Summer transfer suggestion thread

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

Does anyone honestly think we will sign any one else before transfer deadline!

I can’t see it happening personally.

[hintonsboots]

2 minutes ago, Ted McMinn Football Genius said:

Does anyone honestly think we will sign any one else before transfer deadline!

I can’t see it happening personally.

Perhaps another body for the recruitment team ? 

[Chester40]

17 hours ago, Ted McMinn Football Genius said:

Does anyone honestly think we will sign any one else before transfer deadline!

I can’t see it happening personally.

I do...🤷‍♂️

I'm guessing 2. With an underwhelming 3rd to paper over any cracks to come later on.

Warne knows we need something and this time we really do need to roll the 🎲 

[Chesterfield_Ram]

Doubt we'll get anyone exciting in before the deadline. It wouldn't surprise me if we end up with Waghorn and/or Gayle back, then spend the next few months talking about our lack of goals.

[littleover ram]

Meanwhile Birmingham are splashing the cash. No business plan for them?

[Srg]

7 minutes ago, littleover ram said:

Meanwhile Birmingham are splashing the cash. No business plan for them?

Bit was rejected, but no, PSR isn't in league one.

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

5 hours ago, Chester40 said:

I do...🤷‍♂️

I'm guessing 2. With an underwhelming 3rd to paper over any cracks to come later on.

Warne knows we need something and this time we really do need to roll the 🎲 

Hope you’re right @Chester40 👍🏻🐏

[RoyMac5]

7 hours ago, Chester40 said:

I do...🤷‍♂️

I'm guessing 2. With an underwhelming 3rd to paper over any cracks to come later on.

Warne knows we need something and this time we really do need to roll the 🎲 

Snakes Eyes? 😄

[Chesterfield_Ram]

23 hours ago, Srg said:

Bit was rejected, but no, PSR isn't in league one.

They do have ‘Salary Cost Management Protocol’ in League 1 and 2 though.

However it seems its focus is on wages rather than transfer fees. League 1 clubs can spend 60% of their turnover on wages and league 2 clubs 50%.

Luckily for Birmingham they don’t take into account transfer fees, as their spending has been ridiculous for a league 1 club this summer.

[Ghost of Clough]

11 minutes ago, Chesterfield_Ram said:

They do have ‘Salary Cost Management Protocol’ in League 1 and 2 though.

However it seems its focus is on wages rather than transfer fees. League 1 clubs can spend 60% of their turnover on wages and league 2 clubs 50%.

Luckily for Birmingham they don’t take into account transfer fees, as their spending has been ridiculous for a league 1 club this summer.

Wages are 60% of 'relevant turnover' (70% for newly relegated clubs) plus 100% of 'football fortune income'.

Players under 21 are also excluded from the wage calculations.

Football fortune includes owner cash/equity injections, so no real limit on what a club can actually spend on wages.

[Ghost of Clough]

How successful was the summer transfer window? Well, does anyone remember the interview with Warne, Barker and Hamshaw when they showed a board with what we believed were the targets?

It's hard to make them all out, but the white counters on the left board indicated the target positions we wanted: GK, CB (x2), LB/LWB, CM (x4), AM/W (x2), CF (x2).

 

Based on the list, we successfully signed 9 out of 12. The GK (Zetterstrom), a CB (Phillips), 4 CMs (Ozoh, Adams, Osborn and Goudmijn), the 2 AM/Ws (Chirewa and Harness), and a CF (Yates)

We failed to sign a CB, LB/LWB, and a CF. The latter two positions presumably are where our focus will be for January. Given the apparent shift to a back 4 (at least for a primary formation), the CB and LB/LWB misses won't be felt so much. The CF miss has been talked about in quite a bit of depth in recent weeks, so I won't go into that any further.

Overall, I think we were very close to our ideal transfer window. I'd even say our best since 2013. It's probably the first time since Lampard that we've had a well balanced squad, only missing a squad player in 1 position (with Cocu missing a winger and a CF, and then the fast decline in squad depth under Rooney).

As we also know, we have 26 first teamers, so 3 will have to go out if we are to sign the two players we mostly need (LWB and CF). It means the players currently on the fringes need to do everything they can to fight for a squad place or they'll be out.

[FKANorwichExile]

1 hour ago, Ghost of Clough said:

.

Overall, I think we were very close to our ideal transfer window. I'd even say our best since 2013. It's probably the first time since Lampard that we've had a well balanced squad, only missing a squad player in 1 position (with Cocu missing a winger and a CF, and then the fast decline in squad depth under Rooney).

.

I was thinking the same. It's probably the strongest, deepest squad we've had in a long time with the exception of centre forward. You could even argue that in Yates, Jackson, Collo, Brown and even NML and (god forbid) Barkhuisen, we've got a fair amount of cover, but I'd still argue we're one short.

But we've got two good keepers, 4 Championship CBs and Fozzy as cover, all the RWBs you could ever want with a nice mix of attacking and defensive, Elder, Foz and even Osborn to cover lwb, some of the best athletes in the league in Ozoh and Adams, class and creativity in Kenzo and Osborn and pace pace pace up top.

I'm not gonna say it's perfect, but I reckon if Warne could fantasy draft a team with our budget it's not far off what he'd choose for how he wants to play.

In Jan we hopefully get another striker and LB, cementing a nice comfortable mid table finish.

Edited September 2 by FKANorwichExile

[brady1993]

6 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

How successful was the summer transfer window? Well, does anyone remember the interview with Warne, Barker and Hamshaw when they showed a board with what we believed were the targets?

It's hard to make them all out, but the white counters on the left board indicated the target positions we wanted: GK, CB (x2), LB/LWB, CM (x4), AM/W (x2), CF (x2).

 

Based on the list, we successfully signed 9 out of 12. The GK (Zetterstrom), a CB (Phillips), 4 CMs (Ozoh, Adams, Osborn and Goudmijn), the 2 AM/Ws (Chirewa and Harness), and a CF (Yates)

We failed to sign a CB, LB/LWB, and a CF. The latter two positions presumably are where our focus will be for January. Given the apparent shift to a back 4 (at least for a primary formation), the CB and LB/LWB misses won't be felt so much. The CF miss has been talked about in quite a bit of depth in recent weeks, so I won't go into that any further.

Overall, I think we were very close to our ideal transfer window. I'd even say our best since 2013. It's probably the first time since Lampard that we've had a well balanced squad, only missing a squad player in 1 position (with Cocu missing a winger and a CF, and then the fast decline in squad depth under Rooney).

As we also know, we have 26 first teamers, so 3 will have to go out if we are to sign the two players we mostly need (LWB and CF). It means the players currently on the fringes need to do everything they can to fight for a squad place or they'll be out.

Part of this I think depends on whether we want to stick with 4231/433 or move to 3 at the back and on how things evolve in the next few months. The original target list I think was to move us towards 352 or 343, I suspect part of the reason we went for Harness in the end is we were somewhat abandoning planning on playing a strict 352 with two out and out strikers. I've said it elsewhere but I think having to go into the season with Yates leading the line as a sole striker will necessitate a change in approach from what we've seen in previous seasons to be successful but I think it's a change that will likely lead to us growing into a better team. And I'm more than a bit glad we've not just tried to get any old free agent physical striker in attempt to rigidly stick to some notion of needing a target man to lead the line or pair with Yates. It also gives Brown a big shot to grow.

With any luck we won't 'need' a target man come January.

[brady1993]

5 hours ago, FKANorwichExile said:

I was thinking the same. It's probably the strongest, deepest squad we've had in a long time with the exception of centre forward. You could even argue that in Yates, Jackson, Collo, Brown and even NML and (god forbid) Barkhuisen, we've got a fair amount of cover, but I'd still argue we're one short.

But we've got two good keepers, 4 Championship CBs and Fozzy as cover, all the RWBs you could ever want with a nice mix of attacking and defensive, Elder, Foz and even Osborn to cover lwb, some of the best athletes in the league in Ozoh and Adams, class and creativity in Kenzo and Osborn and pace pace pace up top.

I'm not gonna say it's perfect, but I reckon if Warne could fantasy draft a team with our budget it's not far off what he'd choose for how he wants to play.

In Jan we hopefully get another striker and LB, cementing a nice comfortable mid table finish.

Centre back is strange. I think you could easily make the argument that 3 of our centre backs are in the best eleven players we have access to. Which make it easy to start thinking we'd maybe want to play with 3 at the back but it then becomes difficult to balance out numbers elsewhere with us having high numbers of centre midfielders and wingers. The other thing is Bradley is such a stark dropoff in quality that you'd really not want him playing at this level outside of the minimum you feel you can get away with. So ultimately it doesn't leave you much cover if you go with a back three either. 

[BaianoPOTY98]

2 hours ago, brady1993 said:

Centre back is strange. I think you could easily make the argument that 3 of our centre backs are in the best eleven players we have access to. Which make it easy to start thinking we'd maybe want to play with 3 at the back but it then becomes difficult to balance out numbers elsewhere with us having high numbers of centre midfielders and wingers. The other thing is Bradley is such a stark dropoff in quality that you'd really not want him playing at this level outside of the minimum you feel you can get away with. So ultimately it doesn't leave you much cover if you go with a back three either. 

After Saturday’s performance it’s difficult to see how we could stray away from a back four, unless injuries dictate and tactically there will be times when it benefits. Can’t see how you can drop Cash or Nelson and I know it’s a long season and they will all get minutes on the pitch, but I do wonder what guarantees we gave Phillips or Liverpool about game time? I am also quite pleased we didn’t get a big burly CF cos it’s nice to see us play into feet more with great movement up top, let’s hope Brown gets a chance now to show what he can do as cover for Yates. I also think Brown could learn a lot off Yates especially his work rate and movement off the ball.

Edited September 3 by BaianoPOTY98

[brady1993]

1 hour ago, BaianoPOTY98 said:

After Saturday’s performance it’s difficult to see how we could stray away from a back four, unless injuries dictate and tactically there will be times when it benefits. Can’t see how you can drop Cash or Nelson and I know it’s a long season and they will all get minutes on the pitch, but I do wonder what guarantees we gave Phillips or Liverpool about game time? I am also quite pleased we didn’t get a big burly CF cos it’s nice to see us play into feet more with great movement up top, let’s hope Brown gets a chance now to show what he can do as cover for Yates. I also think Brown could learn a lot off Yates especially his work rate and movement off the ball.

I agree about most of what you've said. The other tricky element is that not only is Phillips very likely the best cb we have now, he could well be the best player we have access to full stop. Sooner or later you likely have to make a hard decision somewhere to get him in the team either as part of a 3 or dropping Cashin or Nelson. I suspect if we stick with a back 4 it'll ultimately be Nelson making way but it feels extremely harsh.

[Anag Ram]

15 minutes ago, brady1993 said:

I agree about most of what you've said. The other tricky element is that not only is Phillips very likely the best cb we have now, he could well be the best player we have access to full stop. Sooner or later you likely have to make a hard decision somewhere to get him in the team either as part of a 3 or dropping Cashin or Nelson. I suspect if we stick with a back 4 it'll ultimately be Nelson making way but it feels extremely harsh.

Yep, Nelson has been brilliant and is one of my favourite players but he is limited as a footballer and sometimes gets done for pace. He makes up for it through sheer determination.

Cashin gives us a base with his passing and has youth on his side.

Having Nelson on the bench would be fabulously reassuring.

Can’t believe Bradley stayed because soon he might not even be on the bench.

[brady1993]

5 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

Yep, Nelson has been brilliant and is one of my favourite players but he is limited as a footballer and sometimes gets done for pace. He makes up for it through sheer determination.

Cashin gives us a base with his passing and has youth on his side.

Having Nelson on the bench would be fabulously reassuring.

Can’t believe Bradley stayed because soon he might not even be on the bench.

Think it's likely. It feels harsh but I think it's likely the biggest drop off in quality in the squad, he's likely the only player in the squad that leaves me actively worried if he's playing at this level.

 

[Srg]

26 minutes ago, brady1993 said:

Think it's likely. It feels harsh but I think it's likely the biggest drop off in quality in the squad, he's likely the only player in the squad that leaves me actively worried if he's playing at this level.

 

Him and Collins, for sure. 

[Dava75]

 

50 minutes ago, Srg said:

Him and Collins, for sure. 

We won against Middlesboro with a dogged performance in which both of these players played a significant proportion of the match. If its a backs to the wall performance both will put their bodies on the line. Every match won’t be the same - but agree that I would expect both of them to feature a lot less than others given the step up in quality.

Isn’t it good that we actually have competition for places all over the pitch - and that we have a squad that can adapt to different formations and approaches to a game if/when needed.

COYR 🐏