Summer 2025 Transfer Window

[RicoS321]

3 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

If memory serves he became first choice because Tobers got injured for the last few months of the season.    Also did Dorrington not only play LCB very early in his loan spell where just looked a bit all over the place regardless of what side he was on?  He defo took a few months before he started looking like a solid CB and once Knoester went in on the left he didn't miss many games if any.  I would also add I think it's far too early to be writing Tobers off given injury and settling into a new club and country time but I agree he's not set the heather alight just yet.  39 caps plus the captaincy of Latvia by the age of 24 would suggest he's not completely useless though...... 

I'm not writing Tobers off, I'm saying that if he's going to be sitting on our bench then he should be moved on. That's my entire point, all three of those players would rightfully expect to be playing 30 games this season, and we likely won't be able to provide that for one of them now.

Dorrington was poor at left centre back, and was immediately better when he moved right during a game. It's the shape of his body, the extra touch etc, it was like watching David Bates. It was nothing to do with confidence, form, or anything else. Just like it was clear that Devlin would be better at left back than Jensen, which he showed in the cup final. I think we'd likely play Milne left ahead of Dorrington, and certainly Polvara has played better than Dorrington on that side before. Again, that was the other half of the point, that we've got utility players that can provide cover in the event of losing two players in one position, and I think that's the best approach. One of those individuals is going to have a stall on their career next season, and I don't think either of the three deserve that.

[tlg1903]

33 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I'm not writing Tobers off, I'm saying that if he's going to be sitting on our bench then he should be moved on. That's my entire point, all three of those players would rightfully expect to be playing 30 games this season, and we likely won't be able to provide that for one of them now.

Dorrington was poor at left centre back, and was immediately better when he moved right during a game. It's the shape of his body, the extra touch etc, it was like watching David Bates. It was nothing to do with confidence, form, or anything else. Just like it was clear that Devlin would be better at left back than Jensen, which he showed in the cup final. I think we'd likely play Milne left ahead of Dorrington, and certainly Polvara has played better than Dorrington on that side before. Again, that was the other half of the point, that we've got utility players that can provide cover in the event of losing two players in one position, and I think that's the best approach. One of those individuals is going to have a stall on their career next season, and I don't think either of the three deserve that.

"and Tobers definitely isn't a centre half" does read like you are writing him off as a legitimate contender for the RCB position 2bf Rico.  The minimum number of games we are going to play next season will be 48.  That's assuming we go out at the first opportunity in the cups and don't get out of the group in the conference league so I don't think it's unreasonable to assume we are going to play 50+ games next season because at least 2 out of three of those options is fairly unlikely unless we get a really tough draw.  I feel confident to say that Thelin isn't Robson and will rotate the squad far more in the first half of the year so I'm genuinely not too worried about anyone rotting on the bench just yet.  We can't truly judge that though until we get to the end of the window and  whilst I take your point about utility players there is surely going to be a lot more shuffling of the pack yet and there are still 6 weeks left of the window.  I think we will have to agree to disagree for the time being about Dorrington being a poor emergency backup option for the left hand side. If it happens and he's guff I'll happily concede the point but I think he's grown as a player and will handle it.  

[RicoS321]

8 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

and Tobers definitely isn't a centre half

Ha ha! Oops. Now I see what you're getting at. I meant to write "definitely isn't a centre midfielder", in response to the suggestion he could play there.

[RicoS321]

8 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

I think we will have to agree to disagree for the time being about Dorrington being a poor emergency backup option for the left hand side. If it happens and he's guff I'll happily concede the point but I think he's grown as a player and will handle it

I expect you're right. He's a player who likes to take the ball out from defence and he takes an extra touch on his wrong side, so he'd have to learn to simplify his game a lot and work on his angles on the left side. You've really got to play like you're a left footer on that side, and he didn't do that. Nilsen really struggled with it too, in the games he played, whereas Polvara didn't. I think he'd need a lot of work, although he'll be helped by having got used to the game and grown as you say. I guess I don't actually care too much who plays on the left if the need arises, I do care if we're signing an additional senior player (I'm classing Dorrington as senior as he's already established as a first team player) on that basis (in an area we're already covered). 

 

8 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

The minimum number of games we are going to play next season will be 48.  That's assuming we go out at the first opportunity in the cups and don't get out of the group in the conference league so I don't think it's unreasonable to assume we are going to play 50+ games next season because at least 2 out of three of those options is fairly unlikely unless we get a really tough draw.  I feel confident to say that Thelin isn't Robson and will rotate the squad far more in the first half of the year so I'm genuinely not too worried about anyone rotting on the bench just yet. 

Aye, it's definitely a thing, but I'd say that centre half is different. A partnership is key, and it's not the type of position that requires a lot of miles (comparatively). Centre halves should easily be managing forty games, and I think that will happen. Thelin didn't really chop and change his back two, with Molloy and Rubi playing almost exclusively until Rubi imploded and then it was Tobers briefly, before settling on Knoester and Dorrington. Milne was second and then third choice centre half last season and barely played any minutes there. The central point is that one of those guys is now going to be starting perhaps 10-15 games at most, and probably less than a handful before the January window (which we could have waited until, and assessed then), and I don't think that is a good thing. Out of interest, would you be happy with one of them getting that little time, and if so, which one of the three and why (putting you on the spot here!)?

[tlg1903]

2 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

Ha ha! Oops. Now I see what you're getting at. I meant to write "definitely isn't a centre midfielder", in response to the suggestion he could play there.

easy done mate 

[tlg1903]

2 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

I expect you're right. He's a player who likes to take the ball out from defence and he takes an extra touch on his wrong side, so he'd have to learn to simplify his game a lot and work on his angles on the left side. You've really got to play like you're a left footer on that side, and he didn't do that. Nilsen really struggled with it too, in the games he played, whereas Polvara didn't. I think he'd need a lot of work, although he'll be helped by having got used to the game and grown as you say. I guess I don't actually care too much who plays on the left if the need arises, I do care if we're signing an additional senior player (I'm classing Dorrington as senior as he's already established as a first team player) on that basis (in an area we're already covered). 

 

Aye, it's definitely a thing, but I'd say that centre half is different. A partnership is key, and it's not the type of position that requires a lot of miles (comparatively). Centre halves should easily be managing forty games, and I think that will happen. Thelin didn't really chop and change his back two, with Molloy and Rubi playing almost exclusively until Rubi imploded and then it was Tobers briefly, before settling on Knoester and Dorrington. Milne was second and then third choice centre half last season and barely played any minutes there. The central point is that one of those guys is now going to be starting perhaps 10-15 games at most, and probably less than a handful before the January window (which we could have waited until, and assessed then), and I don't think that is a good thing. Out of interest, would you be happy with one of them getting that little time, and if so, which one of the three and why (putting you on the spot here!)?

This is fair, it can be... though in the modern game when you are playing so many fixtures players can be a little more modular particularly when doing the Thursday/Sunday rotation.  There is also the possibillity that Thelin jumps between a two and a three this season given the success of the cup final and the possibility of playing at least one team in europe that is significantly bigger than us. 

Good question and, not to be a flaky cop out but I'm not too sure (just up and heads a bit woozy, I'll think about it though).  I certainly don't want to see anyone rot on the bench though and if we are not seeing any rotation in the cb's at least one will start to stagnate.  Let's see where we are come the 1st of september and try and enjoy the fact that on paper we 5 defenders who should be solid and reliable (and when was the last time we could say that?) 

[OxfordDon]

11 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

The minimum number of games we are going to play next season will be 48. 

Right enough, forgot that the conference league group stage has 6 games, not 8.  Not that we will be playing in it, of course.

[tlg1903]

50 minutes ago, OxfordDon said:

Right enough, forgot that the conference league group stage has 6 games, not 8.  Not that we will be playing in it, of course.

If it is the conference league I would be quietly confident that we would be there or thereabouts in terms of qualifying for at least the playoff round so probably will be 50 games.  48 games is worst case scenario but if you put a gun to my head and forced me to pick a number I reckon we play 55 odd games this season. 

[Reekie_Red]

Thelins system eventually fucked our squad last season due to the workrate required. Add in Euro games this season, and i think theres a place for two senior LBs and one senior LB sub.

You could argue that Barry Robson built a squad to battle on multiple fronts ... but his problem was he kept using the same players in most games 

[BigAl]

5 minutes ago, Reekie_Red said:

Thelins system eventually fucked our squad last season due to the workrate required. Add in Euro games this season, and i think theres a place for two senior LBs and one senior LB sub.

You could argue that Barry Robson built a squad to battle on multiple fronts ... but his problem was he kept using the same players in most games 

Agree regarding Robson's squad, the fact that he was so thrawn was his downfall in my opinion 

[tlg1903]

2 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Agree regarding Robson's squad, the fact that he was so thrawn was his downfall in my opinion 

Aye Robson only used something like 16 players from August to December if memory serves. 

[RicoS321]

In fairness to Robson, he wasn't given much time to do a complete overhaul, and outside the first eleven we were very weak. It was his inability to change tactics that fucked him, as much as not using the squad. 

[tlg1903]

6 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

In fairness to Robson, he wasn't given much time to do a complete overhaul, and outside the first eleven we were very weak. It was his inability to change tactics that fucked him, as much as not using the squad. 

Also got the feeling some of the business we did he didn't have much say in.  E.g. Gueye, who has since shown he can be effective at this level, was signed under his tenure and not given a sniff. 

[BigAl]

Vinnie to HJK Helsinki according to Scott Burns.

Shame, I liked Vinnie as a player when he came in, unlucky with injuries during his time here and also that Goodwin didn't rate him.

Overall, probably in the best interests of all parties to part company 

[tlg1903]

I like vinnie too but with injury and different managers he just never kicked on.  That's probably a good move for him as well 2bf.  One down, at lest another 4 to go I would guess

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, tlg1903 said:

I like vinnie too but with injury and different managers he just never kicked on.  That's probably a good move for him as well 2bf.  One down, at lest another 4 to go I would guess

Agreed, it's a funny one, he seems a likeable guy, but it wasn't that long ago that we were lamenting his attitude and constant diving. I had my doubts about him fairly early into his time with us. He never looked like the level we needed, and didn't have a lot of space to grow into as a player. A nice neat technical player, and a good finisher, but was never quick enough to get the space to make things happen. Reminded me of someone like De Visscher, just a level below us, and without the physical attributes to make something of himself in this league. He essentially replaced likes of Matty Kennedy, but he wasn't as good as him. I think that would be his ceiling as a player with a few years of experience behind him, which isn't to be sniffed at either. Overall, I can see the thinking behind his signing, and it's such a difficult position to get right, as things like just being slightly less pacey can have a huge impact on the return. Good luck to him.

Edited 2 hours ago by RicoS321

[tlg1903]

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

Agreed, it's a funny one, he seems a likeable guy, but it wasn't that long ago that we were lamenting his attitude and constant diving. I had my doubts about him fairly early into his time with us. He never looked like the level we needed, and didn't have a lot of space to grow into as a player. A nice neat technical player, and a good finisher, but was never quick enough to get the space to make things happen. Reminded me of someone like De Visscher, just a level below us, and without the physical attributes to make something of himself in this league. He essentially replaced likes of Matty Kennedy, but he wasn't as good as him. I think that would be his ceiling as a player with a few years of experience behind him, which isn't to be sniffed at either. Overall, I can see the thinking behind his signing, and it's such a difficult position to get right, as things like just being slightly less pacey can have a huge impact on the return. Good luck to him.

I never felt JDV ever got a fair crack of the whip 2bh.   I mind a home game against utd where we won 3-0 I think and he was electric.  If memory serves Calderwood was getting some stick for grim football (shocker, I know) and everyone in the pub after was like "well, that's a bit more like it" with De Vischer being man of the match from a rare start.   Next game?  Either on the bench and didn't play or dropped all together, can't remember which but I remember being pissed of with JC.  

 

 

I was usually pissed off with JC to be fair