Benik Afobe

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, marcofisher said:

Sentiment aside, I don't think there is logic to signing a player who has torn both ACLs, on high-end Championship/low-end Premiership wages. If we sign him on a 3 year deal and one repeats in the first 6 months, its a massive amount to spend on nothing, akin to how it has been this year.

 

Customarily, @Davefevs will disagree! 

I agree with your logic.  It is a massive decision.

[The Original OTIB]

I think Stoke are merely trying to provoke action as they are desperate to get players out the door. Frankly, Benik may even be released as will others. They are in no position to play the big club card. Desperate times for them, we wait and see. Easy poker choice.

[1960maaan]

57 minutes ago, marcofisher said:

Sentiment aside, I don't think there is logic to signing a player who has torn both ACLs, on high-end Championship/low-end Premiership wages. If we sign him on a 3 year deal and one repeats in the first 6 months, its a massive amount to spend on nothing, akin to how it has been this year.

I tend to agree, sadly , it would be a very big gamble to give him a long term contract, even if we got him cheap.

[ExiledAjax]

It's a very hard choice between:

a) keep a solid 10-15 goal a season and generally fit striker in Fam, on the comparatively modest wages he's on than or

b) sign a talented but injury prone Afobe who might return 20+ goals in exchange for a hefty wage.

If that's the decision to make then I don't envy the ones making it.

Personally though...I think Fam has one more season of service to give this club.

[REDOXO]

The option would have been given at a fee/terms with Stoke City. If City are prepared to take up the option the details are already largely agreed.

Of course City may wish to renegotiate the terms. I think the bloke is immense and would get him provided he’s not cracked permanently. 

[steviestevieneville]

3 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I agree, but think there's a place for both. I rate Weimann but would rather he left and Afobe arrived if it was a choice. Think Famara's style, being a bit different from Wells and Afobe, is very useful to have.

Away from home maybe, but you have to play a different way with fam . He’d be a off the bench player at best imo 

[bcfc01]

No brainer for me.

Afobe needs to be signed up as soon as he's given the all clear.

His first ACL was about 7 years ago, no reason to believe the current one with the other knee won't be any different.

May as well chuck in the broken leg he's had as well - doesn't equate to injury prone, just bloody unlucky.

Him, Wells, and Weimann would be good - and Diedhiou if he doesn't mind a bench role.

[Highguy]

1 hour ago, marcofisher said:

Sentiment aside, I don't think there is logic to signing a player who has torn both ACLs, on high-end Championship/low-end Premiership wages. If we sign him on a 3 year deal and one repeats in the first 6 months, its a massive amount to spend on nothing, akin to how it has been this year.

 

Customarily, @Davefevs will disagree! 

But if he stays fit for the 3 years and peformed like he did when we have seen him in a city shirt so far this season then its worth the risk 

[Davefevs]

I just hope we see LJ decide this season how he wants to play next season, whether that be reliant on a big-man (Fam) or mobile forwards (Wells and Weimann).  He can then recruit accordingly.

Having Wells permanently is a big deal...because it should be geared to finding players to suit him.

If for sake of argument, Afobe comes back for a few games and looks good alongside Wells, then recruitment can weigh up the cost of the gamble of Afobe versus the cost of Afobe v2.0.  This might be a younger version, cheaper, to develop, whilst knowing we have Wells to score the goals.

So many considerations, all a bit hypothetical at this point.

And when Semenyo bangs in a hatrick v Rovers tonight, the clamour will be back on him to be one of our strikers next season.

[aa_bcfc]

3 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Unless that highly paid player has been rubbish for you, the club is haemorrhaging money and are desperate to get people off of the wage bill. Lets not forget they paid up Berahino's contract and he was on £80k a week. Not saying you're wrong, bit there is a possibility.

Sorry responded to the wrong post.

At the senior reds lunch, in response to a direct question regarding loan fees without any waffling of caveats Mark Ashton clearly said that Bristol City do not pay loan fees. 

[bcfc01]

3 minutes ago, aa_bcfc said:

At the senior reds lunch, in response to a direct question regarding loan fees without any waffling of caveats Mark Ashton clearly said that Bristol City do not pay loan fees. 

Then I believe him.

He has no reason to lie.

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I just hope we see LJ decide this season how he wants to play next season, whether that be reliant on a big-man (Fam) or mobile forwards (Wells and Weimann).  He can then recruit accordingly.

Having Wells permanently is a big deal...because it should be geared to finding players to suit him.

If for sake of argument, Afobe comes back for a few games and looks good alongside Wells, then recruitment can weigh up the cost of the gamble of Afobe versus the cost of Afobe v2.0.  This might be a younger version, cheaper, to develop, whilst knowing we have Wells to score the goals.

So many considerations, all a bit hypothetical at this point.

And when Semenyo bangs in a hatrick v Rovers tonight, the clamour will be back on him to be one of our strikers next season.

Could well be...but then it is only Rovers.

Personal preference if fitness wasn't an issue is to thank Diedhiou, try to turn a profit and reinvest in Afobe. The injury is a big concern though as he could be, if he hasn't already been, pretty pricy!

As yup say how LJ wants to play will be pretty important here, hoping it'll be with the flexibility and types of attributes that Afobe, Weimann and Wells could bring- and if it's going really well get a 4th in January on loan perhaps, really get that competition going- but a 4th of that type in general. Fitness and price is of course key though.

[Harry]

14 minutes ago, aa_bcfc said:

Sorry responded to the wrong post.

At the senior reds lunch, in response to a direct question regarding loan fees without any waffling of caveats Mark Ashton clearly said that Bristol City do not pay loan fees. 

 

11 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Then I believe him.

He has no reason to lie.

I don’t. 

[The Original OTIB]

16 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I just hope we see LJ decide this season how he wants to play next season, whether that be reliant on a big-man (Fam) or mobile forwards (Wells and Weimann).  He can then recruit accordingly.

Having Wells permanently is a big deal...because it should be geared to finding players to suit him.

If for sake of argument, Afobe comes back for a few games and looks good alongside Wells, then recruitment can weigh up the cost of the gamble of Afobe versus the cost of Afobe v2.0.  This might be a younger version, cheaper, to develop, whilst knowing we have Wells to score the goals.

So many considerations, all a bit hypothetical at this point.

And when Semenyo bangs in a hatrick v Rovers tonight, the clamour will be back on him to be one of our strikers next season.

In recent news, we are a "work in progress ". That's why I can' t be arsed to intervene in the endless spats herein. I encounter equally endless buskers in my profession. I have no time for others.

[bcfc01]

3 minutes ago, The Original OTIB said:

In recent news, we are a "work in progress ". That's why I can' t be arsed to intervene in the endless spats herein. I encounter equally endless buskers in my profession. I have no time for others.

Run out of reactions but "like" this post 

9 minutes ago, Harry said:

 

I don’t. 

So he has a reason to lie ?

Pray tell.

[Harry]

8 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Run out of reactions but "like" this post 

So he has a reason to lie ?

Pray tell.

He doesn’t have to have a reason to lie. But he is in this case. 

[Davefevs]

21 minutes ago, The Original OTIB said:

In recent news, we are a "work in progress ". That's why I can' t be arsed to intervene in the endless spats herein. I encounter equally endless buskers in my profession. I have no time for others.

Why you having a go at me?  What spats?  A few people having a difference of opinion?

[bcfc01]

4 minutes ago, Harry said:

He doesn’t have to have a reason to lie. But he is in this case. 

In your opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jerseybean]

Option to buy...https://t.co/NgoUHMaN3A

 

 

[Harry]

41 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

In your opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

Everything I write on here is my opinion 

[reddoh]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

He doesn’t have to have a reason to lie. But he is in this case. 

He might not be but it will be in the wording of the contract they might have called it something completely different so he hasn't lied but not quite truthful either f in life. 

[Meh]

Going off tangent in the OTIB way, why does everybody think Wells, Afobe and Wiemann are good options?

I agree with the first two but surely if we want to challenge at top end of championship and stay there Wiemann is not the answer?

I love his work rate and attitude as much as the next person but I don’t feel confident he is going to score or even contribute to an opportunity when he has the ball at his feet.

Surely we need an upgrade on him also?

[Simon bristol]

11 hours ago, bcfc01 said:

Run out of reactions but "like" this post 

So he has a reason to lie ?

Pray tell.

Mark ashton is very politician like in the way he conducts himself. If he can let it be known that as well as big transfer fees being negotiated that he is also securing loan players with no fee being paid, then that would reflect well on him.

so last year it was kalas palmer and dasilva... and chelsea had their policy of sending 30 odd players out on loan around the world,,, that would never be sustainable without charging loan fees of some description. Perhaps its termed differently,,, a procurement charge or something instead of a loan fee, so hes having a little joke about it. Perhaps we end up paying 150% of wages with the extra covering player charges? Who knows?

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Meh said:

Going off tangent in the OTIB way, why does everybody think Wells, Afobe and Wiemann are good options?

I agree with the first two but surely if we want to challenge at top end of championship and stay there Wiemann is not the answer?

I love his work rate and attitude as much as the next person but I don’t feel confident he is going to score or even contribute to an opportunity when he has the ball at his feet.

Surely we need an upgrade on him also?

Because we all see different things in different players, and have differing opinions as a result.

FWIW I don’t think we can be successful lumping it up to a big man (Fam) unless we completely change the way we want to play and train / recruit players for that system.  It’s a halfway house at the mo’.

Its nowhere near as bad as the dark days of 13/14 under SOD when we played it around the back 4 nicely, but couldn’t find a way to get it into the midfield, so smashed it up front to Baldock and JET, but on occasion it’s quite like that.

I saw more pass and move on Saturday v Fulham (and imho more entertainment, got off my seat more times) than the previous 3/4 games added together.

But it is up to LJ to decide how he wants to play.  In his interview he was quite enthused by the Wells / Weimann partnership.

Having said all that you’re unlikely to keep a Weimann or a Diedhiou happy if they’re 3rd/4th choice, or just plan b.  The Man Utd 4 of Cole, Yorke, Solskjaer and Sheringham was an anomaly imho...4 equally good (top class) strikers all rotating, although Solskjaer perhaps the super sub.

[Steve Watts]

I still love how people label Benik as injury prone.  He really isn't.  He's had two bad injuries and a couple of niggles in 10 years.  He's not exactly Jack bloody Wiltshire or Darren Anderton!

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

16 hours ago, marcofisher said:

Sentiment aside, I don't think there is logic to signing a player who has torn both ACLs, on high-end Championship/low-end Premiership wages. If we sign him on a 3 year deal and one repeats in the first 6 months, its a massive amount to spend on nothing, akin to how it has been this year.

 

Customarily, @Davefevs will disagree! 

Absolutely.

The danger of signing a player on huge wages who may or may not make a full recovery long term is enormous. We don't know if there was a pre-agreed fee set by Stoke- I suspect his value has somewhat diminished. 

It's very emotive for us fans because Benik is a hugely likeable man who just seems to have become part of our club. If we don't sign him and he does well elsewhere - Mark Ashton will never be forgiven. If we do sign him and he becomes a sick note- Mark Ashton will never be forgiven.

I'm not sure if this would be a good bit of business unless the price and wages are right and risk managed.

[Davefevs]

9 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Absolutely.

The danger of signing a player on huge wages who may or may not make a full recovery long term is enormous. We don't know if there was a pre-agreed fee set by Stoke- I suspect his value has somewhat diminished. 

It's very emotive for us fans because Benik is a hugely likeable man who just seems to have become part of our club. If we don't sign him and he does well elsewhere - Mark Ashton will never be forgiven. If we do sign him and he becomes a sick note- Mark Ashton will never be forgiven.

I'm not sure if this would be a good bit of business unless the price and wages are right and risk managed.

@marcofisher I agree again

[italian dave]

13 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Absolutely.

The danger of signing a player on huge wages who may or may not make a full recovery long term is enormous. We don't know if there was a pre-agreed fee set by Stoke- I suspect his value has somewhat diminished. 

It's very emotive for us fans because Benik is a hugely likeable man who just seems to have become part of our club. If we don't sign him and he does well elsewhere - Mark Ashton will never be forgiven. If we do sign him and he becomes a sick note- Mark Ashton will never be forgiven.

I'm not sure if this would be a good bit of business unless the price and wages are right and risk managed.

Agree - although recognising that your last sentence implies it could be (good business).

However, I'd assumed we factor "Mark Ashton will never be forgiven' into anything we do!

[marcofisher]

16 hours ago, Highguy said:

But if he stays fit for the 3 years and peformed like he did when we have seen him in a city shirt so far this season then its worth the risk 

I would argue given that Wells has been given that slot on the wages that Afobe would have taken, the money would be far better spent on other areas of the squad. Otherwise we have all our wage bill tied up on two assets up front with one being likely to have an injury relapse.

It's worth remembering that our perception of Afobe is only based on five games. We do not know he would be that effective for a three year deal, especially after coming back after almost a whole season out. 

If Afobe is willing to bring his wages down to something the rest of our squad is on, then it could be a very considerable option. I don't think he should be one of our highest paid players however, and his previous contracts would suggest that he would be.  

[Chappers]

At this stage, nothing would be agreed until fitness proven, budget for next season sorted, possible impact of this virus etc. 
As for Benik, I would not be rushing to sign him, check the market for value, and whether there may be a young up and coming striker available. Not strongly pro or against, but we have to be realistic, we already have a large squad, wages could be high, we are starting to lose our way on the development signings, so this could be one we have to pass up.