It’s common to do a medical before things are agreed, especially when getting closer to the end of the window.
that and personal terms, just leaves things to fall in place between clubs and dominoes to fall prior to being announced.
I remain not all that arsed about a fullback tbh. Don't like buying players for injury cover if we can avoid it, plus think there's enough versatility in the squad (and promise in the U21s) as it stands to cover the odd suspension or short injury. Ultimately it's a a 21 game countdown to the next window and I like a gamble. On the forwards, it seems that the club briefed about wanting two. So I'd imagine we look at another winger if we only get one more striker. The only caveat there is Watson's development. He's been making the bench and starring for the U21s and RLB seems to like him. I kinda hope we just be giving him a shot in a way.
I'm sure I saw somewhere that Roko's medical was done and terms agreed with him. Some final bits to do with his club and it was a done deal.
We’ve seen how important the FBs are going to be under RLB in terms of being both technically proficient and having the speed and engine to get up and down. Of the rest of the squad, Alese was probably most capable of doing that and then to a lesser extent Hjelde. CBs like Johnson, O’Nien etc will be game enough but don’t have the skill set. I don’t see how a switch to three at the back can be managed with the squad as it is.
It’s a shame Huggins is built with crisps because he’s perfect cover for both sides. I really don’t think someone immobile like a Johnson or O’nien covering will work in this system where they're expected to get up and down the pitch regularly and contribute so much offensively, admittedly though I haven’t seen too much of Johnson that’s just off the very little I’ve seen. Brandon Williams is available on a free iirc I’d be all over that.
These 2 and simic and it’s probably as good a window we could have asked for, full back cover would be perfect but don’t see it happening
I think way to much is made of systems and what players can and can't do. O'Nien for example is very adaptable and can play full back comfortably for us
I have seen a French journalist (albeit just one) say it’s a loan without and obligation, hopefully there’s a clause in which just gives us the option, would be disappointing if not, although not an issue we need to worry about now
I'm generally of the opinion that O'Nien would be fine there. His engine is perfectly capable. While he's not lightning he'll run for the entire 90 perfectly easily. Not sold on Johnson as cover, personally. However, I think Crompton would do a decent job. Good on the ball, mobile. I'd be looking to him as emergency third choice. Ultimately it comes down to resource allocation. How many of the next 21 games is Trai Hume likely to miss? He has been available for selection for virtually every game in the past three seasons so the evidence says he's pretty robust. It's a gamble, but it's probably not as much of a gamble as it initially looks.
Fishpaste has also just agreed with macca that he thinks Simic join, 99.99% certain that’s just his opinion and not ITK info but hey ho
He played as a full back in L1 though, amongst a standard of football so bad we thought Carl Winchester was a good full back when he was playing there. I think if it was inverted he’d get away with it but we’re moving away from that to proper attacking full backs. Of course he CAN play there, many players can probably do a job there if they really had to but you don’t want to handicap yourself too much.
