>>Well I’m completely underwhelmed by the transfer activity of today and the last few days. Then to cap it all we lose last season’s player of the year and main goal-scorer, on the final day of the window with no chance of signing a replacement.<<
We can bring in replacements, we can use the loan system. Or sign out-of-contract players - often it's better business for all concerned to cancel contracts outside the window, allowing players to sign as free agents, eg James Beattie, released by Rangers as the window closed. >>I think up to now we’ve been bloody lucky that Clayton, Nunez, Lees and McCormack have all really out-performed expectations, but I really can’t see how we can replace Max easily. << Luck or judgement? Perhaps Grayson was always planning for those players to come good this season, and that's why they were sent out on loan to give them match practise. >> Sorry Rich I can’t see White stepping up to be the replacement, and Lloyd Sam is a fair player but not the threat that Gradel would be.<< White is still inexperienced as a defender, but he's got bags of pace, plenty of energy and he can cross the ball. He'd be a good winger, and he's less likely to make costly mistakes. Sam is a decent championship player. Nunez has goals in him and is a real threat. >>I’ve also got to say that Grayson has spent a lot of time stressing how important it is that we kept hold of Gradel, just look at the old news items on the officious site. So how can he spin it out to be a positive now he’ s gone?<< That's just part of the game. Of course we have to make a big deal about not wanting to sell. It puts the onus back on the buying club to make a bigger offer, and on the player to make a decision. Hence Gradel being told to put in a transfer request if he wanted a move. So no "loyalty bonus" for the player and his agent. I'm pissed off he's gone too, but you can't force someone to stay - and it looks like we got the best deal we could. The alternative was a Bosman next season. At least he can't score a hat-trick against us now. >>I don’t necessarily agree with all signings Leicester have made, but if there is one team with the clout to make those sort of signings in this division, it should be Leeds.<< Why? We're far from the richest club in the division. Bates' fortune is distinctly Conference class compared to the sugardaddy millions backing Leicester, Ipswich, West Ham etc. Signings in this division aren't about transfer fees - they're about players' wages. Leicester have signed Beckford - but on five times the salary we were paying him. We're not doing that - rightly IMO. I don't want Ridsdalenomics again. >> The lack of activity today must mean that Grayson is happy with the squad he’s got because he is making no effort at all to improve it. << How do you know? I know we had a deal for Lichaj until he got injured a week ago - out for four months. And as I said, there are still deals that can be made outside the window. >> I know it is mainly a PR exercise to be involved in the transfer speculation, but it does show the fans that you are trying to make that big signing.<< If you know its's spin, why do you give a shit about it? Getting a unit that works and gets us promoted may not require "that big signing". It worked for Swansea and Norwich, and for Blackpool the year before. >>Grayson will be judged on how much progress is made this season and whilst I admire his loyalty to Bates, he has to stand up for himself at some point and say that he s being hamstrung by the owners for funds to improve the team.<< Again, how do you know it's not Grayson who's refusing to sign players because they're not right? In two seasons Grayson has achieved a hell of a lot. Shouldn't you have a bit more faith in his judgement? >>We can forget about promotion or even the play-offs now. 4 points from 5 games is relegation form, and the squad is beginning to look like a relegation squad too. 10 points from the next 5 games are needed to get a foothold or the season is over before the end of September<< Rubbish. As we've seen every year, a team comes from nowhere and makes the playoffs. Reading had a dreadful start to last season, and were still bottom half at Xmas. Yet they finished in the playoffs and almost went up automatically. Blackpool scraped the playoffs on the last day. A few years back, Palace got promoted from a relegation position on Jan 1. THERE ARE 41 GAMES TO GO. FORTY-ONE!! We've not played badly either. We're a defender or two light, but we've got a class midfield (even without Max) and we're not short of goals. Had White not been (unfairly) sent off we would probably have beaten Ipswich - and we'd be ninth in the table. I doubt there would be so much moaning then, would there. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman-new.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] MARCHING ON TOGETHER (There's it)
