The Summer 2021 Transfer Rumour Thread

[CDX_EIRE]

Another one Smith thought he could turn around. Some you can't help.

I admire the belief the coaching staff has because there is no doubt that most players have improved. And not simply because they were good players. They have given them 10% boosts in spells. I say it that way because we've certainly had poor periods too where we've had to ask questions of the staff.

There is something to the recruiting formula, the type of player we get. Like Matt Targett there, lambasted last year and rightly so but barely a foot put wrong this year. Credit has to go to both the player and the staff for turning that right around. Seeing things like that you have to say maybe Wesley can be useful but at the same time, there's the Drinkwater's and Barkley's. Horrible attitudes have no place in our squad.

 

[david-avfc]

Weird in a way - taking Nyland and Kalinic out of it which were sort of panic buys for me, the only failures you'd say were Barkley and Jota - but each (for a period) played their part and contributed and in the case of Jota he helped turn the dressing room knowing DS so well to begin with anyway.

I'm struggling to think of a proper flop in its truest sense. Maybe Engels, but he was fine until his Spurs cock ups (but even then he scored from memory) and that one performance is all most remember so he wasn't really a flop either.

I wouldn’t class Barkley as a flop, he disappointed in the second half of his spell here but was useful in the first half and in fact most of us wanted the club to buy him in January

I would however certainly add Samatta, Drinkwater, Baston as flops. I wouldn’t put Engels far behind either considering his price and how far he fell out of favour - no minutes in his second season at all. And again based on price you’d probably say Wesley was a disappointment too, unless he somehow improves after an 18 month injury. There was a reason “Suso” was sacked. The new guy Lange and the other ex Leicester guy seems like we’ve got a better approach behind the scenes now.

 

[mike_field]

How have you managed to overlook Drinkwater

Copious amounts of alcohol mate lol It never happened.

I had forgotten him.

 

[AV Dave]

I wouldn’t class Barkley as a flop, he disappointed in the second half of his spell here but was useful in the first half and in fact most of us wanted the club to buy him in January

I would however certainly add Samatta, Drinkwater, Baston as flops. I wouldn’t put Engels far behind either considering his price and how far he fell out of favour - no minutes in his second season at all. And again based on price you’d probably say Wesley was a disappointment too, unless he somehow improves after an 18 month injury. There was a reason “Suso” was sacked. The new guy Lange and the other ex Leicester guy seems like we’ve got a better approach behind the scenes now.

Things changed big time when Suso was removed.

 

[Silhillvilla]

Samatta, Baston, Drinkwater, Engels, Barkley, jota, Guilbert, Nyland, Kalinic, hang on this list is getting quite long

 

[AV Dave]

Samatta, Baston, Drinkwater, Engels, Barkley, jota, Guilbert, Nyland, Kalinic, hang on this list is getting quite long

Just shows how much we are improving.

 

[mike_field]

I wouldn’t class Barkley as a flop, he disappointed in the second half of his spell here but was useful in the first half and in fact most of us wanted the club to buy him in January

I would however certainly add Samatta, Drinkwater, Baston as flops. I wouldn’t put Engels far behind either considering his price and how far he fell out of favour - no minutes in his second season at all. And again based on price you’d probably say Wesley was a disappointment too, unless he somehow improves after an 18 month injury. There was a reason “Suso” was sacked. The new guy Lange and the other ex Leicester guy seems like we’ve got a better approach behind the scenes now.

It's what I was trying to say...even Barkley isn't a flop in the normal sense as he contributed for a period - which was key to where we ended even if his end was massively disappointing.

Samatta again more a panic buy - I think we'd have seen a different player had it not been for lockdown, he's alluded to as much himself - strange country, language, at times even isolated from his team mates etc etc.

Drinkwater yes - as per other post I'd forgotten about him. But even then he was a filler.

Same as Baston, a filler not a main purchase.

 

[AV Dave]

It's what I was trying to say...even Barkley isn't a flop in the normal sense as he contributed for a period - which was key to where we ended even if his end was massively disappointing.

Samatta again more a panic buy - I think we'd have seen a different player had it not been for lockdown, he's alluded to as much himself - strange country, language, at times even isolated from his team mates etc etc.

Drinkwater yes - as per other post I'd forgotten about him. But even then he was a filler.

Same as Baston, a filler not a main purchase.

I think the madness Mike was at the time they gambled on them, was the time we were in the shit, not a time to gamble really.

 

[mike_field]

I think the madness Mike, was at the time they gambled on them was the time we were in the shit, not a time to gamble really.

Yes, hence panic and also not the best time for players to come in either.

I know Suso gets blame but if he's blamed for some listed then he gets credit for others like Nak, Luiz etc. If people fell out behind the scenes that's life but the core of the squad is Suso's involvement....with that said under Lange's charge we've improved further as well.

We've brought in what, roughly 20 players since promotion and we're talking about a handful that didn't work - we've done a lot worse in the past lol

 

[AV Dave]

I suppose we have to make these mistakes before we get it right. It's looking pretty good at the moment though.

 

[Kiwivillan]

I wouldn’t class Barkley as a flop, he disappointed in the second half of his spell here but was useful in the first half and in fact most of us wanted the club to buy him in January

Our results without Barkley last season make for interesting reading. 7 wins 2 draws 3 losses. I really think he was a massive reason for the complaint that our midfield was under pressure hence why everyone wants a DCM but Buendia is a massive defensive upgrade on Barkley. 6th overall for tackles per 90 in Championship last season which is nuts for an attacking mid

 

[Villan57]

Our results without Barkley last season make for interesting reading. 7 wins 2 draws 3 losses. I really think he was a massive reason for the complaint that our midfield was under pressure hence why everyone wants a DCM but Buendia is a massive defensive upgrade on Barkley. 6th overall for tackles per 90 in Championship last season which is nuts for an attacking mid

Personally, I don't think we need a DCM, I'm certainly not a fan of players who can't play but can stop those that can. In this day and age, you all have to win the ball back asap. The modern defensive midfielder is a bare minimum Marv, but he doesn't just sit he nicks the ball and plays. I don't want us with a Jedinak , Rice or Philips .
Much better off not giving the ball away so much with 50 yard punts to Ollie from Mings

 

[Xchurch Villa]

Players such as Baston and Samata are called, "panic buys" for a good reason. I don't think that Dean or anybody else within the club had identified these players as targets. It was very much a case that we were in the $hit and needed to get a striker in.

Strikers are arguably the hardest position to recruit, January is notoriously a difficult window and if we hadn't brought the above two in it would have been Doris and her nephew.

 

[Kiwivillan]

Players such as Baston and Samata are called, "panic buys" for a good reason. I don't think that Dean or anybody else within the club had identified these players as targets. It was very much a case that we were in the $hit and needed to get a striker in.

Strikers are arguably the hardest position to recruit, January is notoriously a difficult window and if we hadn't brought the above two in it would have been Doris and her nephew.

I heard Doris's xG was through the roof

 

[MollyCruyff]

I’d class Wes as a flop when you look at what we paid for him. We tend to look at injured/ex players through tinted glasses and when he was out injured some thought he was turning it round.
Personally I think he wasn’t - all I saw was moaning and a lack of effort. Didn’t see much the other night at Walsall either considering he was a £20milion + player.

 

[ironside]

The jury is still out on Sanson.

 

[danvilla2]

I’d class Wes as a flop when you look at what we paid for him. We tend to look at injured/ex players through tinted glasses and when he was out injured some thought he was turning it round.
Personally I think he wasn’t - all I saw was moaning and a lack of effort. Didn’t see much the other night at Walsall either considering he was a £20milion + player.

I’m far from a fan based on what I saw of him pre-injury - and we’ve had a few examples of players who just aren’t the same post injury (Kodjia, Amavi).

I think he needs to change his game - rather than try to be some Thierry Henry which he clearly isn’t - be a player who can hold the ball up and bring the wide forwards and midfielder into play.

I’ve said many a time, I’m willing to give him a second chance but he has a lot of convincing to do. If we were offered decent money for him, right now I would take it.

 

[Villan57]

The jury is still out on Sanson.

who? No, seriously he's the forgotten man, isn't he?

we don't do well with French players, for some reason

 

[Pangloss]

Will be interesting to see what Sanson does this season for sure. Didn't get going last season but understandable given he not only had to adjust to a new league but also do this during a global pandemic. He seemed to struggle with a couple of niggling injuries too.

 

[Villan57]

Will be interesting to see what Sanson does this season for sure. Didn't get going last season but understandable given he not only had to adjust to a new league but also do this during a global pandemic. He seemed to struggle with a couple of niggling injuries too.

The whole thing seems to be a culture shock for the French, players