There was a rumour Sheff Utd want him. I reckon we might actually be able to make money on him if we were to sell now. Would be a good signing for them to help them get over the line for promotion and we only paid £6m for him, sure we can work something out with them
Only three players have scored more goals than him in the Championship in the previous four seasons. (And we own one of them)
And here lies the problem (if you want to call it that). There are very few players in our squad who couldn’t do a job for a promotion chasing Chsmpionship side. The issue is that very few of our squad look up to the PL. So we’re in a situation where we have players who can get us promoted, but don’t look like being capable of keeping us up if we do come straight back. So do you get rid of these players and replace them with players you think will do a better job of keeping us up, but running the risk they might be **** and maybe not even good enough to get us up in the first place or keep the gang together for next season, and then look to replace them all after our hopeful promotion?
Yeah it took Fulham three goes at getting it right. If you look at the quality of players they recruited for their third PL survival attempt in 22-23, as compared to 20-21 and 18-19, and it's less of a surprise that they were finally successful. The likes of Leno, Palhinha, Pereira and Willian. Although of course that is said with hindsight. What was common in all three attempts though was their willingness to rip up their promotion teams. They left very little room for sentimentality. But equally, nor did they just execute a fire sale of their Championship players. Many of them I think they loaned out, or dropped to the reserves - and no doubt that was, at least in part, so that many of those players could be called upon the following season in the event of an unsuccessful PL survival. Whereas we've given the likes of Armstrong, Bednarek, Stephens - well, I could go on and on - far too much PL game time. And that goes back to our summer recruitment.
I don't think Harwood-Bellis has done enough this season to earn himself a move, especially as we will want to recoup the £20m we paid for him. Edit: Sorry, just repeating others lol
I think we really need to move on from Bednarek and Stephens, they’re not going to improve any more and under pressure they always look very uneasy. Stephens in particular has a tantrum every other game when he’s not suspended. They’ve been around so long that they took part in both 9-0s so while they have experience. It’s experience of being ****e. Yeah they’ll do a job in the championship but then we’re relying on them again if we get promoted.
Couldn’t agree more. Although Janny has done fairly well for the most part, I remember when we were in the Prem for the stretch before last season he was always massively out of his depth. He’s improved a bit, but if we’re gonna compete next time we get back up to the Prem, he cannot be our most experienced regular CB. Stephen’s is barely good enough for Championship… still baffles me how he ended up as captain in the first place too! THB, Wood & Edwards have to be the future and when we go up, we’ve got to sign a top quality proven to Prem CB to add experience
Hahahahahaha Buying both Delap and Dibling for £17m? That’s the cost of one vaguely competent PL player.
He just didn’t suit the role Martin wants from his DMs. Possibly similar to Charles. And we all know Martin won’t adapt to the strengths of players Does make you question why he was signed though as Martin was the manager
So who is likely to leave then Edwards - already gone on loan Cornet - loan terminated BBD? Onuachu? Sulemana? Taylor? McCarthy? Fraser? Anyone else?
Have we heard anything about him not putting in the effort or kicking up a fuss about not getting in matchday squads? I didn't think so, and if not I don't really see the need to slag him off or call him names. We all wanted it to work out because it would have been good for him and good for us, but it didn't work out. It happens. The blame on this one once again is with our recruitment rather than the player.
