Summer 2020 Transfer Window (Extended Version)

[prawnking]

Correia sounds a little bit like a right sided Vinagre, so maybe not ideal unless we bring a more experienced RWB in too.

I have a feeling we may have parked the idea of a CB upgrade and are looking at Palhinha and Lemar to bolster CM and then move Donk to permanent CB to battle for that 3rd place with Saiss (with Boly shifting left or right depending on who has the shirt)

 

[YoungWolf]

Can see us signing Palhinha. Don't think we are in for Lemar. In a 3-4-3 he would suit a wide forward role but we've got four good options there. Don't think he'd suit the 352 we play, if we stick with that way rather than with a ten behind two strikers.

https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/...-news/grimsby-town-transfer-news-live-4484009

Terry Taylor linked with a loan at Grimsby, I quite liked the bits I saw of him last season, so some senior football would be good for him.

 

[Deano]

I really don't think we need Palhinha just seems more of the same in midfield to me. Anyone who comes in at CM needs to offer something different and I mean that in an attacking sense. Don't subscribe to the idea that it frees up Neves, as good as Neves is, we need it to be someone more mobile.

 

[YoungWolf]

I would rather have someone who could drive with the ball up the pitch and passes forwards too (my shout for this is Dasilva at Brentford - think we could get for around £10m) BUT if we are targetting Palhinha, I guess it signifies we are focusing on 343 as our primary formation? With Moutinho probably needing to be looked after more often, as midfield of Neves and Palhinha/Donck at times will allow the wing backs to play higher, whilst having cover.

As Prawn says, maybe that will mean we shift Leander to a back three role more often. I did like him there, he just made some sloppy mistakes at times. I would prefer us (obviously) to sign a centre back at the level of Boly.

 

[prawnking]

Concerned Slightly
Panicking- no
Will we lose all our first 4 - No
Are we weaker than 4 weeks ago - yes
Do i expect us to be weaker day after the window closes - no I expect us to be stronger.

Am I impatient for at least 1 deal - god yes, if nothing else but to stop all the we are all doomed to mid table obscurity merchants.

Question does anyone actually believe we will
A. Start the Season weaker than we ended last season?
B. We will be weaker post the closure of the transfer Window?

A. I presume you mean the PL season, so we're including Jonny? Unfortunately I think we'll be slightly weaker. I think we'll probably make two signings before the first game, a CM and some kind of WB. The CM will improve the squad and probably be a good option in a 3-5-2, but unless the WB plays on the right and is likely to be as steady as Doc I think our starting team with them and Vinagre on the flanks could suffer. All guesswork and gut instinct though, but for me that scenario (not ideal but not doomsday) is more likely as time goes on

B. I think we'll be about the same, maybe slightly stronger if we get in, say, two decent players who Nuno is happy to play in the starting lineup on occasion. That's hopefully not too unrealistic. A lot is dependent on us not losing another first teamer to transfer or injury too

 

[Premier Quality]

Donk shouldn’t be playing centre back, we need better there.
Can’t see the point of signing paulinha, I’m not sure what he gives that Donk doesn’t

I’m not worried that we wont sign anyone, but I’d quite like one or two to come in soon just to lift the tedium of forums.

 

[YoungWolf]

I don't really care about what people think (even if this thread can be a boring read!) - I just want an upgrade on Doherty, which I think is really important for the team. That is an urgent need IMO.

then I'd be looking at a centre back, another wing-back (who can cover both sides) and a creative midfielder. I know others want a forward.

I said previously I didn't think we'd sign anyone this week so hopefully next week is when things start moving as we have plenty to do transfers wise

 

[Jinky]

I don't really care about what people think (even if this thread can be a boring read!) - I just want an upgrade on Doherty, which I think is really important for the team. That is an urgent need IMO.

then I'd be looking at a centre back, another wing-back (who can cover both sides) and a creative midfielder. I know others want a forward.

I said previously I didn't think we'd sign anyone this week so hopefully next week is when things start moving as we have plenty to do transfers wise

I think you're going to be disappointed, mate.

 

[Tredman]

I think you're going to be disappointed, mate.

Do you think we won't sign anyone?

 

[YoungWolf]

I think you're going to be disappointed, mate.

My priorities would be a right-wing back and a centre back. I don't think we will only sign two players though. Think it will be 3-4, two first team (ie. right wing-back, centre back) and one or two slightly younger but very capable squad players in the mould of Neto, Vinagre (midfielder, wing-back).

I don't think that is impossible for us to achieve. We basically did that last summer, it's just that Vallejo was nowhere the level for whatever reason, and Cutrone didn't want to hang around and be Raul's back up. I understand the concerns, I have some too, I just think we basically have to do that now with Doc sold and Jonny injured.

 

[Norman Deeley]

As a few people have mentioned, a priority for me is a midfield player who can carry the ball forward and get in the box. We've just sold Doc and I think I'm right in saying he scored more goals than Neves, Moutinho and Donk last season?

 

[b3h]

Are we weaker than 4 weeks ago - yes

Question does anyone actually believe we will

A. Start the Season weaker than we ended last season?
B. We will be weaker post the closure of the transfer Window?

A - Yes - there's only 10 days left to buy and bed in a new wingback, can't see Joe Bloggs starting
B - No - sign a traffic cone and we're ahead again (hey, I always was a Doc knocker)

 

[prawnking]

I don't really care about what people think (even if this thread can be a boring read!) - I just want an upgrade on Doherty, which I think is really important for the team. That is an urgent need IMO.

then I'd be looking at a centre back, another wing-back (who can cover both sides) and a creative midfielder. I know others want a forward.

I said previously I didn't think we'd sign anyone this week so hopefully next week is when things start moving as we have plenty to do transfers wise

I agree we're looking at next week for signings.

My priority is slightly different to yours; I don't think realistically we're going to sign more than two strong first teamers as you said, and I agree Doc replacement is priority, but I actually now think that CAM is more pressing than CB and Raul understudy.

I think a Boly level CB to play on the right, when we eventually get one, will work wonders for team evolution, but for now I think we can manage for at least one more window with the utility players. More important, for me, is someone we'll trust to play next to Neves. Some goals from that position would work wonders for us too

 

[YoungWolf]

I agree we're looking at next week for signings.

My priority is slightly different to yours; I don't think realistically we're going to sign more than two strong first teamers as you said, and I agree Doc replacement is priority, but I actually now think that CAM is more pressing than CB and Raul understudy.

I think a Boly level CB to play on the right, when we eventually get one, will work wonders for team evolution, but for now I think we can manage for at least one more window with the utility players. More important, for me, is someone we'll trust to play next to Neves. Some goals from that position would work wonders for us too

I think for us to kick on we need to make signings that will improve the first team rather than just providing depth (which we do badly need anyway).

I guess it depends what Nuno's idea is. I like that we have become more flexible in game where we can switch between different systems. If we want to be able to play 3 in the middle more, I agree we need someone who can provide goals and assists. If it's a 343, I actually don't mind the options we currently have, so would be a nice to have rather than the most important thing for me.

 

[BGreenWolf]

I'd be vaguely surprised if we sign anyone next week (short of some Neto/Jordao prospects for the future).

Pretty much all of our signings over the past few years have been known about quite a bit ahead of time, and there's not a whisper about anyone at the moment, short of Twitter nonsense.

 

[prawnking]

If it's a 343, I actually don't mind the options we currently have, so would be a nice to have rather than the most important thing for me.

This is where I deviate from you really, with MGW gone and not pulling up trees anyway, and Jordao pretty much an unknown quantity and possibly going too, it really only leaves Donk as the option which isn't ideal, especially as Neves plays deep and we'd ideally want him replacing Moutinho rather than playing alongside

 

[b3h]

I'd be vaguely surprised if we sign anyone next week (short of some Neto/Jordao prospects for the future).

Pretty much all of our signings over the past few years have been known about quite a bit of time, and there's not a whisper about anyone at the moment, short of Twitter nonsense.

I thought it was the other way round tbh!

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I thought it was the other way round tbh!

Neves was rumoured for a while.
Moutinho was rumoured for a while.
Jota came out of the blue.
Neto and Jordao came out of the blue.
Boly signing went on for a while before he did sign on loan.
Rui Patricio was rumoured for a while
Bonatini came out of the blue.
Cav went on for ages before he signed.
Podence went on for a couple of weeks/

It's a mixed bag, i think it's clear that we prefer to do our business as quietly as possibly, but if the press and fans do hear about it first it doesn't mean that it won't happen.

 

[prawnking]

I think for us to kick on we need to make signings that will improve the first team

100%, this was my mantra last summer.

I think my expectations are lower now though, I don't see this as a 'kick on' season tbh. I think our recruitment will be average/below average and the season will tire us out. I also think a couple of our rivals in the top half of the table will strengthen and improve on last year

I think we'll finish anywhere between 7th and 10th, which is still good, and my hope for Europe is mainly the Cup or if 7th yields the spot.

Progress (aside from Euro qualification) then will be if we still have Nuno and our stars in 12 months, if anyone like Podence or a new signing really take off, and if there's some evolution in our play.

I'm really looking at next season as a 'kick on' season realistically, depending on the state of the world!

 

[The Bion]

On the plus side, if Lemar has lost over half his value in a couple years playing for Simeone then in another year or so we might be able to afford Joao Felix :icon_biggrin: