Multiple Signings

[alfie]

I note we had new players signed for the vital burnley game and as a directt result of lack of quality on the field and the new manager's insistence on playing with 10 men, seri really is just a sad passenger wearing gloves and looking lost and cold, instead of our captain TC who twice now has really looked the part when being allowed to play his natural role as playmaker.


I am waiting for the new man 'Multiple Signings' that TK referred  too, to arrive. Will it be this transfer break or a new set of players in summer just to late  to fight off  next seasons battle to avoid the drp to league one. You can't make this up, we need reinforcements last week and don't have anyone available yet, what are they waiting for?

Not critical of your post but why are you assuming they are waiting, did you not read Southampton managers wording in the week, saying they want to bring in players but it is so difficult in this transfer period. Players like Cahill for instance are in no hurry, bringing him and the other 2 to training ground shows they must be making contact, and being told thanks we will let you know or, no thanks.
We know football wise he lacks experience as keeps getting hammered to everyone on here, but just maybe he is learning from his mistakes and trying to get the right players, but I guess even we will get moans from someone that not right for us.

I see a repeating pattern from one transfer window to the next. If the owners wanted to make a serious attempt at survival the players would be here. They are multi billionaire businessmen, they know how to get a deal done quickly when it is urgent and itt is more urgent than ever.

Agree to some aspects of that, but Cahill and his agent know that Fulham are desperate to get him so they can wait to see if anything else comes there way, multi billionaire businessesmen or not they can't drag the guy here. The same probably applies to Drinkwater, I don't think Moses was ever really interested in coming here, although that is just my opinion.

I do agree that you cannot force players to sign and there is a problem if a player sees us as 'second best' simply by hanging out for something better.  But there are answers to that which come in the form of alternative strategies i.e. being prepared for a player to say no, or maybe, by having a lot of stuff pre-prepared before you ever get to the window.  It is like having battle plans drawn up with a team that is constantly shifting its view by having a network that can twist and turn with the times.  I just do not believe FFC works hard enough at tactics and that is how and why we ended up spending large amounts for unsuitable playing personnel.  If that is how we recruit administrators too then god help us.

You are absolutely correct, but even if you have prepared and have all those things in place, you are still reliant on the player saying yes or no, I guess you can give a deadline respond by then or we walk away, but I would think TK would get blasted for that as well.
Good conversation Nose

[clarkey]

Lots of talk about Seri and the formation being wrong. The formation would work a lot better if our full backs were better. They can't defend properly and can't get forward effectively either.

Without good full backs we just are too narrow and short of defensive strength in wide areas. Crosses are always allowed into the box.

Next we desperately need cover for Mitro, and someone who will score from midfield.

[nose returns]

Lots of talk about Seri and the formation being wrong. The formation would work a lot better if our full backs were better. They can't defend properly and can't get forward effectively either.

Without good full backs we just are too narrow and short of defensive strength in wide areas. Crosses are always allowed into the box.

Next we desperately need cover for Mitro, and someone who will score from midfield.

I think many of us have highlighted the full backs and another center forward are just as important as a center half. It is the whole squad that is lacking. Better full backs would massively improve the team

[JoelH5]

Lots of talk about Seri and the formation being wrong. The formation would work a lot better if our full backs were better. They can't defend properly and can't get forward effectively either.

Without good full backs we just are too narrow and short of defensive strength in wide areas. Crosses are always allowed into the box.

Next we desperately need cover for Mitro, and someone who will score from midfield.

I think many of us have highlighted the full backs and another center forward are just as important as a center half. It is the whole squad that is lacking. Better full backs would massively improve the team

100% agree, especially Christie's side. Teams attack us all game down the right. I wonder why they all do the same thing....?

Anyway, wasn't this Ryan Babel transfer supposed to be done by now?

[HV71]

Wasn't it medical today - announcement tomorrow??

[filham]

Lots of talk about Seri and the formation being wrong. The formation would work a lot better if our full backs were better. They can't defend properly and can't get forward effectively either.

Without good full backs we just are too narrow and short of defensive strength in wide areas. Crosses are always allowed into the box.

Next we desperately need cover for Mitro, and someone who will score from midfield.

I think many of us have highlighted the full backs and another center forward are just as important as a center half. It is the whole squad that is lacking. Better full backs would massively improve the team

This is so obvious, our present full backs fall short of last season's Championship fullbacks, not many promoted teams would have allowed that to happen.

[YoungsBitter]

I know TK has come out on Twitter and said he's in London, working hard etc but I'd be interested to know where he was, and how hard he was working on our transfer business, through November and December. The success of this window was probably largely determined by late December, and the real deadline for us was a week before the Burnley game.

This is the point I have made before about him potentially working hard but ineffectively.

Ultimately it's a results-based business. Jokanovic got sacked for losing games irrespective of the effort he was putting in and the excuses he had available. Tony Khan should be judged in the same way surely.

The simple question to be answered is: Would Tony Khan get a Director of Football job anywhere else in the Football League or based on 4 years total experience of professional football ( and that is being generous as that is not by any description full time) be put in charge of recruitment for any other team in the Premiership?
The answer is obviously no and as much as he may be putting in the effort and trying hard he will be continuing to do a disservice to the Club that he 'loves'. So either he has very competent team under him who really do the work and he just rubber stamps their proposals or he needs to step aside into a more senior Board like role, which is setting direction and policy rather than actual tactical work.
Otherwise, I am sorry but this will only be seen as a vanity project.

[alfie]

Personally I feel this is getting tedious nw with multiple threads and comments about TK's abilities or lack off. Everyone knows all this now. Sorry to sound like I am having a go at you, but I mean it generally.

[Denver Fulham]

Getting back to the Seri/Cairney discussion ...

Cairney has not been very effective this season, and I think he flattered to deceive on Saturday. He has not been able to/put in position to make incisive passes this season, and the rest of what he brings -- a hub to relieve pressure and passing out to the wings -- ultimately gets spoiled by our lack of wing/fullback quality. Like many other problems we have, it's part the player's fault and part the environment around him that's weakening his strengths.

Our best formation probably still is a 4-2-3-1 with Cairney at CAM and Seri paired with someone, but that someone was supposed to be Anguissa and has to be better than Chambers if we're going to survive. And that doesn't count an improvement at CB, RB and at least one wing, and that doesn't upgrade LB and the other wing, but if we can stanch the problems on our right flank and get a better DM in, maybe we can just about stay up.

[nose returns]

Getting back to the Seri/Cairney discussion ...

Cairney has not been very effective this season, and I think he flattered to deceive on Saturday. He has not been able to/put in position to make incisive passes this season, and the rest of what he brings -- a hub to relieve pressure and passing out to the wings -- ultimately gets spoiled by our lack of wing/fullback quality. Like many other problems we have, it's part the player's fault and part the environment around him that's weakening his strengths.

Our best formation probably still is a 4-2-3-1 with Cairney at CAM and Seri paired with someone, but that someone was supposed to be Anguissa and has to be better than Chambers if we're going to survive. And that doesn't count an improvement at CB, RB and at least one wing, and that doesn't upgrade LB and the other wing, but if we can stanch the problems on our right flank and get a better DM in, maybe we can just about stay up.

TC is not effective because a) he was injured by a burnley player that should have been sent off, and b) has been played out of position, when he did play just off mitro it was a disaster, where he played V huddersfield alongside chambers he was back in his proper place and was tremendous, as he was when he came on on saturday.

[Denver Fulham]

Getting back to the Seri/Cairney discussion ...

Cairney has not been very effective this season, and I think he flattered to deceive on Saturday. He has not been able to/put in position to make incisive passes this season, and the rest of what he brings -- a hub to relieve pressure and passing out to the wings -- ultimately gets spoiled by our lack of wing/fullback quality. Like many other problems we have, it's part the player's fault and part the environment around him that's weakening his strengths.

Our best formation probably still is a 4-2-3-1 with Cairney at CAM and Seri paired with someone, but that someone was supposed to be Anguissa and has to be better than Chambers if we're going to survive. And that doesn't count an improvement at CB, RB and at least one wing, and that doesn't upgrade LB and the other wing, but if we can stanch the problems on our right flank and get a better DM in, maybe we can just about stay up.

TC is not effective because a) he was injured by a burnley player that should have been sent off, and b) has been played out of position, when he did play just off mitro it was a disaster, where he played V huddersfield alongside chambers he was back in his proper place and was tremendous, as he was when he came on on saturday.

Nose, you and I have very different definitions of "tremendous" lol

[YankeeJim]

Lets say your Cahill. You are no longer first choice but are still a quality player and pitch leader. You know none of the top dozen teams in the league need you enough to spend big. However, the bottom teams do need you and are weighing your demands against the loss of Prem money. What do you do? Why you jump at the first desperate team to express interest. After all, your career is nearing the end and you will not get a chance to set yourself and your family up again so you do what desperate fans in SE 6 want, you sign for them immediately. Not!
You grind this moment to the best of your financial abilities. You take a good look at that rich yank and tell him to pay up. On the other hand, that rich yank didn't get to his financial tier by being stupid. Hence, it is as we say a Mexican standoff. No clear winner here. If Khan goes into the negotiation salivating over the rebirth of the Thames Barrier, Cahill will up his price. Khan has no ability to speed up the process except to spend silly money and I've already said. the man ain't stupid. Do you honestly believe he didn't learn from the Greek saga?
It (If) will happen when it happens and all the negative posts won't change that.

[AnOldBrownie]

Lets say your Cahill. You are no longer first choice but are still a quality player and pitch leader. You know none of the top dozen teams in the league need you enough to spend big. However, the bottom teams do need you and are weighing your demands against the loss of Prem money. What do you do? Why you jump at the first desperate team to express interest. After all, your career is nearing the end and you will not get a chance to set yourself and your family up again so you do what desperate fans in SE 6 want, you sign for them immediately. Not!
You grind this moment to the best of your financial abilities. You take a good look at that rich yank and tell him to pay up. On the other hand, that rich yank didn't get to his financial tier by being stupid. Hence, it is as we say a Mexican standoff. No clear winner here. If Khan goes into the negotiation salivating over the rebirth of the Thames Barrier, Cahill will up his price. Khan has no ability to speed up the process except to spend silly money and I've already said. the man ain't stupid. Do you honestly believe he didn't learn from the Greek saga?
It (If) will happen when it happens and all the negative posts won't change that.

Pretty much this.

[davew]

Lets say your Cahill. You are no longer first choice but are still a quality player and pitch leader. You know none of the top dozen teams in the league need you enough to spend big. However, the bottom teams do need you and are weighing your demands against the loss of Prem money. What do you do? Why you jump at the first desperate team to express interest. After all, your career is nearing the end and you will not get a chance to set yourself and your family up again so you do what desperate fans in SE 6 want, you sign for them immediately. Not!
You grind this moment to the best of your financial abilities. You take a good look at that rich yank and tell him to pay up. On the other hand, that rich yank didn't get to his financial tier by being stupid. Hence, it is as we say a Mexican standoff. No clear winner here. If Khan goes into the negotiation salivating over the rebirth of the Thames Barrier, Cahill will up his price. Khan has no ability to speed up the process except to spend silly money and I've already said. the man ain't stupid. Do you honestly believe he didn't learn from the Greek saga?
It (If) will happen when it happens and all the negative posts won't change that.

Sounds like this is getting personal and I am not sure anybody is making any sense here, 1 word you have have mentioned which I don't understand is "salivating"? Mexican standoff, I like that perhaps Donald Trump will build a wall in front of our defence, if the forum is against it then I would pay for it myself, would it be enough to keep us up, probably not!

[itombomb]

Totally agree and have regularly posted similar thoughts.  Seri is not the problem, the formation is wrong.

I'm not sure it is wrong, but it is part of the problem. The absolute gaping hole at RB and lack of quality at CB has meant the back 3/5 is kind of a necessity. But it then exposes broader problems in the team.

Ideally you'd then get the attacking width from the WBs, enabling you to play a midfield 3 and a front 2 (or something a bit more fluid), but again because of the lack of quality in the WB position (particularly at RWB, where our options are either useless or slightly more disciplined but without the necessary engine), we need to get width further up the pitch, which means we have to have a midfield 2 and a front 3.

It is probably the least worst formation we have given the flaws in the squad, but it does essentially mean we cede the midfield.

We urgently need a CB and an RB.

[YankeeJim]

Lets say your Cahill. You are no longer first choice but are still a quality player and pitch leader. You know none of the top dozen teams in the league need you enough to spend big. However, the bottom teams do need you and are weighing your demands against the loss of Prem money. What do you do? Why you jump at the first desperate team to express interest. After all, your career is nearing the end and you will not get a chance to set yourself and your family up again so you do what desperate fans in SE 6 want, you sign for them immediately. Not!
You grind this moment to the best of your financial abilities. You take a good look at that rich yank and tell him to pay up. On the other hand, that rich yank didn't get to his financial tier by being stupid. Hence, it is as we say a Mexican standoff. No clear winner here. If Khan goes into the negotiation salivating over the rebirth of the Thames Barrier, Cahill will up his price. Khan has no ability to speed up the process except to spend silly money and I've already said. the man ain't stupid. Do you honestly believe he didn't learn from the Greek saga?
It (If) will happen when it happens and all the negative posts won't change that.

Sounds like this is getting personal and I am not sure anybody is making any sense here, 1 word you have have mentioned which I don't understand is "salivating"? Mexican standoff, I like that perhaps Donald Trump will build a wall in front of our defence, if the forum is against it then I would pay for it myself, would it be enough to keep us up, probably not!

Dave, your gonna run out of gin. LOL

[davew]

Have you got CCTV set up in my house! (LOL)!