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5 Men to Ponder

Discussion in 'Bristol City' started by wizered, Apr 15, 2021.

  1. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    The Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Fulham men for Bristol City to ponder this summer
    Five free transfers for the Robins to target from June as the West Country outfit look to get 'creative' in the transfer market.

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    Marley Watkins battles with Barnsley's Alex Mowatt
    Beyond Lionel Messi - just imagine him wiggling around the corner flag bowing in front of Section 82 next season as Nigel Pearson's all-conquering side go top of the league - there are many, many players out of contract this coming June.

    Heck, there are 13 alone from Bristol City, with the club needing to make plenty of decisions over the next few weeks.

    This summer promises to be something different, with the pandemic having starved clubs of revenues, and Pearson explaining that the club may need to be patient to build a squad for going up (which may be at odds with what the club expects; how those conversations go will be very interesting).

    "I think that this year in particular, however people envisage transfer windows, this one is going to be very different," the manager said recently.

    "People don’t have money to spend. It’s been a challenge for football clubs throughout the country, and particularly in the EFL, to stay operational at the level they’ve been at before.

    "If there are expectations in terms of us being really expressive in the transfer window then I think people are going to be disappointed. We are going to have to be creative, we are going to have to be inventive," he explained.

    To that end, we're looking in the bargain basement to begin: free transfers. Although even acquiring an unattached player can prove costly.

    Already we've seen the Robins bring in Adrian Mariappa, Henri Lansbury and Danny Simpson as free agents this season, after Ashley Williams last. And the club may need to have a good nose around what's available from June before deciding on what else they need to splash transfer fees on, if at all.


    Here's the pick of the bunch that we'd be enquiring on.

    Adam Reach, 28, Sheffield Wednesday

    Reach was a player previously considered by Bristol City and remarked upon by Lee Johnson four years ago when the player left Middlesbrough permanently following four loans elsewhere. City liked him but were blown away by the wages offered by Sheffield Wednesday.

    Wage control has been one of the key tenets of the Lansdown era, with the cost base rising up to £33m in the last set of accounts.

    And the Owls' winger or wing-back may be looking for a decent sum in the summer. City managed to tempt Jack Hunt south and away and perhaps they could do so again, especially if right-back Hunt remains and could put in a word.

    Reach offers experience, physicality (at 6ft,1), leadership and is coming to his peak. He's played in 39 of Wednesday's 40 league games this season and has netted five goals with three assists, which he may well better in the years ahead. With no direct Niclas Eliasson replacement, brought in, we'd certainly take him, if he leaves Saturday's opponents in June.

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    Adam Reach of Sheffield Wednesday celebrates (Image: Robbie Stephenson/JMP)
    Ryan Nyambe, 23, Blackburn Rovers

    The 6ft right-back is another player out of contract this summer and sure to interest other clubs as a solid and dependable Championship defender likely to get better and better over the years ahead.

    According to our sister site Lancs Live, Nyambe has a one-year contract option that is likely to be triggered to protect him as an asset, though that has yet to happen so far, and it might be that due to some reshuffling of finances - a consideration across all of the EFL this summer - the defender is able to depart this summer.

    "Listen, I don't get involved in the contract negotiations," said Tony Mowbray recently. "Am I optimistic [that Nyambe will re-sign with Rovers]? I've talked to Ryan, he knows where we are. We've been together for four years, I've known him since he was a young boy and yet how is his progression? I still think he has lots of growth left in him."

    Has featured in 34 of 41 Rovers games and grabbed four assists along the way this season.

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    Niclas Eliasson of Bristol City crosses challenged by Ryan Nyambe
    Cyrus Christie 28, Fulham

    The Nottingham Forest full-back on loan from Fulham has played 39 of 41 games for Chris Hughton's side and has arguably been of the Tricky Tree's most consistent players in a season of inconssitency.

    The Republic of Ireland international may be an ambitious signing as he reaches peak age for a defender but the 6ft 2 right-back may offer the Robins a defensive upgrade and vital missing stature: something Pearson has alluded to in helping defend set-pieces - City have the worst record in the division.

    Christie would again command a hefty wage level by Championship standard but perhaps the Robins can save budget elsewhere and accomodate the 28-cap Republic of Ireland man.

    Obviously Forest may have something to say here, with Hughton's side now having the fourth best defence in the division - showing what City need to do themselves: add more steel.

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    Nathan Baker of Bristol City is challenged by Cyrus Christie of Fulham
    Ashley Fletcher, 25, Middlesbrough

    Forget about Britt Assombalonga. With Nahki Wells, Andi Weimann, Antoine Semenyo and Sam Bell the Robins are well placed for second strikers.

    The club will need to - likely - replace Famara Diedhiou in the summer if the Senegal player moves on however, and Fletcher is one option if the club are looking at players over 6ft and able to offer a target-man style option to compete with Chris Martin for a place in the team, and need to do so without spending too much.

    Fletcher has had injury problems, with a hamstring injury ruling him out for several months this year, but that may mean that his wage demands are more palatable if he departs the Riverside Stadium at the end of the campaign. Neil Warnock has offered the player a new deal but nothing is yet signed. A chance to yet swoop?

    The former England U20s player is likely to hit his peak very soon and has shown previously that he has bags of character, as he showed in Sunderland 'Til I Die, with 18 goal contributions from 37 starts last season proving what he can do when fully fit and firing.

    Bonus: he enjoys scoring against bogey side Preston North End, the team he has netted the most goals against.

    Alex Mowatt, 26, Barnsley

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    Callum O'Dowda takes on Alex Mowatt of Barnsley
    Arguably Mowatt is fast becoming one of the standout players of this Championship season, with the Tykes being the surprise team of the campaign. The 26-year-old former Leeds United midfielder has been at the heart of the unfashionable south Yorkshire team's soar up the table, starting 40 of their 41 games, netting eight goals and grabbing seven assists.

    An ugly tackle at Oakwell on Josh Brownhill two years ago showed that he can be tenacious and aggressive in the cauldron of intensity that is a Championship midfield battle and Mowatt will prove a prize pick-up this summer if he departs Valérien Ismaël's side. More likely if they are not promoted through the play-offs.

    Certainly one that Bristol City should look at, although Millwall, Cardiff City, Middlesbrough and QPR were all linked with the player last January as the Barnsley captain continues to garner interest.
     
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  2. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    This is why SL has got to pull his finger out, refuse to dither, stick MA behind a non descript desk up on the roof, appoint Nige and give him time to sign up some quality before they are all snapped up, just get moving, less boardroom waffle and time wasting.
     
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  3. AshtonRed

    AshtonRed Well-Known Member

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    Exactly, we can’t allow MA to just run down his contract , we need to act now. We’ve 14 or so OOC players we need to replace with upgrades , or resign.

    i don’t often read OTIB but there is a really good thread on there with OOC players atm which is well worth a gander.
     
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  4. Jiffie

    Jiffie Well-Known Member

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    Exactly this + we have a month over many of our rivals due to their transfer embargo's.

    Tie up Pearson, get the business done early and sit back and prepare for next season.
     
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  5. Angelicnumber16

    Angelicnumber16 Well-Known Member

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    It's Bristol City and it is run by idiots. Everything will be last minute.com as usual
     
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  6. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    SLhas been back for 3 days, we already have the manager in house, what is hard about offering him a contract, why the delay?, if there is a problem or Nige has told him to do one, tell us and everyone can get on with their lives, for christ sake it's about to become a replay of the Holden appointment.
     
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  7. Angelicnumber16

    Angelicnumber16 Well-Known Member

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    Indeed. And quite why it took such an embarrassing length of time to announce DH, when they had apparently interviewed much more capable candidates will always be a mystery.
     
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  8. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    Pearson has not yet met with Steve Lansdown
    We talk regularly, but not face-to-face.
    As I’ve pointed out a few times already, that is to do with travel restrictions. Steve is a resident in Guernsey and they are being very careful to ensure that they remain as COVID free as possible.
    Likewise, we can’t just dismiss what the travel regulations are. There is an element of being patient, and that’s just where we are.
    Yes, we’ve spoken about meeting as soon as it’s possible, but of course then it will be determined by the best way of doing that, and the best place to do that.
    It’s something I cannot disclose at the moment because I don’t know.

    God help us, here we go again!!
     
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  9. AshtonRed

    AshtonRed Well-Known Member

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    It’s beginning to feel like when we got promotion from League one early so had time to plan our Championship season, only to waste our advantage, ffs get on and do it.
     
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  10. invermeremike

    invermeremike Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes the happenings at Bristol City beggar belief and the main reason we seem to wander around finally disappearing up our own backsides is down to the lack of real leadership from the top. When it comes to the crunch the only person who should be carrying this particular can is Steve Lansdown and nobody else can even come close except perhaps Mark Ashton who should be on his bike to Ipswich already. The blame game will never solve the issues that have beset our club and those will only stand a chance if the owner steps up and does some right things for a change. For me the main problem is all about loss of control and hiring only yes men to do your bidding will generally lead to tears and that just about sums up our long standing poor decisions that have led us absolutely nowhere.

    Perhaps the thought of having a competent and plain speaking person running the show on the pitch makes SL have nightmares but surely giving the supporters a better chance of success can be the perfect antidote. I have long since given up on expecting good ideas to come forth from BS3 but my bucket still rattles at the thought of something, anything, special.:emoticon-0112-wonde
     
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  11. RedorDead

    RedorDead Well-Known Member

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    If SL is in the country then, this statement would have been made before he came over.
     
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  12. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    #12
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  13. Jiffie

    Jiffie Well-Known Member

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    #13
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2021
  14. RedorDead

    RedorDead Well-Known Member

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    Just read on OTIB, that he will have to be in quarantine for 10 days but can apply for 5 days with a test. A private jet took off and landed in Bristol from both Bermuda and Guernsey. So looks like both SL and JL are in the country.
    But I don’t think you’ve got to quarantine from Guernsey but if he’s with JL he will then.
     
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