Charlie Austin - joined QPR on loan

[Macintosh]

Six weeks ago I thought there was a huge crop we were looking at, a whole world of players. Yet when it boils down to choice, it really is a pretty small pond to fish from. You can't even say the best one were quickly gobbled up.

Another average Premier League player that is on a ridiculously high wage of £60,000 each week, surplus, but we tried to get last year would be Everton's Cenk Tosun. Islam Slimani of Leicester who fits the MO is even more expensive at £80,000 a week. If I was Mel Morris I would lock away my cheque book and make do with what we have for now. Who knows, we already may have that diamond in Bobby Duncan. He may not be the next Robbie Fowler, but he could be. Fowler managed okay with only one left boot to shoot with.

Knowing we have Martyn Waghorn to come back seems pretty good right now. I bet a lot of clubs and their supporters would like to have him, his versatility, goals and all-round effort. If he was available for transfer at another club we'd be wanting him here.

[Rampage]

I do not want to be Austintaceous but I think that after Dursun, he would now be our best chance of getting a player who can score 15 league goals for us this season. If it is £40k a week and he does that it could be worth it. If he gets a long term injury then ouch on the finances unless insurance covers it.

[irobinson]

More this goes on - I’d be tempted to pass in this climate.

 

we will have a couple of more internal options in a couple of weeks and the last thing we want is someone who doesn't want to be here on a huge wage 

[Terry Hennessy]

Yep, cant see much point in getting someone in just for the sake of it. If we're looking for a 'hold up play' CM type of player they seem to be very few and far between. I'd suggest Rooney could do it for a while, but over the years the only other players I can think of that fit that mould are John O'Hare and Paul Goddard. If we're looking for a more 'Physical presence' number 9 then Waghorn I'd say has the physique, but not sure how far from fitness he is. The rest of the forwards we have are more like Marriott, JHI, Lawrence, Whittaker etc....so not sure where we go from here. It's all very well wanting a Premier League player who's out of favour - but they're all on stupid money (ie Danny Welbeck - available on a free - but who would touch him on £100k a week ?).... and as we (and any others outside of PL / Balloon payment teams) have no cash coming in it's very difficult. If this lockdown continues it also seems that the EFL may be stopped as Clubs cant afford to pay the players they have already.

[Ambitious]

16 minutes ago, Terry Hennessy said:

Yep, cant see much point in getting someone in just for the sake of it. If we're looking for a 'hold up play' CM type of player they seem to be very few and far between. I'd suggest Rooney could do it for a while, but over the years the only other players I can think of that fit that mould are John O'Hare and Paul Goddard. If we're looking for a more 'Physical presence' number 9 then Waghorn I'd say has the physique, but not sure how far from fitness he is. The rest of the forwards we have are more like Marriott, JHI, Lawrence, Whittaker etc....so not sure where we go from here. It's all very well wanting a Premier League player who's out of favour - but they're all on stupid money (ie Danny Welbeck - available on a free - but who would touch him on £100k a week ?).... and as we (and any others outside of PL / Balloon payment teams) have no cash coming in it's very difficult. If this lockdown continues it also seems that the EFL may be stopped as Clubs cant afford to pay the players they have already.

Welbeck is a strange one, because he’s on a significant downward trajectory of his career. He struggled to score goals in a relegated Watford team who subsequently released him. The days of him getting £100k a week are long gone, personally I can see him taking a fraction of that to play at the top level again with someone like Sheff Utd who have history as they signed Jack Rodwell on a cut price deal after he was in a similar boat. 

[irobinson]

2 hours ago, Terry Hennessy said:

Yep, cant see much point in getting someone in just for the sake of it. If we're looking for a 'hold up play' CM type of player they seem to be very few and far between. I'd suggest Rooney could do it for a while, but over the years the only other players I can think of that fit that mould are John O'Hare and Paul Goddard. If we're looking for a more 'Physical presence' number 9 then Waghorn I'd say has the physique, but not sure how far from fitness he is. The rest of the forwards we have are more like Marriott, JHI, Lawrence, Whittaker etc....so not sure where we go from here. It's all very well wanting a Premier League player who's out of favour - but they're all on stupid money (ie Danny Welbeck - available on a free - but who would touch him on £100k a week ?).... and as we (and any others outside of PL / Balloon payment teams) have no cash coming in it's very difficult. If this lockdown continues it also seems that the EFL may be stopped as Clubs cant afford to pay the players they have already.

Agreed - I like Waggy but he didn’t seem to have the control or touch on hold to play .....always bouncing off him. Goddard was excellent

 

Welbeck aint the answer 

[Olton Ram]

10 hours ago, Ambitious said:

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2020/10/06/west-brom-set-to-wait-to-secure-karlan-grant/
 

It doesn’t say he’s outright rejected us, but he doesn’t sound keen on a move and would need ‘more convincing’. 

 

Doesn't sound like he has a great attitude, does it? If you're not getting games at your current club, but really need 'convincing' to play elsewhere for a club that does want you, it doesn't scream enthusiasm. Fair play to him if he does genuinely want to try to force his way back into the West Brom team, but I'd like someone who at least shows some willingness to play for a prospective new team. If he does turn up though, he should be given the benefit of the doubt and be fully supported.

[Ambitious]

6 minutes ago, Olton Ram said:

Doesn't sound like he has a great attitude, does it? If you're not getting games at your current club, but really need 'convincing' to play elsewhere for a club that does want you, it doesn't scream enthusiasm. Fair play to him if he does genuinely want to try to force his way back into the West Brom team, but I'd like someone who at least shows some willingness to play for a prospective new team. If he does turn up though, he should be given the benefit of the doubt and be fully supported.

It goes both ways. Charlie Austin probably sees the players infront of him and thinks there is no reason he can force his way back in, especially as WBA are far from blessed in that area of the pitch. Equally, he has nothing else to prove in the Championship so he's probably just trying to stick around and see if he can make ago of it. He was their top goalscorer last season and they haven't brought anyone in (yet) so you can see why he may fancy his chances. 

I personally don't mind it: all too often players and clubs are ready to quit on each other so I wish him all the best if he does want to stay and fight for his place. I personally don't see any reason why he couldn't win it back either. 

[Olton Ram]

2 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

It goes both ways. Charlie Austin probably sees the players infront of him and thinks there is no reason he can force his way back in, especially as WBA are far from blessed in that area of the pitch. Equally, he has nothing else to prove in the Championship so he's probably just trying to stick around and see if he can make ago of it. He was their top goalscorer last season and they haven't brought anyone in (yet) so you can see why he may fancy his chances. 

I personally don't mind it: all too often players and clubs are ready to quit on each other so I wish him all the best if he does want to stay and fight for his place. I personally don't see any reason why he couldn't win it back either. 

Absolutely fair points ?. It doesn't bode well for him though that they're actively trying to get a new centre forward in; it doesn't look like he's a part of their plans at this stage. It'll be interesting to see if he does get shifted out in this window, whether it's here or elsewhere.

[i-Ram]

26 minutes ago, Olton Ram said:

Doesn't sound like he has a great attitude, does it? If you're not getting games at your current club, but really need 'convincing' to play elsewhere for a club that does want you, it doesn't scream enthusiasm. Fair play to him if he does genuinely want to try to force his way back into the West Brom team, but I'd like someone who at least shows some willingness to play for a prospective new team. If he does turn up though, he should be given the benefit of the doubt and be fully supported.

Doesn’t sound like he has a great attitude? How do you come to that conclusion from the article you refer too?  
To be honest I would need some convincing to play upfront in a Cocu team, and I have had my Derby kit ready for over 50 years now waiting for such an opportunity.

[Rammy03]

15 hours ago, Jourdan said:

So has this move broken down?

Lawrence as a false 9 incoming.

This a good shout, would be worth a try. Allows us to get Holmes/Sibley in the team as well. 

[Richard246]

To be honest I don’t know what the fuss is all about.

we should use what we have until January see who steps up to the mark.

If you have someone like Austin and Ibe and Jozwiak flying down the wings how on earth is Austin going to keep up it would be pointless.

The suggestion of Lawrence is a good one as a false number 9 

He is most probably our best header of a ball in forward positions.

This would then allow us to play Jozwiak,Ibe,Lawrence and Rooney or Sibley as the No10

WOW!!!!???

[Taribo]

4 minutes ago, Richard246 said:

To be honest I don’t know what the fuss is all about.

we should use what we have until January see who steps up to the mark.

If you have someone like Austin and Ibe and Jozwiak flying down the wings how on earth is Austin going to keep up it would be pointless.

The suggestion of Lawrence is a good one as a false number 9 

He is most probably our best header of a ball in forward positions.

This would then allow us to play Jozwiak,Ibe,Lawrence and Rooney or Sibley as the No10

WOW!!!!???

Lawrence up front, that’s a no from me.

[Ambitious]

4 minutes ago, Taribo said:

Lawrence up front, that’s a no from me.

I wouldn't be against it if we went with two upfront, Lawrence could play that Kris Commons role (when he was upfront with Rob Hulse under Clough). We tried it with Marriott and Sibley, but I think Sibley is more of a midfielder and looked a little out of position and a little lost. Lawrence, along with Waghorn, for example would be ok. 

Ibe        Bielik           Knight         Jozwiak

             Lawrence           Waghorn

In the famous words of Mike Bassett: four-four-f*****g-TWO

[Dimmu]

14 minutes ago, Richard246 said:

To be honest I don’t know what the fuss is all about.

we should use what we have until January see who steps up to the mark.

If you have someone like Austin and Ibe and Jozwiak flying down the wings how on earth is Austin going to keep up it would be pointless.

The suggestion of Lawrence is a good one as a false number 9 

He is most probably our best header of a ball in forward positions.

This would then allow us to play Jozwiak,Ibe,Lawrence and Rooney or Sibley as the No10

WOW!!!!???

Might be. Shame that he seems to be afraid of the ball if it's in the air though.

[rynny]

48 minutes ago, Richard246 said:

He is most probably our best header of a ball in forward positions.

Tom Lawrence? Best at heading? I have seen him head the ball a total of 9 times in his whole Derby career. 

[Arsene Titman]

51 minutes ago, Richard246 said:

To be honest I don’t know what the fuss is all about.

we should use what we have until January see who steps up to the mark.

If you have someone like Austin and Ibe and Jozwiak flying down the wings how on earth is Austin going to keep up it would be pointless.

The suggestion of Lawrence is a good one as a false number 9 

He is most probably our best header of a ball in forward positions.

This would then allow us to play Jozwiak,Ibe,Lawrence and Rooney or Sibley as the No10

WOW!!!!???

You are not serious , are you? I can remember only one decent header from him, the winner at Reading, and he admits it was a fluke.

[Rammy03]

1 hour ago, Richard246 said:

He is most probably our best header of a ball in forward positions.

I think waghorn might have something to say about that

[IslandExile]

According to the Gossip column on the BBC Football website, WBA are being linked with a couple of Championship forwards. That might suggest they do not see Austin filling the gap left by Robson-Kanu's injury.

[ollycutts1982]

13 minutes ago, IslandExile said:

According to the Gossip column on the BBC Football website, WBA are being linked with a couple of Championship forwards. That might suggest they do not see Austin filling the gap left by Robson-Kanu's injury.

I didn’t think Premiership teams can sign players any more?