Summer squad changes | Page 2 | Vital Football

Summer squad changes

Well in football you never know, but I have to hold my hand up and admit that my concerns about the DoFs and all the associated management consultancy bullsh*t may have been misplaced.
 
Unfortunately I still expect some outgoings. Take a look at our midfield options:
Jota, Canos, Jozefzoon, Clarke; MacEachran, Sawyers, MacLeod, Judge; Mokotjoe, Woods, Yennaris

That's 11 players fighting for 5 places. Letting Gogia go and sending KK out on loan makes sense but even so, I'm not sure you can keep all of them happy.

Agreed, two of them are injured.

If Colin goes, as has been mooted, then Clarke becomes back up for Daalsgard and Jota - so not a potential loan out for him as some have suggested. I rate him anyway, as I though he played very well towards the end of the season.

I'm hoping Mokotjoe is the answer to our defensive frailties. Our defenders are good enough but as a team we let in too many goals because, I believe we've not had a quality defensive midfielder.

It's all looking very good at the moment!
 
If we have 11 players for 5 places, you can reckon on at least 2 or 3 being injured at any one time, so along with a couple of subs, and giving the odd rest from mid-week games, it looks about right to me.
 
I wonder how much we will see of Judge and if he will return to his former level. Maybe the club have hedged their bets on him for this season at least and it is really 5 out of 10. You could say the same for MacLeod to an extent although he seems more likely to be fit by early season.

See we have just announced the signing of Watkins which must pretty much complete our signings now unless others leave?
 
Spanish Bee - 18/7/2017 13:01

If we have 11 players for 5 places, you can reckon on at least 2 or 3 being injured at any one time, so along with a couple of subs, and giving the odd rest from mid-week games, it looks about right to me.

I don't think you can keep [12 now - assuming Watkins is a midfielder] first teamers happy that way. The B team are meant to sit on the bench when we have a load of injuries, otherwise we block their path and no one wants another Alfie Mawson situation.

I'm sure some will go. I think the reason we are getting heavy with Jota's agent is that if he goes we have a replacement ready - Marcondes, maybe? But any central midfielders going are unlikely to be replaced now.
 
Interesting week with 2 more players joining, a decent work out at Oxford, a very impressive B team win at Benfica (yep Benfica!), & today's game v Saints to come. Like others here I cannot believe we'll be able to hang on to everyone & the likes of Dean, Colin, Vibe, Woods & of course Jota look vulnerable. My guess is that those with contract issues will not be allowed to sit it out & we've already got cover sorted. It must be really challenging for the recruitment team to manage these long windows, we seem to have a plan & are executing it very well, to be fair it hasn't always been this way & everyone has upped their game I feel. Spanish you & I were both critical 2 summers back, the evidence since suggests in part we were wrong, but I do feel that our strategy has evolved & is being implemented more effectively - perhaps off the back of the more reasonable feedback from fans. Also fair to point out that in the 2 seasons since Warbs & the restructuring we've finished in 9th / 10th, not bad at all but not progression on our 5th place that 1st year in the division. Also right to point out that we've acquired talent & potential, so far that's all & any thoughts of us running away with the league are way off the mark, funny how we're world beaters or no hopers with some fans, when in reality we're generally neither. The talent available to DS does now put him under scrutiny, clearly a good man, a good coach - now can he keep his golden squad happy & mount a serious challenge? We're going to have to score plenty, concede a lot less & make GP a fortress to do so. We also have to show progression to the B team boys, there is real talent there & a couple need to get an opportunity to step up, not going to be easy now. Sadly I think Jota will leave us, he is special but if he won't take up our offer & his advisors want to force a move we have to deal with it & compensate by strengthening the whole squad rather than try to replace such a special player. Loads to feel good about & the club is in great shape. I feel the support needs to step up too, we should be filling GP & growing our base further. Our support is great but with under 6k ST holders & a 10.5k average you can't really complain about our model or when stars are sold. I hope everyone does what they can to back BFC more, in any small way they can. Finally a quick thought for Alan Judge, currently in the US building up his conditioning with specialists there, you can follow this via the twitter feed from Neil Greig (our own miracle man) - inspired stuff it really is. Come back strong & positive Alan! Coyr
 
Totally agree with all of this Rebel. The ideas have been there but the implementation hasn’t. I think that what pleases me most is that now we are leaders, not victims. People look at us differently and we have gained respect or in some cases more hatred, which is a sign of respect. You can see from their remarks that talented players see us as a good place to develop. You can criticise the way it was done, but scrapping the academy and starting the ‘B’ team is a very clever idea.

None of us know how the season will pan out, probably somewhere in the top half, but the potential is about as good as I have ever seen it. We will probably make more mistakes and a good few things won't work out, but at least we are the ones with the ideas.
 
Our credibility does seem to have gone up amongst more informed commentators, sadly people earning good money in the game know absolutely nothing about our methods or even players / coaches at this level. The best form of flattery comes from our rivals who often jump on our deals late in the process-trying to hijack them.

Anyway my 1st look at the new boys on Sat in a very competitive work out against decent opponents. Mokotjo looks the part in midfield, diffferent to anyone else in the squad. Watkins is a big powerful runner & Maupay one of those annoying forwards who never gives defenders time. Dalsgsard looks s great addition, quick, strong, direct - too good to sit on the bench behind Colin, so that's a plus & a minus I guess. The only area of concern remains sloppy goals conceded, only a warm up but the bad habits remain.

A new week brings new rumours about Jota, Dean & Woods to West Ham, Wednesday & Sunderland respectively. For sure we'll be saying goodbye to one or two. Let's see what the week brings.

Be nice to hear from a few of the lapsed regulars on here now that football is back. Come on chaps let us know you're still out there!
 
I am quietly excited for the new season. All signings look good. Who do we think will be/become our top striker this season?
Coyb
 
I am quietly excited for the new season. All signings look good. Who do we think will be/become our top striker this season?
Coyb
 
Could be one of many Roman, good question. Depends on game time assuming everyone stays (which I doubt). Jota, Canos, Vibe, Maupay, Watkins, all contenders. Jota if he stays - otherwise Vibe.

Celta Vigo later, interesting game. Coyr!
 
Probably as excited about a Bees squad as I have ever been

Tomorrow will still be a tough test though
 
Final changes it seems, Dean gone (to Brum of all places) and maybe Jota as well although not to Fulham by all accounts.
 
Shame about Harlee but hardly a shock & all he's done is upped his salary not his prospects. In truth we've not been great defensively for a very long time, he was part of that & maybe it's time for a new approach. As for Jota, well I've expected him to go all summer since not accepting a new deal, I'm not comfortable if he moves to FFC but if we get £8M for a player we never expected to see again then I can cope. We had a decent window with incomings, time for them to gel & get us moving up the table.

Hate this poxy window, disgrace it going on so long!
 
Jota to Birmingham according to "Arry" unless there is a late bid. Surprised ( and disappointed) at that as though he could do better, not sure how that will work out for him in that environment.
 
This is just a reality check. If a player wants to go then the club hasn't much choice, especially if they are near the end of their contract. If somebody offered me three times my current salary with maybe 6 - 8 years of my career left, it wouldn't be a difficult decision. We have signed some good players too. Time to get over it and move on. It's the FA who have screwed up the system, not Brentford.
 
Strange to lose three players in one go to one club but maybe Birmingham the only ones to be willing to meet our asking prices. Hey Ho we move on.
 
Spanish Bee is 100% correct :it is the FA that has screwed the system. Football has become a mirror for the UK under the Tories, with the rich getting richer and the rest going to the wall.
We have lost three quality players because we can't afford to pay them anything near the money that Birmingham (amongst others) can. I don't blame the players, if I had been offered a 300% pay rise when I was working, I would have taken it. I don't blame the club, we can't risk the future of the Club.
No the blame lies with the FA who inflicted the Premiership and all the subsequent financial inequalities on football