(That long since we've had any, couldn't find the thread)

Alan Nixon: "Top Liverpool starlet Cameron Branagan will Ben allowed out on loan in Jan.

Bolton lead the race for the 20 year old midfielder"

Edited December 11, 20169 yr by Ratwhite

He's the last player in the whole team I'd be selling. 

He's our most talented player and talisman.

Selling him to a probable rival would be terrible optics for me.

Would be very Dapo-esque to let him leave, and him being surplus to the way we play is the only way he's leaving. 

I think it suggests we’ve probably touted him out which suggests Schuey isn’t keen. I like him but no one is indispensable in the current crop. 

I don't think Schuey is keen on most of them TBH, the way they saw their arse after a few home truths were told to them spoke volumes at the end of last season.

If they haven't got over their bad selves this summer we're going nowhere fast.

19 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

If SS is thinking of playing a 3 with two wingers and Dalby neither Collins nor McAtee will fit and both could go for me. We'll get our money back on Collins but toss half a million at least on McAtee. 

 

Collins main role was on the left side of a front 3 or in the 3 of a 4231 and McAtee spent most of his time at Barnsley either next to a target man or as a 10. 

We've never seen them at their best because we've been using them as out an out strikers, especially after Bod and Dion went. 

You cant give a lambo square wheels and expect it to beat a ford fiesta. 

 

 

30 minutes ago, gonzo said:

He's the last player in the whole team I'd be selling. 

He's our most talented player and talisman.

Selling him to a probable rival would be terrible optics for me.

Would be very Dapo-esque to let him leave, and him being surplus to the way we play is the only way he's leaving. 

It is not great optics agreed however if they don’t fit in the plans or it’s a big money deal then it is what it is. 
 

folk were happy to back IE re dapo and therefore the same allowances must be made for SS. He has a big mess to sort despite what folk say and it will require funds and change in personnel. 

42 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

If SS is thinking of playing a 3 with two wingers and Dalby neither Collins nor McAtee will fit and both could go for me. We'll get our money back on Collins but toss half a million at least on McAtee. 

Even if he was looking at a front 2 with Dalby and someone, neither Collins or McAtee are really suited to it, though out of the two of them McAtee would be the one who could possibly make a fist of it, he's better when he has other players close to him and can play / feed off little short balls and flicks. When the game's spread and the distances are big he's found wanting.

If, though, selling either or both helps fund the two strong, quick wide men and / or the cover striker for Dalby, all good with me. Other funds can then be turned towards the left back and DM

You could use Collins on the left of a 3 as long as we get a proper pacy right winger.

His creativity is good enough to compensate for lack of pace. He's good with both feet and scores a decent amount. I'd keep him definitely and find a place for him

Dapo played 32 times in the Bundesliga last season. It's a massive stretch to compare him to a third tier journeyman.

2 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

Dapo played 32 times in the Bundesliga last season. It's a massive stretch to compare him to a third tier journeyman.

slightly unrelated but he's still only 27 as well, it's actually criminal how dreadful we are at maximising player value. 

44 minutes ago, Big E said:

It is not great optics agreed however if they don’t fit in the plans or it’s a big money deal then it is what it is. 
 

folk were happy to back IE re dapo and therefore the same allowances must be made for SS. He has a big mess to sort despite what folk say and it will require funds and change in personnel. 

I think with hindsight, it was a mistake to let Dapo go. 
 

Might be the same with Collins

McAtee can get to fuck though 😁

16 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Possibly we recruit players with a tendency 

Evatt  did with tutu and farino last summer 

Most of them in the last eight games, it almost seemed to me like they'd had a player's meeting and were going to stay loyal to the Evatt way and showed no passion or urgency to change for either the fans or a new manager. They almost seemed intent on throwing away any chance of a playoff spot. If that was the case, I don't blame SS for a total clear out. 

 

Their local journalist is reporting the deal is near completion

1 hour ago, ianofcleveleys said:

If SS is thinking of playing a 3 with two wingers and Dalby neither Collins nor McAtee will fit and both could go for me. We'll get our money back on Collins but toss half a million at least on McAtee. 

Even if he was looking at a front 2 with Dalby and someone, neither Collins or McAtee are really suited to it, though out of the two of them McAtee would be the one who could possibly make a fist of it, he's better when he has other players close to him and can play / feed off little short balls and flicks. When the game's spread and the distances are big he's found wanting.

If, though, selling either or both helps fund the two strong, quick wide men and / or the cover striker for Dalby, all good with me. Other funds can then be turned towards the left back and DM

 

Did I miss a bit on Dalby? What makes it a done deal that he's a nailed on starter and anyone else we bring in would only be cover? 

I'm happy he fits the profile of a type of player we haven't had. But I'm not sure I'd be building a team around a 25-year-old striker with two EFL goals to his name.

1 hour ago, Big E said:

It is not great optics agreed however if they don’t fit in the plans or it’s a big money deal then it is what it is. 
 

folk were happy to back IE re dapo and therefore the same allowances must be made for SS. He has a big mess to sort despite what folk say and it will require funds and change in personnel. 

Ah I'm with him all the way pal.

 It'd be a massive shame to see a talent like Collins go but if it's to make way for some fast dynamic attacking play then so be it.

We don't know what he's like behind the scenes either.

Root and branch...

Come on this is purely money based move. Collins is moving for wages. 
Kuwait based owners.. 

Maybe use the cash to get Kelman who I think ended his loan with Orient and gone back to his parent club

If Collins goes, this doesn't bode well for the rest of last season's slackers, SS doesn't appear to be messing about. It's going to be a very busy summer.

1 minute ago, noxid said:

Maybe use the cash to get Kelman who I think ended his loan with Orient and gone back to his parent club

it woudl cushion the blow of losing Collins if we sign someone like him

he's played 23 games across 3 seasons for QPR in the Championship and never scored

he's had 4 loans across L1 and L2 playing 126 and scoring 33, 21 last season

I don't think he's getting a game at QPR and he can't have long left on his contract

1 minute ago, Blondi said:

If Collins goes, this doesn't bode well for the rest of last season's slackers, SS doesn't appear to be messing about. It's going to be a very busy summer.

Selling Collins is a criminal act

Kelman could not lace Collins boots

What did Kelman do apart from last season.....Did nowt at Wigan

Dalby would thrive with Collins at the side of him......Certain he wont with Kelman 

2 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

Selling Collins is (or would be) a criminal act

 

1 hour ago, Zog1 said:

Collins main role was on the left side of a front 3 or in the 3 of a 4231 and McAtee spent most of his time at Barnsley either next to a target man or as a 10. 

We've never seen them at their best because we've been using them as out an out strikers, especially after Bod and Dion went. 

You cant give a lambo square wheels and expect it to beat a ford fiesta. 

 

 

I get the impression that, if SS does go with the focal point striker and two either side of him, he'll expect them to be a bit more industrious when we're without the ball than those two have been, Collins in particular.

I might be way off beam with that, just reading into bits he's said in interviews 

1 hour ago, Zog1 said:

Collins main role was on the left side of a front 3 or in the 3 of a 4231 and McAtee spent most of his time at Barnsley either next to a target man or as a 10. 

We've never seen them at their best because we've been using them as out an out strikers, especially after Bod and Dion went. 

You cant give a lambo square wheels and expect it to beat a ford fiesta. 

 

 

To be fair Collins best spell was when paired with Bod up top or played wide left but he’d take up neither of those positions alongside Dalby. The crosses would be high and that wouldn’t suit AC at all and neither would the scrapping for the ball he’d need to do. He won’t be playing wide right because Schu wants proper wingers to supply Dalby so I don’t really see a place for him. I could see McAtee there and also Vic when he’s fit but not AC and I think that’s the way Schu sees it too.

So how much are we likely to get for AC? I think anything close to 1 Million will do it.

Collins is one of the last ones I would be selling but if we are willing to do it (and provided we get more than we paid) there is an element of this that is quite exciting. It shows that the current owners/Fergal Sharkey/SS are planning revolution not evolution. Given the shambolic end to the season and the utterly feather-light/lopsided squad bequeathed by Evatt, who can argue? 

The downside is that revolution will take a long time to bed down and probably affect our chances of promotion next year.