Could maybe add Harry Wood and Ahmed Salam to that list, think we will something of both of them this season. And Billy Chadwick.
I added Salam, though I think all three will be loaned out. Salam and Chadwick need to break through this season or they're gone, both have a year left, though both are pretty well thought of. Wood is obviously younger but a loan in the National League or League Two will do him good, he needs to be playing men's football to toughen up. But he is a top prospect.
I think it's surprising, he's a couple of months younger than Chadwick who we gave a new deal to and he had made an impressive start to. He only needs to have a decent season and he could be in the Championship in 12 months. That being said, the club will know what's best and there's Jones and Wood who are both younger.
I'm very surprised they are letting Bonds go, a real talent. As said, in City's financial position they maybe feel we have enough up and coming players ahead of him, so feel it is best he moves on.
Maybe they have let him go with a sell on clause.... ?... after all it was at Cheltenham he got crocked...
I haven read a lot about Moncur/Canon. Am I correct in thinking they are probably cover for Honeyman/Docherty? That means we still need a defensive midfielder (unless he sees Cannon as that?). Many on here have written off Smallwood. Dont say Jones, let him develop in his preferred position. In defence, we still need I'd forgotten Arthur, but not sure how much he could be trusted covering for Jones, so need another central defender. Up front, McCann used four wide men per game for a lot of last season (almost rotating after 60 mins when we were playing twice a week. So unless he trusts Scott, we still need another one in. We have noone good enough to push/ offer an alternative to Magennis. Rather than bringing two upfront, look for one higher quality who can play either wide/striker and good enough to rotate with Magennis/Wick/KLP/Williams. Not sure how close to the first team the young uns are. I always think in the first half of the season while in the cups, some can gain experience that way, rather than automatically loan out.
Depth in terms of numbers, we're good, but in terms of quality, we're lacking. Take the left-sided CB position, McLoughlin is a good player but he's never even played at L1 level, I have the SPL slightly below that. He's also not played for 18 months. Going into a Championship season, if he's backing up Greaves we have a major issue. Hopefully, Jacob will smash it, but even last season it was nice to have the 'security' of Jordy who could deputise when he needed a short spell out the team. I'm no Jordy fan but having him around for the first half of the season and being able to step in when needed is really useful. It's a big step up and CB is such an important position to go into it with just young ones. Even in the relegation season, we had Burke, Jordy, Taf, Penno, McLoughlin (half a season) & Angus (when he got fit). I'd happily take a player like Taf, and then a good right-sided one to replace Burke. In the forward areas, we need 2 as well. The forward is the key one but the wide one can be for rotation as you said. You just need options. We've realistically got 3 wingers McCann will trust plus Moncur. But if you get one injury, we're without an out and out winger on the bench. Midfield, we just need Slater, but looking at the recent players we've been linked with, it seems like we could be after two. Last year, we were really short in there & got away with it by luck really. The number of mins Doc & Honeyman missed was outstanding but we can't rely on that. I'd happily just take Slater though after the addition of Cannon.
Agree with most of that, though I'd have more confidence in McLoughlin as back up. He's played a few cup games and not let anyone down. You mention we had six centre backs previously, in hindsight that has proved to create a problem in that McClaughlin never got any game time. We had issues at full back if I recall, so those centre backs were also covering there. Bruce always had five centrebacks, but he liked the option of playing three at the back. McCann isn't as flexible as that. I would like to see another one come in, but more due to concerns around Angus's experience.
Potentially a little movement in by the end of this week and also possibly 2 out on loan All 3 still a while of but I've been impressed with how quickly things have seemed to get done this close season so you never know
Is Lewis Wing one of the potential signings as he is northern based? Hopefully Scott can be loaned out to get some game time and confidence back.
Good signing for the Posh, they will be looking to develop him, increase his value and sell him on in the future. Posh are trying the Brentford financial moneyball idea.
Regarding the kids we let go, I think Bonds was one of the more highly rated ones, probably the injury has been the key to him leaving as he didn’t get a chance to show what he could do. But do we ever put buy back clauses in the negotiations? Or is it, he was just released, end of story?
To be fair, Peterborough were running with the Brentford model before Brentford were. They seem to have been a hotbed for attacking talent for years.