Lloyd Sam

[Nottingham Fox]

Charlton's Lloyd Sam is being linked with a possible move to City in the summer. The Addicks winger is still to sign a new contract at the Valley and could become a free agent at the end of the season. City, QPR and Sheffield United are said to be watching developments.

From todays Mercury.

 

[DesertFox]

Is he like a shorter version of Jlloyd Samuel?

 

[alex]

Is he any good?

 

[Portugeezer]

Is he like a shorter version of Jlloyd Samuel?

:icon_bigg

 

[East Anglia Fox]

Surely we don't need a new winger anyway?

We've got Dyer, N'Guessen, and Gallagher seems to play there now too. In the summer we probably need some kind of defensive-midfield player.

 

[Miles Away]

Depends what division we are playing in next season.

 

[David Gwilliam]

He sounds like the kind of player who might adjust to Championship football. We do not want players who can adjust to championship football. We will only get promotion with players who are too good for the championship. If we are able to keep the present squad we need four players and no more - but those four players should be the best we can possibly afford. We need two new fullbacks. Morrison is IMO excellent but he may be needed at centreback. Berner is ageing. We need another quality midfielder. Howard is struggling at this level and we need a big striker to do the job Deane did under Micky Adams. Bringing in players for other positions will only reduce the amount of money available for the four.
It cannot be emphasized enough that championship standard players will only keep you in the Championship; they will not get you into the Prem.

 

[Matt_B]

He sounds like the kind of player who might adjust to Championship football. We do not want players who can adjust to championship football. We will only get promotion with players who are too good for the championship. If we are able to keep the present squad we need four players and no more - but those four players should be the best we can possibly afford. We need two new fullbacks. Morrison is IMO excellent but he may be needed at centreback. Berner is ageing. We need another quality midfielder. Howard is struggling at this level and we need a big striker to do the job Deane did under Micky Adams. Bringing in players for other positions will only reduce the amount of money available for the four.
It cannot be emphasized enough that championship standard players will only keep you in the Championship; they will not get you into the Prem.

What tosh. Why on earth would Prem class players go to a club in the Championship?

Maybe this kind of player IS the best we can afford?

 

[Doggie_muz]

He sounds like the kind of player who might adjust to Championship football. We do not want players who can adjust to championship football. We will only get promotion with players who are too good for the championship. If we are able to keep the present squad we need four players and no more - but those four players should be the best we can possibly afford. We need two new fullbacks. Morrison is IMO excellent but he may be needed at centreback. Berner is ageing. We need another quality midfielder. Howard is struggling at this level and we need a big striker to do the job Deane did under Micky Adams. Bringing in players for other positions will only reduce the amount of money available for the four.
It cannot be emphasized enough that championship standard players will only keep you in the Championship; they will not get you into the Prem.

This is a bit simplistic isn't it - many players who would have been deemed "Championship players" or worse have gone on to prove themselves at a higher level (look at almost the entirety of O'Neill's team). Dismissing the potential, totally unsubstantiated signing of Lloyd Sam because he comes from League 1 and didn't set the Championship alight when he was in it really limits your options in the transfer market.

I personally think Pearson has given us enough evidence to suggest that we can trust his ability in the transfer market (albeit with a couple of donkeys), whatever division that may be in.

 

[Hazzman]

He sounds like the kind of player who might adjust to Championship football. We do not want players who can adjust to championship football. We will only get promotion with players who are too good for the championship. If we are able to keep the present squad we need four players and no more - but those four players should be the best we can possibly afford. We need two new fullbacks. Morrison is IMO excellent but he may be needed at centreback. Berner is ageing. We need another quality midfielder. Howard is struggling at this level and we need a big striker to do the job Deane did under Micky Adams. Bringing in players for other positions will only reduce the amount of money available for the four.
It cannot be emphasized enough that championship standard players will only keep you in the Championship; they will not get you into the Prem.

Too simple David, money talks. These players you talk of would rather sit on the bench at lower Premiership clubs.

Anyway Sam has had Premiership experience if I remember correctly.

 

[Graz]

Plus how do you know he's not too good for the Championship?

Presumably because he's playing in League 1... but then you said Morrison is excellent, and he'd not played in the Championship until this season.

Ha, lawyered!

 

[The Old Fox]

Surely we don't need a new winger anyway?

We've got Dyer, N'Guessen, and Gallagher seems to play there now too. In the summer we probably need some kind of defensive-midfield player.

This is one side of the City management which has frustrated me for many years; certainly, well before NP's reign. We do not seem to look at which positions are lacking, we sign on a scatter gun style approach. Our friends at Forest are ten points clear because they had a significant amount of cash to spend but, much as it grieves me to say it, also because Davies bought shrewdly.
In the summer, we spent two million pounds on Wellens and Gallagher. Neither are bad players, it is simply that a player in a different position would have been of more value.

 

[Miles Away]

This is one side of the City management which has frustrated me for many years; certainly, well before NP's reign. We do not seem to look at which positions are lacking, we sign on a scatter gun style approach. Our friends at Forest are ten points clear because they had a significant amount of cash to spend but, much as it grieves me to say it, also because Davies bought shrewdly.
In the summer, we spent two million pounds on Wellens and Gallagher. Neither are bad players, it is simply that a player in a different position would have been of more value.

What positions?

 

[David Gwilliam]

What tosh. Why on earth would Prem class players go to a club in the Championship?

Maybe this kind of player IS the best we can afford?

I am delighted with the word "tosh". I have no doubt deserved the word many times but it is the first time it has been used against me.

If my memory serves me right we were in the championship when Muzzy and Neil Lennon joined us. I have a feeling that Weale may be Prem class (please don't prove me wrong tonight). I believe that Hobbs and Morrison have the potential to become Premiership players. I cannot prove this but I believe that Tunchev who joined us in League One was already Prem class.

My two points remain:
(1) the more players we sign the less quality we can afford
(2) if we only buy championship standard players we will stay in the championship.

Obviously this is not easy but Nigel must know that people become great managers by doing the difficult things. My gut feeling is that Nigel will eventually get us into the Prem though I will be pleasantly surprised if it is this season.

Meanwhile I am envious, Beighton. I wish I had been the first person to use "tosh" on this forum.

 

[The Old Fox]

A decent right back, rather than a freebie who even NP seems to have accepted as not good enough and, as East Anglian Fox suggests, a defensive midfielder would have been my top priorities.

Do you remember when Holloway came? He gave each player a piece of card and asked them to write their name and favoured position. He joked (how unusual!) that he had a team of right backs!

 

[Miles Away]

A decent right back, rather than a freebie who even NP seems to have accepted as not good enough and, as East Anglian Fox suggests, a defensive midfielder would have been my top priorities.

Do you remember when Holloway came? He gave each player a piece of card and asked them to write their name and favoured position. He joked (how unusual!) that he had a team of right backs!

Well, I would say that he attempted to fill in all the needed positions. Now, his success in the matter is open to some debate. But I don't think it is fair to say he didn't have a plan in terms of covering positions.

We needed a 'keeper...he signed one
We needed a right back...he signed one
We needed another midfielder with experience...he signed one
We needed better attacking options than Howard...you get the point

I'm not saying the players have all worked out, but I think it's clear that Pearson signs based on needs more than just picking players out of a hat.

 

[The Old Fox]

Well, I would say that he attempted to fill in all the needed positions. Now, his success in the matter is open to some debate. But I don't think it is fair to say he didn't have a plan in terms of covering positions.

We needed a 'keeper...he signed one
We needed a right back...he signed one
We needed another midfielder with experience...he signed one
We needed better attacking options than Howard...you get the point

I'm not saying the players have all worked out, but I think it's clear that Pearson signs based on needs more than just picking players out of a hat.

Weale was a good signing, I concede that point.

Neilson seems to have been almost a panic signing. I seem to remember Hearts fans jeering on TB when the transfer was announced. I cannot believe anyone from Leicester watched him play.

Saying that we needed and signed a midfielder is a bit weak: Wellens is a good player but, he is too similar to Oakley and King. All three want someone else to win the ball and pass to them to make the defence splitting pass. Gallagher is icing upon a cake that we haven't made.

When we come to attacking options, Gallagher is used as a midfield/winger and whilst Kermit may come good, he is not yet - and was a freebie. No serious money was spent upon this area.

 

[Miles Away]

Weale was a good signing, I concede that point.

Neilson seems to have been almost a panic signing. I seem to remember Hearts fans jeering on TB when the transfer was announced. I cannot believe anyone from Leicester watched him play.

Saying that we needed and signed a midfielder is a bit weak: Wellens is a good player but, he is too similar to Oakley and King. All three want someone else to win the ball and pass to them to make the defence splitting pass. Gallagher is icing upon a cake that we haven't made.

When we come to attacking options, Gallagher is used as a midfield/winger and whilst Kermit may come good, he is not yet - and was a freebie. No serious money was spent upon this area.

Again, I can't speak to the quality of the signing and I'd agree that not all have paid off. But I will admit to taking comfort that Pearson seemed to be a manager who had a plan when it came to signing players.

I've always heard Wellens billed as a tough-tackling, no nonsense type prior to his signing with us.

My feelings towards Neilson as a footballer are clear. He's shit. Gilbert would have been a better signing, and that, I suspect, was the plan. It got scuppered and we ended up with the sweaty.

Gallagher, again I speculate, is the long term replacement for Fryatt, and Pearson was probably fearful of losing Matty during the transfer window. As such, his place in the side is uncertain as long as Fryatt remains at the club (as long as possible I hope, he's been fantastic when I've seen him play).

So if I were to criticize Pearson's transfer policy, it would be that he has perhaps over-rated the odd player, not that he lacked planning. Make sense?

 

[alex]

Wellens is an excellent player - dip in form of late - but still a good player IMO.

 

[The Old Fox]

Again, I can't speak to the quality of the signing and I'd agree that not all have paid off. But I will admit to taking comfort that Pearson seemed to be a manager who had a plan when it came to signing players.

I've always heard Wellens billed as a tough-tackling, no nonsense type prior to his signing with us.

My feelings towards Neilson as a footballer are clear. He's shit. Gilbert would have been a better signing, and that, I suspect, was the plan. It got scuppered and we ended up with the sweaty.

Gallagher, again I speculate, is the long term replacement for Fryatt, and Pearson was probably fearful of losing Matty during the transfer window. As such, his place in the side is uncertain as long as Fryatt remains at the club (as long as possible I hope, he's been fantastic when I've seen him play).

So if I were to criticize Pearson's transfer policy, it would be that he has perhaps over-rated the odd player, not that he lacked planning. Make sense?

I feel that I may have to concede another point here, your argument re: Gallagher appears sound but, I feel the need to fight on in respect of Wellens and Neilson.

In both cases, I take your point but, whilst as fans, I think it entirely acceptable that your - as was my - understanding was that Wellens was a tackler, I would expect a bit of research before spending £1 million+.

I would also like to think that you are correct in surmising that Neilson was a second choice, however, the need for a right back was not something that was sprung upon the management and more than one good prospect should have been scouted.