LCFCJohn

I’m getting the word Daka coming into my head right now I agree about the names you have mentioned though. Never any guarantees of success. Most of the awful transfers that have put us where we are now were experienced at the level. I think the failure of some of these players has been more to do with culture and decline across the club. When Pearson was here, transfers experienced or not rarely missed. I definitely believe in part, that comes as part of a positive trajectory or culture around the club during that period.

I think it was more one where in the build up to the relegation to L1 last time, we were just (obviously) pretty shit, well attacking wise. Defensively we were good. So it wasn’t a good time to be a (then) young striker moving up from Walsall. Fryatt and Howard were still a very good partnership upon promotion back and under Pearson. Things then changed when KP came in, got rid of Pearson and wanted big names on big wages.

You’d hope that with a number of the big earners gone, most of ours now (and the likes of Chaplin and Cullen) will be on wages that whilst will be higher than probably anyone else, would be in line with what you’d likely see in any division where you have bigger and smaller teams for the level. Such as Man City and Chelsea etc compared to any newly promoted sides or the likes of Brentford and Bournemouth or Wolves and West Ham compared to your Portsmouth, Preston, Blackburn’s etc of the Championship. It’s not a problem on its own if they are providing value for money and if it’s not compromising the financial position of the club which is of course where we have failed for a number of years. Average wise, it will still be inflated by a handful of top high earnings hanging on. Hopefully it is balanced at the other end by the number of youth players in and around the squad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr59qyy4l5yo It’s quite clear that Reform’s tactic (if you can call it that) to tackle illegal immigration is very reactive, i.e wait until they get here and send them back. Whereas Labour are actually doing work to try and tackle the root cause, the smuggling gangs, to be more proactive in stopping the boats even getting going. I just really hope the progress continues and that they ram the figures down the public’s throats to neutralise the one thing Reform think they are so clever with.

Always a time to start new habits! I don’t think JJ was actively looking to get out/running down his contract was he? Nelson signs a new deal now, he’s purely using us after an injury.

Don’t really want a crock signing a new deal just as a financial security blanket though do we?

Shame we couldn’t have got Nelson out the door before this, if it is a bad one. It probably at least scuppers a move this window and guarantees losing him on a free.

Na, Brighton aren’t as daft as us. He wouldn’t have been on much at Sunderland so although he’ll have had a raise, it’ll not be anywhere near that.

Second choice for Blackpool and Argentine…living the dream aren’t we

When you put it like that….

I agree with you. It’s easy for people to sit on a forum and just call all these players shit. Thomas has been really bad for us but he definitely showed some raw signs when he first broke through and has had moments, like pocketing Salah, assists from a good delivery, a couple of great goals even. Many players, even some tipped as wonder kids fail to build on the early hype or natural ability (by the way I am not saying Thomas was a wonder kid before anyone tries to suggest so), but the point being, much better talents than Thomas have fallen apart and ended up ending careers early or in non-league. Sometimes it circumstances. Thomas coming through when he did probably ruined his development but he’s also capitalised financially on the club falling apart with the latest contract. But if not for the club’s incompetence, you could see him being the kind of case I have said above.

I had dismissed this as unrealistic but fair play. My only concern, if you could call it that, would be if he and Alves were competing. But it sounds like Alves can play off the right. Good options and versatility anyway and definitely it seemed like Watson’s development was above League 1 level so it’s a coup!

If it was possibly to replace Skipp with Collins on a free, that would be very good financial business. But as you say, what can we do with Skipp? Can’t see a permanent move but also can’t see him staying. A loan with us contributing seems more likely.

Astonishingly bad use of (limited) funds once again. And the amount of people on here jumping down the throat of anyone who doesn’t toe the party line that it is excellent business is bizarre too!

This seems positive. Glad to have 2 left footers to compete for the LB spot. I’d look to move Coulibaly on and have Aluko and Joseph as RB options. Unless Joseph needs another loan in which case you keep Coulibaly. It makes for quite a young selection of full backs collectively but if, when the centre backs start to move, we can bring some experience to guide them then it should balance out. If he can be anything like our last LB Christian then it’s all good!

It is important and versatility is good. But it’s fair to be cautious about going too far the other way, which is jack of all trades but master of none.

If that’s the case, fair enough. Even the poster I replied to and many who are jumping down the throats of anyone questioning the transfer, are using terms like ‘can play there’ or ‘has played there’. I honestly don’t know much about him which is why I am not making any judgements about ability, character or traits etc. But looking the player up, it shows him as a more attacking midfielder, second striker rather than an out and out instinctive striker and honestly his stats would back that up. He may be able to score enough at this level but are we settling in for an extended stay in L1 or have ambitions of getting back up and staying up? I’d really hope if we get back up, we could bring in a more natural striker not someone who has been moved around. You have to ask why he has not just made that position his own and stayed there?

I mean given Swansea had an actual number 9 leading their line who was also the top scorer in the league….. I said elsewhere, I’m open to the fact players can adapt to new positions. But there’s a difference between ‘can play there’ and natural in that position. For example, you see more in positions such as a centre midfielder who becomes a defender or vice versa or wingers who have good defensive traits who later in their career become competent at full back. I’m more concerned about whether a player who has predominantly come through as a midfielder has the natural instincts to be the main striker for us.

Obviously players can develop to play elsewhere as their career progresses, I remember Dion Dublin at centre back for us! But he’s not a striker by trade and his goalscoring record shows that. If we hadn’t signed Chaplin and BDR looked like leaving, this would be a great signing for this level. But given we are stocked at the central attacking area, you are probably right he is the striker. And this feels like quite a square peg in a round hole. It’s frustrating that it feels like anyone raising concerns about it is basically getting the ‘entitled, what do you expect’ responses when it’s a genuine concern. We’ve had years of imbalanced squads with players shoehorned into positions to accommodate them. I’d just for once, love to see us identify the gaps and bring specialists in those positions even if they aren’t high profile.

It’s not about his age or profile! It’s about the fact he players in the same position we already have Chaplin, BDR, Alves and Page who can play there. It is the last position we need when we have gaping holes such as striker and right winger. I don’t have a problem signing a 27 year old to contribute now. I have a problem us doing what we have for years and creating an imbalanced squad which results in square pegs in round holes to accommodate them!

So indirectly being sold to Trump! ‘Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE. Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c8xng9894z0o I hope Europe does withdraw from the World Cup. It will make it a meaningless competition without so many countries, many of the strongest as well. Nothing less than FIFA will deserve.

Feels like the last position we need to recruit to….typical of us. Nothing against the player even. But why aren’t the resources going on a striker/wide wide player. If there is resources!

Sorry, I wasn’t referring to the AI part, more broadly the idea of skilling young people up in a variety of technical areas that could increase opportunities. I agree re AI specifically. I meant more having vocational opportunities rather than everyone being forced down the University route as they were in my age group.

Stick a bollard at centre back and still an improvement on Vestergaard for movement

This sounds positive on the face of it https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4k2djd5qpo Having a pre-schooler at the moment, even now it is a concern what the future holds for her. It’s pleasing that Burnham is recognising this issue and wanting to address it, unlike our last however many leaders.