Still too early. On paper we have signed some fantastic talent. Phillips and Potts are great attacking options. Boyes looks (ignore Tuesday) a really good option at fully back. Low already looks like an amazing bargin. Leahy should get the goals we are missing from midfield. Taylor looks decent but expecting him to be a 20 goal striker is a leap. VKY is... well I am sure we scouting him well so he should be an upgrade on JMac or else why sign him?
My concern is whether we have signed a team. Have we recruited exciting talents without thinking where they go in the puzzle and whether they fit with who was already here. Are we going to end up putting these youngsters in square pegs or putting some of our existing regular performers in unfamiliar positions where they are ineffective? At the moment I'm excited by the players, not convinced by the team. To be honest I'm still feeling it after Sutton.
The only facts available over the past two days were Jack G’s insta posts of Mustard playing table tennis at Marlow Rd on Thursday and Friday. Should have told us more than all the conjecture rattling around.
I don't think you can sign teams, You sign players with potential and then have to work at it, we needed a turnaround of players and lots of people had something to say about how we played at times under AInsworth, need a bit of faith now. There's definitely some talented lads, some who haven't played regular intense games and had to fit into a squad and a formation in a meaningful way. Blooms may have to change that as well but in a balance with helping people settle in. Not all of the new signings have impressesd but its still early to write anyone off.
Leahy crossing to Low seems to have worked quite well so far.
McCleary and Vokes should add a few, Hanlan although not prolific can get in dangerous positions. I have hopes Taylor and a couple of the other loanees will have a purple patch or two over the season.
We haven’t really clicked in an attacking sense yet but there surely is potential. I would like to see some flexibility away from the 3-5-2 so we aren’t always forced to play defensive minded wide players.
It feels like we’re going to be in for a long, hard, painful transitional season.
We’re going to have to be very patient as Matt Bloomfield navigates his first full season as manager. He’ll learn so much this year that will hopefully stand both him and us in good stead for the years to come.
Sadly in the short term we have a collection of talented individuals that are yet to become a team. We’re seeing a change of style that has considerably less substance than we’ve become accustomed to and we are desperately short of goals and goalscorers. The latter is likely to mean an underwhelming campaign and the sooner we hit the 50-point mark the better.
At least the signing of Uche Ikpeazu would have brought some excitement, not sure there’s going to be very much of that now.
That and Luke Leahy mentioning Brandon’s table tennis ability of otherwise in the pre match drills for Northampton - if he was going anywhere he would not have been mentioned or it would have been edited out.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Uche Ikpeazu sign for Sheffield Wednesday. I’m sure he would prefer to play at a higher level than League One and I’m not sure our owners want to cover the additional cost.
I've seen quite a few rumours online (yes I know !) our end and Wrexhams, that Wrexham were happy to pay us 300k, Brandon was happy to go, but we wernt happy with how the payments were going to be made. So instead they went for the lad from Harrogate. The money we were going to get was going to pay for Uche.
We seem to be perpetually bad at negotiating transfer deals.
I’m still staggered at team would pay anything approaching £300k for Hanlan. If it’s true we’ve bungled the deal then its a real own goal.
He seems a nice guy but has been a frustrating watch since Anis left. Anis would transfix defenders freeing up a lot of room for Hanlan, but he’s now often just marked out of the game completely.
It is remarkable that we appear to have chosen not to accept such a significant amount of money, especially for the player in question. He is clearly valued highly by the manager and now needs justify the faith he’s shown in him.
International clearance is usually just an additional administrative process and doesn’t stop clubs from signing players.
We will all value players differently and Bloomfield’s valuation is the one that matters. Whilst also subjective, I’m not sure Hanlan’s performances justify a valuation of £180k.
I have a feeling this transfer window will be seen as a missed opportunity in the not-too distant future.
Interesting if true, I'd have thought that if a team with a smaller reputation had offered that alone in July we probably would have been happy with it. If there was a large element of money based on possible achievement, if Uche isn't interested, or if the club have just decided not to be so quick to "not stand in their way" and accept every small bid anymore then that would maybe make more sense, not sure anyone has mentioned in all the fuss that we also still have Big Chris at least until January.
...And Max and Josh who were apparently all off to QPR with every coach, steward and tea lady. The focus has come off the comparison with them rightly since they won a game and since we've started playing but we've probably signed better players than they have.
It's not that rare, Turkish clubs have been notorious for not paying players they want gone or generally making life difficult for them. FIFA have some rules now that help but it can take time and money. I thought Uche's was mutual.
You have written off Vokes and McCleary, two of our better and most experienced players, plus several promising loan signings from PL clubs, in the third week of the season. I also think that’s a tad too early.
Funny thing about this thread is we’re one decent game, a Vokes brace and a clean sheet this afternoon away from the feeling and sentiment to be very different.
Had Vokes stuck one or two of the midweek chances away, we’d been feeling very different as the window closes.
re Vokes, I love him to bits. But it’s clear that he doesn’t look like the player he was. And it’s clear he doesn’t fit into the current system. I don’t think he warrants a start.
re McCleary, I feel that he is more effective as a sub.
re loanees, they won’t offer much for us next season however well they do.
Comments
Still too early. On paper we have signed some fantastic talent. Phillips and Potts are great attacking options. Boyes looks (ignore Tuesday) a really good option at fully back. Low already looks like an amazing bargin. Leahy should get the goals we are missing from midfield. Taylor looks decent but expecting him to be a 20 goal striker is a leap. VKY is... well I am sure we scouting him well so he should be an upgrade on JMac or else why sign him?
My concern is whether we have signed a team. Have we recruited exciting talents without thinking where they go in the puzzle and whether they fit with who was already here. Are we going to end up putting these youngsters in square pegs or putting some of our existing regular performers in unfamiliar positions where they are ineffective? At the moment I'm excited by the players, not convinced by the team. To be honest I'm still feeling it after Sutton.
I don’t think it is too early to ask where the goals are coming from. Apart from brief spells, we’ve not looked like scoring so far
Yep
The only facts available over the past two days were Jack G’s insta posts of Mustard playing table tennis at Marlow Rd on Thursday and Friday. Should have told us more than all the conjecture rattling around.
I don't think you can sign teams, You sign players with potential and then have to work at it, we needed a turnaround of players and lots of people had something to say about how we played at times under AInsworth, need a bit of faith now. There's definitely some talented lads, some who haven't played regular intense games and had to fit into a squad and a formation in a meaningful way. Blooms may have to change that as well but in a balance with helping people settle in. Not all of the new signings have impressesd but its still early to write anyone off.
Leahy crossing to Low seems to have worked quite well so far.
McCleary and Vokes should add a few, Hanlan although not prolific can get in dangerous positions. I have hopes Taylor and a couple of the other loanees will have a purple patch or two over the season.
We haven’t really clicked in an attacking sense yet but there surely is potential. I would like to see some flexibility away from the 3-5-2 so we aren’t always forced to play defensive minded wide players.
Where is this money for players coming from? @Midlander
It feels like we’re going to be in for a long, hard, painful transitional season.
We’re going to have to be very patient as Matt Bloomfield navigates his first full season as manager. He’ll learn so much this year that will hopefully stand both him and us in good stead for the years to come.
Sadly in the short term we have a collection of talented individuals that are yet to become a team. We’re seeing a change of style that has considerably less substance than we’ve become accustomed to and we are desperately short of goals and goalscorers. The latter is likely to mean an underwhelming campaign and the sooner we hit the 50-point mark the better.
At least the signing of Uche Ikpeazu would have brought some excitement, not sure there’s going to be very much of that now.
That’s for the management and transfer guru to work out in collaboration with the owners.
But our wage bill this season is lower than last. And our squad much smaller and weaker.
Agree with that.
Although not sure the Uche move is as dead as you make it sound.
That and Luke Leahy mentioning Brandon’s table tennis ability of otherwise in the pre match drills for Northampton - if he was going anywhere he would not have been mentioned or it would have been edited out.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Uche Ikpeazu sign for Sheffield Wednesday. I’m sure he would prefer to play at a higher level than League One and I’m not sure our owners want to cover the additional cost.
Uche can sign whenever as a free agent.
It's whether we needed to shift Hanlan to fund it.
No-one really knows.
I've seen quite a few rumours online (yes I know !) our end and Wrexhams, that Wrexham were happy to pay us 300k, Brandon was happy to go, but we wernt happy with how the payments were going to be made. So instead they went for the lad from Harrogate. The money we were going to get was going to pay for Uche.
Don't shoot the messenger.
They have been chasing the lad from Harrogate and Hanlan, they wanted both.
We seem to be perpetually bad at negotiating transfer deals.
I’m still staggered at team would pay anything approaching £300k for Hanlan. If it’s true we’ve bungled the deal then its a real own goal.
He seems a nice guy but has been a frustrating watch since Anis left. Anis would transfix defenders freeing up a lot of room for Hanlan, but he’s now often just marked out of the game completely.
It is remarkable that we appear to have chosen not to accept such a significant amount of money, especially for the player in question. He is clearly valued highly by the manager and now needs justify the faith he’s shown in him.
I would suspect the Uche move has been complicated by international clearance (especially complicated by his departure from previous club).
As I understand it, the fee was an initial £180k. I think the manager would very reasonably rate him higher.
International clearance is usually just an additional administrative process and doesn’t stop clubs from signing players.
We will all value players differently and Bloomfield’s valuation is the one that matters. Whilst also subjective, I’m not sure Hanlan’s performances justify a valuation of £180k.
I have a feeling this transfer window will be seen as a missed opportunity in the not-too distant future.
Interesting if true, I'd have thought that if a team with a smaller reputation had offered that alone in July we probably would have been happy with it. If there was a large element of money based on possible achievement, if Uche isn't interested, or if the club have just decided not to be so quick to "not stand in their way" and accept every small bid anymore then that would maybe make more sense, not sure anyone has mentioned in all the fuss that we also still have Big Chris at least until January.
...And Max and Josh who were apparently all off to QPR with every coach, steward and tea lady. The focus has come off the comparison with them rightly since they won a game and since we've started playing but we've probably signed better players than they have.
You are quite correct that it is usually just an administrative process.
But usually players don’t just walk out on a club while under contract, raising a potential area of complexion to this.
I'm staggered that a club was prepared to pay £150k or more for Hanlan and we've overcomplicated it. We should've ripped their hand off.
Teams don’t buy players. Clubs do.
It's not that rare, Turkish clubs have been notorious for not paying players they want gone or generally making life difficult for them. FIFA have some rules now that help but it can take time and money. I thought Uche's was mutual.
You have written off Vokes and McCleary, two of our better and most experienced players, plus several promising loan signings from PL clubs, in the third week of the season. I also think that’s a tad too early.
Not writing Vokes off, but he has been well off it so far
Funny thing about this thread is we’re one decent game, a Vokes brace and a clean sheet this afternoon away from the feeling and sentiment to be very different.
Had Vokes stuck one or two of the midweek chances away, we’d been feeling very different as the window closes.
We go again.
I’ve not written them off.
re Vokes, I love him to bits. But it’s clear that he doesn’t look like the player he was. And it’s clear he doesn’t fit into the current system. I don’t think he warrants a start.
re McCleary, I feel that he is more effective as a sub.
re loanees, they won’t offer much for us next season however well they do.