roversfan99

I dont think it changes anything "dramatically." Anybody we do sign will take a long while to get fit and considering they are a free agent in September, there will be a reason for that. It would be a desperate signing following the untimely loss of a key player. Whoever if anyone we get still represents a huge downgrade on Hyam.

If its a deal we want then get it done imminently. That way he can get fit quicker.

It would be a desperate attempt to scramble around having seen the pound signs flash in front of our eyes on deadline day without replacing Hyam. Hes not played for a while, he would be totally unfit. But it would come under better than nothing. He obviously was a Premier League standard defender but not sure what level hes at now. He is experienced and would be a leader.

Would be an incredible bit of business if we managed to get someone even worse than Gueye.

He was excellent in that season under JDT. Deservedly won player of the season.

https://www.smallheathalliance.com/read.php?1,3868918 https://www.otib.co.uk/topic/224605-taylor-gardner-hickman-what-is-he-good-at/ Here are some opinions on TGH. There is certainly a theme. No one seems to think that he at the time was ready or going to really establish himself, described as bit of a "meh" player, doesnt grab games by the scruff of the neck or impose himself. . Equally, not many dont think he is at least decent. He seems to be popular for his work rate and versatility, but incapable of nailing down a position, especially in midfield. Has energy, ok technically, and the idea that he was the best of a bad bunch at set pieces which considering how bad our set pieces are, would actually be an improvement here. I have seen him play before and he has never stood out. Our midfield situation is a bit of a puzzle. Tronstad has been left isolated this season with Tavares next to him who I think most of us are unconvinced by. Baradji was the one they seemed to want to make a song and dance about but is injured so it means nothing. So I think there is a chance there for TGH to start v Watford and try and nail an uncertain position but its something hes failed to do at any of his previous clubs. I also wonder who would sit if Tronstad got injured. The others all seem similar types. Of course, midfield questions have obviously been blown out of the water by the centre back situation.

Agreed. I dont think you will be wrong sadly. I have always felt that Hyam was underrated. He has never been particularly popular but in 2 of 3 seasons, he has been very good. There has always been a narrative that when he plays well its because of his defensive partner and when we have struggled its down to him. Grossly unfair.

I wouldnt have wanted him and at this stage of his career, a huge downgrade on Hyam. Would be unfit, and is left footed so would leave us imbalanced. One of them though where players like that, would be really disappointed if it was mid transfer window and we signed him to replace such a key player. Now, when we are so limited just to players who havent had a pre season and havent been able to find a club, we are at the probably better than no one stage.

You always know its been a bad window when people are trawling through the shite without a club.

Not until at least January he wont.

No use for him in terminating his contract either way as he would have to wait until January.

But again, I suspect that sort of result will happen more than once. We dont have a squad at a level that isnt competitive. But we have lost the experience, the know how, the whole defence, the above average manager and didnt have the goal threat to begin with to swerve tight games in our favour.

This "ask us questions" is a crafty attempt at appearing to be open, engaging and transparent. And sadly, some of the more gullible will be taken in by it. Suhail has swerved it and the questions this way have to be heavily vetted. Gestede and Owen should be given a P45 at any self respecting club. Before even considering snake Suhail and obviously the owners. Take contracts. The question about our total inability to sort them full stop will be swerved. Individual circumstances will be put down to location, players downing tools, clubs offering uncompetitive wages, all sorts of shit excuses and no justification as to the overriding pattern. Ismael needs to be asked if he is happy. He will probably say yes but if he has a shred of ambition and credibility, he cant be. He didnt want this window.

Its not as if the players as a whole are miles off the standard and we will start getting battered every week. Narrow games will regularly go against us. The narrative after them like with the Birmingham game we "deserved" to win (apparently) might be a common one. We no longer have a solid defence capable of churning out clean sheets. We dont have the experience in the team with the know how to grind out results especially when not playing that well. We dont have the goal threat in the team to nick tight games. And we no longer have a good manager IMO capable of getting the team playing like Eustace did beyond the sum of its parts. The window is only 8 out of 10 purely from a perspective of cost cutting. Its not a cause of celebration to witness these "older" key players jettisoned. 27-29 is not old. You cant just strip out all of the experience in a squad and expect good things. The squad (and manager) are much weaker. The fans are always behind the players. But if you see merit in the project then you are going to be badly let down.

It cannot be underestimated how ridiculous it is to go into another long and tough season with only 3 centre backs, including one who is made out of glass and has spent much of the last 2 or 3 years injured, and another who is just back from spending 16 months out injured in what is the second long term injury of his career. Even if the rest of the squad was well rounded, which it isnt, that would undermine us. The contract situation was always going to rule this transfer window and not being able to get one single one sorted in our favour has totally ripped the side apart, stripping it of experience and quality. The one positive is that we have signed players in the main for a few years. The question is, it will be a downgrade on last seasons squad, and on last years manager, but how much? Relegation is a massive possibility. A weak, imbalanced squad full of question marks and totally lacking in know how and experience may fold as the season develops. The defence was really strong last season. Our best back 4 has been taken away as has the man who had us so well drilled. Our attack was poor, we have lost 2 of our better performers there and im unconvinced in the main that weve suitably added goals or speed, we still look slow. And our captain in between that has now gone.

Yes but that pales into insignificance when its not one, two or even three contracts but ALL of them. Not ONE of the first players that we wanted to keep, or the manager wanted to keep, whose deals were coming to an end (this or next summer) did we actually manage to extend the contract of. The only one we have kept is Tronstad who will leave on a free, dont delude yourself into your usual "well he might sign a new deal" crap. Thats Travis, Brittain, Hyam, Dolan, Batth, Weimann, all gone. As I said earlier in the summer and you shot me down for "banging on about it." The contract situation has predictably blown apart the whole transfer window. If its the odd player who wont re-sign, then sell and replace, agreed. But theres a considerable underlying pattern that will sooner rather than later lead to relegation. You are clearly lying when you say we are only short at centre back. You wanted and expected 2 before we had any idea that Hyam was going. Presumably one was an attacker, you also wanted a senior goalkeeper. You clearly wanted and felt that we needed more. Where do you see us finishing now with this squad and this manager? Just a prediction and no cliches or sitting on the fence.

Fair play. Do you still believe everyone is totally aligned? Do you think Ismael will be happy? Ismael wanted to change 6 or 7, we will have signed 10 and still are short in certain areas. He wanted to keep Travis/Hyam/Batth/Brittain/Weimann/Dolan and hasnt kept any. Didnt want loans and now weve resorted to 2 including one on deadline day scrambling around for bodies.

All last season he was very good, one of our best players. In his first season, he was our player of the season. He isnt easily replacable, certainly not for cheap, hes a top half standard Championship centre back. We are going into the season with 3 centre backs and 2 have serious injury issues. We signed Miller as a right back clearly and are now scrambling around to loan an unwanted Birmingham utility man, there is no way it can work to come close to sufficiently replacing him. Value in a deal has to include the timing you admit is terrible. £2m a month ago with a replacement signed is much better value to us than £2.7m hours before the deadline. Well, to the team. Not the bell ends who have probably confirmed our relegation with this last day.

Even based on my low expectations of this club, this window and this deadline day has fallen well beyond it. We are responding to losing our best CB and being left with only 3, 2 with big injury issues, by loaning (which throughout the summer we have been against) with a crap utility player who sat on the bench for a League 1 club last season. I have underplayed our likelihood of relegation in the past as there is some right shit in this league near the bottom but I cant forsee any other alternative reality. Weve stripped the squad of the majority of its quality and experience and have a dud as manager. And for people who have said its been a good window, or that things are aligned, have a word with yourself. Ismael didnt want a summer of "transition" and such a turnover of players, so many players have left that he wanted to stay and weve not managed one single contract extension. We will have signed 10 instead of the 6 or 7 he asked for and will still be massively lacking in various areas. We have dipped into the loan market purely out of panic today. He wont say anything because hes failed at his last 3 clubs and is sat on a cosy contract, and fair enough, most would sit and take it. Venkys and Suhail, fuck off. And anyone who thinks that Gestede and Owen have a good plan and are competent, again, the proof has been in the pudding.

For worse, clearly.

Elliott Jackson confirming that Gardner Hickman on loan will be almost certainly our only signing if we get it over the line. We have had some dreadful transfer windows under these wankers. This is as bad as any.

Hyam's departure always felt on the cards considering contract "talks" broke down and they seem desperate to gut the place of anyone on reasonable wages with any experience. A stopped clock is right twice a day.

Comments on twitter suggest that the common consensus on Gardner Hickman is a hard worker, versatile, technically poor and a League 1 standard player.

We came into today thinking we might frustratingly not bring in anyone of note without factoring in major sales. To sell our best centre back and to loan a cheap utility man aswell as not addressing pre existing issues would be a catastrophe.