So much for keeping it quiet...

[martin tyler]

Kayal, Stephens, and Ince would be the 3 I would want to see start next year.
I would be happy with Stockdale (although Walton needs games soon or we will lose him), and dunk also at this level as potential starters but if offers for dunk were £6-7 million mark I would take it but not for £2 million as I doubt we could replace him with that.
After that the the squad needs a total revamp.
RB with Bruno as cover, LB with Calderon as cover, CB with Greer 3rd choice and a youngster 4th.
CM 3 as mentioned with maybe a creative players added with JFC and Crofts also offering cover
Wide players both sides especially goal scoring wide players with Lualua also kept as an alternative
2 new forwards with Baldock being kept
The rest should be sold.

 

[GT49er]

Interesting. Is the Guardian article based on the sort of Moneyball stats that have apparently blighted our last few transfer windows, or is he actually a very good player, and we're too hyper-critical of our own when things aren't going well?

 

[Uncle Buck]

On the basis that he still makes a lot of mistakes if we were to get a decent fee for him, at this stage, it would be up there with the £1.5m we got for Virgo.

Really would need to be shown on Crimewatch...

 

[Stuart Munday]

Ince will be gone before Dunk.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Interesting. Is the Guardian article based on the sort of Moneyball stats that have apparently blighted our last few transfer windows, or is he actually a very good player, and we're too hyper-critical of our own when things aren't going well?

I think he is a very good player, just one who hasn't been at the top of his game since the turn of the year. We are very critical on here when things are not going well. Amidst all the recent moaning about the players that we have let go I'm pretty sure you can find several threads devoted to how sh*t they were while they were here, Murray and Ulloa in particular.

I would rather keep Dunk but an offer in the region of £5m would be hard to turn down as CB is one of the easier positions to fill in the squad, hell we are actually pretty good at producing them ourselves.

 

[Withdean11]

I'd be amazed if we got anything over £2million for him. Far too many mistakes and will get exposed in the Premier League.

Ince/March/Walton are much better prospects IMO.

 

[herecomesaregular]

Seems like a nice boy, average player whose failings seem to be swept over because he's local, he can stride forward with the ball at his feet occasionally and for one season he has scored a few goals at set pieces. Happy to keep him as he could be good enough to help us in a promotion challenge (bit like Elphick, Cook). However, any offer over £1.5 million I would accept!

edit - pleased the article is out as maybe his price can go up a bit.

 

[stss30]

I think Dunk comes in for a bit of unfair stick on here, he does make mistakes but he has had to play alongside liability Greer and Halford (who has done alright but is still a new partnership for him).

If we played him alongside a regular, consistent Championship centre back think his confidence would grow and grow as he has all the attributes to become a top player imo.

 

[Withdean11]

I think Dunk comes in for a bit of unfair stick on here, he does make mistakes but he has had to play alongside liability Greer and Halford (who has done alright but is still a new partnership for him).

If we played him alongside a regular, consistent Championship centre back think his confidence would grow and grow as he has all the attributes to become a top player imo.

Funnily enough, Greer played a lot better when partnering Halford instead of Greer..

 

[GT49er]

I'd be amazed if we got anything over £2million for him. Far too many mistakes and will get exposed in the Premier League.

Ince/March/Walton are much better prospects IMO.

Everybody seems much better when they're a 'prospect' though, don't they? I'm sure Dunk and JFC were much better when they were still prospects!

 

[stss30]

Funnily enough, Greer played a lot better when partnering Halford instead of Greer..

Disagree, I think the defence in the main has looked shaky for most this season, the recent chopping and changing with Dunk in and out of the side hasn't helped and there's been several errors from the fullbacks, Bennett in particular.

I think it would be absolute madness to sell Dunk for £1.5-2 million, he looked quality in our first season back in the Championship before all the court case business and he won't have lost his ability. Plus his goals have helped keep us up this season.

 

[bhawoddy]

I think he makes too many mistakes to survive in the prem at the moment. Maybe a concentration issue possibly.

yes, he makes mistakes. play him week in week out in the prem and watch his game improve.........

 

[Withdean11]

yes, he makes mistakes. play him week in week out in the prem and watch his game improve.........

Yep, just like it did for Bridcutt and Buckley

 

[GT49er]

Funnily enough, Greer played a lot better when partnering Halford instead of Greer..

Yep, Greer partnering Greer could come up a bit short ..........

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Yep, Greer partnering Greer could come up a bit short ..........

Too Samey?

 

[GT49er]

Too Samey?

Too slow!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Too slow!

But balanced.

 

[GT49er]

But balanced.

Yeh, OK. Fair enough. Pity Sami or CH didn't try it .........

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Yeh, OK. Fair enough. Pity Sami or CH didn't try it .........

He was quality when played alongside Upson. If he doesn't go we should get a quality CB to partner him and he'll shine.

 

[Rod Marsh]

Kayal, Stephens, and Ince would be the 3 I would want to see start next year.
I would be happy with Stockdale (although Walton needs games soon or we will lose him), and dunk also at this level as potential starters but if offers for dunk were £6-7 million mark I would take it but not for £2 million as I doubt we could replace him with that.
After that the the squad needs a total revamp.
RB with Bruno as cover, LB with Calderon as cover, CB with Greer 3rd choice and a youngster 4th.
CM 3 as mentioned with maybe a creative players added with JFC and Crofts also offering cover
Wide players both sides especially goal scoring wide players with Lualua also kept as an alternative
2 new forwards with Baldock being kept
The rest should be sold.

A few months ago I would have agreed with you that Kayal, Stephens and Ince would be an ideal starting midfield 3. However, now I would cash in on Ince if a decent offer came in. I don't think he will ever be good enough on the ball to be a top notch defensive midfielder. Initially I liked him playing because of his size, energy and pace but looking at sides like Bournemouth, Derby, Watford and the way they play I'd be inclined to go for another technical player like Kayal. Who that would be I don't know.

It's not an opinion on here that I'm sure that will be shared by many. I think he should be a bench player. Certainly not a regular starter unless his first touch and passing improves.