35 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I never said drop him for Whittingham. Read my posts. 

Smallwood will start, if Evans left that would leave ;Travis, Davenport and Whittingham for the 2nd midfield spot. Bennett is also an option. 

Would his role in the team not clash with Dack's?  I don't think Foden us a sitting  midfielder, nor a wide player. Cracking prospect - if we didn't have Dack.

46 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I agree on Evans, just getting his wages off would be good. I remember Rangers were interested a while back, but other than that I never hear anyone linked with him. Even when he is fit, he just doesn't do enough consistently for me 

I am fearful that he will be 1st choice again next season. I would be critical of Mowbray if that was the case. Hopefully Travis or Davenport do enough in Mowbrays eyes to get in ahead of him. We even have Whittingham as an option off the bench then if experience is required. 

Agree with all that.  Also Smallwood and Bennett who can play his role.  Last of a bad bunch is Evans (fitness/attitude).

Just now, Paul Mani said:

Now that would be a signing!!

Ahh mate. Don’t do this to us!! There’s prob about 10 lads just googled “10 reasons why you should hate Phil Foden” just so they have something to complain about! Hahahah 

Be very surprised if it's him.  We've got a ton midfielders.  More likely to be up top or out wide.  

Got to be honest.  Evans can go now for me.  Wouldn't be missed and gives Davenport a slot.  Mulgrew had a great year last year but traditionally  injury prone.  Think this will be his last season  for us.  Hand the batton to Wharton or whichever CB we eventually bring in.  

Just now, philipl said:

I have been in China where my VPN didn't work.

Can anyone offer a helpful summary of the 73 pages added since I last looked?

 

 

Nowts happened.

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

So if we sign Armstrong every thing else in the garden is rosy ? We need a striker with some real presence. I don't see that with Armstrong.

We need both. Five players as others have said.  Ideal striker for us would be Matt Smith from QPR.  He may be out of our range after last season though.  6ft 6 and a real presence.  I'd take Armstrong for his pace and the fact he can play wide at a push.  A genuine winger (Chapman) and a winger on loan. Finally, a big lump at the back. Bauer is 6ft3 - would be useful if he can jump.

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

It also means we'll be learning how to fit together the new players in vital league matches. If it's such a smart idea why don't other teams do it ?

Some do.  Usually the ones on the verge of administration or without a pot to pee in.

Taking the LT article at face value then it would seem that it is not the fee but the wages for Armstrong that are an issue.  

If the lad genuinely wanted to come and felt he could kick start his career with us, then you would assume he would take a drop and be here by now. 

If he wants increased wages etc, then he wouldn't fit the Mowbray mantra personality wise -So we would drop our interest.

With that logic, I conclude the deal is dead in the water.?

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

Is it a good window though if you've missed out on all your preferred targets and ended up having to bring bodies in almost for the sake of it?

Guess we'll never know. The Club will claim We've brought in our number one targets all along no matter who turns up.

To be fair though it wouldn't take long with them out on the pitch to see if we were stronger or not. 

Just now, TruRover said:

I honestly would only pay 1.5 million max for Armstrong, 3 million could be better spent elsewhere, for instance we could sign chapman and Maddison for about that.

Armstrong, Chapman and Maddison for around £3 million.  Have you been advising venkys? ?

Just now, Paul Mani said:

Prices do tend to become more realistic...

Maybe I will be disappointed. But I’m willing to wait until the end of the window to judge it.

What's your criteria for a successful window?

2 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

Why can’t there be more balanced opinions? All of the communication from the manager suggested he was happy with the budget, knew exactly which players he wanted (based on ability and mentality) and that he wanted to sign them as early as possible.

Other than being unable to get them done early I see no change in that rhetoric. So why are there so many assuming ‘we’re skint’ or ‘we’ve no plan b’ etc? 

TM appears to refuse to settle for players unless they have the right character etc. So maybe, just maybe he doesn’t want Adulkan or Mcmanaman or Wildschut...

I’m getting worried too but surely we need to get to the end of the window before the hysteria kicks in? 

Everybody trusts Mowbray.

Nobody trusts Venkys.

Rhodes and parachute money aside.  They have no form for paying decent transfer fees.  Any signings since have generally been  made on the back of sales.  Yet a decent kitty  is clearly required.

Even Ipswich are shelling out a few bob.  

A bit of hysteria amongst the fans may increase pressure on the board to go back to India cap - in hand.  It may not.  

The squad is toothless and will be straight back down. 

No point getting hysterical once the window is closed.  Nowt can be done then.

Just now, 47er said:

More likely that, with Venkys, money is never available when you need it.

Aye.  I imagine we have been priced out of our A list.  The B list have probably all been signed up meanwhile, so we will be working out way through the C list.  Just hope that Ç isn't for Crap.

33 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I'm not convinced we do want Armstrong and Chapman. I'm sure TM made a comment at the start of the summer that Newcastle's demands would probably put him out of our reach and whenever questioned about Chapman he has been lukewarm at best and arguably even rather uncomplimentary.

True.  Although Interesting that Elliot Bennett tweeted a month or so ago that he (Bennet) was trying to get them (Armstrong and Chapman back.)  Tweet was obviously light hearted. However, unlikely to have been made if there wasn't genuine interest-at that stage.

22 minutes ago, Ruaney said:

I’m just playing devils advocate here but what if all of Mowbray’s targets are still available and the reason we’ve not got them over the line yet is because we’re still negotiating. 

I mean, the only legit targets I have seen haven’t gone anywhere yet. All these teams signing players Bolton, Wigan etc have signed players that we probably didn’t want.

Not for one minute suggesting we have loads of money but I do think we have money to spend, just trying to do the best deals for the players he wants maybe? I don’t buy into ‘missing out on targets’ this summer. He wants Bauer, Chapman and Armstrong - we’ve known this all summer. And they’ve not gone anywhere! IF they do go somewhere else I’ll get worried but for now I’ll just sit tight and trust the process 

I hope you are right.  I'm a natural sceptic at the best of times and hope it pans out that way.  What bothers me  is that I'm sure both Armstrong and Chapman want to come back.  Ergo, we've had a long time to sort that and neither appears to be any closer than the day they left.  Newcastle have said all along that Armstrong can go so why the hold up?  

IMO we need a signing of Armstrong's ilk through the door in the next few days.  The longer it goes on, the more likely we are to be starting the Championship on the back foot.

Just now, RovingRover said:

Could we just clarify exactly what we need.

Do we all agree 1x CB, 2x CF's and 2x Wingers are needed? Emphasis on height for the CB, pace for the two wingers and one of the Forwards, whilst the other has some height about him?

This sound about right?

That my friend is bang on.  It's obvious to most People.

3 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I think it is WBA who want him

I feel we will make 1 or 2 signings this week. 

I hope one is Armstrong and the other Barrie McKay who fit the bill the type of winger we need

Please explain why? also why should be over pay for average players. Mowbray knows what type of players he wants. only 17 days of this transfer window to sign players here permanently

The criteria was set circa the visit to India. Four perm signings and 2 loan.  Good enough signings to generate extra ST sales.  Cashing in on the positivity of last season; best time to buy players; concentrating on those out of contract; rather have permanent than loans; Do our business early; Time to bed in etc.

...Hoilett will sign a new contract in the next 48 hours...The new Rooney....

Who is Barrie McKay Chaddy?

I suggest Charles Charlie Charles.  Wand of a foot.

The interesting thing is Waggot is convinced that he will shift another 1500 ST at full whack on the back of our signings... 

50 minutes ago, JayDee said:

Maybe a breakthrough with Charlton and Bauer!! 

CB is not a priority though.

Either the cynics on here (me included) are going to be very impressed by the end of this window...or the glass half full brigade are going to be extremely disappointed....

This window and lack of action has the stench of Venkys-past all over it.

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Nuttall wasn't good enough last season Stuart. He'd have to improve 100% to get in the team this season.

Nuttall needs a year on loan in league one.  If he's still here in 4 weeks, it will have been a bad window.

5 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

I agree that Travis is the only player capable of being in the first team at the moment. However Tomlinson and Wharton are good enough to be in the squad. Wharton should be ahead of downing and whittingham shouldn't be taking Tomlinson's place. It really frustrates me to see signings like Harper and downing when there are lads clearly as capable in our very own youth system

Absolutely.  Wharton would be on the bench ahead of Downing for me.  Lincoln fans seemed to rate him. 

The premier league is really causing financial problems for the teams below and young players.  Adam Armstrong is a prime example.  The lad is available for £3 million.  He is likely £20k plus at Newcastle. Peanuts to them but I imagine above anything our current squad are on. 

Armstrong indicated he would like to return.  However, he would likely have to take a wage drop to do so.  Does he want first team football enough to slash his wage  - with the potential to double it if he has a couple of good seasons.  Or will he be being advised to sit on the money and hope somebody comes and matches his wages or increases them.

I am guessing it is currently the latter.

There must be many young premier players in the same boat. 

Just now, briansol said:

Great point, I also think we are missing out on obtainable players, esp Edwards. Paul Hurst going from Shrewsbury to manage Ipswich is wasting no time picking up talent from League One. Seems like he is picking up Ellis Harrison (who we were linked with) from Bristol Rovers too. Suprised he hasn't picked up Jon Nolan from his former club yet.

This I don't get. There were some useful players in league one.  Most of whom have now been snapped up.  Wonder if TM set his sights too high and subsequently been priced out of the market?

1 hour ago, Swanson said:

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tony-mowbrays-34-west-brom-12793111

Here are the players Tony Mowbray brought in at WBA.

Looking at that you would say his successes were the British based players (exception being Jonas Olson).  Perhaps that explains his reluctance to look abroad.