What Is The Clubs Transfer Strategy

[Salvatore Matrecano]

To go back to what is always my favourite subject, picked out a line from the Athletic article on Lamouchi’s sacking that is particularly damning. I think it tells its own story.


Forest have made an astonishing 70 signings since the summer of 2017 and been fortunate, in terms of financial fair play, that their academy has continued producing impressive young players who are then sold on to make up for the money that has been spent on fees and wages. Seven of Forest’s academy graduates are playing in the Premier League, and only one of their 70 signings.

[Username]

To go back to what is always my favourite subject, picked out a line from the Athletic article on Lamouchi’s sacking that is particularly damning. I think it tells its own story.


Forest have made an astonishing 70 signings since the summer of 2017 and been fortunate, in terms of financial fair play, that their academy has continued producing impressive young players who are then sold on to make up for the money that has been spent on fees and wages. Seven of Forest’s academy graduates are playing in the Premier League, and only one of their 70 signings.

Good catch SM. 

I suspect that is why there is concern by some as to work done during this transfer window.

[wassy04]

I thought I'd break this down as we didn't really have a chance due to the speed of the changeover between seasons. Hoping to help provide some defence as to our transfer business this summer (not all of it) I just wanted to focus on the existing squad we had and therefore provide an idea of how many players were required and where.

So from last year we lost:

Cash
Watson
Carvalho (not going to go into this minefield too much!)

Leaving us with the following squad:

GK
Samba
Smith (Backup)

Defenders
Jenkinson (backup)
Worrall
Figs (Backup)
Ribeiro (Backup)

Midfielders
Sow (injured)
Yates (Backup...)
Silva
Lolley
Ameobi (Backup)
Mighten (Backup)

Forwards
Grabban

The above IMO were the players from the squad at this point that were worth having in the squad. Perhaps sprinkling in some more academy players like Johnson if needed although sounds like he's benefitting from being on loan. 

I'm aware I've excluded a lot of players, feel free to add any you think still had any value in the squad. I would say the players I've excluded offer no value even as backups IMO. 

So based on the above and playing a 451 I'd suggest we required:
Starters
RB
LB
CB
DM
AM/F
Winger

Backups
GK
LB
CB
CM
Striker


So to improve the team and help take us to the next level I believed based on the above squad we required 6 new starters and potentially another 5 backups. I would be interested to see whether people agree or disagree with these two assessments? 

[Username]

We didn’t need another right back, unless they were a distinct upgrade. We had four.

We had two left backs Ribeiro and Bong. We didn’t need anymore unless they were a distinct upgrade.

We didn’t need anymore centre backs unless they were a distinct upgrade. We had four Figs, Worrall, Dawson and Benalouane. McKenna is a distinct upgrade. Soh, who knows for sure.

We needed a DM. We signed Bachirou, Colback and Cafu. We already had McGuane. I would have retained McGuane if they were the alternatives.

We don’t really play with an AM/F.

We needed a winger to supplement Mighten, Ameobi and Lolley.

We needed two strikers to support Grabban.

You buy cheap, you pay twice, or in our instance “you trade down, you pay twice”.

You are Vrentzos and I claim my £10.

[Strawberry Avenger]

I think when they can replicate the Academy philosophy through their acquisitions then they'll have a genuine transfer policy.

No pre season. Lots of (unfit) players to blend. Some of which won't work out. With a new manager who didn't do the preseason or bring in those players.

It needs time. And patience. That would be a good policy. You have to have the right manager for that. We finally have someone who knows what it takes.

These conversations re: policy. We don't stick with things and build upon then.

Hard to do if you keep chopping managers.

SA.

[wassy04]

We didn’t need another right back, unless they were a distinct upgrade.  We had four.

We had two left backs Ribeiro and Bong. We didn’t need anymore unless they were a distinct upgrade.

We didn’t need anymore centre backs unless they were a distinct upgrade. We had four Figs, Worrall, Dawson and Benalouane. McKenna is a distinct upgrade. Soh, who knows for sure.

We needed a DM. We signed Bachirou, Colback and Cafu. We already had McGuane. I would have retained McGuane if they were the alternatives.

We don’t really play with an AM/F.

We needed a winger to supplement Mighten, Ameobi and Lolley.

We needed two strikers to support Grabban.

You buy cheap, you pay twice, or in our instance “you trade down, you pay twice”.

You are Vrentzos and I claim my £10.

Haha, I was kind of hoping someone would actually engage with my point as opposed to just taking it off on a tangent.

Under CH we are playing with an AM/F every game.

If we wanted to get promoted do you think we needed to upgrade at RB/LB? 

The point I feel I clearly made was that we've signed a lot of trash in previous windows but that doesn't mean we should actually use them. A bloated squad is a symptom of that issue and the additions were required to improve the team.

I chose not to focus on the actual players we brought to fill those roles as I was hoping to gain a consensus that approximately 10 signings were actually required as one main complaint is the number of players without taking each one on its merit.

You have agreed we needed 6, plus I assume you'd want some depth too? I know that was a regular criticism last year by some posters

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Can those who were lauding our transfer policy this summer explain to me how we have managed to end up with such a slow squad? If there actually was a plan then surely you assess the squad and look to add to qualities we are lacking?
There wasnt that much pace last season, we relied on both full backs, we desperately wanted a bit of additional speed from forward players especially since our style was to play on the break. One of those full backs has departed and we recruited a load of pensioners, It was glaringly obvious to me that we were deficient. It showed last night, we poured numbers forward but it was just so pedestrian we never stretched the opposition defence.
Please dont tell me Mighten is the answer, Yet again its the bloody recruitment.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

99% of posters at the time were lauding it so you shouldn't be short of replies SM.

[Reds73]

Can those who were lauding our transfer policy this summer explain to me how we have managed to end up with such a slow squad? If there actually was a plan then surely you assess the squad and look to add to qualities we are lacking?
There wasnt that much pace last season, we relied on both full backs, we desperately wanted a bit of additional speed from forward players especially since our style was to play on the break. One of those full backs has departed and we recruited a load of pensioners, It was glaringly obvious to me that we were deficient. It showed last night, we poured numbers forward but it was just so pedestrian we never stretched the opposition defence.
Please dont tell me Mighten is the answer, Yet again its the bloody recruitment.

The biggest mistake in the last 6 months, was sticking with Sabri through the summer, giving him the players he asked for, and then sacking him.

He should have gone straight after the Stoke game.

I’m sure we would have had a very different squad, had Hughton come in with the close season to shape the squad.

[Madforit]

Can those who were lauding our transfer policy this summer explain to me how we have managed to end up with such a slow squad? If there actually was a plan then surely you assess the squad and look to add to qualities we are lacking?
There wasnt that much pace last season, we relied on both full backs, we desperately wanted a bit of additional speed from forward players especially since our style was to play on the break. One of those full backs has departed and we recruited a load of pensioners, It was glaringly obvious to me that we were deficient. It showed last night, we poured numbers forward but it was just so pedestrian we never stretched the opposition defence.
Please dont tell me Mighten is the answer, Yet again its the bloody recruitment.

The recruitment has been poor, and someone is not doing their homework on the players that have been signed, we do appear to be pedestrian, and if Maranakis and co want this club to be successful then they have do to the basics on the future players that they think will make a difference.

Personally I think we are getting there, but they need to wise up and get people in who can advise our recruitment team on the basics,  the scattergun approach is not good for the club long term and we need to learn and learn quickly, because we are seeing why we are near the foot of the championship, a lot of the players that were brought in the summer look as if they were panic buys/additions, which again shows that the powers that be at the club haven't learnt anything in regards to recruitment and a long term plan.

[ThePromisedLand]

Mr Marinakis & Chris Hughton are polar opposites.
One is desperate for success NOW whilst the other is much more conservative & happy to build gradually.
I wonder which is which?
More concerningly I worry that this can work.

[wassy04]

Can those who were lauding our transfer policy this summer explain to me how we have managed to end up with such a slow squad? If there actually was a plan then surely you assess the squad and look to add to qualities we are lacking?
There wasnt that much pace last season, we relied on both full backs, we desperately wanted a bit of additional speed from forward players especially since our style was to play on the break. One of those full backs has departed and we recruited a load of pensioners, It was glaringly obvious to me that we were deficient. It showed last night, we poured numbers forward but it was just so pedestrian we never stretched the opposition defence.
Please dont tell me Mighten is the answer, Yet again its the bloody recruitment.

The central midfield area does look pretty pedestrian although partly due to injuries. Honestly though I dont remember a lack of pace being raised as a key issue.

Christie has similar pace to cash, knockaert isn't slow, Taylor is faster than grabban (although badly needs a rest). I'd love to know where you think we desperately needed pace? Sounds like you're suggesting we needed even more signings...

Silva's value is definitely rising in his absence though, he covered a lot of ground during a game. I'm guessing Arter was meant to be his replacement? Or freeman maybe? Either way this has failed miserably.