(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

10 hours ago, gonzo said:

Let's not forget ACD was a total flop at Blackburn and Forss came with pretty decent reviews.

Funny ol game innit.

Not sure he was a total flop . He made 22 appearances . According to Rovers fans he was very busy , energetic , enthusiastic but with no end product . Im sure managers look at a player with those attributes and think they can train the rest into them .

MacAteer couldnt shoot for toffee to begin with but Bruce got that sorted . Stubbs could hit 40 yard passes to feet all day long but couldnt pass it 10 yards .

Forss scored 5 goals in 25 apps but also hit the woodwork 4 times . Ifs buts and maybe's but had those gone in we maybe looking back at him in a different light.

I think it's fair to describe him as a flop given he was sent to the league below the following season

43 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I think it's fair to describe him as a flop given he was sent to the league below the following season

They changed manager (again) & the one who signed him up had played him a lot but the new one had little support for him.

Fair to say Brighton felt a division lower may be best ... & they were correct.

Meanwhile they have added more wingers to their squad. I'd be amazed if he broke through there.

His performances for us have alerted others (West Ham I'm now hearing).

There's no guarantee he'd have another break out year, here or anywhere else, but I'd take the chance if we could afford it.

51 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I think it's fair to describe him as a flop given he was sent to the league below the following season

I think its unfair .

He was in a division too high a year too early in his development. It happens, just one of those things.

I think the point is that if we signed a winger tomorrow who'd managed 1 goal and 0 assists in 22 appearances on loan somewhere last season, that would also be judged as a poor signing and no replacement for ACD.

To bring it back to N'Mai (who I don't think we'll sign), what Fergal and co think of his potential at 22 will be more important than his stats from last year.

Edited 18 hours ago18 hr by Tombwfc

1 hour ago, Krimzon said:

I think its unfair .

Any Blackburn I spoke to said all he did was come inside and get tackled all game. One goal and zero assists in 23 games. He was a flop, considering he was loaned from a Premier League Club and ex Arsenal.

Clearly wasn't a flop for us like so fuck em

12 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

I think the point is that if we signed a winger tomorrow who'd managed 1 goal and 0 assists in 22 appearances on loan somewhere last season, that would also be judged as a poor signing and no replacement for ACD.

To bring it back to N'Mai (who I don't think we'll sign), what Fergal and co think of his potential at 22 will be more important than his stats from last year.

When you are in lge1 you do not get the more established loan players. We took a chance on Trafford even after he did no better than ok at Accy

Evatt went out of his way to get Bradley despite him not having first team experience elsewhere. Fossey was another gamble only played 7 games for Shrewsbury before coming to us. Even some of our loans who flopped with us have gone on to better things. Jenson that keeper we got from Burnley could not get a game for us played 40 odd games for Millwall in the Championship. Another was Caleb Taylor who struggled for game time with us went to Millwall for a 7 figure fee.

Players like Watson, Stephenson, N'Mai are now young players we can buy instead of loaning and who maybe down the line we make a few quid on.

My only worry is are they good enough for the Championship this coming season

15 hours ago, gonzo said:

I never knew Salford were called the Ammies.

What is an Ammie?

Dipstick

1 hour ago, jmjhb said:

He was in a division too high a year too early in his development. It happens, just one of those things.

I think that's true and it's why I'd be happy to see Burstow back next season to see if he could step up to the next level as part of his development. Only for a reasonable fee though.

I really think we need to be focusing a bit more on experience than potential this season

8 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I really think we need to be focusing a bit more on experience than potential this season

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Exp%C3%A9rience?wprov=sfla1

Found just the man for the task. Plays left-back too

11 minutes ago, jmjhb said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Exp%C3%A9rience?wprov=sfla1

Found just the man for the task. Plays left-back too

Get him in

5 hours ago, Krimzon said:

Not sure he was a total flop . He made 22 appearances . According to Rovers fans he was very busy , energetic , enthusiastic but with no end product . Im sure managers look at a player with those attributes and think they can train the rest into them .

MacAteer couldnt shoot for toffee to begin with but Bruce got that sorted . Stubbs could hit 40 yard passes to feet all day long but couldnt pass it 10 yards .

Forss scored 5 goals in 25 apps but also hit the woodwork 4 times . Ifs buts and maybe's but had those gone in we maybe looking back at him in a different light.

Let's not dress up Forss's stats, he appeared in 18 league games, scored in one of them and never seriously looked like scoring in any other. We aren't counting games against L2 reserve teams any more than we look at B team stats, or Dan and Dave might still be here.

And FWIW I wouldn't judge Forss on goals if he offered much else (like Dalby or McAtee on days they don't score), but Forss was just all-round poor.

3 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

They changed manager (again) & the one who signed him up had played him a lot but the new one had little support for him.

Fair to say Brighton felt a division lower may be best ... & they were correct.

Meanwhile they have added more wingers to their squad. I'd be amazed if he broke through there.

His performances for us have alerted others (West Ham I'm now hearing).

There's no guarantee he'd have another break out year, here or anywhere else, but I'd take the chance if we could afford it.

The West Ham-ACD link in the BN was laughable, no substance whatsoever, literally paper talk. It was based on Bowen will probably leave West Ham and when ACD was in the Arsenal academy they were quite keen on him. Was that 2 or 3 managers ago? Its like saying we might be keen on some player that Evatt fancied 4 years ago. Pointless article but good click bait. The best bit is that they might get £50mil for Bowen so "could have the cash to convince Brighton to a deal" 😀 You don't say.

59 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

The West Ham-ACD link in the BN was laughable, no substance whatsoever, literally paper talk. It was based on Bowen will probably leave West Ham and when ACD was in the Arsenal academy they were quite keen on him. Was that 2 or 3 managers ago? Its like saying we might be keen on some player that Evatt fancied 4 years ago. Pointless article but good click bait. The best bit is that they might get £50mil for Bowen so "could have the cash to convince Brighton to a deal" 😀 You don't say.

All true. Ta.

Of course Wet Spam will owe a faking fortune next season.

I'd be curious if he has got better or if it was just the additional time and space you get in League 1, that turned no end product into end product.

Lets not forget we spent along time last season wasting effort by getting it up to him, especially early on, only for him to cut inside and hit the first man, when better options for that initial pass weren't used.

We got away with that in League 1, we won't in the Championship.

8 hours ago, Krimzon said:

Not sure he was a total flop . He made 22 appearances . According to Rovers fans he was very busy , energetic , enthusiastic but with no end product . Im sure managers look at a player with those attributes and think they can train the rest into them .

Edited 12 hours ago12 hr by Zog1

5 hours ago, Duck Egg said:

I think that's true and it's why I'd be happy to see Burstow back next season to see if he could step up to the next level as part of his development. Only for a reasonable fee though.

I’d save the fees for players who are proven at Championship level or have stood out at lower levels. Wouldn’t pay a penny for him, but if we’re looking for a 4th/5th striker to add squad depth, and he’s available on a free, then I’d consider an offer.

55 minutes ago, Zog1 said:

I'd be curious if he has got better or if it was just the additional time and space you get in League 1, that turned no end product into end product.

Lets not forget we spent along time last season wasting effort by getting it up to him, especially early on, only for him to cut inside and hit the first man, when better options for that initial pass weren't used.

We got away with that in League 1, we won't in the Championship.

Aye he won't be getting half of those shots away in the Championship.

Think most of us on here are realistic.

We do need a lot of new players better than we have.

Recruitment needs to be spot on (almost impossible), but we have to trust the team in charge of this have clear plans.

If we can get a decent core of players, we'll be competitive.

21st will do, bloody tough league this.

8 hours ago, masi 51 said:

When you are in lge1 you do not get the more established loan players. We took a chance on Trafford even after he did no better than ok at Accy

Evatt went out of his way to get Bradley despite him not having first team experience elsewhere. Fossey was another gamble only played 7 games for Shrewsbury before coming to us. Even some of our loans who flopped with us have gone on to better things. Jenson that keeper we got from Burnley could not get a game for us played 40 odd games for Millwall in the Championship. Another was Caleb Taylor who struggled for game time with us went to Millwall for a 7 figure fee.

Players like Watson, Stephenson, N'Mai are now young players we can buy instead of loaning and who maybe down the line we make a few quid on.

My only worry is are they good enough for the Championship this coming season

The players you mention who “flopped” with us but went on to greater things are examples of the potential we spotted being realised - and all the variables of who they are playing with, the system they’re playing in, the role they are given and the stage of their development come into play. Caleb Taylor was right for Millwall when he signed for them.

Fergal seems to be keen on signing 21/22/23 year olds with some older players to add experience to the dressing room, which is fine although a bit of a gamble, but ultimately their success or failure will come down to whether or not they are right for us, right now.

ACD was right for us last season. This season, in this league, we may need something different. I’m just praying we get it right.

2 hours ago, Greg_BWFC said:

Think most of us on here are realistic.

We do need a lot of new players better than we have.

Recruitment needs to be spot on (almost impossible), but we have to trust the team in charge of this have clear plans.

If we can get a decent core of players, we'll be competitive.

21st will do, bloody tough league this.

Top 8 for me.. up via playoffs. COYWM!

Just now, Mounts Kipper said:

Top 8 for me.. up via playoffs. COYWM!

Just now, Mounts Kipper said:

Top 8 for me.. up via playoffs. COYWM!

😀🙏

The fact we released the likes of GJ, Demps and Tutu, suggests Fergal & SS are confident of signing suitable upgrades 🤞

I have every confidence they will assemble a squad that is capable of competing/surviving next season.. and hopeful of a steady progression similar to the Rioch & Todd days..