Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

Neither was Surridge. Or Grabban for that matter.

Where I feel recruitment did fail was bringing in another option in similar mould to Taiwo - two strikers is at least one too few. Money though, and I guess that the club felt if they could only bring in one, and that one came with a decent record as Wood did, the manager would be able to set us up to get a tune from him. It's not hard - get crosses in and a midfielder or two closer to him.

I'm not having Wood as poor recruitment though - he's proven himself not be when used effectively this year, by Cooper as well as Nuno (Luton) though the end spell (and most notably v Everton) he definitely did not.

And sadly for Cooper, who I wanted to succeed as much as anyone, his use of Wood, last season and at times this, was off.

Like I said, Coops did well with what he had, but Davis showed exactly what the right type of player for him did.

I mean, you're just keeping the debate circular by not understanding the very basic point I made in post one, that you recruit for the manager if you want to get the most for your money, and we didn't do that with Coops. So I'll leave that there.

However, you say Wood was good recruitment in isolation, but he's not taken us any further forward than where we were under Coops, we're actually lower in the league now. Wood's also out of contract in the summer and he's 32, so we're very unlikely to recoup much on him never mind make money on him. So, again, I disagree, 15m + 90k/wk to be lower down the league and out of pocket than when we signed him is good recruitment. Really doesn't seem great recruitment to me at all tbh.

 

[Gyros Peter]

Like I said, Coops did well with what he had, but Davis showed exactly what the right type of player for him did.

I mean, you're just keeping the debate circular by not understanding the very basic point I made in post one, that you recruit for the manager if you want to get the most for your money, and we didn't do that with Coops. So I'll leave that there.

However, you say Wood was good recruitment in isolation, but he's not taken us any further forward than where we were under Coops, we're actually lower in the league now. Wood's also out of contract in the summer and he's 32, so we're very unlikely to recoup much on him never mind make money on him. So, again, I disagree, 15m + 90k/wk to be lower down the league and out of pocket than when we signed him is good recruitment. Really doesn't seem great recruitment to me at all tbh.

We don't agree on various levels so I'll leave it there.

 

[Redemption]

We don't agree on various levels so I'll leave it there.

Alf flare

 

[Listen 'ere young man]

A contract extension for Aina is a no brainer.

 

[GOBIAS]

Has Aina met up with the national squad or has he stayed here?

I hope he’s stayed here. The bender he went on after the afcon final has worn him out since!

 

[Gyros Peter]

Actually I won't leave it there apparently...

I mean, you're just keeping the debate circular by not understanding the very basic point I made in post one, that you recruit for the manager if you want to get the most for your money, and we didn't do that with Coops. So I'll leave that there.

I haven't not understood that 'very basic point', I just don't agree that it is the case - take your Dane promotion side: three strikers, all with different strengths, all utilised in slightly different ways by Cooper.

Squads are about options, and while our wider issue has been not having enough forward players of sufficient quality, if your option that allows you to play a particular way is not available, you don't ignore that the system needs a tweak to accommodate the next man up. You make the tweak.

However, you say Wood was good recruitment in isolation, but he's not taken us any further forward than where we were under Coops, we're actually lower in the league now. Wood's also out of contract in the summer and he's 32, so we're very unlikely to recoup much on him never mind make money on him. So, again, I disagree, 15m + 90k/wk to be lower down the league and out of pocket than when we signed him is good recruitment. Really doesn't seem great recruitment to me at all tbh.

Take the points earned from Wood's goals out of the equation and see where we are then. Double figures PL goals (yeah, I'm ignoring thay one is in the cup) not good enough for Nottingham Forest? Isn't he the second best goals per minutes in the Prem this year? Why do we need to recoup money on him, it's about him repaying the fee, which he very much has done this year (and I hope for future seasons too).

So yes, with Wood I do think Cooper's f**ked up with him. This isn't hindsight - I was saying it at the time. Does that mean that I am anti-Cooper? I'm very much not you know. Does it make me pro-recruitment team? Nope. I'm simply expressing an opinion about a signing on a football forum that is apparently counter yours. I'm not trying to change your opinion either, so take it as you will.

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

Actually I won't leave it there apparently...



I haven't not understood that 'very basic point', I just don't agree that it is the case - take your Dane promotion side: three strikers, all with different strengths, all utilised in slightly different ways by Cooper.

Squads are about options, and while our wider issue has been not having enough forward players of sufficient quality, if your option that allows you to play a particular way is not available, you don't ignore that the system needs a tweak to accommodate the next man up. You make the tweak.



Take the points earned from Wood's goals out of the equation and see where we are then. Double figures PL goals (yeah, I'm ignoring thay one is in the cup) not good enough for Nottingham Forest? Isn't he the second best goals per minutes in the Prem this year? Why do we need to recoup money on him, it's about him repaying the fee, which he very much has done this year (and I hope for future seasons too).

So yes, with Wood I do think Cooper's f**ked up with him. This isn't hindsight - I was saying it at the time. Does that mean that I am anti-Cooper? I'm very much not you know. Does it make me pro-recruitment team? Nope. I'm simply expressing an opinion about a signing on a football forum that is apparently counter yours. I'm not trying to change your opinion either, so take it as you will.

Yep, it's about options. You give the manager ones the priority ones first which he needs (bulker such as Davis and Awoniyi) to make his main plan work, and then the optional ones which may help (scorer such as Surridge & Wood). Murphy did that, the new setup didn't.

I've never disputed Wood can't score goals, I'm saying he didn't suit Coopers style of play. Please don't make me repeat it again.

You have every right to your opinion, but the anti-Cooper battle seems one you're having with your own guilt, because I've not accused you of being anti-Cooper.

 

[Gyros Peter]

Yep, it's about options. You give the manager ones the priority ones first which he needs (bulker such as Davis and Awoniyi), and then the optional ones which may help (scorer such as Surridge & Wood). Murphy did that, the new setup didn't.

I've never disputed Wood can't score goals, I'm saying he didn't suit Coopers style of play. Please don't make me repeat it again.

You have every right to your opinion, but the anti-Cooper battle seems one you're having with your own guilt, because I've not accused you of being anti-Cooper.

No guilt wrestling here - it's probably a misunderstanding on my part because I perceive this place as a bit 'if you have issues with anything about Coops you're one of them!' at the minute.

I understand your point, my point there is that it wouldn't have taken much at all to tweak things to make him suit - that's what a decent goalscoring record at this level earns you (in terms of prioritising Wood as a signing). You don't get many become available in that window with Wood's record

 

[Otis Redding]

Yep, it's about options. You give the manager ones the priority ones first which he needs (bulker such as Davis and Awoniyi) to make his main plan work, and then the optional ones which may help (scorer such as Surridge & Wood). Murphy did that, the new setup didn't.

I've never disputed Wood can't score goals, I'm saying he didn't suit Coopers style of play. Please don't make me repeat it again.

You have every right to your opinion, but the anti-Cooper battle seems one you're having with your own guilt, because I've not accused you of being anti-Cooper.

I'm happy to be corrected, but I'm pretty certain that Murphy played no part in Wood's signing Alf.

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

I'm happy to be corrected, but I'm pretty certain that Murphy played no part in Wood's signing Alf.

I never said he did mate? I'm saying he got the priorities right. The players used were just examples of those types of players.

No guilt wrestling here - it's probably a misunderstanding on my part because I perceive this place as a bit 'if you have issues with anything about Coops you're one of them!' at the minute.

I understand your point, my point there is that it wouldn't have taken much at all to tweak things to make him suit - that's what a decent goalscoring record at this level earns you (in terms of prioritising Wood as a signing). You don't get many become available in that window with Wood's record

For me a better recruitment setup would have been finding another Davis instead. I've never disputed Cooper couldn't have done better, I'm saying the club could have done better by him.

Ultimately, Cooper kept us up without Wood, and left us in a higher position than we are now. I'd sooner we not have signed players like Wood, Dennis, Sangare etc. kept Cooper, and kept in line with FFP. Idealistic? Well, success tends to be.

 

[Red Ray's Redlist]

Not sure what all this has to do with Aina.

But wasn't Wood a signing Cooper pushed for, or so popular opinion believed. Has that changed now?

 

[MaxiRobriguez]

I don't think Cooper had the chance to 'correctly use Wood'.

Think we all know Wood is a bit of a poacher and does best with players around him, the 4231 clearly suits, but how often under Cooper could we could a 4231?

Last season we didn't have an out and out left winger so it forced the wingbacks or 442 diamond. This season we've only had two wingers and under Cooper one of them was often out injured so it forced the 4141 with MGW out wide.

Just a thought anyway.

 

[Notcher]

I hope he’s stayed here. The bender he went on after the afcon final has worn him out since!

It was the voodoo curse cast on him by the disgruntled African football fan/witch doctor.

 

[Indored]

Aina is a keeper for me.
He does look a bit laid back whilst playing but is not afraid of going forward and getting in the mix, also pretty fast which always helps.
He has a good throw in too so no reason not to take the option on an extension.
Him and Tavares would be my choices.

 

[Rubics]

Another keeper - how many do we need in the squad? Granted if we could play 2 or 3 at a time we might have done a bit better!

 

[GOBIAS]

It was the voodoo curse cast on him by the disgruntled African football fan/witch doctor.

Imagine going for a big slurp of water, not realising it is lava in your drinks bottle. It could do terrible damage to your throat and windpipe, and your digestive system.

What is his injury listed as? Burnt oesophagus?

 

[Notcher]

Imagine going for a big slurp of water, not realising it is lava in your drinks bottle. It could do terrible damage to your throat and windpipe, and your digestive system.

What is his injury listed as? Burnt oesophagus?

That's the one and phantom red hot needle piercings all over the body...oh and straggly hair plus an arm on back to front.

 

[GOBIAS]

My mate once went home early on a heavy night out in Tenerife, and he accidentally locked us out. So to teach him a lesson his big bottle of water he’d put at the side of his bed we filled with vodka.

That didn’t end well for him when he took a big slurp in the night expecting water. And I think lava is probably worse!

 

[GOBIAS]

That's the one and phantom red hot needle piercings all over the body...oh and straggly hair plus an arm on back to front.

He’ll look like a raggy doll

 

[Notcher]

Yet somehow Richard Keough still came out of that car in a worse condition

 

[Captain Sinister]

Aina is a keeper for me.
He does look a bit laid back whilst playing but is not afraid of going forward and getting in the mix, also pretty fast which always helps.
He has a good throw in too so no reason not to take the option on an extension.
Him and Tavares would be my choices.

I thought he was a wing back/full back.
Bloody hell - that makes 5 keepers in the squad.

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

Aina is a keeper for me.

I thought he was a wing back/full back.
Bloody hell - that makes 5 keepers in the squad.

He's more of one than Vlach tbf

 

[Captain Sinister]

He's more of one than Vlach tbf

Come on Alf, we are hopefully going to sell Vlach and make a £30m profit thereby solving our FFP problems.
Don't knock him... he is brilliant.
He is calm, athletic, confident, a great cross taker, a great shot stopper, and BRAVERY is his middle name.
He has better distribution than Ederson, and we are only selling because the EPL have us in their sights...

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

Come on Alf, we are hopefully going to sell Vlach and make a £30m profit thereby solving our FFP problems.
Don't knock him... he is brilliant.
He is calm, athletic, conident, a great cross taker, a great shot stopper, and BRAVERY is his middle name.
He has better distribution than Ederson, and we are only selling because the EPL have us in thei sights...

You are Jorge Mendes and I claim my obligatory pointless player with high sign on fee.

 

[shearstone]

You are Jorge Mendes and I claim my obligatory pointless player with high sign on fee.

Would you prefer Reyna or Ribeiro?