What position requires a 7 figure signing?

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Why isn't Crofts the answer to our 'direct attacking midfielder' problem.

We were certainly a different side without him.

In my oh so humble opinion Crofts lacks a few attributes to be our direct attacking outlet. Ideally someone for this position would have pace, vision and a bit of skill. I like Crofts but I don't think these are his key skills.

 

[Triggaaar]

Even if we don't sell Ulloa, I think we'll try and spend a fair bit on another striker. It may be that we spend on wages rather than a fee though, depends who's available.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

A new 3rd choice striker may well require some sort of fee.

 

[supaseagull]

My player on Fifa 14 can do all those as well. I'm available for about £2.5m

Fifa 14 isn't real...Her Grandson is.

 

[Grombleton]

Fifa 14 isn't real...Her Grandson is.

Woah! Break it to me a bit gentler next time!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

We need a decent creative player, preferably one who's also good at free kicks, corners and penalties.

A 'Spanish Dave' but who can put a tackle in.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

A decent winger. Conway would have done, but someone younger who isn't injury prone would be better.

A CB who is 23/24 with good potential for the future and can be a starter now.

 

[Acker79]

"Need" or "require" are such extreme terms.

It is possible to succeed with cheaper talent. Of course it is. Finding the right player, taking a risk on players who struggle to get picked up (injury, attitude, disciplinary reasons), finding an overlooked gem, getting the perfect combo of players/system/manager, a good fixture list that allows you to face teams at the best time (after a cup replay, after a particularly big game where they have to "come down" to a lesser opponent/game, when they are struggling with injuries etc), and allowing you to build momentum with a run of weaker teams giving you the confidence to face a tougher team, and so on. It's also possible to get success through consistency, keeping the same team over a season or more.


But, generally speaking, the better the player the more expensive they are. With the money and increased player quality in the championship thanks to parachute payments, and medium term premier league teams coming down with their squads (fulham, bolton, blackburn, wigan, etc), as well as short term premier league teams (cardiff, norwich, etc) bringing some of their premier league signings, to compete we have an increased need to better players/team. While it is possible to do it the way described above, it isn't common to do so. If we can't find the bargains, that means spending relatively big money on at least one or two players.

At this level, I would say the best places to spend that money would be:

Goalkeeper - last season the 6 teams that scored fewer goals than us made up 6 of the bottom 7 teams, yet we finished 6th, a strong defence helps, but you also need a keeper behind that defence. Though keepers tend to stick with clubs where they play regularly. You'd only need to spend millions on this position if you want to buy someone who is playing regularly. I don't see us doing that, but might have to spend bigger on wages for the better available keeper.

Creative midfielder - To spend the 7 figures on this position really needs to be something special, though. Someone who can make an average striker prolific with his creativity, someone who almost single handedly lifts the team up. I don't think we need that sort of player.

Striker - Goals win games. Do we need to spend millions on one? I don't know, it's might be dangerous to assume that Ulloa will stick around and unless we find a hidden gem, yes we do need to. I do think we need to add to our strike force. We have Ulloa (for now) and CMS. Fenelon is doing well pre-season, but Ashley Barnes did well last pre-season (including a hattrick) and he only managed 6 goals over half a season (though that did make him joint 2nd highest scorer), so would like some more options in the front line.


If you can get the right players it shouldn't matter if they don't cost over 1m, but we should also be aware that to get the right player to improve the team in a way that gives us a decent chance of a top 6 might mean spending big.

 

[middletoenail]

The one we missed out on big time was Virgil Van Dyke. I would love us to spend big on a young centre back.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We need a decent creative player, preferably one who's also good at free kicks, corners and penalties.

The basic skills of a professional footballer you mean? Due to FFP restrictions, we'll probably have to settle for one that is just good at corners. Still, even that would be an improvement on last season.

 

[forumwayseagull]

Based on in Jan and Summer we have made 1million pound plus bids for a striker (Grabban and Baldock) I would assume that is where we will splash out. We also bid for Abdomah at boro and potentially odubajo at Orient in Jan and summer so I suspect money of sizeable amount there..
Re other positions, if we are still after Clayton (bid million for him in jan) then that could well be another area. LB, CB and GK even if we buy them won't be for big transfer fees, ( maybe big wages?)

 

[The Birdman]

We need a decent creative player, preferably one who's also good at free kicks, corners and penalties.

I got a Seventeen year old nephew who can do all this with both feet.

 

[Stat Brother]

A CB who is 23/24 with good potential for the future and can be a starter now.

Don't we already have that player in the shape of Dunk, who'll be bringing along Rae and Dallison (sp).

 

[S'hampton Seagull]

A decent winger. Conway would have done, but someone younger who isn't injury prone would be better.

A CB who is 23/24 with good potential for the future and can be a starter now.

I would say Dunk ticks this box and we have Maksimenko as well. Do we need another? I don't think so.