January Transfer Tittle Tattle

Still keen on Connor Roberts. Yes he's finally signed a new contract but I think a bid of 4 million might be enough to make them sit up and start negotiating

They're off the pace and unlikely to make playoffs. He's 23 and I think good enough to make it difficult for Smith to get back in the side
 
And minty wonders why he gets stick.
Calling people names and accusing posters of believing everything they read.
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This is just another piece of media speculation being drummed up by the media and players agents. Do not believe we have signed anyone until the player is photographed at the club wearing the clubs colours.
Give it a rest same posts all the time. I thought Mr. Ghost had a point regarding to the stick you get. Silly me.
 
And minty wonders why he gets stick.
Calling people names and accusing posters of believing everything they read.
.

Give it a rest same posts all the time. I thought Mr. Ghost had a point regarding to the stick you get. Silly me.

I believe I have made a perfectly reasonable comment. I suppose if anybody else had made the same word for word comment you would not have reacted.
 
I think we need another CM a box to box who can help both attack and defence, who I don’t know but we are lacking a little In there with cook out. There is a drinkwater a thread and he would be a good fit but unlikely
 
I'm not anti Drinkwater, I just think he's expensive plus I'm not hugely keen on developing other clubs players for them
 
Villa just bought him for 3 mil, we won't get him for that now he's been playing well in the championship. That's like saying Tottenham could sign Brookes from us for 12 mil.
No it's just an example of the bargain you can get if you shop around. Just proving the point that £60m isn't needed for the 4 positions I think we need to strengthen.
 
No it's just an example of the bargain you can get if you shop around. Just proving the point that £60m isn't needed for the 4 positions I think we need to strengthen.
I guess it depends on what you’re trying to buy - Premier League Ready or potential a la Brooks. If we want the former than £60m could be a bit light in today’s market. Which is mental.
 
I guess it depends on what you’re trying to buy - Premier League Ready or potential a la Brooks. If we want the former than £60m could be a bit light in today’s market. Which is mental.
I would always go for potential over current ability, we have to plan for the future, always.
 
I would always go for potential over current ability, we have to plan for the future, always.

We have to go for potential as we are a small club and cannot affored to pay out for the ready made and accomplished Premier League player of whom will cost 50 million (approx) and probably the same in wages.

The down side of this policy is that during a players development we tend not to play them as they are a calculated risk and so the team is strenghtened at a very slow pace and reultantly costs us results. This is why manager like Eddie Howe are priceless and should we lose him it is highly likely that we will return to League One in about three seasons.
 
We have to go for potential as we are a small club and cannot affored to pay out for the ready made and accomplished Premier League player of whom will cost 50 million (approx) and probably the same in wages.

The down side of this policy is that during a players development we tend not to play them as they are a calculated risk and so the team is strenghtened at a very slow pace and reultantly costs us results. This is why manager like Eddie Howe are priceless and should we lose him it is highly likely that we will return to League One in about three seasons.
In my opinion JT should take over.
 
No specific player link but I can't see us not making a RB move after the Francis injury today. We can't get through all of Jan and Feb with no right back in the squad. In a way, this strengthens our hand if there's a top prospect available for loan. Clubs may have been wary sending them here to sit on the bench behind Francis and Smith, when he gets back. Now they'd be assured a couple of months of starts in which to stake their claim and if they can't make their case in that time I don't think their home club could really complain.

Now... are there any top young right backs out there looking for some PL experience?

I know we all want a permanent solution but I suspect this is the more likely scenario, at least until the summer.
 
Could Mason Holgate, the Everton lad, be in the picture? He's primarily a right sided centre back but can play at right back too. He could fill a gap until Smith comes bacl from injury, and then couod give good cover at CB.
 
Given the inflated fees in January it might be more likely that Eddie makes use of the loan system, a right back and a right sided centreback (whom can also play at right back in case the first loan is injured or Marcos Painter esque). Mason Holgate is a good shout from that perspective, especially as I believe we were in for him when he moved to Everton from Barnsley.
 
Mason Holgate must be on his list from the prior interest. When it was announced he was available for loan, I spotted a couple of tweets from fans saying they were pleased! But he does have potential from what I've seen on TV. Clyne would be perfect, I know he played for Liverpool last week but am sure he is probably third choice, although obviously with Gomes injured, I doubt they would let him leave anyway.

I also agree the loan market is a key here. I know many are not fans due to the fact we keep another clubs player warmed up for them....but I think on this occasion, needs must. Eddie did have links with Sarri, so maybe he can help out, Loftus Cheek would be marvellous but doubt he will leave while around the first team.
 
Spurs have Kyle Walker-Peters, Serge Aurier and Kieran Trippier as right backs in their squad.

Aurier has been out injured for most of December hence KWP getting the start against us as part of their rotation policy. However, with Aurier on the cusp of returning I wonder...
 
I think we might need to bite the bullet and get a permanent solution. Remember Smithy's a left back now, that still leaves us with no-one at RB! (This team and it's management, as well as it's done, absolutely blows my mind sometimes)

If we get desperate a loan might work but we need a permanent RB AND a loanee to cover until Smith is back. We can NOT put Fraser back at RB again. Ever.

I haven't any answers as to who, I barely have time to watch our games these says, but we'll have to buy someone in the Summer anyway. Get them now and plug the enormous gaping hole in our squad. We'd still be an injury from disaster again with just 1 signing.

And that's before we talk about the need for another right side CB (another position we're an injury away from trouble in and are already playing a left sided CB in, as well as he's been doing) and another CM, where we also have ZERO options on the bench. Who's going to play CM when Lerma gets his 3 match ban against Man U?

We need 4 players in this window. We're allowed 2 loans. We could actually do with 6 players in this window so we have cover/rotation for any injuries.

I wonder if we've overworked our players and contributed to these injuries? If we rotated more would they be less likely to do their knees? Is it the training pitches? Or is it luck? Awful, classic AFCB luck. It's happened to us en masse twice now, with Callum having a further injury, too...

Anyway. 4 signings minimum, IMO.
 

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