Summer 2023 Transfer Speculation

[Hound]

Not sure if any of the other trialists from last week are knocking about - Shodipo etc

Prob find out tomorrow

[blythspartan]

Someone on Twitter is claiming that we’re in for a centre forward called Pedro Mendes who is currently with Ascoli in Serie B. He was a Portuguese under 21 player and is now 23. It could be bullsh*t of course.

[Sutekh]

Someone on Twitter is claiming that we’re in for a centre forward called Pedro Mendes who is currently with Ascoli in Serie B. He was a Portuguese under 21 player and is now 23. It could be bullsh*t of course.

Haven't Reading been trying to sign him for years? Sure the club have been lnked before when he was at Sporting.

[Stranded]

Someone on Twitter is claiming that we’re in for a centre forward called Pedro Mendes who is currently with Ascoli in Serie B. He was a Portuguese under 21 player and is now 23. It could be bullsh*t of course.

Bit of a running joke these days.

[blythspartan]

Someone on Twitter is claiming that we’re in for a centre forward called Pedro Mendes who is currently with Ascoli in Serie B. He was a Portuguese under 21 player and is now 23. It could be bullsh*t of course.

Bit of a running joke these days.

Ahh right, I did think the name sounded familiar. I also recall someone who is pretty reliable mentioning a young Portuguese player last week but they didn’t give a name though.

[windermereROYAL]

Hopefully the days of Kia controlled foreign players nobody has heard of are long behind us.

[Clyde1998]

Someone on Twitter is claiming that we’re in for a centre forward called Pedro Mendes who is currently with Ascoli in Serie B. He was a Portuguese under 21 player and is now 23. It could be bullsh*t of course.

Fairly certain Pedro Mendes played for Tottenham, Portsmouth and Rangers.

[CountryRoyal]

Might be being a bit fussy considering not that long ago we barely had a first 11, and whilst Smith, Knibbs, Wing and Savage sound good, I’d quite like if we picked up a recently promoted player or at least someone used to competing at the top end of the division. I can see where difficulties arise with that however.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Might be being a bit fussy considering not that long ago we barely had a first 11, and whilst Smith, Knibbs, Wing and Savage sound good, I’d quite like if we picked up a recently promoted player or at least someone used to competing at the top end of the division. I can see where difficulties arise with that however.

Being a bit fussy I think

[From Despair To Where?]

Someone on Twitter is claiming that we’re in for a centre forward called Pedro Mendes who is currently with Ascoli in Serie B. He was a Portuguese under 21 player and is now 23. It could be bullsh*t of course.

Fairly certain Pedro Mendes played for Tottenham, Portsmouth and Rangers.

There's another Pedro Mendes that we were linked to about 3 years ago, an U21 player at Porto. We get linked to him every summer.

[Stranded]

More players expected in the coming days

Going to be a busy week.

[Hound]

More players expected in the coming days

Going to be a busy week.

Think prob Amos and Shodipo likely as solid squad players

For me if Dean is in shape and still has the motivation then that’s a no brainer. Frankly had enough of the two Toms, esp as a pair

Then a GK - do feel we should look to move Bouzanis on.

Then hopefully Bowen has a few more rabbits of the nature of Savage and Wing to pull out of his hat. Then I’d be happy to start the season (knowing we’ve still got lots of loan spots to use as needed before the end of the window)

[Stranded]

More players expected in the coming days

Going to be a busy week.

Think prob Amos and Shodipo likely as solid squad players

For me if Dean is in shape and still has the motivation then that’s a no brainer. Frankly had enough of the two Toms, esp as a pair

Then a GK - do feel we should look to move Bouzanis on.

Then hopefully Bowen has a few more rabbits of the nature of Savage and Wing to pull out of his hat. Then I’d be happy to start the season (knowing we’ve still got lots of loan spots to use as needed before the end of the window)

If the last week has told us anything, the deals most likely to happen are already lined up and will be pretty much done before we hear about them.

[CountryRoyal]

For me if Dean is in shape and still has the motivation then that’s a no brainer. Frankly had enough of the two Toms, esp as a pair

Yeah it’s a shame but ultimately they’ve been at the heart of a tragically poor defence for a number of years now.

[Snowflake Royal]

Definitely shouldn't play together if possible, but plenty happy with either alongside Mbengue.

[Clyde1998]

For me if Dean is in shape and still has the motivation then that’s a no brainer. Frankly had enough of the two Toms, esp as a pair

Yeah it’s a shame but ultimately they’ve been at the heart of a tragically poor defence for a number of years now.

I wonder how much of that is down to us not having a regular experienced centre-back for either to play along side. That last experienced CB I can think of who played regularly was Michael Morrison. Perhaps one along side someone like Dean would help them develop defensively; ofc McIntyre hasn't always played consistently at CB, which wouldn't've helped him either.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think it's worth remembering that in that time our midfield has also been consistently shit offering little protection.

Plus Holmes spent much of 20/21 at RB, not CB, and McIntyre has bounced around in and out of the team at CB, LB, LWB and DM.

They struggle when they're run at on the break, or balls are slid past them into the channels behind an often awol fullback, or with movement in the box when someone peels off and no one else picks them up when they try to maintain shape.

They certainly have their flaws. They're both slow. Holmes is too handsy in the box. But I still think they're both good defenders.

[Clyde1998]

I think it's worth remembering that in that time our midfield has also been consistently shit offering little protection.

Plus Holmes spent much of 20/21 at RB, not CB, and McIntyre has bounced around in and out of the team at CB, LB, LWB and DM.

They struggle when they're run at on the break, or balls are slid past them into the channels behind an often awol fullback, or with movement in the box when someone peels off and no one else picks them up when they try to maintain shape.

They certainly have their flaws. They're both slow. Holmes is too handsy in the box. But I still think they're both good defenders.

Forgot Holmes came in at right-back initially.

The players around them will make a big impact, having Hutch (or similar) as protection would help our defence this season. We do need a settled side for once, which will aid with understanding between players.

As you say, pace is their biggest weakness - which can't be massively improved. Holmes does need to keep his hands off players in the box; I'm not sure why defenders grab attackers, as you're asking for trouble.

[blythspartan]

I think it's worth remembering that in that time our midfield has also been consistently shit offering little protection.

Plus Holmes spent much of 20/21 at RB, not CB, and McIntyre has bounced around in and out of the team at CB, LB, LWB and DM.

They struggle when they're run at on the break, or balls are slid past them into the channels behind an often awol fullback, or with movement in the box when someone peels off and no one else picks them up when they try to maintain shape.

They certainly have their flaws. They're both slow. Holmes is too handsy in the box. But I still think they're both good defenders.

Forgot Holmes came in at right-back initially.

The players around them will make a big impact, having Hutch (or similar) as protection would help our defence this season. We do need a settled side for once, which will aid with understanding between players.

As you say, pace is their biggest weakness - which can't be massively improved. Holmes does need to keep his hands off players in the box; I'm not sure why defenders grab attackers, as you're asking for trouble.

I was critical of them yesterday, but tbf to both of them they have been part of a very poor team for the last few years. Due to the transfer embargo and injuries to Dann, Moore and Sarr etc. they’ve become first team regulars out of necessity.

They have both proved to be good defenders in the Championship at times but I don’t think they’ve received the right coaching, which hasn’t helped their development. I hope with a much better midfield in front of them and another CB to help out they’ll both have good seasons in League One. A winning mentality will also give them a much needed boost.

[Hound]

They are not just slow in pure pace terms but so slow to react at times. They were miles off the Soton forwards yesterday. They don’t dominate in the air either

They just don’t make a good pair. At this stage even without another signing I’d bring in Dorsett or Mbengue for McIntytre.

The midfield in front has been crap but it can’t always be the excuse for them.