2020/21 Marcel Brands

blue1948 · January 31, 2021

toffee-L said:
It's not really kneejerk though is it? Lots of people expressed concern in October that not replacing Kean or Walcott left us short of options upfront. We look like we're about to let two more attackers leave with no replacements lined up.

Yes, I'm happy for the most part that these players are being moved on but to not even have a loan coming in to give us some options is utterly mental. That was a Championship level bench we had yesterday, which we couldn't even fill with nine players and it included two goalkeepers.

Do you not think that Carlo was using the bench to send a message ? There is no way he couldn't fill it if he had wanted to .

LouReedwalkonthewildside · January 31, 2021

Just to play Devil's advocate for a minute, maybe Brands has been told there is no cash available in this window?

Bluestar · January 31, 2021

LouReedwalkonthewildside said:
Just to play Devil's advocate for a minute, maybe Brands has been told there is no cash available in this window?

Quite possible.

Country Mac · January 31, 2021

He’s been here for three years and the squad still desperately lacks quality. That’s on him.

kenada_blue · January 31, 2021

MACCA75 said:
Just any forward player would do tbh. An Enner Valencia type loan are ten a penny.

Would rather have Siggurdson as the lone striker

TheSecondComing · January 31, 2021

LouReedwalkonthewildside said:
Just to play Devil's advocate for a minute, maybe Brands has been told there is no cash available in this window?

Then why is he decimating the squad?

LouReedwalkonthewildside · January 31, 2021

TheSecondComing said:
Then why is he decimating the squad?

Massive wage bill, maybe he's been told that we need to get rid of the deadwood to get the wage bill down mate. This isn't me sticking up for him by the way, as I say, just playing Devil's advocate.

BlueStevie35 · January 31, 2021

TheSecondComing said:
Then why is he decimating the squad?

To trim the wage bill, except we’re still paying a percentage on Tosun’s and Bolasie’s wages

TheSecondComing · January 31, 2021

BlueStevie35 said:
To trim the wage bill, except we’re still paying a percentage on Tosun’s and Bolasie’s wages

That’s fine but are we saying we are that desperate it’s sounding like the Kenwright days?

He’s left Carlo possibly with one attacking sub two at a push a week which none of them are a striker and one he doesn’t trust.

I can’t see at the moment how anyone can window dress up to be short of negligent from the club and Brands?

BlueStevie35 · January 31, 2021

TheSecondComing said:
That’s fine but are we saying we are that desperate it’s sounding like the Kenwright days?

He’s left Carlo possibly with one attacking sub two at a push a week which none of them are a striker and one he doesn’t trust.

I can’t see at the moment how anyone can window dress up to be short of negligent from the club and Brands?

It’s massively negligent if we don’t sign anyone tomorrow, no one can deny that but at the same time we have one of the biggest wage bills in the entire league, we can’t add to that without deleting some high earners

Toff33Blues99 · January 31, 2021

Nymzee said:
Wake up mate it’s 2021. Football doesn’t work how it does on those black and white VHS tapes anymore.

I mean it does but its been overly complicated by money men and glorified chief scouts. Substituted chief exec for DoF.
Players are still identified by the scouting network and managers recommendation (see James and Allan)

toffee-L · January 31, 2021

blue1948 said:
Do you not think that Carlo was using the bench to send a message ? There is no way he couldn't fill it if he had wanted to .

Possibly so in terms of actually filling the bench with bodies, but it's not even like he can throw Simms on there as a token gesture now. We really are on the bones of our arse in terms of attacking options and rolling the dice that both DcL and Richy firstly come back into form and stay healthy.

I just don't understand why we're taking such massive risks.

Tubey · January 31, 2021

Tin-Tin said:
That just means nobody has wanted our overpaid crap for the last 3 years. Take Sandro for example, how on earth are you going to get someone to take a chance on him but pay him £100+k a week? Nobody. Do you have to keep loaning him out hoping someone covers a portion. Rinse and repeat with others

Yes, that flies for three transfer windows - it no longer does for five in my eyes.

At that point you simply haven't done the job. I don't care how bad they are or how well paid they are, to have five chances to do something about it is enough to expect a return better than what he's done.

jazzy · January 31, 2021

I think Brands has got 36 hours to save his job and our season.

He has given Carlo a weak and totally unbalanced squad for the the remainder of the season.

The minimum required of him is to bring in either on loan or permanent deals a pacy striker who can cover all 3 forward positions and a defensive midfielder.

If he doesnt then the season is effectively finished .

The alternative as I speculated yesterday and as suggested above is that the club is really skint , in which case we have had far bigger problems than Brands can deal with.