January Transfer Window Rumours

[Fretters]

I’m not sure i agree to be honest. I think the quality of his final ball has been considerably worse off the right.

Stats wise:

Right winger - 13 apps 2 goals no assists
Left winger - 9 apps 1 goal 3 assists

Not much between it stats wise but I thought he has had his best games off the left

You're missing his assist from the right on Wednesday night.

[JackT93]

I think the Whittaker deal comes down to an image problem, which we have always suffered from as a club. We had the same issue with Jed Wallace a few seasons back, he signed with West Brom instead of us as he felt that they were a better option for him...how wrong he was.

[123EasyasBFC]

It’s obvious we are on a tight rope with finances, the club from a transfer and financial point of view has been run very poor over last 2 years. No way we should be in a situation that all we can over is loan with obligations to buy

[DCWat]

The fact he'd done it before with Swansea and he's done it again didn't sit well with me.

I don’t know how much truth there is in it, but I read (on the Swans board, I think) that he had done much the same when moving from Derby to Swansea.

Once, I might think that there could be reasons that are rightly kept behind closed doors, two or three times and it’s become a pattern that suggests a poor attitude from the player.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do things.

I’m another that was a little concerned that he might be one of the flash in a pan type players. For this reason, I’m not overly bothered. We must though get some quality into our attacking areas.

[claretspice]

I don’t know how much truth there is in it, but I read (on the Swans board, I think) that he had done much the same when moving from Derby to Swansea.

Once, I might think that there could be reasons that are rightly kept behind closed doors, two or three times and it’s become a pattern that suggests a poor attitude from the player.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do things.

I’m another that was a little concerned that he might be one of the flash in a pan type players. For this reason, I’m not overly bothered. We must though get some quality into our attacking areas.

All fair but if he was the one Parker wanted (and who knows( then it would be a blow that we've failed.

[quoonbeatz]

Anthony has been way better on the right for us all season, despite what he may prefer!

Very much so. Apart from the cross for Foster against B’strds he’s looked poor on that side.

[NickBFC]

I think we already have better than Whittaker in the squad, so it's a 'meh' from me. The lad from PSG sounds interesting if any truth in it. Like the idea of talented youngsters with high ceiling potential, hasn't done us much harm with Odobert, and still potentially Koleosho down the line.

[Spijed]

I wasn’t bothered about Whittaker either way, but after his antics on Wednesday night, I’m pleased we’re no longer in for him.

We’ve had our fill of prima donna’s over the last 12 months.

But isn't that double standards when James Tarkowski acted like a spoilt brat at Brentford before joining us?

[BigGaz]

I don't have a problem with us not signing Whittaker. Like others have remarked he appears to have one great season, and due to his attitude and consistency even before he made himself unavailable for Weds night, Plymouth fans are fed up of him and want rid.

I do think we need improvements going forwards though so I would hope we have alternatives in mind. As well as we did as an attacking force on Weds, one swallow does not make a summer. I personally don't want to leave it to chance that this heralds the beginning of us finally 'clicking' especially when the teams around us are strengthening.

Sarmiento, Hannibal and Koleosho up to now are not the answer. I'm not totally sold on Anthony being honest.

Then there's no telling when Benny, Tresor, Redmond, Ramsey will be available, if they ever will be.

Fozzy has looked decent from LW but since he's been at Burnley he's been available for selection about 60% of the games I think I worked it out as?

If we can shift Tresor and Redmond then hopefully that frees up money and space for someone to come in and reinforce.

[Clovius Boofus]

The fact he'd done it before with Swansea, and he's done it again didn't sit well with me.

It's hardly a good altitude, is it. If he does well for his new club, it will be a piece of pee for another club to unsettle him.

[jrgbfc]

Are Redmond and Agyei injured? Another 2 that we could probably do with moving on this month.

[claretonthecoast1882]

But isn't that double standards when James Tarkowski acted like a spoilt brat at Brentford before joining us?

Hint of a drama queen using spoilt brat

[claretonthecoast1882]

Another who isn't bothered either way regards Whittaker, never fully understood the hype around him from the times I have seen him play which granted isn't a lot but I think we will be fine without him.

[kentonclaret]

I'm more than happy with the Whittaker debacle to be honest, like others his antics on Wednesday and by all accounts he has previous for doing the same so I honestly don't think we need THAT clear lack of commitment from the off. He has offered nothing at this level anyway and I do believe we've already got better options than are fully committed in the club now ........Turrah to another bad egg

20 goals and 8 assists for Plymouth in last season’s Championship can hardly be described as offering nothing at this level.
In my own mind I was convinced he would end up going to Middlesbrough and so it has proved.

[Newcastleclaret93]

You're missing his assist from the right on Wednesday night.

Technically wasn’t an assist because it was deflected.

That’s why it doesn’t show on the stats

[burnley007]

20 goals and 8 assists for Plymouth in last season’s Championship can hardly be described as offering nothing at this level.
In my own mind I was convinced he would end up going to Middlesbrough and so it has proved.

For £6m at 24yo. That seems a good price to me.
I wonder why he has chosen Boro? money? promise of game time?
Did we just decide to pull out of a deal?

[claretonthecoast1882]

For £6m at 24yo. That seems a good price to me.
I wonder why he has chosen Boro? money? promise of game time?
Did we just decide to pull out of a deal?

Might not like Parker

[burnley007]

Might not like Parker

Who wouldn't like Scott Parker?

[Row x]

For £6m at 24yo. That seems a good price to me.
I wonder why he has chosen Boro? money? promise of game time?
Did we just decide to pull out of a deal?

We might not have pulled out just yet..

[Gibbo]

Middlesbrough yet to play Sunderland, Sheffield United and Leeds, if he helps take points off them, I will be happy.

[DCWat]

All fair but if he was the one Parker wanted (and who knows( then it would be a blow that we've failed.

Yes, it’s definitely a blow if he was Parker’s preferred choice.

The positive on that front is that it’s not one that has dragged out until the last day of the window.

What is your view on Whittaker. Would he have been your choice?

[louieollie]

20 goals and 8 assists for Plymouth in last season’s Championship can hardly be described as offering nothing at this level.
In my own mind I was convinced he would end up going to Middlesbrough and so it has proved.

Fair point, but that was last season and he's struggled this season ......so far. I still don't think he's the right character to have at our club.

[Alan Young]

Bit far fetched to suggest we’ve pulled out of the deal because of his refusal to play or his attitude. He’s clearly been a priority target for a while so you can only assume the finances of the deal are either above what we are willing or able to risk.

[DCWat]

Technically wasn’t an assist because it was deflected.

That’s why it doesn’t show on the stats

That’s another instance where stats such as these are only useful as an indicator.

You could have a winger causing all sorts of chaos with his deliveries or runs into the box. That action may not lead directly to a goal, but what follows may well do.

Said winger receives no credit in the stats, but anyone watching knows the true source of the goal.

Stats of course have a place but they are all to readily overused.

[burnley007]

Has there been any updates on the young French midfielder? Looks a real prospect.

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/psg-b ... yman-kari/

[claretspice]

Yes, it’s definitely a blow if he was Parker’s preferred choice.

The positive on that front is that it’s not one that has dragged out until the last day of the window.

What is your view on Whittaker. Would he have been your choice?

Not sure I've seen enough of him. Share your thoughts about his CV and the fact he's really had one stand out season having not really made it at Swansea. Didn't massively impress at Burnley. But if we wanted him, and Boro are willing to lay £6m for him, he's clearly got something about him.

[123EasyasBFC]

Tresor
Obafemi
Delcroix
Hountonji

20m there of complete waste of money

[KRBFC]

If we didn't sign Whittaker in the summer and aren't signing him now when Boro have had £6 million accepted, we didn't want him that much.

Or we are are broke and that’s why we’re signing a bunch of free transfer older players.

[bumba]

Really not fussed by Whittaker at all, saw him on the Turf and he was awful.
1 goal and 1 assist this season points more towards one hit wonder than anything else.
Tresor, Ramsey and Redmond are better options if we can get any back on the pitch

[ClaretOfMancunia]

From an Argyle supporter...

I hope Boro keep the receipt, for their sake.

Whittaker sulked at Derby when Rooney subbed him on and then off again in the same match, sulked at Swansea when they recalled him from us (he turned up to our matches while still a Swansea player), and now he's sulked to force a move out of the only club where he's ever played well. That's three clubs and he's sulked at all three.

He's got a left foot like Thor's hammer but a heart the size of a pea. He was figured out in this league around a year ago and since then has offered almost nothing to the team. He isn't quick, skillful or strong and has one party trick - cut inside and shoot. That party trick reached its Use By date last Jan/Feb time, and I'm not lying when I say he literally has nothing else in his game. Nothing.

Watching Boro at our place they struck me as needing defenders, not more fancy dan attackers who offer nothing in terms of tracking back and putting challenges in (Whittaker does neither). This is a really strange signing for them.

The way he's thrown his toys out of the pram to get this move means his legacy at Argyle has been completely tarnished, which is a shame because we had some good moments together. I would wish him the worst of luck at Boro but I don't have to - he won't be a success because he isn't good enough.

[Row x]

Or we are are broke and that’s why we’re signing a bunch of free transfer older players.

As I said earlier, we haven't pulled out yet

[taio]

There is of course a possibility that we are still in for Whittaker

[KRBFC]

Tresor
Obafemi
Delcroix
Hountonji

20m there of complete waste of money

We made more than £20m profit on Odobert so what is your point?

[TheFamilyCat]

Very much so. Apart from the cross for Foster against B’strds he’s looked poor on that side.

Not only has Anthony been better on the right but he's also formed a good partnership with Roberts.

[DCWat]

We made more than £20m profit on Odobert so what is your point?

It’s possible to be positive about the profit returned on one player, whilst questioning the value seen from others.

[NewClaret]

There is of course a possibility that we are still in for Whittaker

Wouldn’t shock me if news of this accepted bid is to hurry us along/force our hand. We probably know we’re in a good negotiating position if we’re his preferred destination and Plymouth probably don’t want the negotiations to carry on much longer with replacements to buy.

I can’t really see why he would refuse to play against us in the week if he was off to Boro. Score against our defence and he increases his wages!

We’ll see. I’m not really bothered either way.

[KRBFC]

It’s possible to be positive about the profit returned on one player, whilst questioning the value seen from others.

But I don’t see the point in it?

Every manager gets transfers wrong, the overall strategy should surely be based on the overall profit/loss not picking out a few failures to push your personal agenda.

Do you think Man United fans sit there reflecting on Sir Alex’s time and thinking about the millions he spunked on Forlan, Kleberson, Bebe and Veron? I doubt it, I think they’d look at the positive signings and results.

[bumba]

But I don’t see the point in it?

Every manager gets transfers wrong, the overall strategy should surely be based on the overall profit/loss not picking out a few failures to push your personal agenda.

Do you think Man United fans sit there reflecting on Sir Alex’s time and thinking about the millions he spunked on Forlan, Kleberson, Bebe and Veron? I doubt it, I think they’d look at the positive signings and results.

[boatshed bill]

We aren’t playing Plymouth every week

Sorry, I hadn't realised that

[fatboy47]

If we'd wanted Whittaker that badly you can bet he'd be a Burnley player by now.

Meh.

[jedi_master]

Hope we get him. I think there is a gap to be filled really (although agree, Anthony has been better on the right than the left) with a goalscoring wide option. I don't judge him on his output this season - we've seen first hand just how bad Plymouth are. If he is the guy Parker wants (and he clearly is) then after bringing in something like £120m (right?) in the summer, there should be little reason a fee between £6-8m is beyond us....unless cash flow is very poor.

[KRBFC]

You don’t think the results were positive?

We will go down in the history books as lifting the 2nd division title. Sure the following season in the PL was a forgettable one but you can’t rewrite history.

[Elizabeth]

If we'd wanted Whittaker that badly you can bet he'd be a Burnley player by now.

Meh.

Yes I don't go along with the assertion that this is a blow to Parker either

[DCWat]

But I don’t see the point in it?

Every manager gets transfers wrong, the overall strategy should surely be based on the overall profit/loss not picking out a few failures to push your personal agenda.

Do you think Man United fans sit there reflecting on Sir Alex’s time and thinking about the millions he spunked on Forlan, Kleberson, Bebe and Veron? I doubt it, I think they’d look at the positive signings and results.

The big difference here being that Man United can (or could) afford mistakes. We operate in a very different market.

I don’t want to turn this back into another Kompany debate, but….

There is no doubt that he made some astute acquisitions and ones that have, or will, provide us with a significant ROI.

He also, apparently with out much questioning from Pace and The Board, bloated the squad with far too many that were a) simply not good enough, b) were not what we needed for the PL c) did not want to be here if Kompany left or we were relegated.

Yes, we’ve turned some decent profit on some players, but if you’re talking about us being skint, you have to acknowledge the losses as well as the profits - some of that comes down to the aforementioned players that have, up to press, cost a lot and provided little in return.

So, for different reasons, Tresor, Ramsey, Obafemi, Redmond, Houtonji, Delcroix etc. etc. are relevant to the conversation, particularly when it comes to squad size and finances that might be impacting our ability to improve the areas that we know need to be improved.

[NewClaret]

It’s possible to be positive about the profit returned on one player, whilst questioning the value seen from others.

It is, but I think overall you have to evaluate the success or otherwise of our new strategy of investing in young European talent on a holistic basis. Wins vs losses.

When you buy shares you know some will increase in value and some will decrease. You want to win them all but you don’t expect to, it’s part and parcel of the game you’re choosing to be in. And losses are only on paper until you sell.

Of that list we’ve not actually sold any. Obafemi will be a definite loss as he’s OOC. The rest will be a mixed bag I expect. I’m still hopeful on Hountondji though.

[ClaretTony]

But isn't that double standards when James Tarkowski acted like a spoilt brat at Brentford before joining us?

Nothing like the same situation though. I can’t agree with what Tarky did but Brentford had backtracked on a promise.

[LaLigaClaret]

I saw the initial news about Whittaker this morning and thought we had dodged a bullet only to find we are considering matching the offer from Middlesborough. I had posted earlier on this thread that he wasn't what we needed and now I am convinced more than ever that we don't. I don't like his attitude about refusing to play for Plymouth, the reports on his being lazy and frankly his poor record this season. He is not PL quality and frankly even thinking about joining Middlesborough shows how poor a person he is. How would anybody not prefer playing for Burnley virtually guaranteed at least a play off place and possibly automatic promotion but instead play for a team who might make the play offs but also may not but even if they did would stand virtually no chance of winning them. Middlesborough also are selling one of their main strikers for £18m in the middle of the season so showing little ambition so as far as I am concerned they can have him where he will fade into complete obscurity. Please Burnley do not think about buying him he seems only a mercenary player who sulks and is only in it for the wages.

[taio]

I saw the initial news about Whittaker this morning and thought we had dodged a bullet only to find we are considering matching the offer from Middlesborough. I had posted earlier on this thread that he wasn't what we needed and now I am convinced more than ever that we don't. I don't like his attitude about refusing to play for Plymouth, the reports on his being lazy and frankly his poor record this season. He is not PL quality and frankly even thinking about joining Middlesborough shows how poor a person he is. How would anybody not prefer playing for Burnley virtually guaranteed at least a play off place and possibly automatic promotion but instead play for a team who might make the play offs but also may not but even if they did would stand virtually no chance of winning them. Middlesborough also are selling one of their main strikers for £18m in the middle of the season so showing little ambition so as far as I am concerned they can have him where he will fade into complete obscurity. Please Burnley do not think about buying him he seems only a mercenary player who sulks and is only in it for the wages.

We haven't had a fee accepted to enable him to have the option to choose us over Boro.

[DCWat]

It is, but I think overall you have to evaluate the success or otherwise of our new strategy of investing in young European talent on a holistic basis. Wins vs losses.

When you buy shares you know some will increase in value and some will decrease. You want to win them all but you don’t expect to, it’s part and parcel of the game you’re choosing to be in. And losses are only on paper until you sell.

Of that list we’ve not actually sold any. Obafemi will be a definite loss as he’s OOC. The rest will be a mixed bag I expect. I’m still hopeful on Hountondji though.

I don’t disagree if you’re looking at transfers in isolation; profit and loss across a group of signings over a period of time.

What also needs to be considered is their impact in fulfilling the role that they were recruited to do and how these signings affect our future transfer business.

The PL season suggests that the raft of signings was not a wholly successful approach, as does the manic nature of last summer’s transfer window, the size of our squad, and now, perhaps a lack of finances to operate as we might wish to in the current window (time will tell).

Pace’s apparent free rein approach where Kompany was concerned was, for me at least, a rather risky and naive way to operate. No doubting that there were some successes, but on the whole, it should have been tempered.

[FeedTheArf]

Or alternatively didn’t like the way Whittaker behaved and rightlfully pulled out.

Especially after he pulled the exact same trick at Swansea.

We've had enough players in the last couple of years who have downed tools and demanded moves.