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Best bit of summer business?


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What do you think could be the best bit of businesses we could do this summer?

Keeping hold of Smith?

Keeping hold of Flint?

Signing Matthews permanently?

Signing Tomlin permanently?

Signing Baker permanently?

A new £6m+ striker?

A new midfielder/winger?

A new centre back?

Personally I think keeping Smith is the most important thing we do as I would class him as irreplaceable. 

 

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I think Tomlin has highlighted the lack of creativity in the side without him, so would put him right up there. But I don't think there's one single piece that will answer our problems.

No two ways about it - we need a monumental summer. The squad - once the loanees depart - will look incredibly light (and lacking real quality, save for a handful of individuals) .

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2 minutes ago, Doozerchris said:

Tomlin all day long

Agreed.

If we can convince him to join them we'd most likely be building a team around him.

You only need to look at how absolutely crucial he was to the Boro side that reached the playoffs last season to know what he can do at this level; he has the potential to help us establish ourselves in the top half of this league.

I don't know how likely it is that we might sign him, but he'd be top of my list.

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Tomlin, absolutely. He just feels right, is the right fit. Some players slot in seamlessly and he did. Took a couple of games for him to get up to speed (naturally) but now he has he is a standout player. He will be good for our younger players, and even for our older players who would have only played in the Championship for this one season.

Quality attracts quality and I really hope we are negotiating with him now. If he doesn't sign then I wish him well and offer him thanks, he will always be welcome back at Ashton Gate.

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Side point RE Tomlin; I find it quite interesting how a lot the press talk about him compared to the actual fans of the clubs he played for.

Have spoken about him with a number of Boro fans I know very well, and while they are a nice lot, they are pretty unforgiving, yet they had nothing but glowing praise for him.  

Equally a Peterborough supporter I was speaking with dismissed the supposed 'flak' he was given on leaving as just the usual noise assigned to ex-players.

In both cases there is a degree of irony in what they say; I was asking back when he joined as I was concerned at him perhaps being a disruptive influence here.

I then found this article, and reading it got me thinking that perhaps a great deal of the 'issue' he carries can be attributed to outside perspective of him as a 'Sunday League footballer done good' and presumed attitude, not what he actually does on the pitch.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lee-tomlin-top-world-bottom-10801036

The reason I say this is because the self-same article attempts to present a 'decline' in his form post-helping Boro defeat Man City in the FA Cup, while pointing out his crucial contributions past that point, as well as using a photo of him scoring in a playoff semi final when it is suggesting he was less than focused for those games. 

It also causally brushes off his January player of the month award as undeserved, instead focusing on unsubstantiated talk of agents and manoeuvring, as if the goals and assists that helped lead Boro to be playoff contenders were an after thought.  Additionally it seems to suggest moving up a division to a side playing premier league football was some kind of bizarre choice, even though he'd spent all year working towards that goal with Boro, and falling short.

Makes me wonder if he's not one of those players who will always carry a bit of baggage, due to a whispered perception of who is, rather than being judged fully by his footballing contribution.

And part of me wonders if we is manage to pick him up, he could end up being something of LJ's David Noble; a mercurial and unconventional talent who helps galvanise a side that is in need of an X factor to make the next leap forwards.

But then perhaps I've just not had enough sleep last night and need more coffee...

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Tomlin, probably, then Flint.

Tomlin has that attacking spark that can be so hard to find and he seems to fit the system that City play. Players like him can create goals out of nothing and raise an otherwise mediocre side to the next level.

Flint and Baker are both worth keeping, but as well as being more likely to remain at the club, Flint's attitude exemplifies the spirit that's been in the camp since Cotterill took over from O'Driscoll. He's the sort of player who drags himself and those around him beyond the level of their own abilities by sheer bloody-mindedness and determination.

Korey Smith is a great player and an asset to any side at this level but I don't think he's as important as the other two. He missed half a dozen games last month and we still won half of them. Like Marvin Elliot I think he's the sort of all-action player who tends to be overvalued by supporters because he stands out so much. I'd want to keep him, yes, but not at all costs. He's perfectly replaceable.

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46 minutes ago, samo II said:

Side point RE Tomlin; I find it quite interesting how a lot the press talk about him compared to the actual fans of the clubs he played for.

Have spoken about him with a number of Boro fans I know very well, and while they are a nice lot, they are pretty unforgiving, yet they had nothing but glowing praise for him.  

Equally a Peterborough supporter I was speaking with dismissed the supposed 'flak' he was given on leaving as just the usual noise assigned to ex-players.

In both cases there is a degree of irony in what they say; I was asking back when he joined as I was concerned at him perhaps being a disruptive influence here.

I then found this article, and reading it got me thinking that perhaps a great deal of the 'issue' he carries can be attributed to outside perspective of him as a 'Sunday League footballer done good' and presumed attitude, not what he actually does on the pitch.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lee-tomlin-top-world-bottom-10801036

The reason I say this is because the self-same article attempts to present a 'decline' in his form post-helping Boro defeat Man City in the FA Cup, while pointing out his crucial contributions past that point, as well as using a photo of him scoring in a playoff semi final when it is suggesting he was less than focused for those games. 

It also causally brushes off his January player of the month award as undeserved, instead focusing on unsubstantiated talk of agents and manoeuvring, as if the goals and assists that helped lead Boro to be playoff contenders were an after thought.  Additionally it seems to suggest moving up a division to a side playing premier league football was some kind of bizarre choice, even though he'd spent all year working towards that goal with Boro, and falling short.

Makes me wonder if he's not one of those players who will always carry a bit of baggage, due to a whispered perception of who is, rather than being judged fully by his footballing contribution.

And part of me wonders if we is manage to pick him up, he could end up being something of LJ's David Noble; a mercurial and unconventional talent who helps galvanise a side that is in need of an X factor to make the next leap forwards.

But then perhaps I've just not had enough sleep last night and need more coffee...

I think Lee's poor attitude in his earlier career is hard to shake off. First impressions and all that.

I also think the fact that Eddie Howe signed him is a good enough recommendation for Tomlin and his football skills. That he fell out with Howe is perhaps a reminder of LT's previous for questionable attitude (Lee has admitted this himself) but that might be down this time to not playing and that wouldn't be a problem here. Not playing at 27 is a problem for some because there aren't many years left at the top of his game. I'd rather have Tomlin's desire to play than JET's apparent ease at being in and out, sat on the bench.

Lee might not be quite good enough for the Prem but he's good enough for this league, and more than good enough for us.

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4 hours ago, formerly known as ivan said:

What do you think could be the best bit of businesses we could do this summer?

Keeping hold of Smith?

Keeping hold of Flint?

Signing Matthews permanently?

Signing Tomlin permanently?

Signing Baker permanently?

A new £6m+ striker?

A new midfielder/winger?

A new centre back?

Personally I think keeping Smith is the most important thing we do as I would class him as irreplaceable. 

 

Flint is irreplaceable... Not missed a minute for two years and we have no other options worth mentioning...

Korey is a good player but with the emergence of Pack as our best midfielder whilst Korey was out and since his return, I don't see it being an issue if he goes...

Add to that Bobby Reid featuring more and the likelihood of a summer signing like Dack etc and I wouldn't worry

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If someone was to offer now that we retain all our best players and sign all our best loanees (Baker, Matthews, Tomlin and Odemwingie) permanently, but didn't add any further permanent signings, I would struggle not to take that.

Holding onto Flint and Smith in particular will be equivalent to signing new players in my opinion.

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5 minutes ago, nathredwood said:

Flint is irreplaceable... Not missed a minute for two years and we have no other options worth mentioning...

Korey is a good player but with the emergence of Pack as our best midfielder whilst Korey was out and since his return, I don't see it being an issue if he goes...

Add to that Bobby Reid featuring more and the likelihood of a summer signing like Dack etc and I wouldn't worry

I like Flint, don't get me wrong, but irreplaceable?  We seem to get carried away with how good our defenders are.  Flint, Baker, Golbourne and Matthews all get high praise on here, which I mostly agree with - yet even in recent weeks, when we've come up against good sides, we routinely concede four (Brighton, Hull).  That suggests to me that they are competent Championship defenders, but there must be plenty of better ones. 

If we start next season with the same back four, what reason do we have to think that we won't still concede four against the better teams?

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No player is ' irreplaceable ' , the important bit is to do good business for the club when a player goes and have a better or équivalent one lined up to replace him .

The days of one club players have largely gone we are moving towards the American system where  squads are practically changed completely every season .

One good reason why we need to bring through our youngsters so as to have a bit more continuity at the club .

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3 hours ago, Chairman Mao said:

Unreal that there is only one mention of Kodjia, someone who is on course for 17-20 goals in a relegation threatened side. Most underated player on here by far and more natural talent than anyone else 

Interesting. I wouldn't bat an eyelid if he moved on, to be honest. As with JET, who hasn't been missed or set the world alight elsewhere.

[Ducks for cover].

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1 hour ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I like Flint, don't get me wrong, but irreplaceable?  We seem to get carried away with how good our defenders are.  Flint, Baker, Golbourne and Matthews all get high praise on here, which I mostly agree with - yet even in recent weeks, when we've come up against good sides, we routinely concede four (Brighton, Hull).  That suggests to me that they are competent Championship defenders, but there must be plenty of better ones. 

If we start next season with the same back four, what reason do we have to think that we won't still concede four against the better teams?

In my opinion he should be the captain and the man around which our team is built. No player has consistently shown more passion, pride and determination than Flint.

He is the first name on the teamsheet and the last one off the field at the end of games.

He might not actually be irreplaceable and there may be others in this division who are technically better defenders but I'd still take Flint over most of them.

How many CB's outscore every midfielder for 2 years running?

Replaceable? Flint say's no no no...

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2 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I like Flint, don't get me wrong, but irreplaceable?  We seem to get carried away with how good our defenders are.  Flint, Baker, Golbourne and Matthews all get high praise on here, which I mostly agree with - yet even in recent weeks, when we've come up against good sides, we routinely concede four (Brighton, Hull).  That suggests to me that they are competent Championship defenders, but there must be plenty of better ones. 

If we start next season with the same back four, what reason do we have to think that we won't still concede four against the better teams?

16 games post Cotts, 19 goals conceded.

In the 16 games up to and including Cotts last game (Preston), 26 conceded.

In all Cotts' 26 games, 46 conceded.

 

A small improvement, although the Brighton and Hull games post Cotts looked like same old defending. More improvement needed.

 

 

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On 19 April 2016 at 14:13, Leveller said:

Interesting. I wouldn't bat an eyelid if he moved on, to be honest. As with JET, who hasn't been missed or set the world alight elsewhere.

[Ducks for cover].

Strange that someone 'wouldn't bat an eyelid' if our top goalscorer moved on! I would argue there were times this season when we have missed JET, especially before Tomlin arrived. JET and Kodjia would have been very exciting together.

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For me in order

Signing Tomlin & Matthews

Keeping Smith and Kodjia

Signing a couple proper wingers

Keeping Flint

Signing Baker/championship CB

Signing Central Mid cover/competition

Signing a striker

The thing is, mostly all of these we need to do so, yea, it needs to be a big summer. 

 

 

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3 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

For me in order

Signing Tomlin & Matthews

Keeping Smith and Kodjia

Signing a couple proper wingers

Keeping Flint

Signing Baker/championship CB

Signing Central Mid cover/competition

Signing a striker

The thing is, mostly all of these we need to do so, yea, it needs to be a big summer. 

 

 

Yep , Johnson needs to leave a long list of players to sign before he goes on holiday. :whistle2:

 

 

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On 19/04/2016 at 14:56, Jack Dawe said:

16 games post Cotts, 19 goals conceded.

In the 16 games up to and including Cotts last game (Preston), 26 conceded.

In all Cotts' 26 games, 46 conceded.

A small improvement, although the Brighton and Hull games post Cotts looked like same old defending. More improvement needed.

It depends on which games they were conceded in, though. City kept 5 clean sheets in Cotterill's 26 Championship games (3 in the last 16) and they kept 5 in the 16 post-Cotterill games. That's 1 clean sheet in 3 since Cotterill left, vs 1 in 5 under Cotterill. Johnson gets a lot more points for his goals conceded than Cotterill did.

Although it's not good to concede large numbers of goals in any game, and we'd struggle to compete with the top teams if they regularly put 3 or 4 goals past us, it is better if we have to concede the goals to do them in a few heavy beatings than spread across a large number of defeats.

The side that reached the playoff final in 2007/08 conceded more goals and scored fewer than most of the teams around it (they finished the season with a goal difference of just +1; very low for a top 6 side) but the goals they conceded came in a couple of hefty beatings (they conceded 3 at Barnsley and QPR, 4 at West Brom and 6 at Ipswich) with much fewer goals conceded in the other games.

 

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