The Summer 2024 Transfer Thread.

[Johnny75]

Happy to eat a massive crow on this, but am not thrilled about that Sam Johnston news, think he is a bottom 5 keeper. Can't believe they'd spend £10m on him, and worse with the intention of being a No1.

I don't think he's any better than Sa and £10m for Palace's reserve keeper is a joke.

Hobbs is having another poor window.

 

[wanderer89]

Great deal for Jeff as he can pay 10 for Johnstone and then sell Sa to Saudi for more and not re invest it as their window doesn't close for a couple more weeks.

Don’t be sad mate, up the Wolve.

 

[Jinky]

Gotta be the plan, isn’t it? Get an English keeper and then free up a non-homegrown spot for another player to come in (a fucking centre half or left back, please? - although we’re hellbent on another winger)

£10m seems about right for Johnstone? It’s what I’d want for Sa and they’re about the same level IMO.

 

[Jinky]

Hobbs is having another poor window.

I don’t disagree with this, though. He’s having a stinker.

 

[Tony Towner]

Happy to eat a massive crow on this, but am not thrilled about that Sam Johnston news, think he is a bottom 5 keeper. Can't believe they'd spend £10m on him, and worse with the intention of being a No1.

We're a bottom 5 side and only aspire to be one. Personally I think he's a better keeper than Sa. There won't be the highlight saves, but there will also be less ricks, more predictable if you will. He's also better with the ball at his feet, although hardly Ederson. In isolation I don't think it makes much difference either way

 

[wanderer89]

I still hold out hope for Hobbs as he’s essentially been told to shop at Poundland.

 

[Lycan]

We're a bottom 5 side and only aspire to be one. Personally I think he's a better keeper than Sa. There won't be the highlight saves, but there will also be less ricks, more predictable if you will. He's also better with the ball at his feet, although hardly Ederson. In isolation I don't think it makes much difference either way

I'm not sure Johnstone is better with his feet.

 

[Kenny]

Hobbs is having another poor window.

Larsen should be decent
Lima is promising
Gomes looks like he will be fine when he settles in

Since then, he has to revert to identifying decent players and trying to get deals done as if he is working the car boots on Bargain Hunt. So we naturally end up with the cheapest options out there.

He isn't the best Sporting Director out there but few in this division have to work like he does with one arm tied behind his back and the other slapped if he reaches out

 

[Derby Wolf]

I'm not sure Johnstone is better with his feet.

Agreed, after Johnstone nearly took Neto's leg off below the knee from having the ball at his feet.

 

[big mean bunny]

Johnstone is no better a ball player than Sa. He has worse athleticism and reactions too.

I said this previously several times on here and I don't just mean in the gme against us where he had a poor game. But he is very cumbersome and stiff with the ball at this feet. It's so noticeable nearly every time he plays.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Hobbs is having another poor window.

I said in an earlier post that I don't think Hobbs is very good. Sure, he is somewhat handcuffed by the restrictions placed on him by Shi, but he talks absolute shite, and of the players he has identified and brought in, only Joao Gomes and potentially Strand Larsen look to be of the quality needed.

 

[Tony Towner]

Not going Punch and Judy on this, but I either think you'll be surprised or you aren't factoring in how terrible Sa is with the ball at his feet.

 

[Tony Towner]

I said in an earlier post that I don't think Hobbs is very good. Sure, he is somewhat handcuffed by the restrictions placed on him by Shi, but he talks absolute shite, and of the players he has identified and brought in, only Joao Gomes and potentially Strand Larsen look to be of the quality needed.

If we sell Gomes for £50m+ then he's delivered on his job's number 1, arguably only, kpi. Factor Kilman in, which he certainly isn't slow to take credit for then he'll be a hero to his employer

 

[big mean bunny]

Whilst just raw stats. A scan of Pro Football reference advanced keeper stats seems to indicate what I feel I see with him.

-6 expect goals (Henderson was -1.6), and then Henderson leads Johnstone in most other stats in the keepers favour, better passing accuracy, higher starting position, less likely to go long. Johnstones long accuracy is nearly 10 points higher than either Sa or Henderson(who felt like a good 3rd comparison) but then long distance passing isn't what anyone is claiming we need him for.

Sa is +8.9 for last year. Which regardless of what people will bring up, is still note worthy even with being at fault for some goals. Could be team specific but he is well above either the Palace keepers on crosses claimed.

 

[Tony Towner]

Whilst just raw stats. A scan of Pro Football reference advanced keeper stats seems to indicate what I feel I see with him.

-6 expect goals (Henderson was -1.6), and then Henderson leads Johnstone in most other stats in the keepers favour, better passing accuracy, higher starting position, less likely to go long. Johnstones long accuracy is nearly 10 points higher than either Sa or Henderson(who felt like a good 3rd comparison) but then long distance passing isn't what anyone is claiming we need him for.

Sa is +8.9 for last year. Which regardless of what people will bring up, is still note worthy even with being at fault for some goals. Could be team specific but he is well above either the Palace keepers on crosses claimed.

What distance is a long ball defined by, because one of Sa's biggest weakness are clipped 30 yard passes to one of the full backs which sails over their heads?

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Sa's biggest problem with the ball at his feet is decision making rather than technique (although he's really bad at getting himself into the right positions to deal with the ball played across him towards his left side) more often than not - he's obviously being asked to play out short whenever possible and because it doesn't come naturally to him it's slow and awkward. Other teams latch onto it at times and then they'll press him more which makes it even more apparent - as did the fans on Sunday when they got all twitchy any time a defender looked to play it back to him.

Whenever I've seen Johnstone he looks like a clunky old school keeper - not going to give away many complete howlers but won't make many saves you wouldn't expect him to either. Don't think he'll offer much improvement in distribution - less dallying on the ball perhaps but I expect that'll just be replaced by hoofing it long whenever there's the slightest hint of not being able to take a touch and set himself properly.

 

[Dire Wolf]

If we sell Gomes for £50m+ then he's delivered on his job's number 1, arguably only, kpi. Factor Kilman in, which he certainly is slow to take credit for then he'll be a hero to his employer

Employee of the month?

 

[Kenny]

Employee of the month?

Not beating Jeff to that..EVER

 

[big mean bunny]

What distance is a long ball defined by, because one of Sa's biggest weakness are clipped 30 yard passes to one of the full backs which sails over their heads?

Less than 40 yards, as the site I used use Opta. Sa is poor in the area you mention and I don't particularly need stats to find that. However, if the equation is Sa for Johnstone then my huge worry is that's more than a marginal downgrade. Especially when what people are telling me is the strength of Johnstone, isn't particularly a strength. There is lots of footage and data to back up why them signing a keeper was one of the smartest things they could do to improve.

Feel bad I was ever casting doubt on Ramsdale now, that was mostly to do with price and lack of overall funding.

 

[Loki]

I know Sa isn`t great, but for pity`s sake, if you`re going to sell your goalkeeper at least aim to replace him with one that is better than the one you`re selling. This is getting ridiculous.