Summer 2022 Transfer Thread

[Percy McCarthy]

There are myriad criticisms of Gerrard on here tonight and before, some from me, but I'm not really opposed to any of his signings. I'm more disappointed with who we haven't signed, in particular our failure, thus far, to acquire a top goalscorer. Hopefully this is rectified by September. Along with another midfielder, preferably. Though I seem the exception on here in that I'd rather sign a forward than a midfielder if we can have only one or the other.

I'm with you, a top quality striker is an absolute must. Ings looks like an old man doing his best, and Watkins looks like a lower league player, full of running but very short on quality. I'd stick Buendia in the actual midfield if need be. A decent midfielder would be nice, but it would also be good to get the best out of the ones we have.

I agree with you on Buendia, as long as he doesn’t ask him to be a makeshift full-back. I almost feel sorry for McGinn in this regard.

[Villafirst]

Pay the money for Conor Gallagher

[Bobby Boy]

Pay the money for Conor Gallagher

It doesn't matter who we bring in if they are going to be bypassed completely by an obsession with getting the ball to the full backs.

Conor Gallagher will be no answer if the style of play remains as it is.

[LeeB]

We need a centre forward and an 8 badly.

Funny isn't it, the last couple of years all we needed was a 6..

I'm not sure what's funny about thinking we need better quality players to lift us out the bottom half.

Seriously! Make reference to bottom half after one performance is just plain daft. When we plug the gaps of a cf and an 8, which position will you demand next?

We have clearly got a quality squad that are not achieving what's required. Surely the focus should be on the management?

Our strikers are shit. Ings looks like he needs a zimmer frame, and Watkins resembles a puppy chasing a balloon.

Ings had a very good first 25/30 mins but you just knew on a warm day he wouldnt last the pace. Still, he was out on his feet just after half time, hands on hips time. I don't think we can be carrying such a player on his wages, yet Gerrard has him in his 'leadership' group. If we got a chance to shift him on in the next few weeks we have to take it. I'd have a lot more faith in Watkins, for starters he can last 90 mins.

Apparently we missed our chance to sell him to West Ham at a decent price, so the chef says.

He turned it down apparently, no doubt having been told he'll start for us. Had he been given the Mings treatment he might have took the offer, and we could've got our money back on an expensive mistake that has frankly caused more problems than he's solved.

[Ads]

Ings can at least look back on 20 minutes of contribution. Watkins was poor again. His touch remains so poor.

[LeeB]

Ings can at least look back on 20 minutes of contribution. Watkins was poor again. His touch remains so poor.

The thing is, I've seen Watkins be outstanding for us and believe with a bit if confidence restored I'll see it again.

I've only seen Ings be wasteful and generally weak.

[Ads]

There was an occasion yesterday where he received the ball with his back to goal, threaded through their midfield and about 5 yards onto him against a defender. His touch was so poor he miscontrolled it beyond their midfielder. That's not confidence, that's something he ought to have the ability to do from a young age. He can't and never will, no matter how chipper he feels at any given moment.

[Risso]

Neither of them are good enough.

[LeeB]

There was an occasion yesterday where he received the ball with his back to goal, threaded through their midfield and about 5 yards onto him against a defender. His touch was so poor he miscontrolled it beyond their midfielder. That's not confidence, that's something he ought to have the ability to do from a young age. He can't and never will, no matter how chipper he feels at any given moment.

His touch was fine in his first season. Is that now gone forever? And even with a woeful first touch he still gives more to the team than Ings.

[Ads]

There was an occasion yesterday where he received the ball with his back to goal, threaded through their midfield and about 5 yards onto him against a defender. His touch was so poor he miscontrolled it beyond their midfielder. That's not confidence, that's something he ought to have the ability to do from a young age. He can't and never will, no matter how chipper he feels at any given moment.

His touch was fine in his first season. Is that now gone forever? And even with a woeful first touch he still gives more to the team than Ings.

Yes he might well do more than Ings on balance, but that's not the yardstick is it, being the tallest dwarf. We need our Benteke for the current day.

[LeeB]

I don't disagree on that but until we find him it's Watkins> Archer > Davis > Ings for me.

[ChicagoLion]

Neither of them are good enough.

Yep and this has been obvious for some time now.

[aj2k77]

We've got a huge squad of players. Most purchased for serious money. We've got to find some answers from within. Ings, Watkins, Coutinho, Bailey, Buendia. Nearly £150m spent on all that.

[London Villan]

We haven't got a striker in the squad that is suited to Gerrard's current preferred formation. We need a Benteke/Drogba type - none of the four we have are anything like that.

[exigo]

We haven't got a striker in the squad that is suited to Gerrard's current preferred formation. We need a Benteke/Drogba type - none of the four we have are anything like that.

This is what annoys me though. Good managers set up to the strengths of the players they've got. Buendia threading balls through for Watkins suits both of them, as it mirrors what they were used to at Norwich and Brentford.
Last season Gerrard was trying to force a new system on players that didn't suit it. Now he's had a summer and transfer window, and we're still set up all wrong.