Transfer News Transfer Window Summer 21

[DevilsAvocado]

Last night (well, our streaky form all year) showed how vital Long is to the shape of the team. Ruffels role is so much clearer when Long plays - pace down the left, support from LB, create overloads on the right with Henry/Lee/Long link up. Blackpool are an excellent side, and the only way we could impose our playing style over theirs was to perform to our maximum level. That was not possible without Long.

The scary thing though, is that it could have been others as well. If Atkinson or Moore were injured, could we still play the same way? Our midfield massively lacks the power and drive McGuane gave us when we come up against the top teams. Who’d play left back if Ruffels was out?

We are so close to being good enough to go up. Frankly the really difficult bit of signing or developing Championship quality players as a L1 club has been frequently achieved. The seemingly more straightforward element of signing vaguely competent back up for these we’ve got horribly wrong - no cover in key positions and the quality outside of our best team is extremely limited.

Most clubs in our division will be signing half a first team this summer, we need to fix our substitutes bench so we don’t have more wingers on it than full backs in the entire squad. That’s an excellent starting point, but means nothing if KR doesn’t finally fix the issues of squad depth and balance.

Excellent post, agree with all of that with the exception of you last paragraph, 4 fullbacks is enough, 2 for each position, i would say there is a good
case for at least 5 wingers. With the 5 subs rule i think in an ideal world KR would want the front 5 to run their balls off for 65/70 mins and then
bring on fresh legs, thats 4 wingers per game where as the full backs would only come off if injured or badly out of form so in that respect 4 wingers
is clearly not enough.

Your point about Long is bang on the money, without him our right side becomes pretty redundant as an attacking threat.

 

[Brahma]

I don't think the squad is far away. The key is obviously keeping a majority of the squad together and adding some quality.

I have been saying for a few weeks now that we are a long way away. Currently we're a good mid-table side who can compete to get in the Play-Offs. If the performance last night didn't show everyone how far we are away, then nothing will.

My concern is that we have signed up most of that squad/team from last night, when change was/is needed. We're going to let three of our better players, all creative and in on loan, depart (Lee, Barker and Shodipo). That makes us weaker. Significantly weaker. Can we retain them, who knows?

We've brought in McGuane and if that means Cam departs, so be it. We need to invest in more than a few players.

The only saving grace, is that the likes of Hall, Kelly, Clare, Grayson, Napa, Cooper and sadly Forde aren't offering anything and we need their wages. Mous seems intent on sticking about as a player.

Just think if we don't get Barker, Lee or Shodipo back. We look a very weak League One side again.

 

[Victor1986]

Sorry WRox, I don't think we are .."close to being good enough to go up". Blackpool were head & shoulders above us last night & will be comfortable in the Championship if they are successful at Wembley. Ruffles looks like his head is already with another club & Hanson - well - sorry not good enough. We really missed Sam Long. I do not think paying a load of money for Barker is sensible either. We need a player like Blackpool's Ellis & experienced strong cover at CB & both FB sides PDQ so that we can plan for next season.

 

[Marked Ox]

I understand the frustrations from last night but balance is needed. Of course the local lad affection is relevant, he's been a superb loyal servant and a consistent performer. You don't find many full backs who score 6-7 per season. It's alright throwing him to the wolves but you need to replace goals, assists and a steady full back. It's not his fault he hasn't any competition for his place.

It is clear, his head has turned and actually the criticism stems from him 'looking after himself' and 'being open to offers/links to the Championship'. That isn't just reason to kill the lad. He made a mistake last night, it happens.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Good for him for looking after himself as well considering it is his livelihood, He has given us excellent service over the years when he was offered 1 year contracts so didn't have certainty.

 

[m]

Sorry WRox, I don't think we are .."close to being good enough to go up". Blackpool were head & shoulders above us last night & will be comfortable in the Championship if they are successful at Wembley. Ruffles looks like his head is already with another club & Hanson - well - sorry not good enough. We really missed Sam Long. I do not think paying a load of money for Barker is sensible either. We need a player like Blackpool's Ellis & experienced strong cover at CB & both FB sides PDQ so that we can plan for next season.

In isolation that looks true.

But we picked up a mere 6 points less than Blackpool over a season, and a season with an awful start at that.

 

[Marked Ox]

Sorry WRox, I don't think we are .."close to being good enough to go up". Blackpool were head & shoulders above us last night & will be comfortable in the Championship if they are successful at Wembley. Ruffles looks like his head is already with another club & Hanson - well - sorry not good enough. We really missed Sam Long. I do not think paying a load of money for Barker is sensible either. We need a player like Blackpool's Ellis & experienced strong cover at CB & both FB sides PDQ so that we can plan for next season.

I wouldn't say they were head and shoulders but deserved the win by simply being far more clinical. And that clinical touch really came from one player, Ellis Simms, who looked a class apart (albeit a bit of an a**e with his goal celebrations). I don't think should Blackpool win the play offs that they will be comfortable in L1 unless they strengthen quite a bit as we created plenty of good chances against them but didn't take them. Blackpool would also need Ellis Simms (or replace him equally) back as well on top of new additions.

 

[WRox]

Excellent post, agree with all of that with the exception of you last paragraph, 4 fullbacks is enough, 2 for each position, i would say there is a good
case for at least 5 wingers. With the 5 subs rule i think in an ideal world KR would want the front 5 to run their balls off for 65/70 mins and then
bring on fresh legs, thats 4 wingers per game where as the full backs would only come off if injured or badly out of form so in that respect 4 wingers
is clearly not enough.

Your point about Long is bang on the money, without him our right side becomes pretty redundant as an attacking threat.

I don’t disagree with any of that, I was really just emphasising that having one full back available for a playoff game and at least 5, more like 8 in reality, that can play out wide reflects a pretty poor transfer strategy. I totally agree you need more wingers in a squad.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

But we picked up a mere 6 points less than Blackpool over a season, and a season with an awful start at that.

And we only finished half a dozen goals ahead of Charlton. Where’s the line?

Conceding five goals less in a season can net you an extra 10 points. We need to get better at that. You get three points for a win whether it’s by one goal or five.

We come unstuck against the good teams. Until we fix this glorious defeat is still defeat.

 

[Oxford57]

Perhaps it's a return to the good old days ,but whatever player gets signed I would be happy with someone with a physical presence who is more than capable of looking after themselves, a winger who can actually run really fast and can cross on the run a striker who bash defenders about a bit and for Pete's sake mate sure that they are fit to play rather the usual crock who is going to a world beater when they get fit

 

[ZeroTheHero]

If we keep playing like we do and the better teams in the division (like Blackpool) can nullify that then we need an alternative. Last night that was playing it long (or 'booting it in the air' as I call it) from back to front. Matt Taylor is many things, but that doesn't include being the type of player who thrives on that - and the few times he did get him head on it there was nobody within 10 yards of him. So we'd need someone who can fulfil that role (which isn't Winnall, could be Agyei) and a midfielder/number 10 who can and will get close enough to pick up the ball when it's won.

 

[m]

And we only finished half a dozen goals ahead of Charlton. Where’s the line?

Conceding five goals less in a season can net you an extra 10 points. We need to get better at that. You get three points for a win whether it’s by one goal or five.

We come unstuck against the good teams. Until we fix this glorious defeat is still defeat.

Of course.

My point was (and remains) that over the course of the season there was not the gulf between us that last night suggested.

And totally agree re goals shipped, I've questioned before whether our defence is really as good as soke would have you believe - that said, I'm confident our centre back pairing will continue to improve.

 

[Gobbledgook]

Like it but if we remain in L1 I'd like a bit more of a nasty physical player option in there as well, for those battles against those fatty Evansish physical anti football teams we sometime struggle against.

Last night's game has just strengthened my opinion above.

 

[Leysboy]

I don't think the squad is far away. The key is obviously keeping a majority of the squad together and adding some quality.

Fwiw, Blackpool highlighted our limitations last night. Whilst Ruffels is a decent League One left back, Blackpool (and others) have identified him as the weaker point in the defence. That doesn't mean he's an awful player, just he has limitations (like most in the squad). It seems years since we last *properly* dealt with the LB/RB positions, despite how crucial they are to our play. This doesn't mean I think we should jettison Ruffels, equally if he gets himself a Championship offer, fair play! We should be looking to upgrade all positions. We have been a little over reliant on Ruffels' fitness (consistently 40+ games a season) and that against 90% of the league he is a good left back.

Re: Barker - I would love him to sign. His wages sound pretty hefty, but is a constant out ball that has the ability to do something out of nothing. Adelakun would be another that would fit the mould. Also worth taking a look at Josh Bowler OOC at Everton this summer.

Joe Skarz was probably the last one we had at LB.

 

[Horse]

Wouldn’t write Clare off until I’ve seen him play in central midfield like he has for Burton. He seems to be doing well in that role.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Conceding five goals less in a season can net you an extra 10 points. We need to get better at that. You get three points for a win whether it’s by one goal or five.

Defence, defence, defence! That's all you think about, Dicky Plantaganet. You'll be expecting them to train as a unit next* **.


* Where was Stevens for the first goal? Did he shout? For a backpass?

** How did the scorer have so much space for their second? Granted he had Atkinson in his pocket all night long but he knocked it back into acres of space: Ruffels was ambling back and where were was Moore? Why is it that if you draw a line about 10 degrees from the post to the nearest touchline and about 35 neither of our centre backs is able to see into it to stop shots and that?

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Defence, defence, defence! That's all you think about, Dicky Plantaganet. You'll be expecting them to train as a unit next* **.


* Where was Stevens for the first goal? Did he shout? For a backpass?

** How did the scorer have so much space for their second? Granted he had Atkinson in his pocket all night long but he knocked it back into acres of space: Ruffels was ambling back and where were was Moore? Why is it that if you draw a line about 10 degrees from the post to the nearest touchline and about 35 neither of our centre backs is able to see into it to stop shots and that?

Our defence is sturdier than the Ailsa Craig.

You’re a problem. You’re a real problem.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Sturdier than the tomato. Are you sure?

 

[Yellows1]

Hanson didnt get a chance to get forward. Henry, brannagan and especially lee lost the ball countless times.

So did Hanson, we can sign much better next season, we need to improve!!!

 

[captainox]

I have been saying for a few weeks now that we are a long way away. Currently we're a good mid-table side who can compete to get in the Play-Offs. If the performance last night didn't show everyone how far we are away, then nothing will.

My concern is that we have signed up most of that squad/team from last night, when change was/is needed. We're going to let three of our better players, all creative and in on loan, depart (Lee, Barker and Shodipo). That makes us weaker. Significantly weaker. Can we retain them, who knows?

We've brought in McGuane and if that means Cam departs, so be it. We need to invest in more than a few players.

The only saving grace, is that the likes of Hall, Kelly, Clare, Grayson, Napa, Cooper and sadly Forde aren't offering anything and we need their wages. Mous seems intent on sticking about as a player.

Just think if we don't get Barker, Lee or Shodipo back. We look a very weak League One side again.

Given Grayson and Kelly can't get in the squad at the moment, then they won't be returning. Grayson already on Blackburn's released list.
Forde and Hall out of contract - Hall will go for sure. Forde who knows, but with Hanson contracted, I don't think both will stay.
Cooper presumably completes a permanent move back to Northern Ireland.
Sean Clare - who knows. You'd imagine Burton might be interested permanently, so if he isn't wanted here then that would be a good one to get sorted out fairly quickly.
Napa already gone. Joined Woking on a free last month.
Can add Osei-Yaw to the list as well, granted he won't be on that much of a wage, but is still contracted for another season.

There has been a lot of talk about making sure we have numbers in defence but we have no contracted wingers (assuming Cooper moves on) for next season as it stands. That's one area we can't afford to be lacking in.

 

[captainox]

Boro to sign QPR goalkeeper Lumley

Middlesbrough will sign goalkeeper Joe Lumley on a two-year deal when his contract with QPR expires this summer.

www.bbc.co.uk

Boro sign a keeper presumably to be first choice. So if they really are/were interested in Stevens, then it would be to go and sit on the bench.