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Confirmed Signing James Rodriguez

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Lanolin said:
I agree with your conclusion but not really with your working out. I don't think half the players you say we'd get our money back on would be right. I'd be very surprised if we could get our money back on Pickford, Mina or Gomes right now. Obviously things change and if they have good seasons we might get more than we paid, but at this moment in time I don't think anybody would be paying what we did. I also don't agree that we're lacking experience. Basically the average age of the team is generally in the mid 20s because virtually all of the team is in their mid 20s. It's not like we have a load of kids and just one or two older ones bringing the average up, it's just that almost everybody we play regularly is in that bracket of 23-29. There's a huge amount of top flight and international experience in this squad. They might not be very good, but that's a different point entirely.

As I said, I agree with the conclusion that we need a blend of youth and experience, and I don't hate the thought of bringing any of the three you mention in. It's clearly, indisputably, a massive change in emphasis though. Anyone who's saying this was all part of the plan and they can see exactly what the club is doing is kidding themselves though. Brands was very clear about reducing the age of the squad and looking for value. Bringing in Allan, Doucoure and James would be a complete about turn on that. I'm not saying thats necessarily a bad thing, but it is definitely a change in philosophy. That concerns me slightly if i'm honest.
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Where do Branthwaite and Nkonku fit into this analysis?
 
Lanolin said:
I agree with your conclusion but not really with your working out. I don't think half the players you say we'd get our money back on would be right. I'd be very surprised if we could get our money back on Pickford, Mina or Gomes right now. Obviously things change and if they have good seasons we might get more than we paid, but at this moment in time I don't think anybody would be paying what we did. I also don't agree that we're lacking experience. Basically the average age of the team is generally in the mid 20s because virtually all of the team is in their mid 20s. It's not like we have a load of kids and just one or two older ones bringing the average up, it's just that almost everybody we play regularly is in that bracket of 23-29. There's a huge amount of top flight and international experience in this squad. They might not be very good, but that's a different point entirely.

As I said, I agree with the conclusion that we need a blend of youth and experience, and I don't hate the thought of bringing any of the three you mention in. It's clearly, indisputably, a massive change in emphasis though. Anyone who's saying this was all part of the plan and they can see exactly what the club is doing is kidding themselves though. Brands was very clear about reducing the age of the squad and looking for value. Bringing in Allan, Doucoure and James would be a complete about turn on that. I'm not saying thats necessarily a bad thing, but it is definitely a change in philosophy. That concerns me slightly if i'm honest.
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We’d easily get our money back on Gomes (22m), Pickford (25m) and Mina (27m).
 
Disgruntledgoat said:
Where do Branthwaite and Nkonku fit into this analysis?
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As has been discussed numerous times, there’s nothing out of the ordinary about their signings. They are, to a large extent, punts who have been bought for the under 23s. We always buy players like that, some work out some don’t. We’ll see how it goes with these 2.

I think you’ve misunderstood the point. Again, I’m not complaining about it, just saying it’s a definite change in emphasis. Brands is on record saying that we’d be targeting players 26 and under and that we couldn’t pay big wages. How does all of your major signings in one window being over 26 and one of them being paid £140k a week fit with that analysis?
 

Lanolin said:
Well that’s that sorted then, can’t argue with facts.
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It’s no different from you saying we wouldn’t.

Sheff United just signed Ramsdale for 19m.
Doucoure is linked for c25m from a relagated side.
Mina is an established international and you are getting players like Nathan Ake going for 40m.

I don’t think getting our money back would be as hard as you think.
 
mill said:
It’s no different from you saying we wouldn’t.

Sheff United just signed Ramsdale for 19m.
Doucoure is linked for c25m from a relagated side.
Mina is an established international and you are getting players like Nathan Ake going for 40m.

I don’t think getting our money back would be as hard as you think.
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Well said,Kind Sir.
 

mill said:
weve got richarlison, Holgate, DCL, Gordon, Branthwaite, Kean all in and around the first team. Not to mention the other lads like Davies and JJK who will be sold for a decent whack and have come through the first team.

plus the likes of digne, Mina, Gomes, Pickford, bernard and Keane who will all being in at least what we paid for them.

We don’t *just* need to buy and develop. We need experience. It’s what we are massively lacking.

the three players mentioned will massively impact the team, will make it easier to sign players and might get us into Europe.

We have plenty of resale value in the squad. You don’t need EVERY player to have resale value. You need depth of experience in a squad.

And we desperately need to start performing and not be less than the sum of our parts. Allan, Doucoure and James will make all around them better. We’ll score more and concede less and be more competitive.
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The charitable response to this is to say that I too have my fingers and toes crossed.
 
what is important is that the mindset of that side is changed; if this signing (and Allan) does that then a lot of the "flops" will turn out to have been quality all along - Davies and JJK especially
 

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