Transfer in's and out's rumours etc.

[Rev72]

Wonder what business we will do today..1 more deal perhaps.

[Tichi1]

Wonder what business we will do today..1 more deal perhaps.

Not unduly bothered Rev. those brought in so far looik good, we will hold our own IMO so happy days

[WTF11]

WTF, with all due respect, your arguments are difficult to follow because they are contradictory. On one hand you say Meslier and Poveda hardly spent a "significant" amount of time in the academy, but then you imply that Struijk has spent too long. You really cannot have it both ways. If meslier and poveda had spent any longer you probably would have said Orta had misspent money on dross. And struijk was only 18 when he joined. But to the point of the academy producing players, you are forgetting shackleton and Clarke. I do enjoy your posts wtf because its your honest opinion and which sometimes differs from others. But this one seemed self contradictory.

Simple really. WS suggests that the imports into the Academy and the Academy itself will make a significant contribution during this season, and quotes two new players who spent nearly zero time there as examples. I suggested that those who truly DO go into the Academy for any length of time, (rather than simply "acclimatising" to the Bielsa way as Rodrigo has), face a very considerable challenge to get into the 1st team, quoting Struijk as an example of such challenges. I could have used Shackleton, or Davis, or a number of others. I'm sure you and others are well aware on my views on Ortas spending, that's a separate matter to the point WS was attempting to make. (And age isn't so relevant is it? Meslier was 19 when he joined the club on loan, and was 1st choice GK just before his 20th birthday. "If you're good enough, you're old enough" springs to mind)

Either way, my assertion that players brought in as additions to the Academy as a first step face considerable challenges stands up, when compared to players brought in as 1st team candidates first and foremost, all recent experience supports it. Of course, I didn't choose the examples in WS post, and I suspect they were selected because on the surface they support his argument, (bit like suggesting I failed to include Bamford in the list of players Orta has been involved in bringing to the club, when I had done no such thing).

As with the comment he made about that list, the analysis of the list of academy "graduates" doesn't stand up to much objective analysis.

So, to sum up, Is the Academy important? Yes. Is the Academy likely to produce players who will make a significant impact this season? Only if Bielsa allows it to, and I'm hardly the first person to suggest that he sticks with players sometimes past their "best before" date. Will players destined for fast track to the 1st team, who have transited through the Academy in a few weeks in order to acclimatise themselves to the Bielsa way, contribute to the 1st team? I bloody well hope so (and Rodrigo particularly is showing evidence of that).

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

So far this season Poveda, Struijk, Shacks, Meslier and Davis have all played. Bielsa in a recent interview mentioned how impressed he had been with Poveda’s technical ability and competitive drive. He praised Orta for finding him and identifying him as a talent.

Of the new players signed in the window depending on injuries there is a fair chance Greenwood, Geldhart and Summerville may get first team minutes. Of the others if the perform well who knows.

I would say our academy set up is very much working.

Looks like the Brazilian lad will sign today and a domestic midfielder too where the deadline is the 16th so more time to finalise.

If Man U sign a few today we may even get Dan James on loan.

Who this time last year would have thought we would be where we are - top half and signing top quality players and playing football the way Bielsa always does.

The only shame this season are there are no fans to see it live.

[Billyni]

Wonder what business we will do today..1 more deal perhaps.

1 from the eu, then another 1 domestically

[whitestomper45]

Simple really. WS suggests that the imports into the Academy and the Academy itself will make a significant contribution during this season, and quotes two new players who spent nearly zero time there as examples. I suggested that those who truly DO go into the Academy for any length of time, (rather than simply "acclimatising" to the Bielsa way as Rodrigo has), face a very considerable challenge to get into the 1st team, quoting Struijk as an example of such challenges. I could have used Shackleton, or Davis, or a number of others. I'm sure you and others are well aware on my views on Ortas spending, that's a separate matter to the point WS was attempting to make. (And age isn't so relevant is it? Meslier was 19 when he joined the club on loan, and was 1st choice GK just before his 20th birthday. "If you're good enough, you're old enough" springs to mind)

Either way, my assertion that players brought in as additions to the Academy as a first step face considerable challenges stands up, when compared to players brought in as 1st team candidates first and foremost, all recent experience supports it. Of course, I didn't choose the examples in WS post, and I suspect they were selected because on the surface they support his argument, (bit like suggesting I failed to include Bamford in the list of players Orta has been involved in bringing to the club, when I had done no such thing).

As with the comment he made about that list, the analysis of the list of academy "graduates" doesn't stand up to much objective analysis.

So, to sum up, Is the Academy important? Yes. Is the Academy likely to produce players who will make a significant impact this season? Only if Bielsa allows it to, and I'm hardly the first person to suggest that he sticks with players sometimes past their "best before" date. Will players destined for fast track to the 1st team, who have transited through the Academy in a few weeks in order to acclimatise themselves to the Bielsa way, contribute to the 1st team? I bloody well hope so (and Rodrigo particularly is showing evidence of that).

You have suggested that Orta is useless at his job and Bielsa doesn't pick youth.
Look back over his 2 years (including Saturday) he gave Jack Clarke his debut. The "imports" signed by VO have helped them gain Cat 1, it was part of his brief... means they play better opposition and the club are no longer obligated by FA to sell a youth player should a Cat1 club enquire.

[whitestomper45]

Raphinha of Rennes

Orta being targeted by Roma

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Orta is a genius - without him we would not have Bielsa. Love his passion and sense of humour too - the binoculars joke at Derby was brilliant!

[Tichi1]

Incoming.....

[Tichi1]

This lad from Rennes... reminds me of when I first drove in France back in 1988, taking my wife, son, Brother and sisterin law on holiday to St John du monts on the west coast, ferry over to Cherbourg, planned to drive down through Rennes on to Nantes and then on to the coast.....
Got lost in Rennes, ended up in Lorient about 50 to 60 miles north of Nantes!

To add insult to injury - Got lost there agin the following year and ended up heading towards the north coast again as opposed to the west.

Moral of the story - Avoiud Rennes - never been back LOL!