Speculation The hysterical and annoying, but traditional, totally unfounded summer 2022 rumours thread

[parafox]

I think we'll be seeing that headline a lot in the next few weeks.

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

Lingard? Calvani? Pogba? Angel di Matia? Danny Drinkwater?

 

[Brown Nose]

Players currently on our books, contracted for the 22/23 season, that we'd have to name in our 25 man squad:

Schmeichel, Ward, Iversen, Stolarczyk
Justin, Fofana, Soyuncu, Bertrand, Evans, Brunt, Amartey, Ricardo, Vestergaard, Castagne, Thomas
Barnes, Tielemans, Maddison, Ndidi, Praet, Soumare, Choudhury, Albrighton, Wright, Leshabela, Mendy, Dewsbury-Hall, Suengchitthawon, Eppiah
Iheanacho, Hirst, Vardy, Perez, Daka

That's 34 before we make any signings.

We have a bloated squad of players, and, so far, none of them appear to be going anywhere. If we want a conservative estimate of 5 new signings this summer, we need to lose at least 14 from this list. Several will obviously end up as loans but how have we allowed ourselves to be such a soft touch club?

This is where the increased prices comes from. Rudkin and Rodgers are incapable of managing a sensible sized squad of players. There are very few links away from the club. I'd suggest that is because we are paying inferior players too much and they're on too easy a gig here.

Remember that our accounts showed staff costs for 20/21 at £192m (salaries £159m) and this figure will have increased since then.

 

[Lako42]

I think this transfer window has far more chance of being a complete disaster for us.

 

[londonfox]

Players currently on our books, contracted for the 22/23 season, that we'd have to name in our 25 man squad:

Schmeichel, Ward, Iversen, Stolarczyk
Justin, Fofana, Soyuncu, Bertrand, Evans, Brunt, Amartey, Ricardo, Vestergaard, Castagne, Thomas
Barnes, Tielemans, Maddison, Ndidi, Praet, Soumare, Choudhury, Albrighton, Wright, Leshabela, Mendy, Dewsbury-Hall, Suengchitthawon, Eppiah
Iheanacho, Hirst, Vardy, Perez, Daka

That's 34 before we make any signings.

We have a bloated squad of players, and, so far, none of them appear to be going anywhere. If we want a conservative estimate of 5 new signings this summer, we need to lose at least 14 from this list. Several will obviously end up as loans but how have we allowed ourselves to be such a soft touch club?

This is where the increased prices comes from. Rudkin and Rodgers are incapable of managing a sensible sized squad of players. There are very few links away from the club. I'd suggest that is because we are paying inferior players too much and they're on too easy a gig here.

Remember that our accounts showed staff costs for 20/21 at £192m (salaries £159m) and this figure will have increased since then.

I agree with your point about a bloated squad. But a lot of players in that list who won’t make the Premier League squad:

Stolarczykk, Brunt, Praet, Wright, Leshabela, Eppiah, Hirts, the Thai fella. And there’s got to be doubts over Choudhury and possibly Bertrand. Maybe even Perez. But it’ll make for a bad atmosphere if they all do a Mendy and are still at the club but can’t play in the league.

But there is still a long way to go in the window. Not that I’m saying I thrust the current brains trust to make good decisions. But there will be outgoings.

 

[FOX Franks]

I agree with your point about a bloated squad. But a lot of players in that list who won’t make the Premier League squad:

Stolarczykk, Brunt, Praet, Wright, Leshabela, Eppiah, Hirts, the Thai fella. And there’s got to be doubts over Choudhury and possibly Bertrand. Maybe even Perez. But it’ll make for a bad atmosphere if they all do a Mendy and are still at the club but can’t play in the league.

But there is still a long way to go in the window. Not that I’m saying I thrust the current brains trust to make good decisions. But there will be outgoings.

I am aghast that we have Bertrand a multi year contract.
That was crazy.

 

[Miles Away]

Pope gone Newcastle, Minamino to Monaco.

 

[H T B]

I am aghast that we have Bertrand a multi year contract.
That was crazy.

Oh hindsight ……

seasoned left back with loads of experience on a free. At the time it was seen as a no brainier by many
Probably you as well.

 

[jb5000]

Oh hindsight ……

seasoned left back with loads of experience on a free. At the time it was seen as a no brainier by many
Probably you as well.

I still maintain that until he got Covid he looked perfectly fine.

 

[H T B]

I still maintain that until he got Covid he looked perfectly fine.

In the preseason friendly v those ****s in yellow , him, Cags n Wes were playing bloody well
Had such optimism for the season
Alas

 

[jb5000]

Who knows, maybe a good break will set him right? We just need an experienced head who can do a decent job and bring Thomas on, he absolutely looked that part to begin with

 

[Brown Nose]

I still maintain that until he got Covid he looked perfectly fine.

My memory is that we were awful through preseason last year. The exception was the first half against Villarreal where we suddenly looked world beaters.

Bertrand was in keeping with this. He played well in that game. However I cannot recall any other occasion where he was competent.

It would make sense that he was impacted by Covid but that excuse only goes so far. He was dreadful for months until quietly disappearing to have a knee operation.

My take is that he most likely had a knee problem which was the main factor and Covid was just additional. He was so slow that he surely must have been impeded somehow.

He's had quite a lot of injuries including several knee related absences and a previous knee op.

It would hardly be a surprise if we had played him despite the knee problem as it seems to be BRs approach.

He's either recovered or he's not. It's worth seeing that in preseason because I'd rather he be our back up left back and we send Thomas on loan. With no European football and Thomas now being over 21, there is no benefit to having him here over (a competent) Bertrand.

 

[popillius]

Oh hindsight ……

seasoned left back with loads of experience on a free. At the time it was seen as a no brainier by many
Probably you as well.

Or there were those of us who could see that he was a disaster of a signing who'd been out of his depth at a shite Southampton side.

That signing never, ever made any sense. At least the Vestergaard signing was logical; he'd had a brilliant season and a cracking international tournament. Bertrand looked past it two years previous.

 

[H T B]

Or there were those of us who could see that he was a disaster of a signing who'd been out of his depth at a shite Southampton side.

That signing never, ever made any sense. At least the Vestergaard signing was logical; he'd had a brilliant season and a cracking international tournament. Bertrand looked past it two years previous.

Yeah, ok

 

[fitz]

Or there were those of us who could see that he was a disaster of a signing who'd been out of his depth at a shite Southampton side.

That signing never, ever made any sense. At least the Vestergaard signing was logical; he'd had a brilliant season and a cracking international tournament. Bertrand looked past it two years previous.

Ah but he's England's 6th best left back or something. Right after Ashley Young and Joe Mattock.

 

[popillius]

Ah but he's England's 6th best left back or something. Right after Ashley Young and Joe Mattock.

Honestly, you couldn't make this shit up. Loads of us could see what a stupid signing he was..... except the people that make the decisions of course the dopey ****s.

 

[popillius]

Yeah, ok

Thanks for the affirmation, I guess?

 

[fitz]

Honestly, you couldn't make this shit up. Loads of us could see what a stupid signing he was..... except the people that make the decisions of course the dopey ****s.

I've never rated him in the 40+ years he's been a promising youngster at Chelsea, so my opinion on the signing was never going to be unbiased. The English left back ranking thing always made me chuckle when we were rumoured to sign him. I'm probably in England's top 50 left backs.

 

[Blue Maniac]

I've never rated him in the 40+ years he's been a promising youngster at Chelsea, so my opinion on the signing was never going to be unbiased. The English left back ranking thing always made me chuckle when we were rumoured to sign him. I'm probably in England's top 50 left backs.

you're number 44 I think

 

[lazzer]

I feel like we should all have a group hug guys.