Transfer News Transfer Window Summer 21

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Interesting point re: the defence being a strong unit but also conceding.

However long we have made the decision to play Brannagan as the #6 over Gorrin (obviously a few matches were enforced) but as far as we know, he is now fit. Whilst Brannagan does his bit defensively, he isn't on the level of Gorrin in plugging the gaps. This has clearly been a conscious decision having a ball player in that role.

Part of this is the failing of the squad to progress the ball via anything other than Atkinson or Barker (and earlier in the season, McGuane). In previous seasons with Browne, Baptiste, Holland, Fosu etc we had players that can carry us 50/60 yards...add in Dickie's ability to play from the back into midfield and we had a clear way of progressing. Personally, I prefer Brannagan as an #8, however the change in his role has now allowed us some creativity from deeper positions whilst seemingly getting the best out of Sykes.

The frustration this season is that it wouldn't have needed too much improvement in our recruitment through the summer to find ourselves competing higher. Hull and Peterborough are obviously decent but a slightly different summer and I think we would have been much closer.

That said, the summer should be a big one. There was some exciting names mentioned through January which we are hopefully working on for this summer. Theres certainly an opportunity in the market to exploit expiring contacts (probably the same as most clubs!) and U23s now looking for men's football....players such as Holland, Bowler, Adeniran
 
Interesting point re: the defence being a strong unit but also conceding.

However long we have made the decision to play Brannagan as the #6 over Gorrin (obviously a few matches were enforced) but as far as we know, he is now fit. Whilst Brannagan does his bit defensively, he isn't on the level of Gorrin in plugging the gaps. This has clearly been a conscious decision having a ball player in that role.

Part of this is the failing of the squad to progress the ball via anything other than Atkinson or Barker (and earlier in the season, McGuane). In previous seasons with Browne, Baptiste, Holland, Fosu etc we had players that can carry us 50/60 yards...add in Dickie's ability to play from the back into midfield and we had a clear way of progressing. Personally, I prefer Brannagan as an #8, however the change in his role has now allowed us some creativity from deeper positions whilst seemingly getting the best out of Sykes.

The frustration this season is that it wouldn't have needed too much improvement in our recruitment through the summer to find ourselves competing higher. Hull and Peterborough are obviously decent but a slightly different summer and I think we would have been much closer.

That said, the summer should be a big one. There was some exciting names mentioned through January which we are hopefully working on for this summer. Theres certainly an opportunity in the market to exploit expiring contacts (probably the same as most clubs!) and U23s now looking for men's football....players such as Holland, Bowler, Adeniran
Spot on
 
Interesting point re: the defence being a strong unit but also conceding.

However long we have made the decision to play Brannagan as the #6 over Gorrin (obviously a few matches were enforced) but as far as we know, he is now fit. Whilst Brannagan does his bit defensively, he isn't on the level of Gorrin in plugging the gaps. This has clearly been a conscious decision having a ball player in that role.

Part of this is the failing of the squad to progress the ball via anything other than Atkinson or Barker (and earlier in the season, McGuane). In previous seasons with Browne, Baptiste, Holland, Fosu etc we had players that can carry us 50/60 yards...add in Dickie's ability to play from the back into midfield and we had a clear way of progressing. Personally, I prefer Brannagan as an #8, however the change in his role has now allowed us some creativity from deeper positions whilst seemingly getting the best out of Sykes.

The frustration this season is that it wouldn't have needed too much improvement in our recruitment through the summer to find ourselves competing higher. Hull and Peterborough are obviously decent but a slightly different summer and I think we would have been much closer.

That said, the summer should be a big one. There was some exciting names mentioned through January which we are hopefully working on for this summer. Theres certainly an opportunity in the market to exploit expiring contacts (probably the same as most clubs!) and U23s now looking for men's football....players such as Holland, Bowler, Adeniran
If you use the Lincoln game (9 games ago) as a frame of reference for when we shifted to using CB as a 6 rather than Gorrin, and compare it to the 9 games before that, it's pretty revealing. It's obviously not an exact science, given the difference in opposition, but in those 9 games since the shift we've scored 24 goals while only keeping one clean sheet (conceding 14). The 9 before it, with Gorrin generally used as the 6 and CB an 8, we scored 6 and conceded 8, with 3 clean sheets. We've definitely sacrificed a hell of a lot of defensive solidity, but so far it's been paying off with a literally quadrupled goal return. (Although having a full-strength and well-rested squad probably played a big part, too)
 
If you use the Lincoln game (9 games ago) as a frame of reference for when we shifted to using CB as a 6 rather than Gorrin, and compare it to the 9 games before that, it's pretty revealing. It's obviously not an exact science, given the difference in opposition, but in those 9 games since the shift we've scored 24 goals while only keeping one clean sheet (conceding 14). The 9 before it, with Gorrin generally used as the 6 and CB an 8, we scored 6 and conceded 8, with 3 clean sheets. We've definitely sacrificed a hell of a lot of defensive solidity, but so far it's been paying off with a literally quadrupled goal return. (Although having a full-strength and well-rested squad probably played a big part, too)
Yep - not to say it has been a poor move...it just means that what we gain in attacking we lose defensively. If we could combine the passing of Branngan with the defensive work of Gorrin it would be ideal...but then they wouldn’t be with us 😂.

As it stands, we seem to have stumbled across something in the midfield that works - great! Obvious concerns, once we are through the season is if Brannagan will still be around (hope so!) and how we will remodel the midfield should we see some change. Both Harford and Jones have been to Oxford matches recently...with Luton midfielders ooc this summer, plus Dewsbury-Hall returning to Leicester, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were considering Brannagan
 
EFL Hun have us linked with Nicky Cadden of FGR and OOC Everton defender, Callum Connolly. Pinch of salt required.
 
If Cam is good enough for the Championship then he needs to be looking for a better club than PNE. I would like to say he would be better off waiting to go up with OUFC but that is not a certainty just yet.
 
If Cam is good enough for the Championship then he needs to be looking for a better club than PNE. I would like to say he would be better off waiting to go up with OUFC but that is not a certainty just yet.
Sorry to say it, but if we don't go up this season, this is the exact kind of move that I could see having some legs, he'd almost certainly be a starter for them next season...
 
Robbo was saying a few weeks ago, that he thought Brannagan could go to the very top, in the deep lying midfield role, and for me, that set alarm bells ringing that maybe he knew Cam wanted to move on, and was trying to ignite interest...
 
Robbo was saying a few weeks ago, that he thought Brannagan could go to the very top, in the deep lying midfield role, and for me, that set alarm bells ringing that maybe he knew Cam wanted to move on, and was trying to ignite interest...

Ledson will be worried that he'll take his place in the team
 
Don’t think they have a permanent manager PNE? Other than that, it’s the kind of club I could see Cam going to, a Blackburn, Preston, Hull type of club. The cash and opportunity that comes up with a step up, but a safe bet in terms of playing regularly.
 
Cam won't go to sit on the bench. I'm more worried about a PNE coming in for him than I am a Prem club or one of the top Champ teams. They'll have to hit his release clause for us to sell but I would imagine this can't be much more than £1-1.5m otherwise surely Cam wouldn't have signed the contract we gave him?
 
Cam won't go to sit on the bench. I'm more worried about a PNE coming in for him than I am a Prem club or one of the top Champ teams. They'll have to hit his release clause for us to sell but I would imagine this can't be much more than £1-1.5m otherwise surely Cam wouldn't have signed the contract we gave him?
I think 1.5mil is very optimistic. Unfortunately, I can’t see us getting more than 1mil for him. I’d be okay with him going to a club like Forest, because we could look at bundling Maguane into the deal. PNE is an odd one. If I was Cam Bran and I actually wanted to leave, I would definitely hold out for a better move.
 
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