Transfer Rumours Summer Transfer window

If Neil and Cirkin aren't going to sign new deals then they need to be moved on.

You're right it's not going to break the bank to keep them, but the upside of moving them on is enormous.

 

They still don't have to worry about being relegated if they risk them, though. We do, that's the catch. Our consequences are so much greater if our young talent isn't ready or doesn't work. Watson was raved about and got us promoted, but even he hasn't got a look in at Brighton as they said he needs time to adapt and get up to speed and learn the coach's plans. He's had barely if any game time with them at all

 

I too would like us to maintain our academy focus but the best thing long term for our academy is to ensure premier league stability in the short term.

I don’t think there’s any evidence yet that we are moving away from an academy focus. Players will play when they’re ready.

 

On Lucumi / Disasi. I think we’ll just get one of them (or neither!!). Not both. Even if Ballard is injured I think we’d get one of them to partner Alderete as our “main” centre back and then a prospect as a further backup. And on the academy point above, I don’t think we have any centre backs that are ready to step up to premier league football. Zak Johnson seems rated but not to that extent.

 

They probably see the consequences of not making champ league, or winning trophies in the same way see the relegation risk. The risk of being seen not to trust academy players will have very real long term consequences for our football club in my opinion. At the minute we can be a selecting academy based on the success of the breakthrough of the likes of Rigg. We can select the next Rigg level players to come to us. If now we are in the prem we don't keep giving players the pathway, that reputation may change very quickly.

 

In my mind,Arsenal can bring Dowman on,because they are an established side....same with Liverpool. They wouldn't be anywhere near so keen to bring them on if they were struggling,although I do accept the Liverpool lad,on this occasion, was a game changer.It's always easier to bring young players into a side that's playing well,no matter what level. On Rigg, I have yet to see it and I really hope I'm proved terribly wrong. I know I'm going to be shot down by you and any amount of others on here,but,imo,he's not playing in the first team because he's not good enough. I hope I'm wrong,but if not,I hope your hat is tasty!

 

Dowman and Rio seem to be generational talents as well, like Rigg is. We’ve given Rigg plenty of football. I know some would say too much, but I don’t agree.

If we persist in the premier league we will attract more young talent just by being a premier league club. Then if that talent is good enough, they’ll break through. Speakman will see to that.

 

Agree with that.

 

Early signs are that Rigg is going to struggle for minutes centrally. Not many data points of course but if his route to the pitch is occasional sub minutes out wide, that presents an issue. If we manage to fumble Rigg this season such that he views sitting on a big 6 bench as better than sitting on ours (which I’m fairly certain would happen if he doesn’t get enough minutes) it will have a significant negative effect on us in the medium term. For all we need to stay up, we have to also look beyond 25/26.

 

No worries about Chris at all. Assuming he signs up again, I'd guess he'll play twenty or so games this season all in . Maybe more, he'll be hard to get out once he's in there.

 

Agreed. But we have come a very long way in a very short time.

Rigg, and maybe one or two others will get their chance. But we were twenty odd points behind Leeds and Burnley, and they were a long way short of PL level.

We needed a fair amount of help, and it's come in. I'd say the constant references to the Academy being central, and all the money spent on it and it's staff, tells us, that far from being sidelined, its at the core.

But we are trying to catch up at the same time and it's a tough ask.

 

Nailing down a regular spot in the PL would be some feat for Rigg. I'm sure he is up for the challenge and knows the minutes need to be earned - first on the training pitch and then on the field.

 

To be fair, I am all out of hats! Had to eat them all

 

They love a **** striker like.

 

I think a few - Rigg and Guiu Being two of them - who missed some of the pre season - will be getting minutes in tonight and open for consideration after tonight. This will have been their target game.

 

Maybe but at the same time we can't force a player who isn't ready to get minutes, he will get them if he keeps working hard and proves himself when he does come on. It's more important to stay in this league first imo

 

survival is the top priority this year, no matter what it takes

 

Yep, just stay in the league. Don’t care how or who plays, just survive.