Summer 2022 - Transfer Talk

Quick scan - Kashket at Crewe; Pierre and Ebanks-Landell from Shrews - also at Shrews, Whalley, no idea how old he is, but one of those “pests” that you’d rather have on your team! It was a quick scan, better things to do at bed-time!!!

 

Names that stand out there are Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Aaron Piere, Fejiri Okenabhire but I imagine they'll get L1 offers.

 

Good to see someone else also mentioning Whalley. I remember that rare win under Collins at Shrewsbury where he stood out for them. I believe he's 34 now, but still, there could be a few useful years left in him.

RCB

 

I think it was the same season, I remember a TV game at VP when they went down to 10 men, went 3 at the back and kept the same front line - bloody nuisance is Whalley - I’d take him in L2 for a season.

 

An online EFL rumour site linking us with Belgian club Union Saint Gilloise midfield player Marcel Lewis. Ex Chelsea youth player who spent time on loan at Accrington this season

 

Movement is key for him and this level. I looked over his Stoke spell in charge, as you cant really tell much from his short spell at Southampton. He tended to play a 433 that switched to a 451 with quick strikers going out wide against the big 6 teams.

First two seasons, the main strike 3 was Arnautovic (6ft3) and Walters (6ft1) as your quicker forwards with an outlet, either side of Crouch (6ft7). Kenwyne Jones and Cameron Jerome (both 6ft2) were also on as Crouch backups and Odemwingie (6ft) was brought in as his pacey wide man backup. Season after when a few left, he went for Mame Biram Diouf (6ft1) as another lad with size and pace to play all 3 roles.

After Odemwingie was on his way and Walters was phasing out, Bojan and Shaqiri came in, both short players to cover the wide roles and let Crouch and Arnautovic remain as the big target. Then Berahino started came in the season after and they signed Chupo-Moting (6ft3) another big lad with a bit of pace to play any of the 3 roles.

He previously liked his forwards to be big lads more often than not. Only really signed two short lads to play attacking roles in his spell there and they were wingers only. With the only shorter striker being Berahino who did sod all at Stoke, but is out of contract at Sheff Weds this summer. It's worth noting that in all his seasons there, any of his forwards rarely played over 25 of the 38 PL games. The odd season one did, but mainly he'd had 5 or 6 guys who all had around 20 PL starts every season.

Might be an insight into what he wants this summer? That's why the only move he's made so far is to re-sign Lee Angol (6ft1) who looked comfortable playing left forward or central striker, and the injury issues might not concern Hughes too much as he is a big rotation fan anyway and probably didn't see him starting 25+ games next season?

 

His game was all about pace though. Does he still have it at 34? As a general rule I want us to stay away from players at the tail end of their career. Too much downside risk. The exceptions would be either:
1. A midfield general who's played most of his career at a higher level
2. An experienced striker who's never really had to rely on pace to get goals

 

Effective teams , and yes I like that style of play. Maybe he will burn the boats to keep Vernam, because at this level he fits the bill? Pace to burn etc?

 

Greg leigh been released by Morecambe, could be worth a shout, Morecambe fans gutted he's been binned off by Adams....

 

Shocked!!!

 

Please , If there is a god, NO !

 

Good research there.

 

There is a YouTube vid with MH interview going through all this.

 

I'm not expecting a striker to get 20 goals a season under Hughes, or wingers to get 10-15 assists, simply because from his track record (and record at City so far) those top of the pitch roles get rotated so often, unless someone is very consistent, but if they were very consistent, they probably aren't playing in tier 4.

Think when i went through his record at Stoke, only Arnautovic got one 20+ in a season, in 5 Hughes lead seasons. His strikers all got sort of 7-10 goals each. Rotation was across the board really, other than Begovic, Shawcross, Allen/Whelan and a full back from memory, everyone else was in a similar boat of around 20 odd league starts.

 

This may be it?

 

Yep very good analysis. The big man physical, is more to act as a lynchpin for attacks as opposed to flick ons, winnin g headers etc, which we generally associate having a big man up front with

 

Would you go for Hoolahan. He's ancient but I reckon he could thrive in a MH side with pace around him

 

I liked him previously. Hard done by with Mezza in front of him but went over to Holland, Aberdeen and L1 last term. Hes obviously no mug and has had a half decent time of it since he left. Much better than had he stayed anyway....

 

No I wouldn't. He did well at Cambridge last season but he's 40 in a couple of weeks. He's far too old. Within reason, I'd push the boat out to keep Walker and Vernam. Add in Eisa, and 2 quality forwards to replace the combination of Lavery, Robinson, Elliot and Delfouneso, and I think we'd have good firepower.

I wouldn't mind someone of the Paul Coutts ilk in midfield though.