Transfer Window

[NaeMairNeeps]

According to the EE, we are close to getting Clarkson back.

No idea if a loan or managed to sort out a permanent deal, but happy days if true.

That would be wonderful ... Ah hae tae admit there wis very nearly a tiny fraction o' a tear in ma eye efter the game, watchin' the team thank the crowd, and the realisation this could be the last time Clarkson plays at hame for the Dons ... really dae hope we can keep him for at least anither season .... there's very nearly silverware in that team .... if we can hold ontae the best and add mair quality, we could be there

[RED_JOHN]

If there is anything to be learned from the last few summer transfer windows it’s that we shouldn’t get too excited. They have had plenty players come and go but hardly been a great product on the pitch when the chips are down.
Let’s see who is brought in but the reality of what they bring are by results on the pitch not future potential.

[NaeMairNeeps]

If there is anything to be learned from the last few summer transfer windows it’s that we shouldn’t get too excited. They have had plenty players come and go but hardly been a great product on the pitch when the chips are down.
Let’s see who is brought in but the reality of what they bring are by results on the pitch not future potential.

True, ... looking at who we still have on our books if you take out all the on loan first team personnel, I see no-one other than McKenzie and Duncan ready to step up in place of Scales or Hayes (yeah, I know, he's still with us, but the sooner he gets an understudy ... ).

I'd like to believe Barron could hit some form, but right now, he is not showing any of the promise he had not that long ago.

Bavidge needs more time ... and will only get more first team minutes from coming off the bench in games already won.

Kennedy? Hmm. if he's not getting a game now, he's not getting a game in an improved side. Likewise Richardson.

Of the loanees out, I would only take Ngwenya, Milne and Besuijen back .... and hope they can push on, but even if all the above works out, we still need some solid, quality signings from back to front if we are gonna improve.

Flair players do excite, but as evidenced, just getting guys in like McDonald, Pollock and Shinnie who know their job and stick to it is key.

[TheDeeDon]

If there is anything to be learned from the last few summer transfer windows it’s that we shouldn’t get too excited. They have had plenty players come and go but hardly been a great product on the pitch when the chips are down.
Let’s see who is brought in but the reality of what they bring are by results on the pitch not future potential.

We should never be in a position of having to sign more than three or four players in a summer and once again are in a situation of needing lots of players.

The damage was done in the last year's of McInnes reign and has carried on under Glass and Goodwin.

Hopefully we can get Scales, Pollock, Shinnie and Clarkson signed up which at least gives us a solid starting 11.

[Auldtoontoby]

Neeps
I would add Hancock to that list of loanees.
He looked good at start of season before he went out on loan and unfortunately suffered a bad injury i think.

[InversneckieDob]

I'm pretty sure Shinnie is coming back.
By all accounts his family are ensconced (or about to be ensconced) in a spacious country pile Neerrrrn way.
Pollock and Clarkson....
Both may well be financially beyond us on permanent deals.
Euro fitba experience may tempt their clubs to re-loan.
Scales is a funny one.
He's benefited from the Robson renaissance but I worry if we sign him permanently we're committing to three at the back permanently.
I think he's in the Consi-zone ......
. nae robust enough to play in the middle of a back four, nae mobile enough to play as a conventional, back four, full back.

[rico94]

I'm pretty sure Shinnie is coming back.
By all accounts his family are ensconced (or about to be ensconced) in a spacious country pile Neerrrrn way.
Pollock and Clarkson....
Both may well be financially beyond us on permanent deals.
Euro fitba experience may tempt their clubs to re-loan.
Scales is a funny one.
He's benefited from the Robson renaissance but I worry if we sign him permanently we're committing to three at the back permanently.
I think he's in the Consi-zone ......
. nae robust enough to play in the middle of a back four, nae mobile enough to play as a conventional, back four, full back.

What’s wrong with playing 3 at the back?

[InversneckieDob]

Nothing, but I prefer a bit more flexibility.
I'm pretty sure Scales will command "week in, week out" money.
When you play a back three your out and out width comes from deeper, your wingbacks.
There will be games you'll want width higher up, I'd reckon quite a few games.
To me, that means a back four.

But I suppose it all comes down to how we recruit generally.

[Jupiter]

What’s wrong with playing 3 at the back?

If you have 2 full backs as well, it is really 5 at the back which is too negative against most of the diddy teams in our league.

[rico94]

Nothing, but I prefer a bit more flexibility.
I'm pretty sure Scales will command "week in, week out" money.
When you play a back three your out and out width comes from deeper, your wingbacks.
There will be games you'll want width higher up, I'd reckon quite a few games.
To me, that means a back four.

But I suppose it all comes down to how we recruit generally.

If Robson wants to play a back 3 in most games I wouldn’t have a problem with that.

I agree that some games may need us to switch to a back 4 but we don’t know if Pollock and MacDonald would be comfortable in that position either.

I hope we sign Scales and Shinnie and manage to get Clarkson and Pollock on loan again.

On top of that we need to strengthen the squad as the first 11 have been good since Robson has been in charge but the likes of Watkins,Coulson etc coming on as subs haven’t been good enough.

Going to need a bigger squad if we are playing in Europe till Christmas.