What sort of logic is that? Based on misinformed opinions on players like Van Hecke who won player of the season. Surely the comparison is on the actual squad. Numbers maybe, quality less so. Vale and Phillips clearly aren't ready. The squad wasn't big enough last season and there is even less first team experience this season.

Not sure what to make of the Caulker rumours. Firstly I am unconvinced by the reliability of the rumour. On the player, has been in Turkey so none of us know how he has been doing, he was a good defender about 10 years ago but that is a long time ago and he has had demons and a chequered career since then. I am definitely underwhelmed by the fact that we are only signing 3 players, nowhere near enough. At least one has to be a central striker as we desperately need one. If Brereton goes as expected as we cant let an 8 figure fee vanish, then so hard to envisage us being anything but a lot weaker than last season when we failed to make the top 6. @Finlay McKenna the problem is quality. If Edun has to play left back for a spell he isnt good enough. Garrett has not kicked a ball in a league game, nor has Wharton. Not many goals or assists amongst those wingers either, plus our sub right back isnt up to standard either.

https://twitter.com/bittar32/status/1562906882226159616?t=Vnl3RZNNYajcbbzflYZ-Pg&s=19 Says we are about to sign Steven Caulker on a 2 year deal but no idea on reliability.

Its not a put down on Hyam but clearly he wasnt our first choice but we couldnt get primary targets over the line. Would your view on Venkys worsen if our net spend this window is a negative?

2 problems with the journey thing: Firstly, the Championship is very volatile in that there is a big reliance on loans and a constant high player turnover by most teams. On polishing assets to sell on, Mowbray was right. Sadly, Venkys have never consistently committed to such a plan, sometimes preventing any reinvestment, sometimes interfering to block sales of assets, so this will never happen under Venkys barring an unexpected change. I wouldn't argue that he doesn't know much more about Hyam than me, so thanks for this thread, very encouraging. What he is like on the ball was mentioned a couple of times on here and when I have seen Coventry their defence in general has been fairly limited on the ball, but its not comparable to how many times these people have seen him. See thread below: https://www.skybluestalk.co.uk/threads/dom-hyam-blackburn-bid.144553/page-2 Certainly not getting the same vibe from Peterborough fans who were even polled about Szmodics and 80% said take the offer.

Agree with the positives, dismiss any doubts. Got it.

Yeah but not as much as I have Van Den Berg. None of those 3 Coventry defenders I mentioned have ever seemed particular graceful on the ball, Hyam included, maybe he is deceptively good in possession. Although stats like that I have a number of issues with personally. Highlighted lots of potential positives to be fair in the deal, certainly not firmly against the deal by any means. Maybe Liverpool would be reluctant to give him to us with such competition. So if we signed Yakubu now, you wouldn't be thinking, bloody hell no thanks he is too old?

Great example of a player who was unanimously rated once he got going, so shows that questioning a signing on here is fine as long as people are open minded enough to change those doubts should performances dictate, which they clearly are.

No, Ayala doesn't have pace. Ayala is limited on the ball and is massively injury prone. Excellent defender at this level though. From the limited times I have seen Hyam and what I have gathered, there are numerous positives and negatives to him too: Good injury record, probably the best defender at a similar Championship club, good experience, good age, permanent transfer Not the quickest and limited on the ball which goes against our supposed intended style, potentially harms the Van Den Berg deal Problem being, you only consider the positives, and shout people down who dare suggest any doubts, whilst repeating how your "glass half full" attitude has seen you do so well in life.

Because doubts are raised as to a potential signing of a Coventry signing as clearly 4th or 5th choice (Anel, Davies, Van Hecke, Van Den Berg) signing, you have come to the above conclusion?

We will see at the end of the window what the spend is and whether there was ever good money for a couple of decent permanent striking options. I am not convinced that big money is there. Initially it was 5 or 6, why has it now gone to 7 or 8? (The 3 already here plus 4 or 5) No chance of 4 or 5 signings by the way. Why does it always come down to pigeon holing people as "negative" or having the wrong attitude should a potential signing not excite them. Why can't someone pass comment on a player prior to signing, assuming of course that they are open minded to changing that view if and when he joins? If we tried to spend big money on Yakubu right now, would you comment on that being underwhelming or refuse to say anything w

Unsure what to make of the Hyam potential deal. Coventry are one of Sky's less fancied teams and they concede a lot of goals as a team and have a number of quite slow centre backs in Hyam, Rose and McFadzean. I always think it is useful to gauge opinions of the fans who have seen him week in, week out. Like with Szmodics, there is a common theme that they would rather sell him than others in the squad and that the fee is decent, albeit they certainly aren't as keen as Peterborough fans were to let him go and they are very commonly suggesting that he is their best defender and would leave a big hole. Style wise, his lack of pace and limitations on the ball don't really tally with the supposed fluid, energetic style that we want to play (perhaps a symptom of not having the manager choose the players?) but as a more no nonsense defender, hopefully he likes to keep clean sheets, more than he has in the last 2 seasons! He would be a permanent signing, is a good age being experienced but also coming into his peak so that goes in his favour and he also has played consistently over the last 2 seasons at mid table Championship level. The LT suggests that it could be Hyam only in defence with the deal for Van Den Berg who is very good at this level potentially falling through. I am not convinced that Hyam, Wharton, Ayala and Carter is anything other than a significant downgrade on last season. We also cannot hold off signing players to try and guarantee Phillips game time because he isn't ready for Championship football yet. Could this deal not have been done a week or two earlier? Probably.

Surely links should be put in both topics?

That theory only works if the 2 are the same ability and age. Fry is only 24.

We won't because it would take money, ambition and proactivity. But I would like to see us bid for Dael Fry who may have fallen down the pecking order at Boro.

It's not a slight on him He clearly isn't ready in general at his tender age and in the last 2 games he has really, really struggled and in the second game, we had to try and overcompensate by changing the formation and making the team even more dysfunctional. He is also nowhere near ready physically for the grind of consecutive first team games, he had to play 3 games in 7 days and it took only the most random defensive partnership that I can ever recall to give him a break last night, and even then he had to come on, I don't think he has ever if I recall finished the full game in any of his starts due to physically struggling and flogging him again on Saturday wouldn't be fair on the player as much as anything. Tomasson has even said that this shouldn't be happening with Phillips and also seemingly grows more and more frustrated with each interview regarding the lack of incomings, we are so stretched it is untrue. The constant narrative is that we want 2 defenders in which case, why isn't one over the line whilst we wait for Van Den Berg? I am not convinced that Van Hecke is a live target but if our 2 defensive targets are both loanees, I don't think that is wise in itself. I am unconvinced that much more will be spent nor that everything is being done above Tomasson to get deals done.

If Phillips starts again on Saturday then it really is unacceptable.

Van Hecke is starting for Brighton tonight in the cup.

I think he has just got a bad injury.

I wouldn't get too worried about FFP, potential room to exploit, changes in rules etc That has never been the primary limiting factor for Venkys not spending more. That is evident by their refusal to totally relay the pitch as was expected and promised.

It would be correct to sell Brereton now because you cant let him run his contract down. The logical next step especially with Brereton being the second striker sold for big money in 12 months. The next logical part is to spend a good chunk of that 30m combined on a proper striker. Someone like Adebajo, Riis or Tyrese Campbell, at least some those will likely be unrealistic but a 8-10m striker because aside from an unfancied Dack, there are very few goals left. That wont happen, it will probably be 2 or 3 loans between now and next week, and then the window will close and the usual suspects will either defend Venkys by assuming a big budget was there and it was incompetence that stopped it being spent and/or saying it is best not to waste money on players that dont fit the bill.

I wasn't convinced by him in either of those games either and I am still to be 100% convinced that where he is playing now suits him positionally.

If they are that rigid in their price of him, which is ultimately conjecture and nobody knows for sure, then they are idiots. Well we know they are, but it is reiterated.

Certainly not doubting his part in a lack of players so far. But this instance will hinge more on the money available for a replacement, so down to Venkys. Based on last summer, time to worry.

Individual stats like that are so limited. Buckley has not convinced in central midfield this season in a deeper role and has never controlled games at any point. Plus I wouldn't have McClean!