[Albion] Transfer Strategies

[GT49er]

Talksport, Ian Holloway:

"Tony Bloom would be better off looking at their scouting and transfer business than their manager in my opinion"

And he's absolutely right. Hope TB sees it that way too.

 

[BNthree]

You can't do the Premier League "on a budget". Sure you don't want to go nuts like Fulham have done because that's just stupid, but there is a happy medium.

There were options available last summer. I wanted us to sign Rondon, but instead we went after the cheaper foreign imports. Rondon has scored 10 goals this season for Newcastle (including a few big ones recently) and as such they're safe. Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond at Southampton have also outscored anyone in our team bar Glenn (who hasn't scored in yonks). Even Mitrovic in a poor Fulham side has outshone our forwards.

Yes you have to pay more money for these players. But that's because they're worth it. We spent £15m on Locadia and we're STILL waiting for him to come good 15 months later, had we spent £5m more we could have got someone capable of producing the goods for the last 12 at least.

This! The reason we don't sign players with PL experience is because of the wages those players would expect. So really Bloom, Barber, and Hughton need to decide if they are prepared to spend a lot more money on wages next season. If they aren't prepared to do that then the squad "quality" isn't going to increase dramatically.

 

[nwgull]

You can't do the Premier League "on a budget". Sure you don't want to go nuts like Fulham have done because that's just stupid, but there is a happy medium.

There were options available last summer. I wanted us to sign Rondon, but instead we went after the cheaper foreign imports. Rondon has scored 10 goals this season for Newcastle (including a few big ones recently) and as such they're safe. Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond at Southampton have also outscored anyone in our team bar Glenn (who hasn't scored in yonks). Even Mitrovic in a poor Fulham side has outshone our forwards.

Yes you have to pay more money for these players. But that's because they're worth it. We spent £15m on Locadia and we're STILL waiting for him to come good 15 months later, had we spent £5m more we could have got someone capable of producing the goods for the last 12 at least.

We tried to buy Mitrovic before we got Locadia, but Newcastle wouldn't sell.

Locadia for 15m was without doubt a panic buy at the end of January, and I wonder if this wasn't caused in part by the uneccessary reaction of a large number of fans after the 3 summer striker targets all fell through despite fees having been agreed.

 

[happypig]

This! The reason we don't sign players with PL experience is because of the wages those players would expect. So really Bloom, Barber, and Hughton need to decide if they are prepared to spend a lot more money on wages next season. If they aren't prepared to do that then the squad "quality" isn't going to increase dramatically.

I was thinking the very same and you have it spot on. We have been very lucky that Huddersfield and fulham have been poor and Cardiff little better; had they been of a similar standard to the rest of the bottom half we would be firmly in the relegation zone.
If we don't up the budget next season I fear we are doomed.

 

[Justice]

Balogun was awful at home to Chelsea, a litany of errors in games that followed, if there is one thing Hughton has got right, is Burn moving up the pecking order to reserve centre back. Balogun has been given plenty of chances, but is coming well short for what is required in this league, as are quite a few of our signings this season especially - hence the thread.

Once you've got it in your mind to blame Hughton for everything, then there is probably no shaking you of that.

Dunk has made plenty of errors against much lesser quality than Hazard, Hazard made VVD look poor yesterday he’s a class player. Ultimately the buck has to stop with the manager 6 points out of the last half of the season so far?

 

[Stat Brother]

As per s conversation yesterday, this is the same recruitment policy and structure that 12-18 months ago was lauded not only throughout the Premier League but pretty much unanimously on NSC.

It's also the recruitment team that bought Bernie in this season as well as rough diamond Bissouma.

Even the 'abject failures' Andone has scored some quality goals, Locadia singlefootedly got us to Wembley, while Ali J has had a difficult start regarding consistent team selection.

 

[Bold Seagull]

This! The reason we don't sign players with PL experience is because of the wages those players would expect. So really Bloom, Barber, and Hughton need to decide if they are prepared to spend a lot more money on wages next season. If they aren't prepared to do that then the squad "quality" isn't going to increase dramatically.

It's not about signing from the Premier League.

Burnley's success has been bought from the Championship, or from teams relegated. Cork was £8m. Wood £14m. Taylor free. Hendrick £10m. Westwood £5m. I'm concentrating on them as that is the transfer page I have open.

I think we have missed out not getting a few good Championship players mixed in with our foreign signings. It doesn't need to break the bank. Might not seem as inspiring, but delivers results when you need sleeves rolling up.

 

[A1X]

I think we have missed out not getting a few good Championship players mixed in with our foreign signings. It doesn't need to break the bank. Might not seem as inspiring, but delivers results when you need sleeves rolling up.

I wonder whether subconsciously one or two of the recruitment team have been burned by the Pritchard debacle? Might explain the general reluctance to look for players in England. It's harder for someone to snaffle a player away from you when they're on your private jet into Gatwick / Shoreham / Farnborough then in the car you've provided to get them to Lancing.

 

[Bold Seagull]

As per s conversation yesterday, this is the same recruitment policy and structure that 12-18 months ago was lauded not only throughout the Premier League but pretty much unanimously on NSC.

It's also the recruitment team that bought Bernie in this season as well as rough diamond Bissouma.

Even the 'abject failures' Andone has scored some quality goals, Locadia singlefootedly got us to Wembley, while Ali J has had a difficult start regarding consistent team selection.

As you keep pointing out, foreign players signed from foreign leagues need time to settle. It has come back to bite us hard that we haven't signed anyone that hasn't needed time to settle. We have gone from Ryan, Gross, Propper, Izquierdo all having big impacts in their debut seasons, to Jahanbakhsh, Locadia, Andone, Bissouma, all struggling to have even like the same impact.

It isn't down to fans to go, hang on last season worked really well, but should we be careful how many untested players in England we sign? No, that is down to those running the club. Always easy in hindsight, but it seems glaringly obvious now we have a host of expensive players failing miserably to raise their games to the task at hand.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Seems to me that teams like Burnley and Bournemouth have a pretty settled core first team that knows each other well and plays together as a unit. Never get that feeling with the Albion first team nowadays. Far too much rotation of average squad players to be able to build much of a solid first team core, and the genuine team spirit that comes with it.

But we do have a settled core. It's Ryan,Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, Bernardo, Stephens, Propper, Murray and March.

 

[Seasider78]

When Gus was here and the Murray to Palace thing occurred there was a lot of talk about changing our recruitment policy so we could flex the fee and wages so we could attract better players.

I do wonder if we are at a stage when we need to look at whatever policy we are employing with current signings. For example the cost of Ali J and Locadia combined could have funded one proven starter which arguably would take the club further forward.

I do wonder if our wage structure is holding us back from signing anything other than calculated punts or average squad players.

 

[BNthree]

It's not about signing from the Premier League.

Burnley's success has been bought from the Championship, or from teams relegated. Cork was £8m. Wood £14m. Taylor free. Hendrick £10m. Westwood £5m. I'm concentrating on them as that is the transfer page I have open.
.

Do agree it doesn't have to be PL experience but still think my point still stands that it is our wage structure that restricts our signings not the transfer fees.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

But we do have a settled core. It's Ryan,Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, Bernardo, Stephens, Propper, Murray and March.

I guarantee that just about every poster and pundit and probably the manager would beg to differ. Unless of course you're being ironic. In which case you're not very good at it

 

[symyjym]

Bournemouth seem to have the best recruitment and scouting model and because most players who go there do well, it means that others from lower leagues jump at the chance to follow.

Hughton here just requests for a player type and then he is given one. Looking back on last season Schelotto The Greyhound wouldn't have been a Hughton first choice. Even he knows that it's about chasing the ball and not chasing hares.

Tbf to our recruitment though, Bernardo and Bissouma will be on fire next season if we stay up so I wouldn't swap them.

 

[zefarelly]

Maybe he accidentally typed 'settled' instead of 'complacent'

I guarantee that just about every poster and pundit and probably the manager would beg to differ. Unless of course you're being ironic. In which case you're not very good at it

 

[Murray 17]

I agree with what people are saying about Ali J and Locadia, but I wouldn't put Andone in the 'jury's out' category. He's scored 3 times (all good goals, particularly against Palace) having only started 6 games. He didn't play well on Saturday, but then who did?

I'm pleased with him, but think we need another 1 or 2 strikers in the summer. Sell Locadia, probably Ali J too.

 

[Stat Brother]

As you keep pointing out, foreign players signed from foreign leagues need time to settle. It has come back to bite us hard that we haven't signed anyone that hasn't needed time to settle. We have gone from Ryan, Gross, Propper, Izquierdo all having big impacts in their debut seasons, to Jahanbakhsh, Locadia, Andone, Bissouma, all struggling to have even like the same impact.

It isn't down to fans to go, hang on last season worked really well, but should we be careful how many untested players in England we sign? No, that is down to those running the club. Always easy in hindsight, but it seems glaringly obvious now we have a host of expensive players failing miserably to raise their games to the task at hand.

Let's all jump in our time machines what just 4 months ago, to the evening this squad beat palace.

I don't recall anyone saying then the recruitment policy needed a shake up.

Obviously something is horrendously wrong.
Just like the ravens leaving the Tower a lack of input from Chailey would suggest the monarchy is crumbling.

But to suddenly point to cheap foreign labour coming over here taking our jobs is completely ignoring the manager, the failing 'reliable' mainstays, tactics, team selection.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Let's all jump in our time machines what just 4 months ago, to the evening this squad beat palace.

I don't recall anyone saying then the recruitment policy needed a shake up.

Obviously something is horrendously wrong.
Just like the ravens leaving the Tower a lack of input from Chailey would suggest the monarchy is crumbling.

But to suddenly point to cheap foreign labour coming over here taking our jobs is completely ignoring the manager, the failing 'reliable' mainstays, tactics, team selection.

Actually, you have the point of this thread all wrong. It really isn't pointing to foreign labour at all, it is pointing at labour that has no experience of English football. It wasn't blaming the new signings either, it was blaming a lack of variety in signings that you might pick up one or two players familiar with the English game WHILE scouting around Europe. None of this excludes talking about the manager, tactics or team selection, so not ignoring that.

Like many, you want to focus your belief on it being one thing. The players you hope will be great are only prevented from doing so because of tactics. The players out of form, only because of team selection. All very easy. I don't profess to know because unless I'm at the training ground, speaking to players, reviewing recruitment strategy and budgets, I couldn't know it was definitely one thing. Many people think they do know though...

 

[Ernest]

Let's all jump in our time machines what just 4 months ago, to the evening this squad beat palace.

I don't recall anyone saying then the recruitment policy needed a shake up.

Obviously something is horrendously wrong.
Just like the ravens leaving the Tower a lack of input from Chailey would suggest the monarchy is crumbling.

But to suddenly point to cheap foreign labour coming over here taking our jobs is completely ignoring the manager, the failing 'reliable' mainstays, tactics, team selection.

It's worrying that Chailey has disappeared instead of telling us how ungrateful we are and everything is just fine and is the plan

 

[Martlet]

Actually, you have the point of this thread all wrong. It really isn't pointing to foreign labour at all, it is pointing at labour that has no experience of English football. It wasn't blaming the new signings either, it was blaming a lack of variety in signings that you might pick up one or two players familiar with the English game WHILE scouting around Europe. None of this excludes talking about the manager, tactics or team selection, so not ignoring that.

Like many, you want to focus your belief on it being one thing. The players you hope will be great are only prevented from doing so because of tactics. The players out of form, only because of team selection. All very easy. I don't profess to know because unless I'm at the training ground, speaking to players, reviewing recruitment strategy and budgets, I couldn't know it was definitely one thing. Many people think they do know though...

Building on this a little - it’s not just that the players have no experience of English football, but also that our coaching team only has experience of English football - and predominantly lower league English football at that.

I can’t help thinking there’s a mismatch between coaches and players - which is why Hughton always goes back to the Old Guard. Hard to think of a single player who has improved this year - which must be an indication of something going wrong with our recruitment/coaching setup.