Summer transfer window

[Guller Bull]

..........it's the hope that kills you!

..............ALL IS DROSS!!!!!!!!

All chat means nothing till you get Taffy’s evocative post. It’s more powerful than Jim’s yellow tie.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Genuine question - what qualifies as "a bit of an effort"

I looked at the table today with the new PL and asked myself who are any of the 3 promoted teams going to finish above. There are no weak teams, it's going to be a seriously tough ask for anyone imho.

I think there’s two teams that might struggle from the 17.

Wolves and Bournemouth could have poor seasons given the talent there losing.

But similar we are weaker (on the assumption the lads don’t sign)
Sunderland are weaker and so are Leeds based on who’s already gone.

[agreenwood]

You’d think an entire lifetime of seemingly watching transfer windows unfold would ward some people on here against flapping in June.

Seemingly not.

[claretonthecoast1882]

I'd still like to see us make a bit of an effort to stop up.

If we go down, it isn't because we didn't try to stay up.

This is like the daft notion some had last season when we didn't win a game it was because we didn't try to win. We could sign 4 key players for 25m each to add to the existing squad and not sell anyone yet we would still be miles off the quality of most squads in the division. We are in a league where teams will spend half our total budget on 1 player others our total budget.

[claretonthecoast1882]

You’d think an entire lifetime of seemingly watching transfer windows unfold would ward some people on here against flapping in June.

Seemingly not.

It closes on Tuesday watch the flapping that night.

[willsclarets]

We actually don't need many incomings to make a good fist of staying up if we keep at least 4 of the back 5 together.

2 or 3 new signings that genuinely lift the quality of our first 11 would be a more efficient use of our money. I don't want to see a hive of activity, just focused signings that we get in before KO.

[Newcastleclaret93]

We actually don't need many incomings to make a good fist of staying up if we keep at least 4 of the back 5 together.

2 or 3 new signings that genuinely lift the quality of our first 11 would be a more efficient use of our money. I don't want to see a hive of activity, just focused signings that we get in before KO.

I agree I hope we go for quality over quantity this summer.

Would be happy with just 3/4 signings

[warksclaret]

It closes on Tuesday watch the flapping that night.

....but re-opens 6 days later and stays open until 1 September. Not quite sure why they have structured it in two parts this year

[claretonthecoast1882]

....but re-opens 6 days later and stays open until 1 September. Not quite sure why they have structured it in two parts this year

It was done to allow clubs to sign players for this club World cup thing starting next week

[kentonclaret]

Genuine question - what qualifies as "a bit of an effort"

I looked at the table today with the new PL and asked myself who are any of the 3 promoted teams going to finish above. There are no weak teams, it's going to be a seriously tough ask for anyone imho.

This is one of the drawbacks of getting promoted to the PL where the only ambition and objective seems to be to try and finish 17th and to sign players with half an eye on getting promoted from the Championship the following season. In all other divisions (including the National League) the promoted teams have a fair crack at winning another promotion with the right investment, or at least finishing in the top 6/7.
If the 3 promoted teams fill the relegation places for the 3rd season in a row I can envisage questions being raised about the fairness and structure of the whole process.

[Woodleyclaret]

There is no doubting the unfair nature of the Premier league. In the past a move by Boltons then owner for a no relegation format was narrowly defeated.Vested interests amongst the billionaire clubs and state owned clubs conspire to keep the little clubs in their place .The largess that the various deals dole out are not shared equitably through the football pyramid despite the tales to the contrary. Many Championship clubs are in serious financial difficulties the latest is the best supported club in Sheffield, Wednesday with wages not being paid again by the owner for the 2nd time in 3 months

[boatshed bill]

....but re-opens 6 days later and stays open until 1 September. Not quite sure why they have structured it in two parts this year

It didn't shut properly, wasn't slammed hard enough

[alwaysaclaret]

I agree I hope we go for quality over quantity this summer.

Would be happy with just 3/4 signings

Assuming we keep the nucleus of the starting 11, we need to bring in a maximum of 6 imo,
Replacement for hladky
CB
6ft+ CM
Winger that can play either
2 strikers, at least 1 6ft+
All with PL experience preferably, because if we're lacking at all, it's experience.
Need to sort out the situation with likes of
Foster
Tresor
Benson
Amdouni
Ekdal
Koleosho even
Churlinov
If these players either can't or won't give us 100% commitment then we need to move on, sell/loan out to bring in funds /free up wages.
2 player's in particular we need to try and loan to championship, costello, dodgson, their at an age where it's make or break imo, so moving forward need to work out which it is.
Something like this imo,
All in an ideal world of course.

[Spijed]

Genuine question - what qualifies as "a bit of an effort"

I looked at the table today with the new PL and asked myself who are any of the 3 promoted teams going to finish above. There are no weak teams, it's going to be a seriously tough ask for anyone imho.

If Esteve, CJ, Trafford and Brownhill leave it means we can't start the season with a better squad than one we finished last season.

It's difficult to stop up but I would have expected to slightly improve in the team we already had, not go backwards, which will be the case if those four leave

[taio]

If Esteve, CJ, Trafford and Brownhill leave it means we can't start the season with a better squad than one we finished last season.

It's difficult to stop up but I would have expected to slightly improve in the team we already had, not go backwards, which will be the case if those four leave

Best to wait until the start of the season and the end of the second transfer window before judging the club's efforts.

[claretspice]

Everyone needs to calm down a bit I think.

No doubt if we were to lose all of Trafford, Esteve and Egan Riley that would make next season difficult. But Trafford and Esteve are under contract and will not be prized away cheaply. They may have release values, but other than that there’s no reason why we should let them go on terms that don’t suit us. There is always fevered speculation in June around desirable players and it’s a good thing that we have desirable players. But it present the speculation around Esteve and to some extent Trafford is pretty tenuous.

Egan Riley we can’t control and clearly there is a much greater chance of him leaving. If he leaves he will at one level be hard to replace because his range of passing from deep became integral to our play. But if he does leave, then provided we don’t also lose Esteve that is on another level an opportunity because it means we have the potential to bring in someone who might immediately improve the first eleven without that disrupting squad dynamics by limiting the game time of a popular player from last season.

Brownhill seems more likely to re-sign and in any event is in a different position. You can make a similar argument that if he were to leave, whilst it would be a blow, it might also make it easier for us to improve the first XI.

The only player I think would be especially difficult to replace is Esteve (Trafford as a keeper is slightly different). I think reinforcements in defence and midfield would be on most people’s wish list this summer. Clearly you don’t want to lose too many of this seasons team but there is going to be turn over to improve the team anyway - I would have thought our core summer business involves two new full backs, a further option at centre half and in central midfield, a keeper and a centre forward. With the exception of the keeper who might well back up Trafford, all of those are going to want to play and so there are going to need to be departures - mostly fringe players you'd imagine, but the odd steady first teamer departing doesn't hold too much fear.

[jojomk1]

If they had signed surely the club would have announced it. There is no logical reason for holding back that sort of information.

Aren't players still contracted until the end of June - someone will correct me if I am wrong on this

If I am right then I can't see any announcement until then

Brownhill and CJ will be waiting until that time to be classed as officially OOC
Then they can sign a new contract, with new terms inc signing on fees, with any clubs including Burnley - negotiations could start before that date but maybe not be finalised and announced

Signing a new contract before the old one has run out (at their existing club) may preclude a signing on fee being given - but there could well be a way around that

We live in hope

[NewClaret]

Genuine question - what qualifies as "a bit of an effort"

I looked at the table today with the new PL and asked myself who are any of the 3 promoted teams going to finish above. There are no weak teams, it's going to be a seriously tough ask for anyone imho.

Completely agree Vegas.

Last year everyone complained on here that Kompany spent £100m on trying to stay up. £100m might be a lot to us but it’s NOTHING in the scheme of what the established squads have spent on their squads in recent seasons. Last year £1.2 billion was spent collectively.

I reckon to stand a reasonable chance we’d have to spend £200-£300 million like Forest did and even then, they only stayed up by the skin of their teeth.

United have committed or will commit another £100m this summer on established premier league players. They won’t be as poor again. Spurs, West Ham and Everton will strengthen you’d expect.

I suppose it only takes us to have a better year than the two that came up with us and one team to have a bad year (Brentford would be my early bet if they lost players/Frank). But on paper we’ll start the season with one of the three weakest squads whatever we do this window. We’ve then got to hope Parker can perform miracles by making us very hard to beat.

[Claret53]

According to The Times today, Newcastle want Trafford as competition for Pope. I’m not sure that I can see that being a particularly attractive option for him (or Pope!).

[Goliath]

According to The Times today, Newcastle want Trafford as competition for Pope. I’m not sure that I can see that being a particularly attractive option for him (or Pope!).

I'd be shocked if Trafford went anywhere where he wasn't guaranteed number 1 status at the start of the season and told it was his shirt to lose.

[kenyon6923]

I think there’s two teams that might struggle from the 17.

Wolves and Bournemouth could have poor seasons given the talent there losing.

But similar we are weaker (on the assumption the lads don’t sign)
Sunderland are weaker and so are Leeds based on who’s already gone.

1 or 2 things have to happen but Notts Forest is another with this volitate chairman who could struggle next season, yeah 1-2 things like manager goes, gibbs white goes and maybe the decent centre half they have but can see not alot having to happen before they implode and slide.
They won't beat this seasons feat, woods won't score as many as this season - so goals may dry up. Just interesting how they go particularly if they have a tardy start, more mid week activity with Europe etc etc. and trigger happy chairman.

[jlup1980]

I think there’s two teams that might struggle from the 17.

Wolves and Bournemouth could have poor seasons given the talent there losing.

But similar we are weaker (on the assumption the lads don’t sign)
Sunderland are weaker and so are Leeds based on who’s already gone.

You've hit the nail on the head here. I totally agree that Wolves and Bournemouth will be weaker given player departures, but are they suddenly weaker than any of the promoted teams... I suspect not! Bournemouth achieved 56 points this season, Wolves 42.

Leicester were 13 points adrift of Spurs in 17th, nevermind Wolves or Bournemouth! Without the 4 point deductions the season before, Luton would have 10 points adrift of Forest That's the only evidence we need. The gap is huge. We're looking for clubs to drop significantly in order to give us a chance. 40 points is still the aim but that feels a lot more difficult to achieve than it was 10, or even 5, years ago.

[fatboy47]

Enough of all this bedwetting defeatist ********.

We've spent nearly half my life in the top flight, and 8 of the last 11 seasons there.

Get things right and we're good for a few more yet.

[willsclarets]

It's more than possible we can stay up, but there's as much strength in keeping a squad together who will fight for the shirt, as there is spending a lot of money on players a smidge better than we have. One of the things we have in our favour is harmony. Being too disruptive will be a false economy. And gets you into a financial mess.

Assuming no one leaves; a striker, a centre midfielder and a left back would be fine for me with 3 going out the door. But those 3 incomings have to be 1st 11 players.

[kentonclaret]

You've hit the nail on the head here. I totally agree that Wolves and Bournemouth will be weaker given player departures, but are they suddenly weaker than any of the promoted teams... I suspect not! Bournemouth achieved 56 points this season, Wolves 42.

Leicester were 13 points adrift of Spurs in 17th, nevermind Wolves or Bournemouth! Without the 4 point deductions the season before, Luton would have 10 points adrift of Forest That's the only evidence we need. The gap is huge. We're looking for clubs to drop significantly in order to give us a chance. 40 points is still the aim but that feels a lot more difficult to achieve than it was 10, or even 5, years ago.

It was not just the 13 points gap that emphasised the huge gulf between these clubs and safety but also the shocking goal differential Leicester (minus 47), Ipswich (minus 46), and Southampton (minus 60). The points difference to safety was effectively 14.
The only club that came close to registering those sort of goal differentials was Liverpool but in their case it was a plus

[CrosspoolClarets]

I don’t know whether players will stay or go, but if they go it is a chance to improve the eleven (apart from Esteve and maybe Trafford who could be as good as we can expect).

What I do know though is that our chances are far higher having a culture where the players are happy, are one group, and respect the manager. So well done Scott for that.

[NewClaret]

What I do know though is that our chances are far higher having a culture where the players are happy, are one group, and respect the manager. So well done Scott for that.

I agree on this, although I would add that everyone appeared very together last time we were promoted.

Keeping a team togetherness when you’re winning is pretty easy. Keeping it when you’re losing most weeks will be the real test of his man management skills. I certainly expect he’ll do a much better job of that than Kompany though.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

We can absolutely stay up. Someone has to go down. And no reason established prem clubs cant have a bad season.

West Ham went down with an incredible sides. Newcastle, Villa - leicester and blackburn not long after winning the league. Leeds.

Big clubs can and do go down.

And IMO the league is more competetive than ever. Not the opposite. Palace and Newcastle winning their first trophies in years or ever. West Ham winning a european trophy. Chelsea and Spurs winning European honours.

Are we favourites to go down? Yes.

But we have stayed up against the odds multiple times before.

There is a lot to be said for being organised, disciplined and 'together' and I expect as a minimum Parker will have that.

[Darnhill Claret]

At the moment I feel that the two more catchable clubs will be Wolves, who are losing arguably their two best players and West Ham who seem to be rotating their squad as much as we will probably have to, and were unconvincing last season.

[NewClaret]

Enough of all this bedwetting defeatist ********.

We've spent nearly half my life in the top flight, and 8 of the last 11 seasons there.

Get things right and we're good for a few more yet.

I’d say it’s more realism than defeatism.

As a rule, the clubs with the highest squad value stay up and we’re likely to have one of the three lowest value squads, just as the highest value squads in the Championship tend to go up.

There’s still a chance of a miracle if a few other teams screw up and we out perform but I hope the club also have one eye on the most likely outcome when planning signings, etc.

[Conroy92]

Dara o shea return on the cards.

[burnley007]

Dara o shea return on the cards.

Too many defenders being linked for my liking. Not looking good for Steeeve or CJ is it?

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Dara o shea return on the cards.

Let’s hope not.

[blatherwickstattoos]

Dara o shea return on the cards.

No a chance this is happening

[kentonclaret]

Too many defenders being linked for my liking. Not looking good for Steeeve or CJ is it?

Well, it’s probably looking better for them than it is for us to be honest

[Spijed]

Dara o shea return on the cards.

If our defending last season was anything to go by his brother Rick might be a better option.

[randomclaret2]

Enough of all this bedwetting defeatist ********.

We've spent nearly half my life in the top flight, and 8 of the last 11 seasons there.

Get things right and we're good for a few more yet.

The ' b' word rears its ugly head again...

[CoolClaret]

Dara o shea return on the cards.

I'd hope the only return of Dara O'Turkey Teeth would be on the back of a 5-0 defeat for whichever team he is playing for.

[Woodleyclaret]

At least he could score from crosses

[burnley007]

The ' b' word rears its ugly head again...

That word bothers me too

Awful word, it says, I'm right and everyone else is a fool.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Apparantly Leipzig want 4m euros for Werner this season.

Anyone think he’s worth a punt even if his wages are high?

[Row x]

I'd hope the only return of Dara O'Turkey Teeth would be on the back of a 5-0 defeat for whichever team he is playing for.

No need for the personal insults

[Conroy92]

Personally I liked O shea. And I would have him back. There's a good deal to have there.

[Conroy92]

No a chance this is happening

It's being linked

[HahaYeah]

I'd have Dara back gladly.

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/15320870/da ... ds-united/

[NL Claret]

Why the negativity about O’Shea? Surely he would improve the squad more than Mee?

[Steddyman]

I'd have Dara back to. He was good for us and Ipswich fans think he was one of the best signings they made.

[ollieclarets8]

I don't remember the last time I read us being linked with a player where the report didn't also include Leeds.

[Dark Cloud]

Dara O'Shea did well and definitely improved greatly as the (extremely difficult!) season developed. He ended up as one of our better performers (all very relative I guess!) and I'd have loved to keep hold of him for last season's Championship push. BUt he's now been a big part of two consecutive relegation defences and like a whole bunch of other players we've seen over the past few years I feel he's stuck in that twilight zone of excellent in the Championship, but found wanting at the next level. (Probably because it's such an enormous step up!)

[boatshed bill]

Why the negativity about O’Shea? Surely he would improve the squad more than Mee?

Being better than Ben Mee is not the reason to sign a defender. At his peak Ben Mee was twice the defender that is Dara O'Shea.
O'Shea puts in a lot of effort, which is probably why fans like him.