2021 Summer Transfer Thread | Page 132 | Vital Football

2021 Summer Transfer Thread

Pope John XXIII said:
I don't like the idea of signing a player used to central defence for fullback.

You need so much more from fullbacks in the awful, dull system everyone plays now

You are better off converting wingers to fullbacks than centre halves.

I know he's a right back by trade, but his qualities are obviously much more defensive
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If we were talking wing backs I would be inclined to agree, but full backs, no.

The first job of a full back is to defend, but that does not mean they should not get forward from time to time; however, there are so many out there now who just cannot defend to save their lives.

The fact that we are looking for full backs who can defend is a good sign; the whole point of a double pivot (two deep lying midfield players) is to cover for attacking full backs, if the full backs do not attack so much there is no need for the cover.

Two full backs who can defend and two genuine box to box midfield players will change the whole dynamic of the side and is another sign of a change in track; this is pointing to 4 3 3 in my view.
 
mao tse tung said:
If we were talking wing backs I would be inclined to agree, but full backs, no.

The first job of a full back is to defend, but that does not mean they should not get forward from time to time; however, there are so many out there now who just cannot defend to save their lives.

The fact that we are looking for full backs who can defend is a good sign; the whole point of a double pivot (two deep lying midfield players) is to cover for attacking full backs, if the full backs do not attack so much there is no need for the cover.

Two full backs who can defend and two genuine box to box midfield players will change the whole dynamic of the side and is another sign of a change in track; this is pointing to 4 3 3 in my view.
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Hopefully you're right, and we don't end up with two defensive FB's and two defensive midfielders. For all the criticism of him, Christie played in nearly every game last season, and was a pretty decent attacking option for a RB.
 
ZedRed said:
You get the feeling that Hughton would like to convert CBs to FB and FBs to wingers just to keep things nice and tight.
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Whatever it is that gives you that feeling it certainly is nothing to do with what Hughton has done in the past; he has tended to repeat his methodology wherever he has been - fix the defence and then fix the rest of the side.

There was certainly nothing wrong with how his Newcastle side was set up, and the 90 goals they scored that season, or the 78 goals his Birmingham side scored when finishing 4th a few seasons later, or when Brighton finished joint top scorers with 72 in the 15/16 season or the paltry 74 goals they scored the following season; there was nothing wrong with his first season at Norwich when they reached a position is the PL they have so far failed to match since.

There is the old adage that strikers win you games and defenders win you titles, which is perfectly true, but that does not mean teams are just out and out defensive.

Managers have to cut their cloth accordingly and Hughton had fuck all cloth to cut last season.
 
I appreciate it is a brief you tube clip but Holmes looks pretty impressive: he looks comfortable at either full back or centre back, he can pass the ball and does not fuck about when it comes to tackling.

 
Isn't targeting players from embargoed clubs a bit dangerous as they are less likely to want to let them go ?
 
Redchops said:
Isn't targeting players from embargoed clubs a bit dangerous as they are less likely to want to let them go ?
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Probably depends what, if any, degree or immediate financial crisis is involved in the embargo.

If Reading need the money we could get the player, until Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United it fucking Norwich nip in with more money.

If they don't need the money then it's unlikely
 
Pope John XXIII said:
Probably depends what, if any, degree or immediate financial crisis is involved in the embargo.

If Reading need the money we could get the player, until Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United it fucking Norwich nip in with more money.

If they don't need the money then it's unlikely
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It is also to do with both players contracts running out at end of this season and Reading not able to offer them a new contract. Reading may be better off selling one or both this season at a reduced fee rather than next summer for zero. Depends if they have decent reserve who can step up or an eye on a cheaper replacement. If it is the later then it will be a case of waiting till replacement is signed before releasing. Thus watch and wait.
 
Pope John XXIII said:
Probably depends what, if any, degree or immediate financial crisis is involved in the embargo.

If Reading need the money we could get the player, until Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United it fucking Norwich nip in with more money.

If they don't need the money then it's unlikely
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A cursory glance at their accounts suggest they desperately need money:

The accounts for year ending 2017 show a profit of 4.6m

For 2018 a loss of 20.9m on earnings of 18m

For 2019 a loss of 30.1m on earnings of 21m

For 2020 a loss of 41.9m on earnings of 18m

They have moved from borderline compliance to failing by just under three times the limit.

There is little chance of the embargo being lifted this season or next.

That means they either sell both players this season or they walk for nothing next.

I guess they are just trying to squeeze more cash out of the deal.
 
Meanwhile, Blades man Luke Freeman has been reflecting on a tough spell on loan at Nottingham Forest last season, where he spent much of his time on the sidelines with injury. The United midfielder revealed: “It was very frustrating. I had surgery and got back and didn't feel right.
“The scans were saying I was fine but I wasn't and it was only when they opened me up again that they saw that it wasn't.
“Then it was back to the drawing board and another few months out. So it was very frustrating because it almost looks like you're lying, saying you're not fit and nothing's showing up on the scan. I wondered: ‘What's going on?’”
He continued: “I'm happy I got to the bottom of it because I was losing my marbles. I was thinking: ‘Have I gone soft or what?’ I knew it wasn't right and it was proved.
 
Correction:

They must have failed P & S last season - my arithmetic not up to scratch! - 3 years losses @ 45m

I notice they did not pay any fees for players last season and had a restricted squad by the look of the numbers.

They must have been under embargo last season as well.
 
mao tse tung said:
Correction:

They must have failed P & S last season - my arithmetic not up to scratch! - 3 years losses @ 45m

I notice they did not pay any fees for players last season and had a restricted squad by the look of the numbers.

They must have been under embargo last season as well.
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How come they haven't had a points deduction then?

Surely should be 10 points based on exceeding allowances by £10m?
 
Pope John XXIII said:
How come they haven't had a points deduction then?

Surely should be 10 points based on exceeding allowances by £10m?
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I have no idea.

The losses quoted do not necessarily mean the full amount is counted towards P & S; some losses can be offset against the Academy or for infrastructure projects but 10m would be stretching things a tad.

We know why they have not been deducted points for the latest transgression; the accounts for year ending 2020 and 2021 will be averaged out after deductions have been made for loss of earnings for Covid have been taken into account.

That means they have 50m losses for years 1 and 2 with the average for years 3 and 4 to come - year 3 is a 42m loss so unless they can claim full losses on their usual earnings, which are circa 19m, and then display a profit of 74m they are fucked
 
mao tse tung said:
I have no idea.

The losses quoted do not necessarily mean the full amount is counted towards P & S; some losses can be offset against the Academy or for infrastructure projects but 10m would be stretching things a tad.

We know why they have not been deducted points for the latest transgression; the accounts for year ending 2020 and 2021 will be averaged out after deductions have been made for loss of earnings for Covid have been taken into account.

That means they have 50m losses for years 1 and 2 with the average for years 3 and 4 to come - year 3 is a 42m loss so unless they can claim full losses on their usual earnings, which are circa 19m, and then display a profit of 74m they are fucked
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Going back 12 months there were reports that up to 8 clubs in the Championship could be facing a points deduction.

As you say the rules have been amended because of COVID but those clubs will still be expected to get their houses in order if they want to avoid the points deduction but I would also guess that these clubs will be in conversation with the EFL about what they need to do.

I am not convinced that the EFL would have the balls to hand a points deduction to 8 clubs and if they did I could see there being appeals for them to deal with.
 
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