Summer Transfer Window 2024

[Saint Matty 76]

Even if you decide to be optimistic and claim we're slightly stronger than the team who came 4th in the Championship last year, it really does look drab.

I personally think we're worse off, and when KWP goes it'll be considerably worse off. 

[Polegategavin243]

7 minutes ago, saintant said:

'Slightly' won't cut it in the Premier League. I get that the transfer window is still open but I'm not expecting any exciting signings.

But it may “cut it”. Team spirit and momentum can be a big factor. Why people aren’t expecting exciting (or key) signings is odd when in the past dozen or so transfer windows our most significant transfers have happened in the final few days of each window, mostly due to the domino effect of other deals completing near to or on deadline day. The negativity on here and Facebook is embarrassing. Many of the players who played for us all last season are going to be more confident and likely a better player thanks to that experience, which is being ignored.

[saintant]

12 minutes ago, Polegategavin243 said:

But it may “cut it”. Team spirit and momentum can be a big factor. Why people aren’t expecting exciting (or key) signings is odd when in the past dozen or so transfer windows our most significant transfers have happened in the final few days of each window, mostly due to the domino effect of other deals completing near to or on deadline day. The negativity on here and Facebook is embarrassing. Many of the players who played for us all last season are going to be more confident and likely a better player thanks to that experience, which is being ignored.

We'll see.

[bugenhagen]

3 minutes ago, saintant said:

We'll see.

Loving the positive energy! 😉

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

I recall team spirit doing it for Hull a decade+ ago, they came up and set off like a steam train. In the CL positions come Christmas and then…..bombed. Just missed out on relegation, dropped the following season. As long as we don’t do a Derby I’ll be happy.

And I won’t be devastated if we do get relegated, as long as we don’t go down without a fight. The Championship renewed my enthusiasm for the game.

[Saint_clark]

Just now, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

I recall team spirit doing it for Hull a decade+ ago, they came up and set off like a steam train. In the CL positions come Christmas and then…..bombed. Just missed out on relegation, dropped the following season. As long as we don’t do a Derby I’ll be happy.

And I won’t be devastated if we do get relegated, as long as we don’t go down without a fight. The Championship renewed my enthusiasm for the game.

IIRC they signed a few players in January that all spoke genuinely about wanting to finish in the top 4 and that's when they fell away. It went from a fun ride while it lasts to genuinely trying to do something impossible. 

[ErwinK1961]

4 minutes ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

I recall team spirit doing it for Hull a decade+ ago, they came up and set off like a steam train. In the CL positions come Christmas and then…..bombed. Just missed out on relegation, dropped the following season. As long as we don’t do a Derby I’ll be happy.

And I won’t be devastated if we do get relegated, as long as we don’t go down without a fight. The Championship renewed my enthusiasm for the game.

Tend to agree. We’re in all likelihood getting relegated this season, it’s such a big ask to stay up nowadays. Let’s see how we go, we’ll lose a lot more than we win so need to stick with them.

Also, this lot seem a much more likeable bunch than we’ve had for a while and they seem ‘together’ so hopefully that may count for something.

[Toadhall Saint]

When we last made the jump from the Championship - did we sign loads of players? I honestly can’t remember.

[SaintsFan86]

3 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

When we last made the jump from the Championship - did we sign loads of players? I honestly can’t remember.

Gazzaninga, Clyne, Yoshida, Rodriguez, Ramirez & Mayuka. Probably forgotten another player

[ErwinK1961]

6 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Gazzaninga, Clyne, Yoshida, Rodriguez, Ramirez & Mayuka. Probably forgotten another player

Steve Davis

[redkeith]

7 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Gazzaninga, Clyne, Yoshida, Rodriguez, Ramirez & Mayuka. Probably forgotten another player

Steven Davis from Rangers, maybe Boruc as well ?

[vectraman]

42 minutes ago, Polegategavin243 said:

But it may “cut it”. Team spirit and momentum can be a big factor. Why people aren’t expecting exciting (or key) signings is odd when in the past dozen or so transfer windows our most significant transfers have happened in the final few days of each window, mostly due to the domino effect of other deals completing near to or on deadline day. The negativity on here and Facebook is embarrassing. Many of the players who played for us all last season are going to be more confident and likely a better player thanks to that experience, which is being ignored.

Whilst I understand what you mean with the team spirit line, it didn’t help Burnley, Sheffield Utd or Luton stay up last season, and they must have also been on a high…

I am not sure team spirit alone will stop us conceding 80 odd goals next season. 

[Wade Garrett]

14 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Gazzaninga, Clyne, Yoshida, Rodriguez, Ramirez & Mayuka. Probably forgotten another player

What about the mad bloke who stuck the nut on Fonte?

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Wade Garrett said:

What about the mad bloke who stuck the nut on Fonte?

that was the following season. We signed Osvaldo, Wanyama and Lovren.

Quality not quantity, although Osvaldo did turn out to be a lunatic.

[Lighthouse]

13 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Gazzaninga, Clyne, Yoshida, Rodriguez, Ramirez & Mayuka. Probably forgotten another player

 

4 minutes ago, redkeith said:

Steven Davis from Rangers, maybe Boruc as well ?

That’s easily six players who came in and made a first team position obviously stronger. Plus we had the emergence of Shaw and JWP that season as serious first team options. That’s on top of the best team in the Championship the season before and we still lost something like eight of our first ten games. It’s a big step up.

[Turkish]

14 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

 

That’s easily six players who came in and made a first team position obviously stronger. Plus we had the emergence of Shaw and JWP that season as serious first team options. That’s on top of the best team in the Championship the season before and we still lost something like eight of our first ten games. It’s a big step up.

FACT check. It wasn't 6 players at all at the start and not all of them made us better.

Rodriguez didn't start well, he wasn't great for the first 6 months or so and at times looked out of his depth. He didn't score until the end of October. He was better after January though and really kicked on when Pochetino came in.

Boruc joined as a free transfer at the end of September when the club realised they'd fucked up the keeper positions with Davis and Gazzaniga clearly not up to it. Boruc made his debut end of October then got dropped shortly after due to that stupid incident in the home game where fans moaned he'd thrown a bottle at them. He didn't play again until January.

Mayuka was absolutely shit and did nothing the whole time he was here.  We started the season with Danny Fox at left back, Shaw didn't start a league game until November. 

Yoshida was possibly a step up from Holiveld who quickly got shown to be out of his depth but he wasn't some defensive lynchpin, he was then and always a pretty average squad player for a bottom half premier league team.

Clyne and S Davis definitely made the first team better. Ramirez blew hot and cold but was arguably an improvement too.

We started the season with Davis in goal, Fox and Holiveld in defence, a 17 year old JWP in midfield with Guly and Jason Puncheon in the team. We had Dan Seaborne, BIlly Sharp and Frazer Richardson on the bench FFS.

Edited 9 August, 2024 by Turkish

[FarehamSaintJames]

There are other players out there. O’Riley isn’t the be all and end all of midfielders.

We should not overpay for him, easier to walk away and focus on other targets.

[HarvSFC]

Two years ago we signed six players before July 26th and then didn't sign anyone else until deadline day. That day brought in Caleta-Car, Edozie, Larios and Maitland-Niles.

Last summer was similar, Manning and Charles signed in July and then Downes, Fraser and Holgate late August with Harwood-Bellis and Stewart signing on deadline day.

So, a pattern is forming now that we're more active than we were previously. Got to have a better end to the window than we did two years ago, though. Hoping for an Alderweireld and Mane deadline day.

Remember that one summer when the window closed before the season started, but again, the big clubs didn't like it.

[SW5 SAINT]

6 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Mugs.

Don’t tell them…

[Lighthouse]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

FACT check. It wasn't 6 players at all at the start and not all of them made us better.

Rodriguez didn't start well, he wasn't great for the first 6 months or so and at times looked out of his depth. He didn't score until the end of October. He was better after January though and really kicked on when Pochetino came in.

Boruc joined as a free transfer at the end of September when the club realised they'd fucked up the keeper positions with Davis and Gazzaniga clearly not up to it. Boruc made his debut end of October then got dropped shortly after due to that stupid incident in the home game where fans moaned he'd thrown a bottle at them. He didn't play again until January.

Mayuka was absolutely shit and did nothing the whole time he was here.  We started the season with Danny Fox at left back, Shaw didn't start a league game until November. 

Yoshida was possibly a step up from Holiveld who quickly got shown to be out of his depth but he wasn't some defensive lynchpin, he was then and always a pretty average squad player for a bottom half premier league team.

Clyne and S Davis definitely made the first team better. Ramirez blew hot and cold but was arguably an improvement too.

We started the season with Davis in goal, Fox and Holiveld in defence, a 17 year old JWP in midfield with Guly and Jason Puncheon in the team. We had Dan Seaborne, BIlly Sharp and Frazer Richardson on the bench FFS.

I hadn’t realised Boruc was signed that late but he and Gazza were both better than Kelvin IMO, even if it was a bit of a revolving door for a few months.

Yoshida was better than Hooiveld

Clyne was better than Richardson/Butters

Davis was better than Hammond

J Rod was better than Sharp (he didn’t score for a while but he was definitely better)

Ramirez played a role we never really played in the Championship but he was far better than the likes of Chaplow and De Ridder.

[northam soul]

I keep reading but we have this wonderful team spirit.

That will soon erode if we start poorly.

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, northam soul said:

I keep reading but we have this wonderful team spirit.

That will soon erode if we start poorly.

last season Russ was a bit prickly and defensive when things weren't going well too. Be interesting to see how he reacts if we start badly. 

We surely cant be as bad as we were last time round though, especially the Jones era

Edited 9 August, 2024 by Turkish

[FarehamSaintJames]

Chelsea squad list - so far 😂

 

[bugenhagen]

1 hour ago, Toadhall Saint said:

When we last made the jump from the Championship - did we sign loads of players? I honestly can’t remember.

Toadhall Saint be like:

[Chez]

35 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Chelsea squad list - so far 😂

 

Like a Chinese trawler scrubbing the ocean floor of decent young footballers.

[Oldandtired]

38 minutes ago, Turkish said:

We surely cant be as bad as we were last time round though, especially the Jones era

🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

[hypochondriac]

43 minutes ago, Turkish said:

last season Russ was a bit prickly and defensive when things weren't going well too. Be interesting to see how he reacts if we start badly. 

We surely cant be as bad as we were last time round though, especially the Jones era

God forbid if anyone boos. I, could see Downes and Martin starting fights with the crowd. 

[SNSUN]

1 hour ago, vectraman said:

Whilst I understand what you mean with the team spirit line, it didn’t help Burnley, Sheffield Utd or Luton stay up last season, and they must have also been on a high…

I am not sure team spirit alone will stop us conceding 80 odd goals next season. 

Apart from fannying around with the ball at the back with our passing game and conceding stupid goals (which we all hope won't happen but probably will from time to time), I actually think defensively we're in a better place this season than we were pre-relegation, and with Lis seemingly going on loan we must be bringing in a new Keeper. It's scoring goals that worries me. Without a good striker and one more attack minded midfielder I worry we have enough goals in us. I'm hoping SAA and Dibling don't get loaned out to provide us with an "unknown" factor. An attack force of BBD, AA, Mara and Stewart doesn't fill me with confidence that we'll score that many. Hopefully AA will continue his Championship form in a settled side unlike his last Prem stint and hopefully BBD gives us something more than we got with Adams but there are definitely pieces of the jigsaw missing that we will hopefully rectify before the end of the window.

[Chez]

41 minutes ago, Turkish said:

We surely cant be as bad as we were last time round though, especially the Jones era

I'd argue the Forrest game at SMS was worse than anything I've seen since Branfoot was in charge, 9-0 drubbings included. It won't be worse than that, but it might not be as good as the win at Everton...

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

Completely agree. It's so odd that Martin got so much shit last season because we had a Premier League squad and should be absolutely storming the Championship, and yet this year when we have strengthened we now have a Championship quality squad that will definitely get relegated. 

Up for debate, but I think we're weaker than the team that got 4th but overall stronger than the disjointed mess that got relegated.

We're still to replace Stu, Fraser and Brooks and get proper DM cover from last season.

But (despite losing out Bednarek and Stephens at the time) we are better defensively and about the same elsewhere than the side that went down.

Arguably, if we play 5-3-2, we need a Fraser and Brooks replacement less.

Clearly, it's a squad needing some strengthening. But it's also one that needs to lose a few players as well. Hopefully one will facilitate the other. And we end up with a more cohesive group, with enough to keep us up.

[Chez]

9 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

Apart from fannying around with the ball at the back with our passing game and conceding stupid goals (which we all hope won't happen but probably will from time to time), I actually think defensively we're in a better place this season than we were pre-relegation, and with Lis seemingly going on loan we must be bringing in a new Keeper. It's scoring goals that worries me. Without a good striker and one more attack minded midfielder I worry we have enough goals in us. I'm hoping SAA and Dibling don't get loaned out to provide us with an "unknown" factor. An attack force of BBD, AA, Mara and Stewart doesn't fill me with confidence that we'll score that many. Hopefully AA will continue his Championship form in a settled side unlike his last Prem stint and hopefully BBD gives us something more than we got with Adams but there are definitely pieces of the jigsaw missing that we will hopefully rectify before the end of the window.

What's the forward line going to be at Newcastle. Two or three up top?

BBD and AA

BBD, AA, Carvalho?

BBD an other AA

No one fancies AA down the middle, but who is this imaginary striker everyone seems to want?

[SaintJackoInHurworth]

1 minute ago, SNSUN said:

Apart from fannying around with the ball at the back with our passing game and conceding stupid goals (which we all hope won't happen but probably will from time to time), I actually think defensively we're in a better place this season than we were pre-relegation, and with Lis seemingly going on loan we must be bringing in a new Keeper. It's scoring goals that worries me. Without a good striker and one more attack minded midfielder I worry we have enough goals in us. I'm hoping SAA and Dibling don't get loaned out to provide us with an "unknown" factor. An attack force of BBD, AA, Mara and Stewart doesn't fill me with confidence that we'll score that many. Hopefully AA will continue his Championship form in a settled side unlike his last Prem stint and hopefully BBD gives us something more than we got with Adams but there are definitely pieces of the jigsaw missing that we will hopefully rectify before the end of the window.

So, by saying that BBD is an improvement on Adams, you are saying that our attack is better than it was in our relegation season.

IN ADDITION, we now have Stewart who, even though we haven't really seen what he is capable of yet, is almost certainly going to be an improvement on Mara AND we now have a confident Adam Armstrong playing in a system that is better suited to his ability and a manager that trusts him.

I am not saying I wouldn't welcome another quality striking addition to the squad, but it cannot be a higher priority than improving our central midfield.

Someone has said earlier that it is no point improving on our midfield if we haven't got anyone to finish attacks, well let me turn that on its head and point out that there is no point having 5 strikers (or 6 if Ballard doesn't go on loan) if they are just going to feed off scraps because our midfield are not able to create anything. After all, one of our biggest challenges of the last few years (as has been pointed out many times) is the poor quality of our final ball.

So... yes, I would love a quality new striker, but more importantly I would love to see a central midfielder like Matt O'Riley or similar. In addition I would also love a tough tackling defensive midfielder of the quality of Romeu that will allow us to be more effective in breaking up opposition attacks thus reducing our goals conceded (and also allowing us to transform defence quickly into attack).

[saintant]

Callum O'Hare looking good for Sheff Utd and they got him on a free transfer. Think he'd have done a good job for us.

[CampionSaint]

Personally I'm confident we'll stay up.  Bournemouth minus Solanke & Brentford maybe minus Toney will both struggle imo.  Forest, Ipswich & Leicester are likely to be in the mix and I have a feeling Brighton might struggle next year.  With a decent keeper which I presume is inbound if Lus is on his way plus a striker and we'll be ok.

[Turkish]

Our starting line in for Man City in 2012

 

              Davis

clyne Hooliveld Fonte Fox

Puncheon Scniderlin JWP Lallana

    Guly Rodriguez 

Our possible startling line up next week

      McCarhy 

Suga   THB  Bednarek Taylor

Stephens (playing somewhere) 

Smallbone Downes Aribo 

Armstrong Diaz 

not much in it IMO 

[Chez]

13 minutes ago, saintant said:

Callum O'Hare looking good for Sheff Utd and they got him on a free transfer. Think he'd have done a good job for us.

Twas mentioned by a few. A lot of Prem sides must have scouted him.

[SuperSAINT]

[Lighthouse]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Our starting line in for Man City in 2012

 

              Davis

clyne Hooliveld Fonte Fox

Puncheon Scniderlin JWP Lallana

    Guly Rodriguez 

Our possible startling line up next week

      McCarhy 

Suga   THB  Bednarek Taylor

Stephens (playing somewhere) 

Smallbone Downes Aribo 

Armstrong Diaz 

not much in it IMO 

I think my combined team from all the players available in both those squads would be something like:

Davis

Clyne   THB   Fonte   Taylor

Morgan   Downes

Lallana   Davis   J Rod

Lambert

[Chez]

14 minutes ago, CampionSaint said:

Personally I'm confident we'll stay up.  Bournemouth minus Solanke & Brentford maybe minus Toney will both struggle imo.  Forest, Ipswich & Leicester are likely to be in the mix and I have a feeling Brighton might struggle next year.  With a decent keeper which I presume is inbound if Lus is on his way plus a striker and we'll be ok.

Some pretty solid bottom half sides on there. We will do well to beat those teams. It's going to be really tough to come above them.

Leicester have the threat on the break that we lack. They were miles better than us. 

Ipswich fought to the end in every game, which was impressive, but I thought we were the better side. We'll finish above them, I hope 

[Dellyears]

18 minutes ago, CampionSaint said:

Personally I'm confident we'll stay up.  Bournemouth minus Solanke & Brentford maybe minus Toney will both struggle imo.  Forest, Ipswich & Leicester are likely to be in the mix and I have a feeling Brighton might struggle next year.  With a decent keeper which I presume is inbound if Lus is on his way plus a striker and we'll be ok.

You forgot Everton, no money, no owner, can't afford new players, may get another point deduction, low morale but they have got a good GK

[Chez]

7 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Our starting line in for Man City in 2012

 

              Davis

clyne Hooliveld Fonte Fox

Puncheon Scniderlin JWP Lallana

    Guly Rodriguez 

Our possible startling line up next week

      McCarhy 

Suga   THB  Bednarek Taylor

Stephens (playing somewhere) 

Smallbone Downes Aribo 

Armstrong Diaz 

not much in it IMO 

Lambert coming off the bench of course. Oh to sign someone like him in the next week or two.

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I think my combined team from all the players available in both those squads would be something like:

Davis

Clyne   THB   Fonte   Taylor

Morgan   Downes

Lallana   Davis   J Rod

Lambert

Shaw at left back, surely?

[Farmer Saint]

3 hours ago, saintant said:

'Slightly' won't cut it in the Premier League. I get that the transfer window is still open but I'm not expecting any exciting signings.

I know it won't that's my point. As I said repeatedly last season and this Summer, we are not in the correct financial position to be promoted. We're fucked financially and we needed to start again otherwise we will get stuck in a cycle of yoyoing and will never get out of it. 

[Farmer Saint]

2 hours ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Gazzaninga, Clyne, Yoshida, Rodriguez, Ramirez & Mayuka. Probably forgotten another player

We had a spine of Fonte, Schneiderlin, Lallana and Lambert. We were 10 times better than we are now. 

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, Chez said:

Lambert coming off the bench of course. Oh to sign someone like him in the next week or two.

yes, Davis off the bench too, they both scored. 

Not much between McCarthy and Davis, although pretty scary that our goalkeeping options then last time we went down was an average at best keeper past his best and young on who had never played above league one level. At least we sorted it in 2012.

 

[Chez]

14 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

Shame we didn't manage to get him in 2012. I'm sure we tried as we obviously recognised his outStanding talent in the promotion season games against them (man marking and double teaming him at Selhurst Park). 

[SuperSAINT]

Just now, Chez said:

Shame we didn't manage to get him in 2012. I'm sure we tried as we obviously recognised his outStanding talent in the promotion season games against them (man marking and double teaming him at Selhurst Park). 

Indeed.  Could say the same for Olise & Eze too.  They weren't exactly unknowns.

Looked absolute standouts for QPR & Reading.

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

yes, Davis off the bench too, they both scored. 

Not much between McCarthy and Davis, although pretty scary that our goalkeeping options then last time we went down was an average at best keeper past his best and young on who had never played above league one level. At least we sorted it in 2012.

 

Boric was a fabulous signing. Big, massive presence like a Martinez for Villa. Ramsdale is that guy, but just in his prime, so too expensive. We so need to sign a monster to sort that position.

[saintant]

Szmodics scored one and had an assist for Blackburn. 

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

Boric was a fabulous signing. Big, massive presence like a Martinez for Villa. Ramsdale is that guy, but just in his prime, so too expensive. We so need to sign a monster to sort that position.

it's unbeilevable looking back that a goalkeeper of that calibre was out of contract in September. He was class, released by Fiortentina where he was first choice, still a Poland international yet without a club. Great luck for us though as both our options were well below the level needed at the time. Again, oh to sign someone like that in the next few weeks.