It's the same as Alfie Jones. It's why weeks ago when we were first linked I asked why it wasn't just a one year permanent to save a loan spot, and looks like that's what it's ended up being.
Even if the only reason it's done this way is to save a loan spot then it's a positive. I still think they'll be some kind of option or extra years that triggers after X amount of games or something like that and even if there isn't, we can negotiate a longer term deal at any point during the season. Signing someone like Connolly on a long term deal could be disastrous or could be a stroke of genius. For the time being I'm glad we've took the more sensible approach
Wonder if that's why the market is so slow this year. Every manager seems to be complaining about a slow market. Some point the key domino has to fall surely
Yeah I'd be shocked if we haven't informally agreed a longer deal with him if certain metrics are ticked off.
I've never understood why this is an issue for them. Surely the window being open in other countries doesn't mean you have to sell them players that you can't replace. Just reject any offers after your local window closes surely? Anyway, I agree with you about the window closing too late. I think it just makes football look tacky, the season starting with no one really having their squads together. It's a mess. Ideally I'd have it close a week or two before the season starts so that every team has their squad ready and time for them all to train together even if some sign at the last minute. Football is usually so slick and well presented nowadays but on this it just looks amateurish.
It's cos the window is often about brinkmanship. Certain moves at the top end procreate a domino effect down the food chain. Certain cards have to fall before clubs can sell, then buy, then the selling clubs reinvest and players become surplus and it becomes like a massive property chain. In the days when Liverpool can't keep Mane etc then no club is immune from the pressures of the market. It doesn't necessarily define what you do, but it certainly sets a timescale for it.
I highly doubt if Kane stays or goes it’ll have any impact on teams lower down. If teams have **** players, Spurs will be looking for a big player to replace Kane, & all the **** players will already be available in some form or other. When I say **** players, I’m using that term because the players in the realms of Kane, are way ahead of those **** players the smaller clubs are looking at. I think the real reason is the 9 subs, smaller clubs needing a bigger squad overall, less players to go round,& the average players are getting a possible chance at the bench, unlike previous seasons.
I think the business we’ve done has been very savvy. Vinagre is no doubt an upgrade on Elder, while Connolly has more than enough ability to stake a claim of being better for us than Tetteh (but like HT2 said, as long as he doesn’t go all Marcus Maddison on us). Lokilo I haven’t seen enough of, but he’s going to be a better option than Ebiowei as he was a big bag of ****. I think LR wants to keep Fleming in case he wants a LWB and I said last season that Brandon is a better wing back, but Elder was the better left back, I stand by that. And Vinagre can play both positions and he’s a better footballer than both of them. I have no idea why we kept Matty Jacob on, other than perhaps his utility across the defence or he’s had a huge uplift in ability. I thought he would be Shelbourne fodder. A fit Traore playing with Seri, Slater, Ozan Tufan and Oscar will cause serious problems at Championship level. We just need to make sure that all these lads stay uninjured. Would like the keeper sorting before Friday though. So. Tomorrow, basically .
Good to hear Connolly is back, I really like what we have seen so far. I suspect there is more to this deal than is being divulged. I cannot imagine Connolly himself, even if he does well, not wanting to agree a further contract with us, as he has experienced with other clubs where it has not worked out. If Liam does get the best out of him, why would he want to jump ship, so to speak? The club and player say they are happy with the deal, so let's see how it develops. I agree it is annoying the window closing after the season starts, it should close before it does begin. But it is what it is, so let's wait until it closes to have judgement how it has been. For what it's worth, I am in the camp that feel we are already in a much better position than last season.
Please feel free to correct me anyone, but I thought it was said you could have as many loans as you wanted just restriction on how many could be in the bench..?
I think we’ve had a great window so far. Players back from injury, kept everyone we wanted to keep and upgraded with some low risk signings. Wait until the season has started and we’re 10 games in to see how the squad is shaping up.
There's always a domino affect from a transfer like Kane. I thought this years would be Declan Rice but West Ham have fumbled their incomings so badly its meant it stopped with them so far. However, if they get Ward-Prowse and Saints also sell Lavia all of a sudden that domino falls again and they'll look elsewhere. Larger squads have probably had a knock on effect this year but everyone's commenting on when the market is suddenly going to kick off especially lower down the ladder
I think the saudi money is definitely affecting the transfer market, clubs unsure who they could lose at any point, the loan market will go right till the window as usual
I think potentially one of the biggest differences this season will be the evolution of our playing style. Rosenior admitted that when he came in he had to stop the flow of goals - he achieved this by simply keeping the ball. I remember the Millwall game that despite Oscar getting sent off it wasn’t until the 80th minute that our possession stat dropped below 50%. Liam has said in interviews that they have moved on and are focussing more on attacking strategies - or as he describes it having possession in the final third. No doubt the players brought in will be with this in mind. We should expect the slow play at the back to draw the opposition on, but hopefully when we do move it forward we do so much quicker, get it into the final third and then let our attacking talent do their thing. Understandably when Rosenior came in we still had relegation as a possible outcome, so he had to play safe. I don’t think this is the case this season.
Don't think a domino effect is anything to do with it, my opinion is the transfer window is so long clubs just seem to take their time and keep waiting to see what becomes available plus as they get nearer to the end of the window they think they might get a better deal from somewhere. Plus players you might have an interest in don't have to rush they can take their time deciding and wait to see what comes in that benefits them more as with clubs they can wait to see if better offers come in. Maximum a transfer window should be is a month that way everyone has to get the deals done.
What do you think we’d get him for? They sold Knight for close to that and he also had one year left on his contract.
