Transfer Rumour Everton poised to make £25m bid for Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney

[ToePeg]

..Robinson or Connolly surely.

I keep hearing about him but haven't seen him play.
If Silva and Brands consider him suitable I would feel comfortable with it.
As a supporter you have to support and trust those decisions when a new management team comes in and give them a chance.

 

[ultra]

MULLING OVER A BID

Marcel the Muller, after Dithering Davie?

 

[ToePeg]

I don’t know why we can’t juat find creative solutions like everyone else does. Kenny covering leftback, Robinson being given a game, a midfielder like Besic doing a job for a while, switching to 3 at the back and playing an attacking wing back instead. Allardyce has so many other options available last season other than just putting Martina at left back but he didn’t try any of them.

That's the crux though. Allardyce would rather play an experienced pro, without much thought to his ability, than have to spend time coaching prodigious talents who may occasionally make mistakes and endanger his hard won points.
We have been linked with a couple of different versatile defenders so maybe this is part of the plan.
This is the honeymoon period and I for one am optimistic about the new manager and dof set up. It might be the start of something beautiful.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Bainsey picked him as his replacement fwiw.

 

[Eggs]

I keep hearing about him but haven't seen him play.
If Silva and Brands consider him suitable I would feel comfortable with it.
As a supporter you have to support and trust those decisions when a new management team comes in and give them a chance.

..both Connolly and Robinson have proven themselves at Championship level. Robinson is a conventional LB, whereas Connolly is a utility player. For me, it’s pointless sending them on further loans. Use them or sell them. Robinson has defensive flaws but he’s a fine runner and can get involved in the top third. I’d have Robinson over Martina.

 

[ToePeg]

Bainsey picked him as his replacement fwiw.

Hopefully turns out better than when Alex Ferguson picked his replacement.

 

[Lanolin]

I don’t know why we can’t juat find creative solutions like everyone else does. Kenny covering leftback, Robinson being given a game, a midfielder like Besic doing a job for a while, switching to 3 at the back and playing an attacking wing back instead. Allardyce has so many other options available last season other than just putting Martina at left back but he didn’t try any of them.

But when we try these 'creative solutions' and they don't work people go apoplectic. When Martinez put Baines in midfield people wanted him committed. People still laugh/cry about Steve Watson playing up front, or Moyes trying Rodwell on the wing. The use of DCL out wide and Rooney in midfield were 'creative solutions' last season, how well were they received?

 

[Lanolin]

..both Connolly and Robinson have proven themselves at Championship level. Robinson is a conventional LB, whereas Connolly is a utility player. For me, it’s pointless sending them on further loans. Use them or sell them. Robinson has defensive flaws but he’s a fine runner and can get involved in the top third. I’d have Robinson over Martina.

I agree on Connolly who has now had quite a lot of senior exposure. If he's not ready now then we probably have to let him move on. Doesn't mean he'll never get there, but we can't wait forever. Disagree on Robinson, one season of senior football isn't always enough for a young player so i'd have no qualms sending him out again. He'd surely develop much more playing every week at a decent level than maybe getting 4/5 run outs for us.

 

[ToePeg]

..both Connolly and Robinson have proven themselves at Championship level. Robinson is a conventional LB, whereas Connolly is a utility player. For me, it’s pointless sending them on further loans. Use them or sell them. Robinson has defensive flaws but he’s a fine runner and can get involved in the top third. I’d have Robinson over Martina.

Definitely agree with the limit on loaning players out.
A good seasons loan for most young players you're not completely sure of is fine but not a revolving door loan policy.
If they've had a loan and still aren't considered good enough then plainly they're not good enough. You have to move them on for the health of our club and for their career.
I saw you mentioned Pennington in the other thread, prime example, confused and surprised to see him get a contact extension.

 

[blulouie]

Would be a brilliant signing if right, £18m upfront in todays market is a great deal.

Not bothered about the wage, he won't earn the upper levels of that until later in the contract (or a renewal), we have worse players on similar or more....

Got to pay the going rate (or more in our case) then you dont get the player.

Bainsey picked him as his replacement fwiw.

?????

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

I see we're still preparing. I assume that means we're counting out the change jar to see how much we've got.

 

[Bluewolf]

He is a quality player

Every signing is a gamble

Where's the proof he plays in a abysmal leauge and has put in one or two good performances in the champions leauge. Naismith and jelavic destroyed that leauge.

He has more Champions League experience than our entire squad put together

Go figure

Benni McCarthy has a champions leauge medal. Let's go buy him?

Also tosun and Walcott say hi

 

[Saint Domingo]

But when we try these 'creative solutions' and they don't work people go apoplectic. When Martinez put Baines in midfield people wanted him committed. People still laugh/cry about Steve Watson playing up front, or Moyes trying Rodwell on the wing. The use of DCL out wide and Rooney in midfield were 'creative solutions' last season, how well were they received?

Some of those weren’t necessary though especially the Baines one. Rodwell on the wing was poor as well given the options we had. I don’t think anyone would mind a bit of creativity in an injury crisis. I just don’t fully buy into ‘what if x player gets injured’ fear. If Kane goes down Spurs are sunk, if Lukaku went United would be, same for Salah. No top club can lose key players for a long period and not be impacted. We can’t have a squad of 22 top players. So if we get Tierney we don’t have to keep Baines on the bench just in case he gets injured. If Baines wants football and we get a good offer for him then why couldn’t we have Tierney as first choice and youth players as back up.

 

[Connor]

Marcel the Muller, after Dithering Davie?

MULLING MARCEL

 

[atrottel]

..both Connolly and Robinson have proven themselves at Championship level. Robinson is a conventional LB, whereas Connolly is a utility player. For me, it’s pointless sending them on further loans. Use them or sell them. Robinson has defensive flaws but he’s a fine runner and can get involved in the top third. I’d have Robinson over Martina.

Neither Robinson nor Connolly 'proved themselves at Championship level". Both had ups and downs, both spent time out of the team. Connolly started out great and then fell out of favour somewhat (bit like Dowell). Robinson had some early games with dreadful coverage mistakes but seemed to improve towards the end of the season.

In other words, things turned out exactly the way you would expect with young lads on their first loan at a competitive level and they all gained some welcome experience. Maybe one or two of them (Joe Williams never seems to get mentioned here from the loanees but probably got the most experience) may break through. Maybe the positions they might play are too competitive within the squad (left back, central midfield). Maybe they experience an unlucky injury or the player in front of them does which opens the chance for them. But none of them are - yet - in the position where we should say 'play them'.