2022/23 Kevin Thelwell

[PhilM]

The thing is we did actually rectify this with Danjuma. Problem was that the player took one look at the mess that was going on here and changed his mind. Players like Ings didn't want to come here.

Aye, I get the point that we were dealing with it and probably felt it was resolved, but for whatever reason it wasn't got over the line so in reality it's irrelevant.

Whoever or whatever is to blame, we still ended the window without a forward, when we had the whole of the WC period and January to secure an addition.

Some may say we missed a bullet with Danjuma (does he have the fight we need if he's happy to sit on the bench), but ultimately it would have been an option.

Although to be fair, he isn't even really a forward like we need, so it was a weird one anyway. Whatever the reason, it's negligent on behalf of the club.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I've said it before, many times, but at the end of last season our two key areas of weakness were a woeful defence and a non-existent midfield.

They were the priority and, arguably, Thelwell and whoever else was involved has rectified some of those issues. That's something people often ignore.

But, and it's a BIG but, we all knew that Richarlison was off after the Palace game, so everyone was well aware that our forward line would become the issue.

To some extent, I can understand why that may not have been rectified in the summer (other priorities, belief in Gordon and Dom etc.), but January is bizarre.

Rightly or wrongly, all the potential positives from the summer window will be put aside if we go down due to not having a decent forward available for a year.

There are obviously issues behind the scene that are limiting our ability to bring players in, but we've got to believe there was at least one suitable option, out there.

Thelwell's reputation here will metaphorically live or die on the no-forward hill.

I still totally disagree that going after defenders and midfielders was priority. You need goals to stay in this league. I said it all summer so its not hindsight.

Lots of the sides at the bottom in recent years have been at least average defensively, Burnley being a prime example. If you do not have the ability to score goals and carry a threat it means you are relying on pretty much perfection in defence every week and that's totally unsustainable. We arent significantly better in defence either, its a small improvement for me.

I'm not ignoring the fact we are a bit better at the back and across the middle of the pitch. I just dont agree that was ever going to be something that translated into winning more points and moving away from safety.
Prioritising other positions and refusing to replace DCL and Richarlison is exactly why we are in huge trouble. Not replacing Gordon just made things even more difficult.

 

[Moomin]

He gets a pass for leaving us with the worst attacking options in the league?

We've brought in over 100m in fees for selling attackers and signed Maupay and McNeil. I struggle to think how someone could have done worse

Lampard, just like several other managers, got sacked due to dire recruitment. The same will eventually happen to Dyche after they didn't back him.

Blamimg a previous manager for our lack of a striker seems like a bit of a wind up to me as well. Fairly boring stuff. He had to go but the problems are still the same.

He needs to resolve the forward issue. Compared to Brands and Walsh the funds he has at his disposal are limited.

Lets see how the new appointments do in there new roles before ripping it all up to start again.

 

[Simon Buttle]

We had 8 days after the Danjuma deal fell through, did we have a list of 1 or something? Because not having an alternative lined up is also unacceptable.

Nobody wanted to come to us though unless you know different? Also we can't force another team to give us their player just because we are desperate. we are being hampered by our finances which are still a massive stranglehold around us, yes it's very frustrating but it's due to the chronic mismanagement from above.

 

[Nymzee]

I still totally disagree that going after defenders and midfielders was priority. You need goals to stay in this league. I said it all summer so its not hindsight.

Lots of the sides at the bottom in recent years have been at least average defensively, Burnley being a prime example. If you do not have the ability to score goals and carry a threat it means you are relying on pretty much perfection in defence every week and that's totally unsustainable.

I'm not ignoring the fact we are a bit better at the back and across the middle of the pitch. I just dont agree that was ever going to be something that translated into winning more points and moving away from safety. Prioritising other positions and refusing to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison is exactly why we are in huge trouble. Not replacing Gordon just made things even more difficult.

I think maybe you need to just go back and watch the Bournemouth cup game to understand why signings defenders and midfielders was a priority in the Summer.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I think maybe you need to just go back and watch the Bournemouth cup game to understand why signings defenders and midfielders was a priority in the Summer.

It wasn't the top priority, it was goals.

 

[Nymzee]

He needs to resolve the forward issue. Compared to Brands and Walsh the funds he has at his disposal are limited.

Lets see how the new appointments do in there new roles before ripping it all up to start again.

Well we have seen. He’s had 2 windows. If you can’t be creative without unlimited funds what use are you to a business that needs to make money.

 

[kenada_blue]

Yeah that is a list, though half of them were looking for better clubs. In the past we could attract Lukaku and a few top players with potential , lol even James 3 years ago, but now the problem is - and BK / Moshiri are a cause of this reputation - we don't look like we are a good club to play for. even when we were not in the top half consistently, we were able to attract people like Kanchelskis, and then later Yakubu...money and potential can help attract players to us, but I wonder if it's the mess that we portray makes us look like it's not worth signing.

They weren't. Kudus refused to train as he wanted to come, Mudryk would've been sold if we'd upped the bid from £30mill to £40mill. Both ended up shining in the champos league and their price doubled.

A large part of it is purely down to poor decisions. Relying on Calvert Lewin even though he's made of pringles. Not selling Gordon in the summer for stupid money even though his head was turned.

If both were taken into consideration, we'd have had more to work with.

 

[DualityNSNO]

I think maybe you need to just go back and watch the Bournemouth cup game to understand why signings defenders and midfielders was a priority in the Summer.

And the game after the Bournemouth cup game, ironically also against Bournemouth lol

 

[ToffeeTim]

He needs to resolve the forward issue. Compared to Brands and Walsh the funds he has at his disposal are limited.

Lets see how the new appointments do in there new roles before ripping it all up to start again.

If we go down he doesnt deserve more time to implement changes. He will have failed in his basic task of keeping us a top flight club.

 

[kenada_blue]

Nobody wanted to come to us though unless you know different? Also we can't force another team to give us their player just because we are desperate. we are being hampered by our finances which are still a massive stranglehold around us, yes it's very frustrating but it's due to the chronic mismanagement from above.

Not correct. We left if that long we came across as desperate so agents and club's upped prices. Additionally we didn't want to spend any money and wanted small installments up front and cover over years.

We ended up last minute asking Giroud if he wanted to come on loan...and asking Watford for Sarr for a £6mill loan fee

 

[Nymzee]

And the game after the Bournemouth cup game, ironically also against Bournemouth lol

We’ve lost games with the new defence and midfield, obviously, but that game with last seasons spine was a stark reminder. Whilst goals are required we’d have shipped SO much more if we didn’t strengthen there.

 

[Gilbert..]

For the time being he gets a pass as the main issue was Lampard and he was manager before he joined.

Isnt a huge part of the DOF job to make sure the squad is at least balanced and fit for purpose in line with a manager or no manager. I thought part of the duty was to make sure things ticked over even in the absence of a manager who has left his post.
Im repeating myself here. But we had no striker to put on the pitch on the opening day of the season. Yesterday. At the end of febuary we lost a game because we had virtually no options to select up front.
He's failed.

 

[Charro]

What is the actual point in asking people on a forum this? We do not get paid to scout and sign football players. You are never in a billion years going to convince me that there wasn’t a single option in world football that we could’ve brought in who would offer more than Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms.

Because he said there strikers with a good goalscoring record who we could afford.

I just asked who he thought these strikers were as we have no money.

Looks like the best about was a unit from Belgium and a lad from france whos done not very much and is in his late mid to late 20s.

Tells me all I need to know.

Maupay is better than both of them.

 

[Walken]

From the recent appointments made I'm doubting he will be directly involved in scouting