(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

So this Spanish lad, is he going to be vying for the right back position with Stephenson or do we think he's more likely to be playing right midfield?

Nice, nice.

1 hour ago, Tombwfc said:

We stayed up that year, no?

Strangely Madine did much more for us that season than Cullen or Armstrong, who've both gone on to have very good careers.

So we did! When I looked at the table it only showed Barnsley and Burton below us, it didn't show Sunderland so I thought we'd finished 3rd bottom, how could I forget the Wilbraham moment! I think we got lucky on 43 points (WBA 4th bottom last season got 51 points).

Agreed on Madine/Cullen (looked too young/raw) and Armstrong. That was Parky's fault though, if he wasn't playing ALF on the wing it was Armstrong, an absolute bone fide centre forward and goalscorer, played on the wing. In another world we could have signed him permanently maybe, but we got 1 goal out of him before Blackburn got 49. Then sold him to Southampton for £15mil.

11 minutes ago, Blondi said:

So this Spanish lad, is he going to be vying for the right back position with Stephenson or do we think he's more likely to be playing right midfield?

Bit of both I'd imagine, will depend who and how many we get in for the forward areas I suppose.

15 minutes ago, meanderson93 said:

Bit of both I'd imagine, will depend who and how many we get in for the forward areas I suppose.

Surely at RB since we have plenty already in midfield but nice to have players with flexibility. The right side of defence was a worry and still is to some extent in the centre but this looks a great bit of business.

So is he a right sided Schon type?

4 minutes ago, bwfc6ix said:

So is he a right sided Schon type?

I bloody hope not

Think they will both play with perhaps Stephenson taking the right back role and i can guarantee without watching him ever play that if Stephenson pushes on Larrazebel will cover back......We never had that last season with Tutu/Cogley or Johnston/Conway they all bomb forward without getting back the Spanish/Italians are taught to track back and keep shape so much better than us English

52 minutes ago, Blondi said:

So this Spanish lad, is he going to be vying for the right back position with Stephenson or do we think he's more likely to be playing right midfield?

I get the impression he'll be further up the pitch

So RW/LW

7 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I get the impression he'll be further up the pitch

So RW/LW

I guess that pretty much rules out signing Duberry again then.

3 minutes ago, Blondi said:

I guess that pretty much rules out signing Duberry again then.

Was that ever really likely or just wishful thinking?

2 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Was that ever really likely or just wishful thinking?

Just thought we may have had a chance of another loan especially with us playing in the championship, but hey ho.

All the club channels are calling him a defender for what it's worth. Hopefully he's not a Schon/Tutu type who were neither really one thing or the other.

Would guess he'll mainly play right back.

I think ACD will either have another loan but elsewhere, in Europe, or be sold for more money than we've got to play with on all our incomings.

I'm alright with the idea that Gaizka and Stephenson both seem to fall into the RB / RWB category, if played together they might provide some solidity and reliability along that side.

5 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

I think ACD will either have another loan but elsewhere, in Europe, or be sold for more money than we've got to play with on all our incomings.

I'm alright with the idea that Gaizka and Stephenson both seem to fall into the RB / RWB category, if played together they might provide some solidity and reliability along that side.

But don't forget he's shit, they're all shit 😁

If you could only have 1 of the 2 back this season would you prefer Kenny or ACD?

Looks a goodn

If Arrazabal and Stephenson are both RB's then they will compete for a spot, not play together

1 hour ago, desperado said:

Maybe.

Even SS has acknowledged we’re well short at the moment in forward positions.

However we’re arguably stronger in midfield and defence - the hope being that those we’ve brought in can do a better job in the Championship than those we’ve let go.

But I don’t think we need to pedal negative sound bites like this, especially when there’s 3 weeks to go before the season starts and we know they are busy behind the scenes trying to recruit, and we are well aware (or should be) that these signings we are waiting for were going to be further down the transfer window.

You’ve been listening to too much Talk Sport 😂

Absolutely.

Even in striking positions, I'm not sure we are weaker.

We had Burstow then, but no Kenny, and an unfit Dalby.

Same guys as then but with Ritchie showing some potential, and Burstow gone back.

30 minutes ago, Blondi said:

I guess that pretty much rules out signing Duberry again then.

I would think SS still wants a winger. This Spanish guy looks like a good player, but its probably stretching it to say he's a winger?

As soon as one of Stephenson or the Spanish chap gets injured, we are still short on the right, bearing in mind we've lost Tutu, ACD, Apter, Cissoko, CBT and even Kenny, Burstow and Dempsey as wide options. We are still way short in wide areas and if SS could get ACD on loan I'm sure he would.

46 minutes ago, BeeversLeftPeg said:

If you could only have 1 of the 2 back this season would you prefer Kenny or ACD?

Controversial here, but Kenny.

Not that he is necessarily a "better player" but we've filled positions and need another striker.

46 minutes ago, BeeversLeftPeg said:

If you could only have 1 of the 2 back this season would you prefer Kenny or ACD?

Depends what the alternatives are. Its a given that we sign a striker, and he might be better than Kenny.

If we sign a winger, he won't be better than ACD realistically.

11 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

If Arrazabal and Stephenson are both RB's then they will compete for a spot, not play together

You'd be pissed off signing for someone and then they bring in someone not long after 🤦🏻‍♂️