we have that will make a difference will only become available at the end of the window? Not ideal but this has been the way the last few windows in all honesty.

[Bluesteel]

2 hours ago, Great Big Galaa said:

 

I don't think we'll walk away, we may not have a choice? I suspect the targets we have that will make a difference will only become available at the end of the window? Not ideal but this has been the way the last few windows in all honesty.

 

Youre right. But they will need to decide whether a lesser target available sooner will help us more from the outset rather than waiting. 

[mogbad]

55 minutes ago, Bluesteel said:

 

Youre right. But they will need to decide whether a lesser target available sooner will help us more from the outset rather than waiting. 

 

Unfortunately a lesser target will probably mean somebody no better or not as good as Loovens. If that's the case we may as well have kept Sasso.

[gurujuan]

1 hour ago, mogbad said:

 

Unfortunately a lesser target will probably mean somebody no better or not as good as Loovens. If that's the case we may as well have kept Sasso.

 

The last thing we want to be doing is bulking out the squad, if we only sign one more player, it has to be the type of player who might be able to elevate us to automatic promotion candidates 

[Guest Kagoshimaowl]

I'm starting to wonder if we are very close to FFP.  Only Boyd on a free.  It now looks like we are looking at a non-league center back.  I'm also pretty sure we are holding out for Hanley on loan too.  Suggests we can't afford to spend??

[Morepork]

20 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

 

The last thing we want to be doing is bulking out the squad, if we only sign one more player, it has to be the type of player who might be able to elevate us to automatic promotion candidates 

 

Yep, at least one of the two CB's we are after has to strengthen our starting 11. The second would ideally be someone younger with potential to improve although I doubt we have the luxury of being able to achieve that.

 

Likewise if we sign a player for any other position, must displace someone currently in our best 11, obviously we don't really know what that is....although some on here will.

Edited July 17, 2017 by Morepork

[StudentOwl]

5 hours ago, Kagoshimaowl said:

I'm starting to wonder if we are very close to FFP.  Only Boyd on a free.  It now looks like we are looking at a non-league center back.  I'm also pretty sure we are holding out for Hanley on loan too.  Suggests we can't afford to spend??

In response: Of course we are

We've forked out millions on Rhodes and we've spent goodness knows how much on big big wages for players like Fletcher, Jones, Pudil, Abdi and Boyd who are at an age and got a pedigree that can command big big wages (with no resale value). Never mind the other stars and the fact we have one of the most bloated squads in the division. 

 

We're going to have to be far far smarter with how we spend our money now, resources will be tighter. I'm definitely not saying we're imminently going to be in breach, but we're not going to be able to necessarily challenge the likes of Derby with their multimillion Ince windfall.