Knight Sibley Bird Bielik

[EnigmaRam]

We should play the keep, loan, sell, kiss game on these players

[Brammie Steve]

IMHO Knight has had a positive impact in most, if not all, the games he has played in.

He has the ability to pinpoint his passes to create attacking positions.

Much as I like Sibley he has not fulfilled his obvious potential this season and seems a little uncomfortable in a Rams shirt.

Bird on his day can be a game changer, enough said.

Bielik can go ASAP.

I'd keep 3 out of 4 if funds permit but otherwise consider in the order I've listed.

No selling to carpet baggers though!

[Comrade 86]

We need to fight tooth and nail to keep the young'uns IMO. Of course, this may be an impossible task and I do think Knight will be off, given we are told that multiple clubs are looking to secure his services. Folk are now saying he did not shine, but I think he was short of conditioning off the back of his injury. When he came back into the side, he was an absolute beast, but his performance levels did drop once Bird got injured. That said, he's far from alone in that regard.

Sibley still has time on his side and can yet replicate his youth form if he is played regularly and in a position / system that complements his game. Big if's IMO, yet I'd be happy to see him stay, but only Paul Warne will know whether any such opportunity may arise and my gut tells me PW does not trust the lad. Furthermore, Sibley's ideal position is currently the province of a guy who netted 20+ last season and that's a problem to which I can see no immediate solution.

Bird frustrates me, but only because I see him as having the highest ceiling of the lot of them. He is supremely technically gifted, but as I've said before, he must get to a point where he is imposing his stamp on games. I think prior to his injury, that's precisely what he had begun doing. As other have pointed out, we were a far better side with an in-form Bird pulling the strings. Our slump aligning with his absence is far from a coincidence, IMO.

Bielik needs to be gotten rid of, the moment the window opens formally. He has some grand ideas about his ability that I'm not certain are warranted. More to the point, I'm not sure how the other players would respond if he returned, having played a really tough 50+ games in his absence. Those who resisted moves elsewhere to fight the good fight would, I suspect, have an issue were he displacing one of them. His personal ambitions have trumped those of the club and his stance seems clear to me; he'll not be back unless literally no other team wants him. The club has removed his profile from the DCFC Official website before the window even opens and I think the message is clear for all who choose to see.

[Caerphilly Ram]

20 minutes ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Sibley still has time on his side and can yet replicate his youth form if he is played regularly and in a position / system that complements his game. Big if's IMO, yet I'd be happy to see him stay, but only Paul Warne will know whether any such opportunity may arise and my gut tells me PW does not trust the lad. Furthermore, Sibley's ideal position is currently the province of a guy who netted 20+ last season and that's a problem to which I can see no immediate solution.

 

The solution is to play Sibley and McGoldrick as the two 10’s behind a mobile 9 if Warne continues to use the formation we ended the season with into next season’s campaign. 
It does then raise questions around other players within the squad, if Sibley and McGoldrick are the 10’s in that system what do you do with NML and Barkhuizen? If it’s a 3-4-2-1 how does he fit Bird, Hourihane and Knight into the midfield? 
If Bird, Knight and Sibley all stay can they be accommodated in the same starting eleven? If so, what formation? 
It’s an interesting conundrum for Warne to resolve and I don’t quite see how he’ll manage it without sacrificing one or two of the players who contributed well last season (Hourihane, NML….McGoldrick?) A 3-5-1-1 would potentially allow it a midfield 3 of Knight, Bird and Hourihane with Sibley playing as the 10 and a new lone striker up top, attacking width provided by the wing backs 🤔 but then Barkhuizen and NML would have to adapt, be squad players or move on…. Not easy problems to solve, thankfully I’m not paid to make those choices and can idly speculate in the absence of any exciting news from the club. 

[Comrade 86]

46 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

The solution is to play Sibley and McGoldrick as the two 10’s behind a mobile 9 if Warne continues to use the formation we ended the season with into next season’s campaign. 
It does then raise questions around other players within the squad, if Sibley and McGoldrick are the 10’s in that system what do you do with NML and Barkhuizen? If it’s a 3-4-2-1 how does he fit Bird, Hourihane and Knight into the midfield? 
If Bird, Knight and Sibley all stay can they be accommodated in the same starting eleven? If so, what formation? 
It’s an interesting conundrum for Warne to resolve and I don’t quite see how he’ll manage it without sacrificing one or two of the players who contributed well last season (Hourihane, NML….McGoldrick?) A 3-5-1-1 would potentially allow it a midfield 3 of Knight, Bird and Hourihane with Sibley playing as the 10 and a new lone striker up top, attacking width provided by the wing backs 🤔 but then Barkhuizen and NML would have to adapt, be squad players or move on…. Not easy problems to solve, thankfully I’m not paid to make those choices and can idly speculate in the absence of any exciting news from the club. 

Take your point, but we'll play more than 3 mids across a season and as I mentioned straight off, I think Knight is gone anyway. If not, Knight could play at RB / RWB which is where he showed his best form last season. Initially I thought it was a waste of his ability. I think Warne proved me (and others) wrong in that regard.

Also, I don't think Barks in in the gaffer's plans, I'm uncertain as to whether Nate will stay and Didzy has yet to commit. I do believe the latter will stay, but this is why I believe there's not just space for the 3 young lads, but that keeping them all should be a priority.

Tough calls as you say, but some will be made by other clubs and by the players themselves and I think once Warne knows who he has from last year, the picture becomes decidedly less complex. 

[S8TY]

We'd be lucky to get 250-300k for Sibley 

Bird needs to toughen up and we need more goals from Bird and Knight if they are to be regulars in Midfield 

Knights season was kinda summed up in second game at Charlton, made a great run got in a great position and then missed a fairly easy header which he should've scored with , he flattered to deceive this last season and we need more end product when hes in midfield for me but thats the same with Bird, who made a great reverse pass for someone to score away to I think it was Morecambe or one of the lower end sides but then is anonimous in some bigger games where we need our mids to be right at it , both not bad players and both come through the ranks as Sibley has ( who I just don't think will fill one of the 10 roles PW talks about , so where does he fit in exactly as he didn't impress when given the oppurtunities to start in a more attack minded role ) but we must have more goals and assists from our midfielders, Hourihane received criticism but scored some good goals and also assisted some but he's not come from our academy!

if we could generate the funds required to get a few players in who will make a significant improvement then letting Sibs,Bielik and Bird go won't be the end of the world , even though not bad players 

I can't think of many players we've let go over last few years that I'd have back  apart from Byrne ...so it won't be the end of the world to freshen it up 

[derbydaz22]

On 29/05/2023 at 19:19, Sparkle said:

If one of them was going then Bird is in the frame with just one league goal and two assists in all the minutes played is a very poor return in the third division from central midfield but it’s all about the balance of the side. It’s up to the manager and his thoughts on what he wants

I would be gutted if we sold Bird and replaced him with someone who runs round a lot. He wasn’t the same player after injury but when he’s playing well we certainly play better football to feet not head tennis.

[Raich Carter]

7 hours ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Also, I don't think Barks in in the gaffer's plans, I'm uncertain as to whether Nate will stay and Didzy has yet to commit. I do believe the latter will stay, but this is why I believe there's not just space for the 3 young lads, but that keeping them all should be a priority.

Interesting re: Barks. I recall PW saying how gifted Barks is but then barely plays him so not sure what's going on there.

[angieram]

Eire manager putting the pressure on again. 😢

 

[Srg]

No huge surprise. Always the most likely to go. 

[jimtastic56]

5 hours ago, Srg said:

No huge surprise. Always the most likely to go. 

At least we will get a fee of some kind . Buchannon was in a similar position when he left for Germany . Now seems to be heading back.

[Raich Carter]

£1m would be massive help to us overall. Any more than that would be transformational.

[Caerphilly Ram]

6 hours ago, angieram said:

Eire manager putting the pressure on again. 😢

 

It’s annoying that another international manager is chipping in and influencing domestic club matters, however I’ve been expecting that Knight would leave this summer. I’m interested in him saying “a lot of clubs want to buy Jason”, the contract situation means we wont get the “best” price for Knight but if there are multiple clubs interested further up the leagues it will at least help drive the price upward a bit. 

[Carnero]

 

[Comrade 86]

6 hours ago, angieram said:

Eire manager putting the pressure on again. 😢

 

22 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

It’s annoying that another international manager is chipping in and influencing domestic club matters

It really is annoying! It's one thing to have those conversations in private, but the constant chirping in the press is classless, especially given the role Derby have played in developing Knight as a player. That said, I think we all knew he would go and having committed to the last two season when  others were vanishing like rats off a sinking ship, he really doesn't owe the club anything. Compare and contrast his attitude to that of Bielik, Byrne and Buchanan, all of whom couln't wait to jump ship. His loyalty (as with Bird too) is admirable and I'd hope if he does go, he'll do so with the blessing of the majority of Rams fans. He certainly has my thanks and admiration, for the little that's worth.

EDIT - Just seen @Carnero's post above. f*** yeah! Come on Jase lad, one more tilt at the rainbow can't hurt! 

Edited June 4, 2023 by 86 Hair Islands

[Oldben]

2 hours ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

 

It really is annoying! It's one thing to have those conversations in private, but the constant chirping in the press is classless, especially given the role Derby have played in developing Knight as a player. That said, I think we all knew he would go and having committed to the last two season when  others were vanishing like rats off a sinking ship, he really doesn't owe the club anything. Compare and contrast his attitude to that of Bielik, Byrne and Buchanan, all of whom couln't wait to jump ship. His loyalty (as with Bird too) is admirable and I'd hope if he does go, he'll do so with the blessing of the majority of Rams fans. He certainly has my thanks and admiration, for the little that's worth.

EDIT - Just seen @Carnero's post above. f*** yeah! Come on Jase lad, one more tilt at the rainbow can't hurt! 

At least derby will get a fee for him.

His leaving weakens the club.

 

[Caerphilly Ram]

17 minutes ago, Oldben said:

At least derby will get a fee for him.

His leaving weakens the club.

 

Matter of perspective that. His potential leaving weakens the playing staff in an immediate sense….if we re-invest any funds generated wisely in the playing staff it could well strengthen the team, leading to promotion which would in turn strengthen the club…. 🤷🏻‍♂️ 

[Sparkle]

1 minute ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

Matter of perspective that. His potential leaving weakens the playing staff in an immediate sense….if we re-invest any funds generated wisely in the playing staff it could well strengthen the team, leading to promotion which would in turn strengthen the club…. 🤷🏻‍♂️ 

Or our owner uses to money to pay any outstanding debts or reclaim some of his outgoings - we just don’t know 

[Magicman]

£ 3 million plus add ons 

[Caerphilly Ram]

1 minute ago, Sparkle said:

Or our owner uses to money to pay any outstanding debts or reclaim some of his outgoings - we just don’t know 

As I say, matter of perspective isn’t it. People can assume/say it’ll be a bad thing, or a good thing, we’ll just have to wait and see.