2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Did you miss the fact that the entire interview was about providing "competition for places" in the squad?

I'm as skeptical as they come Rev but I thought that article indicated he wanted to bring in better quality than we have.  Saying that that some will disappointed about not getting in the 18 despite training hard.  But that is the position he would like to be and the current players have to accept that.

36 minutes ago, JAL said:

Like the idea of Nmecha from City despite him going against everything Id like currently like from a striker. Think this would represent a bold move from the club and could add a bit of excitement. 

Agree.  He could potentially be the Tammy Abraham of this window.  

Clough would be great as a bench player but not sure he would improve the first 11.  Cheap deal or Loan, wouldn't be the worst shout.  A worthy D lister. hi

3 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Do whatever you want to do Ruaney I aint interest. 

Waghorn not good enough.16 goals and 13 assists last seaon? Thats would suggest to me he's good enough

His career history would suggest that at 28 - he's just had his wonder season.  Would be avoiding.  

Well if we are making a signing pre Ipswich, you would guess today is the day as I imagine the squad will travel down tomorrow. 

Would anyone else be underwhelmed if it was Waghorn?

Easy way to work this out...which forwards play with number 7 on their back? (We can probably rule Ronaldo out).

When is the deadline for a player to be eligible for Saturday's game?

44 minutes ago, CD_93 said:

...well the LT believes there are seven-figure deals on the cards for Mowbray’s top targets (and TM is now back to 4 new faces coming in). One of these outlets has contact with Mowbray and the club. While Nixon apparently knows what Lukas Nmecha is talking about with his mates - but had nothing to say on Palmer.

Apologies.  I should have added the rolls eyes emoji!

1 hour ago, CD_93 said:

Interesting that Rich says we can afford Armstrong for £3 million + wages. Really curious about these other targets now.

Not having that pal -info is clearly wrong.   Nixon said we were looking at a cheap deal and loans...

Not sure there are many out there that fit the young with potential and established at champ level. 

Points to Sam Gallagher IMO. 

Clear we aren't looking abroad if champ experience is a criteria.

Palmer an upgrade on any of the 4 attacking loanees last year.  Rothwell/Davenport not direct replace ments. Still 3 attacking players down.  

It will be carnage after the weekend fixtures- especially for those that lose!

12 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Yeah I agree but also insistent on championship experience and goals...intriguing!! You can’t get those types of players for less than seven figures  can you? 

Nope!

15 minutes ago, TruRover said:

I've mentioned Hugill a couple of times and agree he would be an ambitious target but would be an excellent addition, cant see it tho, same for Roberts who is a class above the championship.

Did Hugill not move for £8 million last January?  Imagine wages will be high based on that so doesn't fit with our remit.  Type of striker we need though.

47 minutes ago, Neal said:

 

I see what he's doing to be honest. A player is only worth what someone is willing to pay and the fee's for some players are a joke, he's willing to leave it late and betting on clubs to get desperate to get his first choices. Got no reason to doubt him tbf. 

Also, with his world cup reference and criteria for spending on young players with potential, sound like he is after players from the premier league fringes.  Probably ones into the last year of their contract.

On a side note.  Very surprised that no one has taken a punt on Maddison from Posh yet.

6 minutes ago, J*B said:

That's the entire point... looking at it objectively. You don't buy players from the A lists throughout, you work out which combination of A,B,C and D gives you the best team. Is it A, C, C, D? Is it B, B, B, C? Is it A, B, C, D?

If we only get 3 as reported, lets hope its not BAD

2 minutes ago, DE. said:

The problem is that if Mowbray was referring to Chapman and Armstrong as "D" signings, then it's going to make it a bit underwhelming if we do end up signing them as the thought will now be that we could have gotten better but for whatever reason didn't. It might also make it harder to sign either Chapman or Armstrong if they don't think Mowbray rates them and know they'd be coming in as "last resort" signings. Not sure it's necessary to put stuff like this out in public, unless Mowbray is very confident we will get better.

A gamble for sure.  Two players that offer directness and pace.  Both with young England honours and integrated very well with the rest of the squad but unproven at champ level.  I doubt they are deals that we would ever lose money on.

12 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Yes. Looks like his ‘A’ list was one of Bamford, Gallagher etc which surely means we have £2-3m to spend???

Unless they were loans?

8 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Anyway, the only serious question for me is what he could bring to the team.

If Rangers could sign Mo Johnson after all his sign of the cross celebrations in front of their fans, when he scored for Celtic, perhaps I could forgive a mere chicken dance...

I'm not convinced he wasn't taking the pee either.  That said, he's a niggly little git who occupies defenders constantly. And has scored at champ level. The niggly bit is something we don't currently have.  On that basis,  he'd be worth considering.  Wouldn't take him above Armstrong though.

30 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Likewise mate. I like the fact that whilst we both often come at things from a diffeeent angle your points are logical and balanced...

in terms of the timing of the deals, they just get done when they get done. It takes so much to come together and this is especially difficult when the buying club isn’t prepared to pay over the odds. So ideally I’m sure TM would’ve loved to get his forward options over the line sooner but it just wasn’t doable.

Not sure if you’ve seen Rich Sharpes article this evening but I read a lot into that. Basically saying that Armstrong and Chapman are way down the pecking order as they have not got the experience or goals in the Championship. Suggested that they were on his ‘D’ list and he was hoping to choose from his ‘’B’ list. I don’t know about you but if Arma and Chapman are on our D list then I’m bloody excited to see who’s on our B!!! ?

 

Agree with the last bit.  Those would be great as a back up plan lol That said it also indicates missing out on his A list which is what we summised. Hence the lack of incomings.

59 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

So having played no matches, how could Chapman be "one of our best players last year"??

I would imagine Chapman's stats for assists/goals versus minutes on the pitch are decent though.

8 minutes ago, JeffRover said:

I suppose that means that players we are targeting and still haven’t moved are considered better than Armstrong and Chapman. Can this be considered a good sign?

Not sure about that tbh.  He's admitted that we've been outbid on some and he'd rather have his B list targets - than D list targets.  That would indicate that we've missed out on the players we wanted.  That said, if the likes of Chapman and Armstrong are on the C list, we should be better off!!

1 hour ago, Paul Mani said:

Good post.

But the budget isn’t presented like £5m for fees and £5m on wages. It’s broken down but effectively the budget is is one number that is agreed and encompasses player contracts, transfer fees, Wages and associated costs.

The one theme that I’m trying to get across is that you are always trying to get the best for the cash you have. Never at anytime has TM said he has big money fees. He said he was happy with the budget. I don’t think you can say he’s lied there. 

In terms of being able to afford forwards, it’s surely more about value for money. If you can get the right price for the right calibre of player then you buy. If you want a higher level of player for less money you loan. Managers pick their battles.

Whether players are ‘good value’ or not is a matter for the manager and the club. Either way, the window isnt yet shut so who’s to say we won’t have spent a couple of million?

I enjoy reading you posts Mani - often written from a perspective of being more involved within the game than I.  

The buying the best value - be it loans or permanent - I get.  I get the all encompassing budget and picking battles etc.  However, surely any formulated plan/approach to procuring players with this budget, would start with the weakest area.  By TM's admission, this has been top end of the pitch.  The first 2 signings (which we have spent a chunk of our budget on) haven't addressed the weakness as we had players in those positions -not great but not the biggest weakness. The widely talked about keeper at the beginning of the close  season - not a priority.  The CB target that has rumbled on - not  a priority (I think we need one but not essential - or wasn't until we loaned out Wharton!).  

So I would have thought we would have addressed the forward options before looking at any of these others.  Spent what was needed/we could afford (even if loans) then move on to the 'lesser' positions.  The longer the window goes on, the less we look like we have any kind of plan.  Especially given he  had a list of targets drawn up at the end of last season that were just awaiting budget clearance from Venkys.

I understand the window has not closed and hope I will be pleasantly surprised - (along with the circa 1000 extra  ST holders that Waggot believes our exciting  signings will attract).

But I just can't escape the feeling that somewhere over the last couple of months, this window/budget/list of targets/plan has gone tits up.

Perhaps, as others have mentioned, we needed to offload a few and that hasn't happened?

55 minutes ago, tomphil said:

I think we might have been in a position where we had only one senior centre forward of any note before in Dickov early in Hughes reign ?

Not long after that we had Benni Mc, Bellamy, Santa Cruz etc.

Over to you Tony ?

Yeah...and none of them were loans?