The Summer 2024 Transfer Thread.

[big mean bunny]

At least you get a warm welcome on the Mix, even if its run by a control freak.

Kilman will be missed I think, I fear that we are much weaker defensively at present. Hope that assessment is wrong though.

Whilst pretty much the only bit of the game report I heard, I had the BBC score show on yesterday as was at my mum's, and whoever was doing the West Ham game described Kilman "As looking like a bargain at 40m."

 

[Tony Towner]

Hey just to change the heat in here…

Anyone remember the time I said we didn’t know for sure if Bully would have been good in the top flight?

In all seriousness, it would be a fair comment about someone with his record now. Back then the gap between the 2 leagues was smaller though with squads predominantly made up of British players. He'd have been good, the only question is his how good.

 

[AndyWolves]

I think enough time has passed and the game has changed so much it's almost impossible to answer from a modern perspective. A lot of what bully did, and received, would have been a free kick. Not to say he wouldn't have played the game in a different way though.

I always thought bully would have benefited from more advanced coaching.

 

[Tony Towner]

I think enough time has passed and the game has changed so much it's almost impossible to answer from a modern perspective. A lot of what bully did, and received, would have been a free kick. Not to say he wouldn't have played the game in a different way though.

I always thought bully would have benefited from more advanced coaching.

He wouldn't have been picked for the World Cup now, but he'd have left us at around that time in a comparable situation. The money and opportunity would have been too big for all concerned

 

[AndyWolves]

He wouldn't have been picked for the World Cup now, but he'd have left us at around that time in a comparable situation. The money and opportunity would have been too big for all concerned

IIRC, the closest he got was Coventry, and they offered him less than he was on here. No chance that would be in the situation these days.

A similar trajectory to Toney feels about where bully would have been.

 

[Jinky]

Whilst pretty much the only bit of the game report I heard, I had the BBC score show on yesterday as was at my mum's, and whoever was doing the West Ham game described Kilman "As looking like a bargain at 40m."

Played well yesterday and was part of a clean sheet & very good away win - but was directly at fault for a goal they conceded the week before when they lost. That’s what you get with a middle of the road premier league defender - some good weeks, some bad.

£40m is a good fee for that kind of expectation.

Fosun being prized pillocks and basically saying we can only spend half of that on upgrading the squad is a separate issue.

 

[Shotbybothsides]

I valued Kilman quite highly and thought £40m was about right. But I fear we will miss him more than many think, I know he is no captain material, but he was an excellent defender when we had backs against the wall for long spells. It is in those games that I now fear the worst.

I may well be totally wrong of course.

 

[Lupo]

He wouldn't have been picked for the World Cup now, but he'd have left us at around that time in a comparable situation. The money and opportunity would have been too big for all concerned

We would have sold him at his peak value, the days of holding on to top players for entire careers appear to be over for clubs like us

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Played well yesterday and was part of a clean sheet & very good away win - but was directly at fault for a goal they conceded the week before when they lost. That’s what you get with a middle of the road premier league defender - some good weeks, some bad.

£40m is a good fee for that kind of expectation.

Fosun being prized pillocks and basically saying we can only spend half of that on upgrading the squad is a separate issue.

They also highlighted his good bits (and to be fair there were quite a few) post match on MOTD but ignored at least two occasions where Palace went in clean through on goal with one pass and he was nowhere to be seen in anticipating the danger or recovering the situation.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

In all seriousness, it would be a fair comment about someone with his record now. Back then the gap between the 2 leagues was smaller though with squads predominantly made up of British players. He'd have been good, the only question is his how good.

For my money he was better than the likes of Smith/Cottee/Cascarino/Aldridge/Chapman who were regularly at the top of the goalscoring charts when he was at his 1989-1991(ish) absolute peak.

Not better than Lineker, Wright, Hughes, Shearer or Ferdinand and not comparable to Beardsley, Le Tissier, McClair or Sheringham in terms of style.

 

[thisisgil]

Because of the lack of literally one player

Not just that, I think Ait Nouri performs much better in a back 5.

 

[Tony Towner]

Not just that, I think Ait Nouri performs much better in a back 5.

I understand where you are coming from, but I'd want to see him play with Semedo in this formation first before drawing that conclusion. With Doherty he's always going to have to be more conservative.

 

[Jinky]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1827711564209860933

 

[BGreenWolf]

Entirely new defensive lineup within the next week, please.

 

[The Bear]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1827711564209860933

Looks like another Bellegarde on his videos.

Obviously been quoted more than a few million for Koleosho so have shit our pants.

 

[Squeak]

Not just that, I think Ait Nouri performs much better in a back 5.

No question. RAN is not a left back. He cannot defend.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

No question. RAN is not a left back. He cannot defend.

I've seen him lock Mo Salah out of a game more than once, he *can* defend. Today he seemingly chose not to, right from the very first minute where he was beaten embarrassingly easily.

We don't have another left back at the entire club so what you do with that conundrum, who knows.

 

[Mel Evo]

I've seen him lock Mo Salah out of a game more than once, he *can* defend. Today he seemingly chose not to, right from the very first minute where he was beaten embarrassingly easily.

We don't have another left back at the entire club so what you do with that conundrum, who knows.

Sorry to repeat from another thread but GON must be on the hook for the LB situation. He’s waved Bueno out knowing there won’t be a replacement. Seems crackers.

 

[YoungWolf]

I've seen him lock Mo Salah out of a game more than once, he *can* defend. Today he seemingly chose not to, right from the very first minute where he was beaten embarrassingly easily.

We don't have another left back at the entire club so what you do with that conundrum, who knows.

His 1v1 defending can be outstanding. I do wonder about his positioning and reading of the game sometimes. But he shouldn’t be as bad as he was today, that was grim

 

[Squeak]

I've seen him lock Mo Salah out of a game more than once, he *can* defend. Today he seemingly chose not to, right from the very first minute where he was beaten embarrassingly easily.

We don't have another left back at the entire club so what you do with that conundrum, who knows.

Yeah, he did well against Salah, granted.
However, too often he is caught out of position and stands off his man.
Perhaps GON has given him license to roam a bit more and that's what he tried today? It did lead to Cunha's goal.

As for the left back conundrum, only one solution, revert to what we know with a back three and wing backs. We played that way v Liverpool when RAN had a good game and frankly, it is our better system. Not really sure why everyone feels 4 at the back is a better idea anyway as I think we are more fluid with wing backs doing their job.

However, emphasis has to be on defending although no-one really enjoys stealing a game 1-0. First half today was certainly entertaining but two dumb errors put us on the back foot. Second half was crying out for Dawson to bring some leadership and stability but that didn't happen until too late.