[Fritzl Palace]

Are you actually saying that Maja is a lesser player than Brandon Thomas Asante??

Concerning if so. Capacity test required

[mulliganstired]

I just watched a replay of Josh Windass scoring by running onto a through ball the commentator said was "just a punt".  The point being we never use this tactic, and if the opposition know we never use it, they can do exactly what they have been doing, just watch us move the ball around slowly, until we eventually try to get in a cross... with no-one in the box.
Out of the top 6 now - if he doesn't try something else soon, even a bog standard 442, we really will implode.

[graka]

I’ve just been looking at our last 8 game slump and if we can win at Hull it’s not all that bad
In isolation some of the 6 draws were decent results
A draw against Burnley is similar to the draw against Leeds earlier in the season and no one moaned at that
Every team has a Sheff wed half and the fact we nearly rescued a point was more galling
Blackburn and Luton away decent draws
Millwall we always struggle to break down
I’d say only the Cardiff and Oxford draws were poor , Cardiff deserved it by the way and could easily have won it
Negative tactics cost us against Oxford after dominating the game mostly
Hopefully a win tomorrow improves everyone’s mood
Over to you the last manager , shake things up a bit

[Baggie79]

We look so much better defensively with Heggem and Holgate in there, much better pace and passing. I hope he keeps this back four when everyone is back fit.

[LiamTheBaggie]

I would go for my favorite set up 352
It’s attacking and defensive
What I don’t like is to see our defensive midfielders coming too deep to collect the ball from our defenders, if they lose the ball at that point then our goal is threatened
Do we have the defender to do a ‘stones’ sort of surge through the defensive midfielders and release to the wingers or to Maja to hold up etc, I think I know the answer to that one,so over to the Don.

The problem we have with this suggestion is that we have a shortage of centre halves unless you're wanting to cover our full backs into occupying the role.

Clearly, the loss of Kipre has been great as none of our current centre halves are particularly great when having to progress the ball. That is the reason why Mowatt often drops so deep.

Even when Mowatt does drop deep the two centre halves tend to split meaning we have that three at the back which allows Furlong to push further forward or into midfield.

[gazberg]

We look so much better defensively with Heggem and Holgate in there, much better pace and passing. I hope he keeps this back four when everyone is back fit.

Bartley and Ajayi should not walk back in. Bartley especially, i do not want him triggering his extra year. Hopefully his trigger mark is higher than the 9 game requirement that Gourlay set him or whatever it was.

[HampshireBaggie]

Its becoming quite obvious judging by performances and also opinions in the MJ and Diangana thread that no10 is where our biggest problems lies at the moment.

Oh to still have Finn Azaz at the club. Sound like Whitwell is still a couple of years away so with Swift and Diangana probably departing in the summer i hope we can really work on this position. We need a few options there.

[NJS]

He has played most of his games for us at LB already. When Bartley is fit I'd still stick with Heggem and Holgate as CB with Styles at LB.

I would move Heggem to LB and push Styles into midfield as 8 alongside Molumby and Mowatt, or as 10 in place of Swift

No Heggem has better distribution than Bartley who is better on the right of the two centre backs  Ideally, I would play 3-4-3 with Holgate, Bartley and Heggem as the three and find a space for Styles in the midfield four.

[HampshireBaggie]

Listened to Albion Analysis and Liquidator podcast today and lots of general chat about potential of selling Palmer in Jan/Summer. Heading into last year of contract and 100% profit so fits the Patel strategy of selling at the right time.

Griffiths getting rave reviews at Bristol Rovers in a relatively poor team. Stats are ridiculous. So we head into next season with Griffiths and Wildsmith as back up and reinvest Palmer money elsewhere.

What do you think?

[gazberg]

Listened to Albion Analysis and Liquidator podcast today and lots of general chat about potential of selling Palmer in Jan/Summer. Heading into last year of contract and 100% profit so fits the Patel strategy of selling at the right time.

Griffiths getting rave reviews at Bristol Rovers in a relatively poor team. Stats are ridiculous. So we head into next season with Griffiths and Wildsmith as back up and reinvest Palmer money elsewhere.

What do you think?

No idea if the Palmer stuff is true or if they are just speculating but i would imagine we will be a wheeler/dealer club. Get fees for who we can, when we can if they are not seen to be staying here long term or is the deal is good to ignore.


Holding onto old players, paying them over the odds in terms of wages while doing so, never did us well.


Another player who is getting rave reviews in L1 is Caleb Taylor but we all expected that as he's been playing there since summer 2022.  Caleb turns 22 in Jan 2025 so wonder if he will get called back.

[zippyandbungle]

No idea if the Palmer stuff is true or if they are just speculating but i would imagine we will be a wheeler/dealer club. Get fees for who we can, when we can if they are not seen to be staying here long term or is the deal is good to ignore.


Holding onto old players, paying them over the odds in terms of wages while doing so, never did us well.


Another player who is getting rave reviews in L1 is Caleb Taylor but we all expected that as he's been playing there since summer 2022.  Caleb turns 22 in Jan 2025 so wonder if he will get called back.

The only counter to that is that we signed MJ when we thought we had no money and turned down over 10m for fellows..
Palmer to me is one that has faults but we would miss if he went,but my god I wish someone would sort his distribution.

[SmethDan]

Listened to Albion Analysis and Liquidator podcast today and lots of general chat about potential of selling Palmer in Jan/Summer. Heading into last year of contract and 100% profit so fits the Patel strategy of selling at the right time.

Griffiths getting rave reviews at Bristol Rovers in a relatively poor team. Stats are ridiculous. So we head into next season with Griffiths and Wildsmith as back up and reinvest Palmer money elsewhere.

What do you think?

I don't think there's any harm in speculating on a player's future. But if we want to cash in it's unlikely he'd be heading to a team that favours the current fad of playing out from the back thus reducing his potential suitors and price. That's if there's any scouting departments out there of course.

[NJS]

As well as his wayward distribution, it infuriates me why a big lad like Palmer doesn't come out and claim to the ball more.    But that might be down to the coaching.

[SmethDan]

He does still claim the ball though. Or at least he does if Palmer's the bloke I often see claiming balls into the box whilst wearing a goalkeepers kit.

Could be a case of mistaken identity on my part, never mind I'm having my ears vacuumed tomorrow so I'll ask for an upgrade to my monocle  .

[HampshireBaggie]

As well as his wayward distribution, it infuriates me why a big lad like Palmer doesn't come out and claim to the ball more.    But that might be down to the coaching.

I consider this one of his strengths. He was brilliant at doing this towards the end Vs Hull

[SmethDan]

I consider this one of his strengths. He was brilliant at doing this towards the end Vs Hull

Ahaaaa, so it WAS Palmer who I saw.

Relieved  .

[gazberg]

The only counter to that is that we signed MJ when we thought we had no money and turned down over 10m for fellows..
Palmer to me is one that has faults but we would miss if he went,but my god I wish someone would sort his distribution.

MJ signing was a risk as he got cancelled out last season . Saying that as long as he does ok in the Champo we will get our money back or thereabouts.

I think everyone thought Fellows was worth more than 10m offered at the time, i know i did

[LiamTheBaggie]

Listened to Albion Analysis and Liquidator podcast today and lots of general chat about potential of selling Palmer in Jan/Summer. Heading into last year of contract and 100% profit so fits the Patel strategy of selling at the right time.

Griffiths getting rave reviews at Bristol Rovers in a relatively poor team. Stats are ridiculous. So we head into next season with Griffiths and Wildsmith as back up and reinvest Palmer money elsewhere.

What do you think?

I think we have to consider it.

The goalkeeper position is one where we have such luxuries really with three competent goalkeepers.

Looking ahead to the long term - Griffiths is potentially the next big sale after Fellows.

We cannot allow his development to be stifled if we're needing/wanting to become self sufficient.

If selling Palmer brings money into the club in the short term - and allows Griffiths the opportunity to develop then I am all for it.

[HampshireBaggie]

I think we have to consider it.

The goalkeeper position is one where we have such luxuries really with three competent goalkeepers.

Looking ahead to the long term - Griffiths is potentially the next big sale after Fellows.

We cannot allow his development to be stifled if we're needing/wanting to become self sufficient.

If selling Palmer brings money into the club in the short term - and allows Griffiths the opportunity to develop then I am all for it.

Tend to agree. I'm really chuffed we actually got to see Palmer as our no1 for an extended period of time considering how long he has been at the club but its time to see what Griffiths can do and it makes financial sense.

[mulliganstired]

He does still claim the ball though. Or at least he does if Palmer's the bloke I often see claiming balls into the box whilst wearing a goalkeepers kit.

Could be a case of mistaken identity on my part, never mind I'm having my ears vacuumed tomorrow so I'll ask for an upgrade to my monocle  .

He generally looks fine when he comes for it, and his punching is good, but I think he doesn't dominate the box in the air like the really top keepers do.

[Standaman]

Sell Palmer and promote Griffiths is a trade that makes sense. I don't see it happening in January unless there is a buyer out there who is desperate for a goalkeeper and willing to pay over the odds. However given that Palmer is contracted to 2026 it is decision time this summer.

However there alternatives. Keeping both isn't an option by playing one you devalue the other and nobody is going to pay a championship club a big fee for their second choice keeper. I think at this point as good as Palmer is (one of the better keepers in the Championship) the general view is that Griffiths has the higher ceiling. On that basis Griffiths might be the more saleable of the two and as such the decision is give Palmer a new contract and sell Griffiths.

If the objective is to put together a squad capable of challenging at the top end of the Championship I don't think it matters whether it is Griffiths or Palmer either way we have a capable keeper at this level.

[BalisPen]

Listened to Albion Analysis and Liquidator podcast today and lots of general chat about potential of selling Palmer in Jan/Summer. Heading into last year of contract and 100% profit so fits the Patel strategy of selling at the right time.

Griffiths getting rave reviews at Bristol Rovers in a relatively poor team. Stats are ridiculous. So we head into next season with Griffiths and Wildsmith as back up and reinvest Palmer money elsewhere.

What do you think?

Glad to hear they are finally warming to him, as when I last read the Gas chat forums they didn't like him at all and said the GK he had replaced was better.

I have always rated him highly and thought he did well when he came in for the injured Palmer.

Hopefully, he makes the kind of progress as TF made when he came back.

I wouldn't be adverse to selling AP, but not for the £2.5m kind of figures Luton apparently offered and if would have to be at least £5-7m.

[zippyandbungle]

MJ signing was a risk as he got cancelled out last season . Saying that as long as he does ok in the Champo we will get our money back or thereabouts.

I think everyone thought Fellows was worth more than 10m offered at the time, i know i did

I absolutely agree

The point I was making was that there was noise about how bad financially we were…but then made signings/turned down significant monies.

[gazberg]

I absolutely agree

The point I was making was that there was noise about how bad financially we were…but then made signings/turned down significant monies.

Aha sorry Zippy, i misunderstood.

I think the increase in tv revenue, increase in ticket prices (even though small compared to TV money), improved ticket sales etc all help.


End of this season we can be free from paying wages for Ajayi, Swift, Bartley and Grady. Hopefully Wallace.  Around 90k a week saved if we get rid of all 5.

[liverbaggie]

Also dont forget weve got another highly rated kid coming through, cant recall his name, a black lad?