2016 Summer Transfer Speculation

If Lerner and Fox were still here and our only business was signing two players who were injured for most of last season and another inexperienced goalkeeper from Italy, then there would probably be a meltdown on social media. That's not to play those signings down.

We need more additions and if we lose the likes of Amavi and Ayew we'll need more. The players who've performed so badly over the last few seasons aren't just going to magically improve because Di Matteo's managing them and we're in the Championship.

I'm wondering if some of our potential business is linked to which Technical Director, we decide to employ, according to Xia we've interviewed three candidates. I'm sure they will all have different ideas about the players that that the club needs.

I hope we've got a lot of business left to do in this window because, as has been mentioned, there is still to much of last year's shit still dangling.

The new goalkeeper might turn out to be garbage and Elphic wasn't first choice in the premier league so we could still end up using that klingon arsehole which is the stuff of nightmares.

You could put together a strong argument that most of last year's performance issues where due to management/board issues that just caused a mutiny from the players and that the ability was always there. And you could argue that the likes of Grealish and Gardner will easily dominate in this league.

But I'd be less than confident of a first-time-return to the top flight with the current squad. PLUS if we did manage to get promoted, we need far more to compete at that level. I'd prefer if we were building a squad for a mid-table premier league finish rather than a scrap in this league.

Still....a good way to go yet and half the battle - the attitude - seems to have been won.

I think we'll start to see some transfer action in the next two weeks. I reckon RDM has used this batch of friendlies to get a good look at what we have and will now know what is needed as well as what to get rid of. He probably had an idea when he came, but any sensible manager would still want a decent look.

I'm pretty sure he'll know a forward is needed as none of them have been banging the goals in.

The good thing is he has been giving the youngsters a good run out which suggests they will hopefully get a chance and one of the things that annoyed me last year was we kept playing the same bomb squad who kept under performing week after week, when they may as well have given more of the kids a run.

Wriggle wrote:I think we'll start to see some transfer action in the next two weeks. I reckon RDM has used this batch of friendlies to get a good look at what we have and will now know what is needed as well as what to get rid of. He probably had an idea when he came, but any sensible manager would still want a decent look.

I'm pretty sure he'll know a forward is needed as none of them have been banging the goals in.

The good thing is he has been giving the youngsters a good run out which suggests they will hopefully get a chance and one of the things that annoyed me last year was we kept playing the same bomb squad who kept under performing week after week, when they may as well have given more of the kids a run.

Think we can take it as read that a 20 goal striker will be high priority.

However, also think we must do something about right back - its been a problem position and a festering sore for years.

The coaching issue's over the last couple of years cannot be underestimated. I think we had a squad last year that should have survived but for whatever reason the whole club collapsed and it filtered onto the pitch which resulted in chaos and player power by the toxic5 winning over weak management

It will be difficult to attract the desired personnel at this stage but this management team seem to be getting the atmosphere better which should bring about a more positive performance on the pitch. However, there are a few players (pffffff) that should be made to go.

We need significantly better players to upgrade on what we have, if we pass it sideways and sign like for like we will not improve? but convincing better players to give up better salaries to take a gamble on us is fantasy, come on lads be realistic, it has to be young upcoming players like AT and PG or solid pro's like TE. What else can we do? I think we're making progress myself.

RDM wants to play 4-2-3-1 and we have the players to go with it right now from our over sized squad, presuming all are fit we might be ok, but they never are, I would move out the toxics and the sick notes then bring in my desired replacements if I can get them.......... I believe this it what the club are working on.

At this very moment I would wager that we are negotiating something like 3 incoming and about 6 outgoing players that will give the squad a better balance. That's all we can hope for.

I agree that it's still too early to make judgements about the quality of our squad. Hopefully there will be critical comings and goings over the next few weeks.

What's niggling at the back of my mind is that I still don't see any significant signs of a winning mentality. I think what happened at Bristol Rovers has triggered this. I know it only a friendly but there we are seemingly cruising, a goal to the good. They bring on a favoured striker and our defence obligingly opens up for him to score the equaliser.

Where's the determination to win?

We've got to get into the right get habits now - surely that what friendlies are for, amongst other things.

Maybe they'll prove me wrong over the weekend but I'm just not convinced that RDM has purged last seasons malaise. Not yet anyway.

Wish we could sign George Thorne and Dominic Iorfa.

Thorne is purely based upon what I've read. Haven't seen him play, but he seems to have the abilities we are missing in midfield.

Bakary Sako would be a good signing. Proven in this division in terms of both goals and assists. He hasn't made a big impact at Palace and with them signing Townsend he might be even further down the pecking order.

Thinman wrote:I agree that it's still too early to make judgements about the quality of our squad. Hopefully there will be critical comings and goings over the next few weeks.

What's niggling at the back of my mind is that I still don't see any significant signs of a winning mentality. I think what happened at Bristol Rovers has triggered this. I know it only a friendly but there we are seemingly cruising, a goal to the good. They bring on a favoured striker and our defence obligingly opens up for him to score the equaliser.

Where's the determination to win?

We've got to get into the right get habits now - surely that what friendlies are for, amongst other things.

Maybe they'll prove me wrong over the weekend but I'm just not convinced that RDM has purged last seasons malaise. Not yet anyway.

It is significant that we sort of stumbled when the opposition improved. The 1st 3 pre season games were fact finding and confidence builders. We needed to stumble so that the management know what the story is, RDM cannot just walk in and say get rid of this group and get me these ones, Rome wasn't built over night as they say.

I guess fans feel like TX came in with big bold statements and relatively nothing has happened yet, time is time, things take time and considering the state the club was in we need a lot of time to consolidate. It might take 6 months to find a good balance on the field and RDM is correct in understating his goals. Lets hope they all over achieve.

I just hope we make some more signings in the coming weeks.

Thinman wrote:I agree that it's still too early to make judgements about the quality of our squad. Hopefully there will be critical comings and goings over the next few weeks.

What's niggling at the back of my mind is that I still don't see any significant signs of a winning mentality. I think what happened at Bristol Rovers has triggered this. I know it only a friendly but there we are seemingly cruising, a goal to the good. They bring on a favoured striker and our defence obligingly opens up for him to score the equaliser.

Where's the determination to win?

We've got to get into the right get habits now - surely that what friendlies are for, amongst other things.

Maybe they'll prove me wrong over the weekend but I'm just not convinced that RDM has purged last seasons malaise. Not yet anyway.

We needed a manager to impose himself on the dressing room. I really don't see that in RDM'S make up - or any of his assistants to be honest. RDM 'S is another sort of football thinker manager - I think we needed someone with a bit more umph . It was always going to be a tall order to clear out last summers dross in one window, due to the lack of takers.
On the plus side there is a lot of junk in that division - so a few early wins will hopefully get things rolling.
Without a decent striker i would rate our chances of automatic promotion at all...

When someone asked Dr X on Twitter today if there's anyway he can cancel the contracts of those players that didn't deserve one, he replied that you can't cancel them but that "to make him go even with losses is a must!"

Never caught Randy saying things like that.

Looks like Sun'lun are picking up both N'Zogbia and Richards haha

Joppe84 wrote:Looks like Sun'lun are picking up both N'Zogbia and Richards haha

Richards? Where is that reported. Thought they may lose interest in him now Big Sam has gone. N'Zogbia signing would be an amazing piece of fortune for him. Amazed he had the nerve to turn up there.

So Spurs now after Andre Green.

This is the type of player we must STOP selling in my opinion!

Does your head in when you develop a player and then the vultures circle trying to poach him just as he's about to "come of age".

F Off Spurs basically

This will be the true test of the clubs new stance if you ask me,

will they stand firm when players who have been developed through the youth ranks and come good start to get poached by those clubs who delight in letting others do the cultivating and hard work then swoop to steal the crop just as it ripens?.. I can't see Spurs & Levi allowing a player to leave in the same circumstances...can you?!

The Utterer wrote:So Spurs now after Andre Green.

This is the type of player we must STOP selling in my opinion!

Does your head in when you develop a player and then the vultures circle trying to poach him just as he's about to "come of age".

F Off Spurs basically

This will be the true test of the clubs new stance if you ask me,

will they stand firm when players who have been developed through the youth ranks and come good start to get poached by those clubs who delight in letting others do the cultivating and hard work then swoop to steal the crop just as it ripens?.. I can't see Spurs & Levi allowing a player to leave in the same circumstances...can you?!

Totally agree

Pretty much. If we sell him now I think I might just give up football. I was annoyed after arsenal just took crowley, but this would take me over the edge

Colm McGuigan
Twitter › ColmMcGuigan
Fee for Scott Sinclair is 3m up front. 1.5m in add ons. Personal terms agreed. Announced Monday

May I say FUCK YEAH

Again no great loss, another who takes the money without putting in much effort (like a lot of them)!

Sinclair is a decent poacher imo, awful winger and most of the time it felt like we were playing with 10 men. Can see him scoring plenty in Scotland

4.5m for SS.................. wow

Our best signing this summer is Keith Wyness, well done Sir.

Can Sinclair leave his missus in Brum though?

Dr X on twitter says trimming about to take place & then signings. Says 3-4 will be informed - he then says its farewell to old days.

He's certainly candid isn't he?

Am I the only one who isn't surprised that we haven't made a whole wave of signings yet? The fact is any responsible manager was always gonna assess the squad and then go from there. Now the keeper situation was clear for all to see so getting one in early was a priority. Then with our squad lacking leadership Elphick, with his previous experience of leading a team to promotion, was an obvious deal to make, especially at that price. Then lastly I think the Tishbola signing was clearly influenced by Steve Clark having managed him at Reading.

Now he's seen them In training for a number of weeks and has seen them play a few games I think, like Xia just hinted at on Twitter, that we'll be in for a busy few weeks ahead with both in-comings and out-goings.

I'd also like to add that so far, unlike Newcastle, we've managed to keep our gems. Amavi, Adama, Gana and Ayew imo would make our team seriously strong next season and they are still here right now.