Summer '24 transfer window

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The Norton Cat said:
I see no reason not to be optimistic. The club isn't perfect but I certainly have more faith in the current ownership than any other in my lifetime. Even the Reid years were set against the backdrop of things being very mediocre under Murray for a long time before that.

Maybe the transfer window wasn't a "10/10" but that's the nature of it, and of sport in general. No matter how much you try and control things, they aren't completely controllable or predictable. I think we all have to try and understand that because it's a fundamental aspect of football. That's what makes it compelling.

The window hasn't gone badly for us and the club, and first team, has improved greatly from where it was at the end of last season. I just can't see any reason to be despondent.
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Absolutely, and the manager seems to have a great relationship with the players and they’ve all got a role to play.
 
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Yorkie said:
The thing is I don’t think Clarke would score as many for us thisyear as he’d did last. Opposition know the danger and whilst they can’t always stop him they do know what he’s going to do. He needs to be able to beat a man on the outside as well. Last year if they stopped Clarke they stopped us. Now we look better on the right and through the middle so they can’t double up on everyone so Clarke staying would have still added a lot but with Mundle and the new bus and The RLB way of playing I think we’re better off now. I’ve sort of gone round in circles but basically I think his goals will be replaced.
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I think he’d have score more if I’m honest, because we have other options and other sources of attack there’d have been lore space for him to do his thing. He’s gone, but finishing is an art. Roberts has skill but either pulls shots or skies them for example. We have goals in our midfield but I’d have liked a finisher or two at the top end. Maybe we got them but don’t know it.
 
LD19SAFC said:
We’ll revisit that at 11pm

It’s no good having a cracking defence if you’re ****e up top <laugh>
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WorkyTicketFTM said:
Apologies!
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_
alcoauth said:
Went to bed last night and this thread has 35 more pages, apologies for not reading them but here's my morning thoughts on all of this:

Mayenda will surprise many and start most of the games in the striker position this season, I predict he will reach double figures, keep in mind our combined strikeforce last season scored 3 and he already has 2.

Wilson Isidore has a task on his hand dislodging Mayenda, his saving grace might be that he can function on the wings as a secondary position should we have injuries or suspensions to Mundle and Paddy, I suspect we will see a little of that.

Rusyn, for his lack of goals so far and impressed many of us with his endeavour and workrate, I think he will prove himself to be worthy competition for the other two lads this season.

Chris Mepham, I've not heard of him before despite playing 60 times in the Premiership and winning a load of international caps, shows how out of touch with anything else but Sunderland I am in the football world. Looking at his profile and data in recent seasons tells me he will be a top Championship centre back, but probably a questionable Premiership one. He made 10 appearances for Bournemouth last season, a season where he missed a big chunk due to injury and illness. he did get a mini run in the team in March, 4 games where the team won 3 and drew 1 before illness struck. I'm not sure how he gets into the team at this moment in time but the season is long and he is an accomplished defender.

Ahmed Abdullahi is a bit of a question mark, you'd be forgiven he has signed for the u21s but we'll just wait and see.

The two centre mids, Samed and Aleksic, will also have a tough time cracking the starting line up considering what we've seen so far from Browne and Rigg but again, it's a long season.

Overall I would rate the window a 7/10, we did some good business, not perfect by any means but still good, I always try and remember when we bought Super Kev for £350k and people were not impressed, sometimes the gift is wrapped in newspaper and my guess is the gift this season is Mayenda.
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i agree about Mayenda. I know nothing about anything, but I’ve got a feeling that this lad has real striker instincts. Don’t ask why, just a suspicion. And I’m only wrong, usually, 90/100.
 
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Frazier the Lion said:
I agree completely. I’m the opposite of despondent when it comes to safc right now. I think we’re doing absolutely the right things and am comfortable in our progress even if it takes a slightly longer time to get back up via this path. We’ll be better for it in the long run.

it’s a matter of fanbase’s expectation for me. It’s something that worries me and IMO could derail us every bit as much as not having a ‘proven’ striker - if not more so. If the fanbase expects autos or top ten pl or (as it often appears) to never lose a game of football ever again, it pushes us into a toxic climate fairly quickly. Always worth the fans keeping our financial reality in mind when they consider whether to get the pitchforks out.
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Yes, I think realistic expectations, about all aspects of the club, are important. I've been dismayed by some of the fan reactions over the last year or so, but I suspect its just a symptom of people spending too much time on the Internet. Nonetheless, what happens online can and does affect people's attitudes and opinions in the real world.
 
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Prehab26 said:
He has played wide left lots.

Many safc fans wanted the club to show some ambition and sign a striker who is experienced that we own.

We have waited 3 years for this.

Instead we have a loan player, who can play there and also plays on the left. With a young player who has 57 seconds of senior experience to his name.

This is what many were worried about and what we have done in the past with the likes of Hemir and Burstow.

With the sale of Clarke and the funds received, it's absolutely fair to say the club should have delivered a more experienced number 9 who safc own.[/QUOTE
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Do not criticise the staff and owner ffs. I as usual agree with you btw.
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Pleased that is over with to be honest. It is a shambles of a system when it comes down to last minute hawking of players like we saw last night.

Overall out best window under KLD I would say. I know the striker is a problem, but tbh I am pleased we didnt hit the big red panic button yesterday on that one. Give Mayenda his chance for now. Let Wilson find his feet. See where we are in Jan re the young lad from Gent.

Browne and Mepham are the sort of signings I hoped we would make this summer. Just those 7 or 8 out of 10 lads in key areas of the pitch that will bring the best out of others. Mepham in particular offers opportunities for Le Bris to play a back 3 should he want to. I am not a back 3 fan but I could see that working in some games for us.

The Ghanian lad is a real prize signing for me. Just stands out as an elite level footballer who should help us dominate games and opposition players.

Players like Wilson and Poveda I think could be anything. If one of them clicks with us I will be delighted. That young Serbian lad is a coup, be interesting to see how hard he pushes for that first team spot first half of the season.

Maybe best bit is keeping some of our key players. I will miss Clarke because he is such a fantastic footballer. But his time in the prem has come. To still have Patto, Ballard, Cirkin, Hume, Neil, Rigg, Jobe amd Roberts is a delight to be honest.

Now I hope Regis gets some quality time on the training ground with this sqaud and really does find that cohesive unit that remains consistent all season. I know I bang on a bit about time on the coaching pitch but that really is the foundations that any team is built on. I would still like to see a new coach join the team too, hopefully that becomes our next major signing.
 
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Prehab26 said:
He has played wide left lots.

Many safc fans wanted the club to show some ambition and sign a striker who is experienced that we own.

We have waited 3 years for this.

Instead we have a loan player, who can play there and also plays on the left. With a young player who has 57 seconds of senior experience to his name.

This is what many were worried about and what we have done in the past with the likes of Hemir and Burstow.

With the sale of Clarke and the funds received, it's absolutely fair to say the club should have delivered a more experienced number 9 who safc own.
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Btw regarding Isidor. He currently has 68 games at CF and 33 at LW. He’s not played LW in the last two seasons I don’t think either 24/25 and 23/24. The good season he had playing on the wing was 22/23 but he actually played CF 11 times and on the wing 13 times and he still had more goal contributions by 1 from CF than he did on the wing.

so far in 24/25 he has played 5 times for Zenit, all at CF and scored 2. Played 114 mins in total.

I think the type of striker he is, fast, got some height, can carry the ball and dribble and can press is exactly what our style is after rather than a brick ****house number 9 if that makes sense
 
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Southern A said:
Honestly on reflection the three main signings announced after midnight last night have potentials to be insane signings.

Mepham has vast experience but is at his peak, not ageing. And could easily become permanent for free

Samed was in the unofficial Ligue 1 (not Ligue 2) team of the year the season before last.

Aleksic has just turned 19 and is being called up to the Serbia national squad.

That’s before looking at the other lad who, let’s face it, is a complete shot in the dark it seems.
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I don’t think he’s a shot in the dark. More I look into him more I see why we’ve signed him play style wise

I would’ve preferred experience of course but I don’t deem it a panic signing or a pure luck shot in the dark
 
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MadMackem77 said:
I don’t think he’s a shot in the dark. More I look into him more I see why we’ve signed him play style wise

I would’ve preferred experience of course but I don’t deem it a panic signing or a pure luck shot in the dark
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yeh sorry I meant more that he’s a more unknown and might come off long term, might not. A bit like Mayenda.

I don’t mean shot in the dark that we haven’t scouted him properly
 
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