To be fair, the article posted by Torch doesn't implicitly say that it's Chaplin he's after. I guess it is but would be surprised if Robins wasn't looking at someone else in case the Chaplin deal doesn't come off.
Kind of implies it is though. Hopefully he has a backup option and we can move on, if needed.
Robins i assume, when evans signed for Fleetwood ourselves and 2 other sides were mentioned in the article, at the time.
Not Coventry have just sold McNulty so they will be in with a punt type of Journalism then? We definitely made an offer??
Gonna be soooo much pressure on Chaplin if he comes now...
I wonder if there's a cheeky loan as well, he was looking for two apprently. But can't see Chaplin coming if he's not guaranteed a start.
Edit: 2 or 3 more signings according to the CT report
I wonder if there's a cheeky loan as well, he was looking for two apprently. But can't see Chaplin coming if he's not guaranteed a start.
Edit: 2 or 3 more signings according to the CT report
Given the trialist was with a view to U23s, I wouldn't hold out much hope of the other being an immediate first teamer.
tbh AN Other + Ponti, JCH + Biamou and we've got four. Another would seem a bit excessive!
(About time we got the AN Other mind!)
Yeah but you could argue Ponti is 19 and Chaplin is what? 20? 21? Still seems a lot of pressure on young shoulders.
Won't deny that!
There was a sizeable viewpoint that said Ponti should have been starting last season, mind. So... he might get his chance.
Your old GMK handle would have come in perfectly for this thread!
The heady days when Ben Mackay was our strike threat!Your old GMK handle would have come in perfectly for this thread!
Out of interest... are JCH and Biamou able to play together? If we *have* to, would they make for a decent front two?
(Grendel need not answer!)
Might be an idea to have 'Grendel need not answer' as a sticky to be honest.
It's an interesting question. I think both would be better paired with a nippier striker around them and perhaps both would look better individually than they did last season with a different striker to McNulty - one of the things I thought McNulty was guilty of was not playing with/off his strike partner enough and just buggering off and doing his own thing in whatever space he could find. Fortunately there was plenty of space in L2 and he did it very well and scored a load of goals! With less space, time and a greater emphasis on playing in a strike partnership I think McNulty will need to adapt his game in the Championship to be anywhere near as successful. But I digress...!
I think JCH and Biamou could play together but it would need their partnership defining. JCH would have to play higher up, stay on his feet more and look to run in behind a bit more and although I'm not a 3-5-2 fan I think wingbacks and an extra central midfielder to run beyond them would help their game. For it to be a *decent front 2* though they'd need to both be better than they were last season - Biamou to continue learning and improving (he looks like he's put some more muscle on to that big frame too) and JCH to get some match sharpness to his game which hopefully he'll have after a full pre-season. I thought JCH was built like a boxer not a footballer last year, or at least like a footballer who'd been out injured for a while and spent too much time in the gym.
Rhetorical question really though Captain, as I can't see it happening
Portsmouth have sensibly held onto Chaplin as now they've been proven right ... they didn't get their target, so they didn't release ... we should have done the same with McNulty ... we made a mistake ... and the new season is just around the corner ... I agree with the above, I have faith in Mark Robins, but we are leaving it late ...
There is no point keeping a player who is unhappy, and would have downed tools (according to his agent), we have enough time to get someone in, we didn't sign Armstrong until late in the day, would rather sign someone decent than make a panic signing just for the sake of it.
I agree, but we didn't have to sell him right at that moment, we could have made them wait a week or 2 just like we've had to with this Chaplin deal. We need to look after ourselves first, we could have said the same as what pompey are saying. "We will sell him but only once we have a replacement".
Read a few comments about us leaving it late etc. With the World Cup and the shorter transfer window the market will absolutely explode the next two weeks and there will be loads of movement. No need to panic. We are in a very good position. Wouldnt be the end of the world if we were forced to play Ponticelli for one game with JCH or Biamou.
If I were Robins it would be my number 1 priority , the fact he has not just brought in anyone is a good sign but he will really need someone if he is sitting on the back of a few defeats at the start of the season. He might have to spend some money here. I expect a loan from the higher leagues by next Wednesday
This is indeed the stock answer but there's been loads of players who have knuckled down once there's no chance of a move. We've turned down bids before for players and not had issues and we've had the likes of Reid who haven't had bids but got sulky yet still contributed when it was in their interests.
I know the done thing on here is to pretend every decision the club makes is the best possible one, but it's a valid point to say that we could've played this better.
I've got a feeling this is going to end up going tits up, and we're going to be left with Biamou, JCH and Ponti, without a decent goalscorer we'll be looking at a bottom half struggle IMO.
The signings have been largely positive, but losing McNulty and not replacing him could be the difference between challenging for top 6 and fighting to stay away from bottom 6.
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The signings have been largely positive, but losing McNulty and not replacing him could be the difference between challenging for top 6 and fighting to stay away from bottom 6.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
